Alex Scott predicts Iraola will revive Klopp-era pressing football at Liverpool

Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott has backed Andoni Iraola to restore the high-intensity, pressing football associated with Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, where the former Cherries manager is set to replace Arne Slot as head coach.

Scott, who started 34 Premier League games under Iraola this season, drew a direct comparison between the Spaniard’s methods and those of the German coach who delivered six major trophies at Anfield. “The way we press out of possession is very aggressive, maybe similar to the early Klopp teams Liverpool had — that fierce aggressiveness and pressing with the wingers,” Scott said. “Liverpool fans should definitely be so excited.”

Klopp famously described his own philosophy as “heavy metal football,” and Scott believes Iraola’s approach at Bournemouth carries the same hallmarks. The 21-year-old midfielder pointed to his own development as evidence of what Iraola can extract from players, noting that his defensive work and consistency improved markedly across the three seasons the Basque coach spent on the south coast.

“I have improved loads this season, out of possession and in possession,” Scott added. “Defensively, maybe in my first two seasons, I wasn’t at the level to be playing in the Premier League and that is something I had to learn. But he put his trust in me from the first game of the season and I started and played 34 full games this year, so that is something to be really proud of.”

Iraola guided Bournemouth to successive top-half Premier League finishes, building a reputation for organised, attack-minded football that punched well above the club’s resources. His appointment at Liverpool comes after a season in which Slot’s more possession-based, measured style drew criticism from sections of the Anfield support despite the Dutchman winning the Premier League title in his debut campaign.

Scott’s endorsement underlines the esteem in which Iraola is held by those who worked under him, and suggests the Liverpool fanbase can expect a marked shift in tempo and aggression when the new manager takes charge.