Liverpool Just Threw Away ANOTHER 2-0 Lead And New Boss Iraola's Anfield Debut Is Already A NIGHTMARE 😱⚽

Stop everything, because Liverpool just did it AGAIN — and this time it was at Anfield. 😱

New manager Andoni Iraola watched his side throw away a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 to Monaco in his first game at home, and it's the SECOND time in a week the Reds have collapsed after being two goals up in pre-season.

Yes, really. Just seven days after blowing a 2-0 lead against Leeds in Chicago (they lost that one 4-2), Liverpool have done it all over again — and the cracks are starting to show.

The Tea ☕

• Liverpool were cruising: Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz put the Reds 2-0 up in the first half at Anfield
• Then it all fell apart: Monaco clawed it back with a penalty from Aleksandr Golovin and a goal from Mika Biereth before Paris Brunner headed home a late winner
• Iraola made 11 changes at half-time, giving minutes to new signing Victor Munoz — but the second-string couldn't hold on

It All Started So Well...

According to Sky Sports, Liverpool looked absolutely chef's kiss in the first half.

Isak opened the scoring with a gorgeous finish after some slick one-two play on the edge of the box, and Wirtz poked home from two yards after an absolute scramble in the six-yard box.

2-0 up, World Cup stars Virgil van Dijk and Alisson back in the starting XI, new manager settling into the Anfield dugout — what could possibly go wrong?

And Then It Got Worse

Everything, apparently.

Monaco pulled one back just before half-time when Golovin won and converted a penalty after stepping past Van Dijk in the box. Alisson went the right way but couldn't keep it out.

Then in the second half — with Iraola having made wholesale changes to give his squad minutes — Biereth leveled things up before Brunner's late header completed the comeback.

BBC Sport reports that Liverpool averaged 60.6% possession across their four pre-season games, but the problem isn't controlling the ball — it's what happens when they lose it.

The Chaos Is Real

Here's the thing: Iraola was brought in specifically because fans wanted his "heavy metal" style — the kind of intense, chaotic football that made the Klopp era so electric.

And they're getting chaos, alright. Just maybe not the good kind yet.

The Spanish manager's sides are known for committing six or seven players forward in attack, leaving just three or four back to deal with counter-attacks. The hope is to win the ball back high up the pitch through intense pressing — but right now, that press isn't quite there yet.

After the Monaco loss, Iraola admitted his team "can't sustain the level we want, we have work to do," referring to the dropped leads caused by a lack of depth, physicality, and a press that hasn't been perfected.

Translation: we're not fit enough yet, and teams are running right through us in the second half.

Should Liverpool Fans Be Worried?

Look, it's pre-season — the whole point is to build fitness and work out the kinks. Iraola made 11 changes at half-time, clearly prioritizing minutes over results.

But throwing away two 2-0 leads in the space of a week? That's a pattern, not a coincidence.

And here's the kicker: BBC Sport notes that Arne Slot's Liverpool were also vulnerable to fast counter-attacks last season — so this isn't exactly a new problem at Anfield.

The difference is that Iraola's style leaves them even more exposed when things go wrong. His tactics are all-or-nothing: when the press works and the chaos clicks, it's beautiful. When it doesn't, you get... well, 3-2 losses to Monaco at home.

The Internet Had Thoughts

Dominik Szoboszlai, who's been playing in a deeper midfield role under Iraola, tried to stay positive about his new boss: "He is very good. The intensity we need is here now."

But intensity without control is just running around, babe. And right now, Liverpool are doing a lot of running around.

The Premier League season kicks off in less than two weeks, and while pre-season results don't always mean much, the vibes at Anfield are getting a little shaky.

Iraola's got time to sort this out — but not that much time. The chaos needs to turn into goals, not memes.

So, Liverpool fans: are you still excited about the Iraola era, or are these pre-season collapses starting to worry you? Sound off below. 👇

---

Sources:

• BBC Sport: How Liverpool are shaping up under Iraola
• Sky Sports: Liverpool 2-3 Monaco match report