ReactionAndoni Iraola press conference: 'To win here is very difficult, I know it very well'
Andoni Iraola praised what he believed to be a 'deserved' victory for Liverpool over AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League.
The Reds secured a 1-0 result on the south coast on Sunday afternoon to head into the international break in winning fashion.
It was Alexander Isak's goal shortly ahead of the hour mark that settled the contest and the points for Iraola's squad.
The striker converted well from inside the area, which followed impressive work from Cody Gakpo to beat two defenders and deliver from the right flank.
Read on to see what the head coach had to say following the game at Vitality Stadium.
On whether he felt it was a 'deserved win' for Liverpool...
I think it was. I was disappointed with the first 20, 25 minutes, I think we didn't start the game with the intensity the game required. To win here is very difficult, I know it very well. Normally Bournemouth start really strong and it took us these 20, 25 minutes until we matched a little bit this level and from there and I think at the end of the first half and second half we played better, we had better situations with the ball and we could win the game.
On Isak scoring the winner...
The striker's job is like this. He had a couple of crosses that he doesn't hit properly, one chance [he couldn't] control and this. I think he has to help us to be closer to the box, to play in the opposition half, to have meaningful possession and then, if the team is playing there, he will receive the rewards in terms of goals.
On how he assesses the first month of the season...
I think overall we've improved, definitely since the first games. Some of the things we still need to improve, more things. I am happy it is the third clean sheet in a row in the league. Today is a kind of difficult game, I knew you never play comfortably here. Bournemouth don't allow you to play comfortably normally, they put you under pressure and you have to adapt and you have to win this kind of game.
But we still have to get ready because the schedule that we have now, it's very difficult. I think we are playing against top-four teams and then in between Champions [League] and then in between Chelsea in the Carabao [Cup] and everything in two, three days. So we have to get ready because this next month, after this break, it's going be very demanding for us.
On three consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League…
I think the more time - especially the defenders - they play together, I think it becomes more solid as a unit in the defensive line. I think Jeremy [Jacquet] and Virgil [van Dijk] with the help now of Ronald [Araujo] and Milos [Kerkez] are getting the connections. I think it's becoming more solid and in the moments that you need to defend the result or they are putting you under pressure, I think we are looking solid.
On Jacquet's recent performances…
I'm happy for him because he's also received his first international call-up. He's going with France and that is a big national team and I know that he is happy. He's still very young, he is adapting really well to the Premier League. I think in the first games, physically he was feeling the change of rhythm, he was finishing with cramps, finishing really tired and we had to sub him. Today has been a step forward. He looked solid until the end and I think he's finished physically also in a good place. I hope he can continue this development.
On his plan for the squad over the international break…
We will still train, but it's true that we are training with four or five players because most of the team is playing with the national team. The players will have now some days off and then we will keep working with the ones that stay. Then we will prepare well for when the others come and you have no more than three days probably to prepare for the [Manchester] City game. We are ready not just for that game, but for the run of games that we have that is going to be demanding.
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Watch on YouTubeOn returning to Bournemouth and whether anything 'surprised' him…
Surprised me? It looks nicer - everything - even the dressing room, where we do the press, I can see already filling the corners [of the stadium] and I love it because I love this club. I see that this is even growing more, you will enjoy European nights here and you can feel it. It's early days, this stadium will finish being a lot nicer, I know the plans. But I was delighted to see a lot of the people that I appreciate so much here.