Farrell Keeling

Author | Executive Editor for Rocket Sports Network | Fantasy, football and other such things | Farrell not Pharrell | he/ him 🇧🇪

[Empire of the Kop @empireofthekop]

Iraola on the AXA training pitch: “This is the most important part.”

Is right, Andoni 👊

[Christian Falk @cfbayern]

Inside Bayern: Morgan Rogers rumours & Ismael Saibari pursuit https://t.co/yAEHtAEtcZ

[Christian Falk @cfbayern]

ROGERS to Bayern? PIE for Kompany! Kroupi, Saibari & more! | Bayern Insi... https://t.co/DPtpKFNU9R via @YouTube

[Empire of the Kop @empireofthekop]

The boss ❤️

[Empire of the Kop @empireofthekop]

🗣️ Andoni Iraola on joining Liverpool:

“Really excited, really excited because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know that it’s a big club, a massive club, one of the biggest in the world.

“But feeling inside and understanding a little bit more of this club, I always thought it’s a special club.

“You don’t need a lot of things to get attracted by Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool.

“But obviously the atmosphere, the supporters, the club, the players, the chance for me to coach top-level players, the chance to fight for titles. I think it cannot be more attractive than this. It’s difficult to find it. So, really excited to start.”

[Farrell Keeling @farrellkeeling]

I’m so ready

[Liverpool FC @LFC]

"I want to become one more of you." ✊

[Matt Addison @MattAddison97]

🔴 As reported elsewhere, Josh Abe is staying at #LFC. Plenty of interest from other major clubs, but a big boost for the Reds to keep him. He's been injured since February; now nearing a return to action ahead of the summer.

[Liverpool FC @LFC]

Looking back on some amazing memories with @NIVEAMENUK and the incredible stories that made Dear Liverpool so special ✨

[Christian Falk @cfbayern]

Ismael Saibari to Bayern? Christian Falk on Godts, Kroupi & the search f... https://t.co/QeRMjwPPSm via @YouTube

[Josh Williams @DistanceCovered]

On Iraola.

@TheAnfieldWrap

[Dominic King @DKingTelegraph]

🚨Liverpool have entered into formal talks with Andoni Iraola and it is now a question of when, rather than if, his appointment will be confirmed. No indication as yet on the length of deal or what additions he will make to his coaching staff. More on @TelegraphSport

[Farrell Keeling @farrellkeeling]

We’re so back

[Back Of The Net 🍒 @afcbpodcast]

🍒➡️🔴

[Christian Falk @cfbayern]

Ismael Saibari 'unlikely' to be bargain transfer for Bayern Munich https://t.co/eWqzHy8ph1

[Sam McGuire @SamMcGuire90]

A huge plus with Iraola is he platforms attackers properly. They're the difference makers and the game changers. Liverpool did that under Klopp. That's where the value is.

[SempreMilan @SempreMilanCom]

👋 Liverpool sacking
💡 Tactical strengths and weaknesses
✅ Good fit for Serie A?

🔴 We spoke to @farrellkeeling from @empireofthekop about the Slot to #ACMilan links 👇

➡️ https://t.co/5y038pzAB3

[Empire of the Kop @empireofthekop]

Arne Slot has penned a classy message to Liverpool supporters after his two-year spell as head coach came to an end on Saturday 👇 #LFC

[Farrell Keeling @farrellkeeling]

Essential reading for anyone with (understandable) doubts about Iraola 👇

[Sean Rogers @Sean_Rogers]

Andoni Iraola to Liverpool?

The schedule with Europe and Premier League, intensity of his style of play, injury record & player profile at Liverpool is raising a number of concerns

Ahead of the Arne Slot Reaction Show we recorded on Sunday for @TheAnfieldWrap I took a deeper look at the injuries, 1st vs 2nd half of season records & approach taken at Bournemouth to understand whether concerns are matched by the data and whether there are any positive signs to ease concerns……

Graphic below is the xG rolling trendline 01/01/26 to end of season @Statsbomb for Bournemouth

1)INTENSITY

The data backs up the eyes

22/23 Iraola's Rayo Vallecano forced more high turnovers which led to a shot (68) than any side in the top five European leagues except Bayern Munich (73)

In the past 2 seasons at Bournemouth Iraola’s side are

-99th percentile and 98th percentile for high press shots
-100th and 96th percentile for aggression

2)INJURIES

Up until July 2025 Iraola at every club – every season – had a negative trend ….

Iraola had NEVER overseen a second half of a campaign that outperformed the first in terms of points gained

He had a reputation for burning his squad out during the first half of the season and tailing off with injury issues even without European football

In 2024/25 season they lost over 1100 days to injury

3)2025/26 – JANUARY CHANGE IN APPROACH & POSITIVE RESULTS

2025/26 Bournemouth

A) Post their best injury numbers as an aggregate of injuries and illness suffered in the past 8 seasons
B)153 games missed due to injury ranked 8th in league
C)Post a huge improvement January 2026 to end of season
D)End the season going 18 games unbeaten
E) Iraola’s side end the season performing well during the 2nd half of the season with a budget that should result in a lower bottom half finish

Quite remarkable when they start the season absolutely flying - 2nd place after matchday 9

Then suffer significant injury crisis and go 11 games without a win between Matchweeks 10 to 20

WHY? WHAT CHANGED JANUARY ONWARDS?

A lot.

A)NEW PERFORMANCE CENTRE

Bournemouth had invested over £30m in a new sports science and medical performance centre.

This was functioning fully January 2026 onwards

B)DR ROBERT MARSHALL

Recruited in summer 2025 he arrived from RB Leipzig in July last year as Bournemouth’s Director of Medical and Performance.

Iraola raves about him

His role was in part to ensure all the departments within the performance centre worked in harmony in conjunction with Iraola.

C)SQUAD AGE

2nd youngest squad in the league I am sure helps

D)IRAOLA

Iraola made tweaks in line with the performance centre recommendations

Training and in game set up changes reportedly helped

Rotation

Strategic substitutes

Arguably had the performance centre been in place July 2025 Bournemouth may have posted even better improvements in their injury data at the end of the 2025/26 season as it’s skewed by first half of season data

There is a lot more to delve in to in respect of his tactics, in and out of possession set up, authority, leadership and training methods

Based on the work done at Bournemouth January 2026 onwards it would suggest that Iraola can work positively complementing the performance staff at Liverpool

He will also have even greater resources in all areas at Liverpool

He has also ended the trend of his sides physically and results wise blowing up during the 2nd half of a season

There is a lot he needs to prove – and managing European campaign and Premier League is an obvious one – but he can point to the lack of performance centre (up until recently at Bournemouth) and the results since the integration of the performance centre / Dr Robert Marshall, positively as evidence of how he could work with the performance staff at Liverpool to balance intensity and the schedule

[Farrell Keeling @farrellkeeling]

I’m in 👍

[The Anfield Wrap @TheAnfieldWrap]

🗣️ TAW Special | James Roach on Andoni Iraola

With Liverpool being linked to the former Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, we speak to @HeadstarJR about the Basque tactician. @Knox_Harrington hosts...

1️⃣ Download our App
2️⃣ Get FREE Tokens
3️⃣ Listen

📲 https://t.co/eNpQIJSgGi

[Farrell Keeling @farrellkeeling]

On a separate but connected point, what’s going on with Richard Hughes and Co?

Slot was left holding the can, but I’m hardly the only one who believes the manager wasn’t given the best possible chance of making this season a success.

Wingers? No.6? Guehi?

[Farrell Keeling @farrellkeeling]

Sacking Slot is the right outcome for Liverpool and the one I was personally in favour of (there is wider concern around timing RE #LFC's chances of engineering a move for Luis Enrique, but that's a separate matter).

Still feels incredibly sad, given Arne delivered No. 20.

[Farrell Keeling @farrellkeeling]

And, as others have rightly pointed out, his impeccable handling of the aftermath of Diogo Jota's tragic passing.

He's a very good man, Arne. And he deserved a chance to be thanked by the supporters for all he'd accomplished in such a short space of time.

[Farrell Keeling @farrellkeeling]

Sacking Slot is the right outcome for Liverpool and the one I was personally in favour of (there is wider concern around timing RE #LFC's chances of engineering a move for Luis Enrique, but that's a separate matter).

Still feels incredibly sad, given Arne delivered No. 20.