Andoni Iraola press conference: Liverpool's 6-3 win at LASK, Barcola hat-trick and more
Andoni Iraola felt Liverpool produced a 'very complete' attacking performance in their 6-3 Champions League victory at LASK.
The Reds were 4-0 up after 51 minutes of Wednesday night's tie in Austria thanks to Bradley Barcola's double and headers from Ronald Araujo and Jeremie Frimpong.
After Robert Ljubicic got the hosts on the scoresheet, Barcola scored again to complete his hat-trick before Lewis Koumas opened his European account.
A pair of finishes from LASK substitute Florian Flecker proved to be mere consolations.
Read on for a summary of Iraola's post-match press conference at Raiffeisen Arena.
On Barcola...
I'm really happy for Bradley because you were asking me yesterday about him not making the numbers, also Florian [Wirtz]. I think both of them today played really, really well. I think they made a difference. Bradley apart from the hat-trick, I think he was a threat always – one-v-one, threatening in behind. Also Flo helped us a lot to control the game, finding the pockets. I'm happy for both of them.
On what 'difference it can make' for Barcola and Wirtz...
I think their confidence, for sure, is very good. I think they feel that we trust them a lot. But at the end, to enjoy a little bit playing in the Champions League away, I think it's going to be very good for them.
On Koumas and Trey Nyoni...
I said before I think Trey, Koumas, Rio [Ngumoha] has played more and has even played with the national team, but they're still Academy players, very young. For the two [Nyoni and Koumas] I think it's the first start in the Champions League. They are first-team players for us. They are first-team players because we trust them and we think they can give us the level to help during the season.
I'm very happy for their performances. Even Koumas because he has scored two disallowed goals before and you were thinking after the hard work he has put [in], the good game and probably he doesn't score. But I was really pleased for him to score a goal and celebrate with the supporters, enjoy a little bit your first Champions League goal. I'm happy for all of them, yes.
On Liverpool's attacking display...
I think we attacked really well, especially first half. I think [against] a very compact block it's not easy. They play a back five and there's not a lot of spaces in between. I think we found very good spaces in the pockets, spaces in behind with the three players up front. Obviously the second half probably was more about exploiting the spaces. But I think offensively it has been a very complete game.
On what his message to Barcola is now...
Obviously I think he has to enjoy this because to score a hat-trick in the Champions League is always very difficult. I think even [in] training yesterday, I could feel he was very lively – sometimes you feel these things. You never know how he's going to play the next day, but it wasn't like a big surprise because we were feeling he was in a good place for the game.
On whether the three goals conceded 'annoy' him...
I think there is a reason why managers would never change both centre-backs together. Because it's difficult to change both centre-backs, a new pair comes in straight away. But obviously [when] you're winning 4-0, I have to start thinking [about] the next game – we're playing in less than three days against Brentford. So, I think Ronald and Jeremy [Jacquet] were players that have been really demanded lately, have played a lot of games with us, with the national teams, and I thought it was the right moment to give them this rest. But obviously thinking in today's game, it's not the right thing to do as a manager to change both centre-backs together.
On managing a busy schedule...
At the end, these are different games. You have different demands for each game and you have to try to analyse what players, not just you can rest, it's what players can perform well against LASK today and they can help us to win the game, what players can help us against Brentford. But after Brentford we will play in three days against Villarreal, another very, very difficult Champions League game, and we will need more than 11, more than 12, more than 13.
That's why I'm very happy because especially the young players with less experience can give us good performances and also add some experience. Now because we've won, we scored six goals, it looks easy. But here if they start scoring first and with this atmosphere, these games are not easy. I think for Trey, for Koumas to add this experience is good because then we can trust them to play more games and to help other players that probably are having more minutes.
