Andoni Iraola was in a satisfied mood when he faced the media at Anfield on Wednesday night. In his post-match press conference, the head coach spoke about the penalty win over Chelsea, the Bournemouth draw and the spirit in his squad.
Liverpool beat Chelsea 6-5 on penalties in the Carabao Cup after a 1-1 draw. The result sends the Reds into the quarter-finals.
How the Night Unfolded
Both goals in normal time came from the penalty spot, just before half-time. Morgan Rogers and Cody Gakpo each scored from 12 yards.
That left the tie level, and the shootout settled it. Liverpool edged through by a single goal.
Reward for a “Very Big Effort”
Iraola opened by explaining what counts in a cup tie.
“Yeah, at the end in the cup competitions what matters is that you are in the next round and you are in the draw. Lucky for us finishing the right side of the penalty shootout. I finish pleased because the players have done a very big effort today and at least we get the reward of being in the quarter-finals.”
His focus was on progress. For Iraola, going through mattered more than how it happened.
A Quarter-Final Against His Old Club
The draw produced a meeting with AFC Bournemouth, the club Iraola used to coach. Liverpool will host the tie.
He made no secret of how he felt before the draw was made.
“Honestly, I was talking before the draw and I said, ‘The only team I don’t want is Bournemouth…’ For me, it’s special. They know me very well, they are playing very well lately, in a good moment. But it is what it is. We haven’t been very lucky with the draws – we have played Spurs and Chelsea already and now Bournemouth. That is going to be obviously special for me. But we have to earn the right to be in the semi-finals and I hope we can do it here at home again.”
A Run of Demanding Opponents
Spurs and Chelsea have already been faced in this competition. Now comes a Bournemouth side who, in Iraola’s view, are in good form.
He still wants to earn his place in the semi-finals at Anfield.
A Squad Pulling Together
Iraola was asked whether he could feel a togetherness growing around the team. His answer was clear.
“I feel it and I’m very happy to feel it because I think it’s very important. We need to feel what we are feeling now, the players are feeling. They are feeling the support of the ones in the stands and I think when we are all together, we create better atmospheres. Even starting losing, there was ‘Let’s go, come on.’ A lot of the players have given us very good help and now it’s the third game at home where we finish with good feelings. And we have another big one on Sunday and let’s try to finish this four in a row that we had at home in the best way.”
The Fans Played Their Part
The supporters stood out in his comments. Even when Liverpool were losing, the crowd kept urging the team forward.
This was the third home game in a row to end on a positive note.
Attention Turns to Sunday
There is little time to rest. Another big home game follows on Sunday, and Iraola wants the sequence of four straight matches at Anfield to end well.
Rotation and Late Bench Calls
Liverpool made seven changes against Chelsea. Iraola said the idea was to balance the team, not to plan around penalties.
“A little bit of everything. When you do the line-ups and the squads, you are not thinking, ‘In case it goes to penalties, I will leave the ones who shoot the penalties for the end.’ No, you are trying to balance the team. We are changing a lot of the players because we need to change. We did seven changes today but even in the Champions League, which are very important games, we are doing always four or five changes. Obviously when I did the last subs – when I put Alexis [Mac Allister] and Alex [Isak] especially – it starts to be in your head, ‘OK, in case of need, they also are the best ones probably you can put.’”
A Familiar Approach
The head coach pointed out that heavy rotation is normal for him. In the Champions League, he usually makes four or five changes.
By the time Alexis Mac Allister and Alex Isak came on, penalties were on his mind. He saw them as two of the best options available.
Praise for Trey Nyoni
Iraola also picked out Trey Nyoni for a strong performance.
“I think he has done very well. Really well. It’s good for the young players especially to live these experiences in cup competitions, where if you lose you are out. We have been losing and then the draw. Then they haven’t been there in the penalty shootout but they lived the feelings. They played under pressure against a very good team. And Trey has finished physically in a good place, so well done, yes.”
Pressure Is Good Experience
The coach sees real value in nights like this for the younger players. A knockout match carries the threat of elimination, and that creates genuine pressure.
Some of them did not take part in the shootout. Even so, they felt the emotions of the occasion against a very good opponent.
What Comes Next
Liverpool are now in the last eight, with a home tie against Bournemouth ahead. Iraola says the mood among the players and the fans is strong.
First, though, there is another big game at Anfield on Sunday when they welcome the current premier league champions.