Iraola and Liverpool Star Miss the Mark, Lashing Out at the Wrong Targets

Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola and goalkeeper Alisson both overlooked deeper concerns to direct their anger at the fourth official's substitution board after the Reds were forced to settle for another labored 2–2 draw against Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon.

Much like Newcastle United the previous weekend, Forest took the lead twice against their sluggish opponents. Dan Ndoye netted his first Premier League goal in over a year to open the scoring in a worryingly one-sided first half. Alexander Isak leveled on the hour but Iraola's men were pegged back again just 10 minutes later—much to their manager's dismay.

The trouble started when Forest introduced Liam Delap in the 66th minute. Iraola had three substitutes of his own—Kostas Tsimikas, Ryan Gravenberch and Rio Ngumoha—waiting on the touchline during that stoppage, but only the English forward was sent on. An overhit Cody Gakpo cross quickly sent the ball out for a corner in Forest's half moments later, yet fourth official Tim Robinson was still struggling with the substitution boards used to display the jersey numbers of players entering and exiting the game.

Play was allowed to continue. When the ball went out for a throw-in shortly after with no substitutions made, Iraola marched over to Robinson on the touchline, gesturing in frustration. The game was briefly halted a third time in the 68th minute, but Delap took a quick throw-in for Neco Williams who prodded the ball past Alisson to win a penalty, which Morgan Gibbs-White duly converted.

Even though Victor Muñoz rescued a point for his side, the typically composed Iraola was visibly furious after the final whistle. "I cannot explain because I don't have an explanation," he told reporters.

"I wanted to make those substitutions about three minutes earlier. The ball had gone out two, three, four times. He [fourth official Robinson] was having trouble with the board. The penalty would never have happened if I'd been able to bring on my subs.

"I had already complained the time before. The fans were shouting and they could see what was happening. I'll leave it to you to judge whether it was a penalty or not."

The frustration wasn't limited to the manager. Alisson was so enraged that he stamped his studs into the controversial substitution board as he walked off the pitch after the final whistle.

Alisson v substitution board😭 pic.twitter.com/5yCpohpyQn

Issues Which Should Make Iraola, Liverpool Angry

As infuriating as that sequence of events must have been for Iraola, there was little he could have done about a slow-moving official. The Liverpool manager should instead have been directing his attention toward his side's first-half performance, which was even more lethargic than Robinson's fumbling with the board.

For the second consecutive Premier League match, the Reds fell behind twice to far better-organized opposition. While Newcastle exploited Liverpool's vulnerability in transition, Forest exposed other weaknesses carried over from last season: a susceptibility to long balls, set pieces, and a lack of urgency.

"The first half was poor, it was not good enough," Iraola admitted. "We haven't controlled the game and after we improved a lot in the second half. We were much more intense, quicker on the ball and had more urgency, but it hasn't been enough to win the game and we have to blame the first half."

Liverpool Damning First-Half Stats vs. Nottingham Forest

Stats via FotMob.

Liverpool enjoyed plenty of possession but were unable to break down Forest's disciplined defensive structure—which had even more incentive to sit deep after taking the lead. One of the primary concerns surrounding Iraola's arrival at Anfield was whether he could adapt his high-energy, high-pressing philosophy to a squad whose collective tempo had been deliberately slowed by Arne Slot over the previous two seasons. Predictably, there have been some early growing pains.

"I am frustrated because we want to win, especially at home," Iraola said. "It's not a good result. We have come back from two games where we were losing and I like what we did in the second half, but we haven't been able to complete the comeback.

"In the first half we were too passive without the ball. Afterwards we improved and the intensity gave us the chance to win duels and attack quicker and better. But in the first half there was a lack of intensity and we had issues with throw-ins today."