Only one fringe player showed he can offer anything to Liverpool under Andoni Iraola vs Monaco

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Pre-season or not, Liverpool supporters will not want to get used to watching their team throw away two-goal leads again.Seeing the Reds surrender after going two goals up became a staple of last season’s disastrous period under Arne Slot, and despite some otherwise positive signs, Liverpool have now done it in successive matches with Andoni Iraola at the helm.There is still time to iron out the kinks, and grace should be given to Iraola and the players, but it is unfortunately true that many of the fringe players simply have not stepped up and shown they are good enough this summer. Liverpool throw away a two-goal lead for the second game in succession… How concerning is this?

Nothing looks to have changed from last season 😒 Photo Credit: Getty Images/Liverpool FC Plenty were given chances against Monaco, with Iraola swapping his whole XI at one stage or another. But with Liverpool looking one-paced after the break, it was not a good look for the likes of Federico Chiesa, James McConnell, Kostas Tsimikas or Rio Ngumoha.Fortunately, Liverpool fans could at least be enthused by the performance of Lewis Koumas, who showed during 75 minutes that he can be a genuine option for Iraola this season.Lewis Koumas jumps ahead in the pecking orderIt was a slight surprise to see Koumas start at Anfield on Sunday, with Ifeanyi Ndukwe being the only other youngster to get the nod.Ndukwe impressed against Monaco, as he has all summer long, but the centre-back is not able to play for the Reds in 2026/27 due to work permit issues.READ MORE: Liverpool player ratings vs Monaco as Reds throw away Andoni Iraola’s debut at AnfieldKoumas certainly can play, and while starting on the right of Liverpool’s front three, he looked every bit a player who knows he has a golden chance of forcing his way in.The 20-year-old did not look out of place alongside Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo in the Liverpool attack, and the fact that Iraola gave him 75 minutes just about said everything.Koumas could maybe have scored, but could not keep down a good cross from Gakpo, while he stung the palms of Lukas Hradecky in the first-half as well.Industrious, tenacious and quick, Koumas looked like everything the Reds have been missing in their forward line.Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty ImagesHeading into the summer, the Wales international would not really have been any supporters’ tip for someone who would be likely to make the step up to the first-team, but this was not a performance in isolation.

Koumas took his chance during the USA tour, and has clearly made an impression on Iraola.It may still be a struggle for him to get regular minutes, but if Liverpool do not sign a new player to feature on the right wing, do not rule the Scouser out from becoming a part of the squad.Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa fail to impressWhile Koumas was very good on Sunday, there were a number of other squad players who simply look like they do not belong at Liverpool anymore.After being beaten for the game-winning third goal, Chiesa is one of them, and if the Italian was looking like being Isak’s understudy until Hugo Ekitike returns, Koumas may just have ousted him.Harvey Elliott also came on and did absolutely nothing, showing why Liverpool and then Aston Villa decided not to give him minutes over the past two seasons.Others such as Tsimikas flattered to deceive as well, while young players like McConnell and Calvin Ramsay, previously considered as potential squad players, do not look at the level required.Koumas did, and though the lack of quality in the depths of the Liverpool squad is a worry, fans can at least cling to the fact that there has been at least one breakout star from this summer’s matches so far. Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox