Phil Thompson would have seen the positives straight away in Andoni Iraola's first game in charge of Liverpool. A 4-2 win over Sunderland in Nashville gave the new head coach an encouraging start, but the bigger story may be Joe Gomez leaving the pitch injured after just 10 minutes.
That is the reality for Liverpool right now: there is room for optimism about the football Iraola wants to play, but there is also fresh concern about centre-back depth with the summer window still open until September 1.
Iraola's first message was clear
Iraola has already explained the kind of Liverpool side he wants to build. He wants his team to be energetic, dynamic and aggressive without the ball, spending as much time as possible in the opposition half and suffocating teams when they try to play out.
That is a clear identity, and it should appeal to supporters who want Liverpool to look front-footed again. The challenge, as ever, is whether the squad can absorb that intensity while staying balanced at the back.
The performance in Nashville suggested there is work to do, but also enough quality to make the idea believable. Liverpool scored four goals, which is always a useful place to start, and a first win in charge will give the new head coach breathing space.
Gomez injury sharpens the defensive concern
If the result was encouraging, the Gomez setback was not. He was forced off after 10 minutes, and Iraola described it as "the worst news" after the match.
That comes at a time when Liverpool are already short of reliable centre-back options because of injuries and fitness doubts. Giovanni Leoni suffered a season-ending ACL injury on his Reds debut last September after joining from Parma, while Jeremy Jacquet agreed to join Liverpool in February and then sustained a shoulder injury just days later.
Those setbacks matter because the club cannot afford to treat centre-back depth as an afterthought. Arne Slot's time as Liverpool head coach ended after boos at Anfield following the draw with Chelsea in May, and Iraola has inherited a side that must now show both quality and durability.
The next tests arrive quickly, with Liverpool scheduled to play Wrexham on Thursday at 12.30am BST before facing Leeds on August 2 at 9pm BST. Those fixtures should tell us more about how far Iraola's ideas have already taken hold, but the larger question will linger until September 1: can Liverpool finish the window with the defensive cover they clearly need?
