Second best for 25 minutes, Iraola beats his old club with a half-time fix and an Isak tap-in.
The numbers
| Liverpool | AFC Bournemouth | |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 53.8% | 46.2% |
| Shots | 12 | 9 |
| On target | 3 | 2 |
| xG | 1.65 | 0.79 |
| Corners | 3 | 3 |
| Pass accuracy | 81% | 77.7% |
Result the chances deserved: Liverpool 58% / 24% / AFC Bournemouth 18% (Poisson).
Starting line-ups
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson, Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gakpo, Wirtz, Barcola, Isak.
AFC Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Petrović, Smith, Hill, Silva, Truffert, Adams, Scott, Rayan, Christie, Tavernier, Evanilson.
AFC Bournemouth subs: Brooks & Jebbison (75', Tavernier & Christie), Cook (76', Smith), Tóth & Gannon-Doak (88', Rayan & Adams). Head coach: Marco Rose. Line-ups and shapes from FotMob (both 4-2-3-1); WhoScored listed both as 4-3-3. Liverpool sub minutes from FotMob and the club's match report (TNT Sports and NBC have 72' and 82'); Bournemouth sub minutes from TNT Sports. Yellow cards (FotMob): Szoboszlai (46'), Isak (58', celebration), Silva (81'; TNT Sports has 83'). Attendance 11,316.
Key moments, move by move
- After half-time Szoboszlai drops into a back three, so Araujo can push on and Gakpo can start inside, in the pocket behind Scott.
- Gakpo gets the ball on the right and drives down the line past defenders. Silva is pulled out wide to meet him.
- Gakpo works a cross into the box, where Barcola, Wirtz and Isak are all arriving against too few defenders.
- The ball comes off Wirtz (a slight deflection for Sky, a blocked shot for Opta) and Isak finishes from close range.
A half-time back three that set Gakpo loose
- The first 25 minutes: AFC Bournemouth's 4-4-2 block marked mostly player to player. Evanilson and Christie kept Mac Allister and Szoboszlai in their cover shadows, and Tavernier and Rayan jumped onto Liverpool's full-backs (Coaches' Voice). Iraola said his team lacked "the intensity the game required", and Alisson's 18th-minute save from Evanilson's near-post flick kept it 0–0.
- Bournemouth went over the press. Against Liverpool's man-oriented press at goal kicks they played straight into Evanilson, with Tavernier and Christie dropping to collect the knockdowns (Coaches' Voice). They attacked Kerkez's side again and again through Rayan, and had more touches in Liverpool's box, 27 to 19 (FotMob).
- The fix: in the second half Szoboszlai rolled out of midfield to form a back three. Tavernier followed Szoboszlai, which left Truffert to take Araujo high on the right, and Gakpo drifted into the half-space on Scott's blind side. Twelve minutes after the restart Gakpo drove wide from there, Silva had to follow him, and three Liverpool attackers were waiting in the box (Coaches' Voice).
- Seeing it out: Nyoni and Muñoz came on at 71-72', with Gakpo moving to the left, then Gravenberch played as a No. 10 in front of Nyoni and Mac Allister (LiveScore). On 70' Gakpo played Isak through and Hill threw himself in front of the shot (Sky Sports, Opta), Koumas shot straight at Petrović in stoppage time (Sky Sports), and Liverpool kept a third straight league clean sheet (Opta).
Recreate it in FM26
Liverpool · Iraola's half-time back three frees Gakpo · 3-4-2-1Show cardHide card
Iraola's half-time back three frees Gakpo
| Pos | Player | In Possession | Out of Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Alisson | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper |
| RB | Araujo | Wing-Back | Full-Back |
| RCB | Jacquet | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Stopping Centre-Back |
| LCB | Van Dijk | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Covering Centre-Back |
| LB | Kerkez | Full-Back | Holding Full-Back |
| RDM | Szoboszlai | Half-Back | Pressing Defensive Midfielder |
| LDM | Mac Allister | Deep-Lying Playmaker | Screening Defensive Midfielder |
| RW | Gakpo | Half-Space Winger | Tracking Winger |
| AM | Wirtz | Advanced Playmaker | Attacking Midfielder |
| LW | Barcola | Inside Forward | Winger |
| ST | Isak | Centre Forward | Centre Forward |
Team instructions
In Possession
- Build-Up StrategyPlay Through Press
- Passing DirectnessMore Direct
- Progress ThroughRight
Out of Possession
- Line of EngagementHigh Press
- Defensive LineHigher
- Cross EngagementContest
The idea: Szoboszlai as a Half-Back drops out of the double pivot to make a back three, so Araujo can push on and Gakpo can start in the half-space behind the opposing midfield, then carry to the line. You need a right-sided midfielder who is happy defending in a back line and a wide forward who can both receive inside and cross.
What FM26 can't copy: Liverpool only found this shape after half-time, so in FM26 it works best as a second tactic you switch to, not a straight copy of the first 45 minutes.
Our reading of this match in FM26 terms, not an exported tactic file. Role names as in FM26.
What if? Replay it with a different plan
Our best alternative plan: Patient possession, Frimpong on at 72' (for Barcola). Use the second-half build-up (Szoboszlai dropping, Araujo high, Gakpo inside) from the first minute rather than rushing it forward, then bring Frimpong on at 72' to keep attacking the side of Bournemouth's defence that the goal came from. It moves Liverpool's win chance from 58% to 64% (xG 1.65–0.79 becomes 1.85–0.74). Try your own changes to formation, pressing, approach and substitutions.
The game-changer Liverpool needed
Jeremie Frimpong
Liverpool's winner came when Araujo pushed high on the right and Gakpo, a left-sided forward, came inside and then drove to the line. Frimpong does both jobs on the right naturally. From 72', with Gakpo moved to the left, he would have kept Truffert and Silva stretched on the side where the goal came from, and his recovery pace helps if Bournemouth break.
Antoine Semenyo
Liverpool had to build their best move by shifting Gakpo, a natural left-sider, onto the right. Semenyo played for Iraola at Bournemouth and is at his best running at full-backs from the right. He would have given Liverpool width and a shot on that side from the first minute, instead of only after the half-time change.
What the analysts said
“I was disappointed with the first 20, 25 minutes, I think we didn't start the game with the intensity the game required.”Andoni Iraola
“To win here is very difficult, I know it very well. Normally Bournemouth start really strong.”Andoni Iraola
“I think he has to help us to be closer to the box, to play in the opposition half, to have meaningful possession…”Andoni Iraola on Isak
“It was one error, but it was one error too many. We aren't getting points for playing well and having a good attitude and playing with confidence.”Marco Rose
“We are not shocked really. We all know he's world class and we are really lucky to have him.”Alexander Isak on Alisson
Iraola didn't out-play his old club. He out-adjusted it.
What's happening. Liverpool won 1–0 at Bournemouth, Iraola's former club, with an Isak tap-in. For the first 25 minutes Bournemouth were better, and Alisson's save from Evanilson kept it level.
How it works. At half-time Szoboszlai dropped into a back three. That let Araujo push high and Gakpo come inside, behind Bournemouth's midfield. Bournemouth's man-oriented block then had to choose who followed whom; on 57 minutes a defender went wide to meet Gakpo and three Liverpool players had the box to themselves. A man-marking defence is beaten by making markers choose.
What the shots say. Replaying every shot, Liverpool win a little under half the replays and draw about a third. It was narrow. The defence is ahead of the attack: three league clean sheets in a row, but only one clear chance made here.