Dominik Szoboszlai identifies one thing at Liverpool which ‘has to change’ this season
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Dominik Szoboszlai has said that Liverpool’s level of intensity on the pitch ‘has to change’ from last season to this.A miserable 2025/26 campaign in which the Reds delivered far too many lifeless performances cost Arne Slot his job as head coach, with his replacement Andoni Iraola famed for the high-pressing approach which brought him plenty of joy at Bournemouth.LFC players spoke in pre-season about the greater physical demands being placed on them by the Basque’s coaching style compared to his predecessor, with the incumbent’s tactical blueprint more akin to that of the legendary Jurgen Klopp.Szoboszlai wants to see more intensity from LiverpoolIn an interview with Steven Gerrard for TNT Sports, Szoboszlai spoke of his fondness for Iraola’s ‘really direct and intense’ style of football, and he was asked by the ex-Liverpool captain whether the intensity levels going forward would be the biggest difference from last season.The Hungarian replied: “I think it has to change. This is what we missed last season.
If we can bring this intensity back, that we want it more than the others, we have the quality. Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustSzoboszlai could have a huge part to play in that missionWhen Liverpool were at their peak under Klopp between 2018 and 2020, the intensity with which they played was the envy of the footballing world, and very few opponents figured out a way to cope with it.Last season could hardly have been any more of a contrast, with the Reds’ defence crumbling all too often and the midfield played through at will.
The defiance which marked previous years gave way to lapses in concentration which frequently cost us points late in matches.Rediscovering optimum intensity levels under Iraola won’t be an overnight process, and fans will need to be patient for the new head coach’s philosophy to properly take hold. Remember, it took a few months after Klopp’s arrival for our fortunes to consistently improve.As one of Liverpool’s new vice-captains, Szoboszlai will have a hugely important part to play in helping his teammates to achieve that ideal marriage of quality and intensity and get the club back challenging for major silverware.As the weeks progress, hopefully we’ll see the Iraola blueprint become increasingly ingrained in the team and, with it, positive results materialising more consistently.