Andoni Iraola’s tactical switch vs Ipswich could solve Liverpool’s right-back issue

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Liverpool supporters furious at their club’s failure to sign a right-back during the transfer window were initially given more ammunition on Friday night.Part of supporters’ frustration is that they do not deem Jeremie Frimpong to be good enough to be a regular starter for the Reds, and after Andoni Iraola left him out of the 2-0 win over Ipswich, it appeared that the Liverpool head coach may agree.Ronald Araujo came in for Frimpong, and offered Liverpool a very, very different approach at full-back. Not only did the Uruguayan play the position completely differently to his Dutch counterpart, though, instructions for Araujo to tuck in appeared very deliberate, and may give Iraola a way forward through this issue.

What did you think of Bradley Barcola’s Liverpool debut against Ipswich? The Frenchman could get his first start against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday Photo Credit: Getty Images/Liverpool FC Araujo tucking in gave Liverpool a back threeAlthough they still gave up an xG of 0.73 against Ipswich – more than the 0.66 the generated themselves – Liverpool looked more secure at the back and in midfield at Portman Road.At least some of that can be attributed to Iraola instructing Araujo to tuck in and create a back three for Liverpool out of, and sometimes even in, possession.Along with Jeremy Jacquet and Virgil van Dijk, Araujo formed part of an imposing back line for the Reds, and given they kept a first clean sheet in 14 matches, it clearly worked fairly well.There were times when Liverpool did not look to have the necessary cover at right-back, but Araujo generally got back out well, and was also aided by hard work from Victor Munoz and later Dominik Szoboszlai to help out.READ MORE: Andoni Iraola shares how close Bradley Barcola is to full fitness after Liverpool debut vs IpswichIf Iraola is to persist with this for any length of time, it will require complete buy-in from whoever is playing on the right, and he thankfully had that with Munoz and Szoboszlai.Nevertheless, this does come with risk attached.

Though when this works it really works, and there is no way through Liverpool’s three centre-backs, the Reds did at times get caught out with the right winger pushing too far up.Had Ipswich had a little more quality on the night, they could easily have punished Liverpool for this.Having said that, it is probably preferable to having Frimpong bomb on with only Jacquet behind him for support, and in deploying this new, slightly lopsided system, Iraola essentially ensured that Liverpool would usually have three men back instead of two.Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty ImagesThat is not to say that Araujo did not get forward, but it was noticeable that even when the Reds were attacking down the right, he still held back.The on-loan Barcelona captain ended the match having won the most duels (9/10), the most aerial duels (6/6) and made the joint-most clearances (7) during the game. This was proper defensive performance from Araujo, and it showed in not only his display, but Liverpool’s overall performance as well.“In some moments we will need Frimpong when we want to be more offensive, some moments we will need Ronald, we will make decisions,” Iraola told Sky Sports after the game.If Frimpong may be slightly better suited to home games where Liverpool will have much more of the ball than the opposition, then Iraola may just have worked out that Araujo will be his go-to when the Reds travel away from home.