Barcola Still Silent, Liverpool Held to Goalless Draw at Anfield by Fulham

Liverpool could do no better than a 0-0 draw at Anfield against Fulham on Saturday, squandering momentum after a victory at Ipswich and a Champions League success against Atlético Madrid midweek.

For the first time since the season opened, Andoni Iraola fielded his attacking trio of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola from the start — a combination valued at nearly €400 million. The result was disappointing: no clear-cut chances, no goals, and a third match without a direct contribution for the former Paris player, who is still waiting for his first goal or assist in a Liverpool shirt.

“It’s the first match since my arrival where we’ve had difficulty creating chances, scoring goals, making a difference offensively,” Iraola acknowledged after the match. The Spanish manager also highlighted accumulated fatigue: “There’s a lack of freshness, that’s undeniable. We can’t deny it. Around sixty hours between matches after a very important game is the worst possible turnaround.”

For Barcola, the physical context mitigates the criticism. Transferred at the very end of August, the French international had not played a single minute with PSG before his departure, neither in preparation nor in official competition. Iraola confirmed this: “Bradley is one of those we’re preparing physically with matches, and matches will give him the condition we want.”

The English press remains lenient for now. The Liverpool Echo gave him a 6/10, a better rating than Wirtz and Isak (5/10 each), while midfielders Szoboszlai and Gravenberch and left-back Tsimikas received 4/10. A sign that expectations remain high for the collective, not just the new French signing.