Wirtz, Isak & Diomande shine at World Cup as Iraola plots Liverpool revival

By

Chief football writer in Dallas

Liverpool's new head coach Andoni Iraola will use the World Cup as a fact-finding mission on the players he has inherited, as well as scouting those he could add to refresh a squad that suffered in a miserable defence of their Premier League title.

As he settles in after succeeding sacked Arne Slot, Spaniard Iraola will have had an intriguing day gathering intelligence as he had an interest in all games on day four of the tournament.

So what will have caught Iraola's eye as he formulates his plot to revive Liverpool after arriving from Bournemouth?

Florian Wirtz arrived at Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen last summer amid great fanfare in a then-British record £116m deal - but remained an enigma as he fell far short of expectations.

Liverpool still have huge hopes for a gifted attacking player who has only just turned 23, which means one of Iraola's main tasks is to find a settled position for the German to release the talent he demonstrated before moving to Anfield.

This is why Iraola will have been intrigued by what he saw from Wirtz in Germany's 7-1 win against Curacao in their opening World Cup game.

The context must be that this was against a side ranked 82nd in the world, but in the colours of his country and in favourable conditions, Wirtz showed some golden touches.

In his first campaign at Anfield, Wirtz too often appeared a square peg in a round hole, playing in behind the strikers as well on the flanks, but never flourishing.

In Houston, Wirtz played on the left, perhaps giving Iraola food for thought, especially as Cody Gakpo had a poor season in that position. He created Germany's opening goal for Felix Nmecha with the sort of delicate touch and quick thinking that eluded him for much of last term.

Wirtz had 39 touches in the final third, instrumental as Germany ran riot.

Former England striker Chris Sutton, in Houston for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: "The mitigation must be that this was Curacao, but the Liverpool fans who watched the game, especially in the first half, would be wondering if it was the same Florian Wirtz who played for them last season.

"He looked happy in a German jersey, at ease and playing with freedom."

Sutton added: "He was sharp off the left, drifting inside to play quick, incisive passes. He was creative and cunning. He looked unburdened. He was a real menace with Jamal Musiala."

Iraola will hope to lift the weight off Wirtz's shoulders at Liverpool.

Virgil van Dijk will remain one of the main pillars of Iraola's new Liverpool era. This impression was only confirmed by his performance for the Netherlands in their 2-2 draw with Japan in Dallas.

The result was a disappointment for Ronald Koeman's side, who lost the lead twice, but Van Dijk was voted man of the match

Van Dijk, who will be 35 in July, scored a goal and was the main barrier of resistance in a Dutch defence that occasionally looked uncertain.

He put the Netherlands ahead after 51 minutes with a precise header. Then, as Japan pressed late on, it was Van Dijk who almost saw out the win with a succession of towering headers.

Ryan Gravenberch, who Iraola will hope to return to the majestic form he displayed as a holding midfielder when Liverpool won the Premier League in Slot's first season, was solid and created Van Dijk's opening goal with an inviting cross.

In a statistical quirk, Gravenberch's delivery for Van Dijk is only the second ever World Cup goal scored and assisted by a Liverpool player, after Ian Callaghan set up Roger Hunt for England against France in 1966.

Gravenberch also provided the assist for Crysencio Summerville's second goal for the Dutch.

Iraola, however, may have wanted to see more from the third member of Liverpool's Dutch contingent as Cody Gakpo had a subdued match.

Gakpo's game descended into predictability in Liverpool's struggles last season, too often resorting to simply cutting inside, a ploy easily detected by opponents as his form faded.

He fell into similar traps against Japan, although Gakpo's cause was arguably not helped by coach Koeman's selection of Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven at left-back. A central defender by trade, Van de Ven offered little attacking assistance, allowing Japan to crowd Gakpo out.

Gakpo also falls into the category of a player Iraola will hope to revive after a dramatic drop in standards last season.

The task of filling the huge vacancy left by Mohamed Salah will be right at the top of Iraola's tasks when he settles behind his desk at Liverpool.

RB Leipzig's 19-year-old Yan Diomande has been the name on the lips of many as the target to take the place of the 'Egyptian king'.

Hs is one of Europe's hottest properties and showed exactly why Liverpool are being heavily touted - along with Champions League holders Paris St-Germain - as his next destination with a man-of-the-match performance rich in promise in Ivory Coast's 1-0 win against Ecuador.

Diomande operated on the right flank in the first half, where he would play if he arrived at Liverpool to fill Salah's old role, then on the left after the break, creating five chances in total.

He troubled Arsenal's Piero Hincapie in the opening 45 minutes with one electrifying run, leaving the Ecuador defender trailing to set up a chance for Nicolas Pepe. Diomande also showed power and sleight of foot to escape when Ecuador doubled up on him in an attempt to snuff out his threat.

Diomande set up a second-half chance when Elye Wahi hit the woodwork, and his positive approach was reflected in 22 passes in the attacking third.

There are, understandably at only 19, elements of rawness and wastefulness about Diomande's game, but there was enough evidence here to see why he will be on Liverpool's radar as they move to strengthen Iraola's new squad.

And given Iraola's track record of moulding younger players at Bournemouth, such as 19-year-old Junior Kroupi and another teenager, Brazil forward Rayan, Diomande looks right up his street.

Alexander Isak's record £125m move to Liverpool from Newcastle United became a nightmare of lost form and injuries in a disappointing campaign, with the Swede scoring only four goals in 22 appearances.

The 26-year-old striker arrived short of fitness after a period of self-imposed exile on Tyneside, then broke his leg when scoring Liverpool's goal in a 2-1 win at Spurs in December.

Iraola, therefore, will have been thrilled to see Isak showing scintillating form of old as he was instrumental as Sweden thrashed Tunisia 5-1 in Monterrey.

Isak may have been the beneficiary of a goalkeeping error for his first-half goal, but the manner in which he ran at the Tunisian defence then showed the confidence to shoot will have heartened Iraola.

He demonstrated strength and awareness to rob Tunisia captain Ellyes Skhiri and set up a goal for strike partner Viktor Gyokeres in the second half. It made Isak and Gyokeres only the second pair of Sweden team-mates to each record a goal and an assist in a World Cup match since 1966.

Isak looked fit and in form, being named man of the match before going off in the closing seconds - and with fellow striker Hugo Ekitike out until next year with a Achilles tendon injury, Iraola will want Isak in peak condition next season.