On the flight home from Chicago, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola reflects on a disappointing 4-2 loss to Leeds United that concluded their United States tour. The first half showcased arguably the team's best performance under Iraola, but the second half exposed significant weaknesses as they conceded four goals in just 25 minutes.

Iraola made several changes during halftime, but the team's capitulation against Daniel Farke's side raised concerns about their squad depth and physicality. The inexperienced backline, featuring Calvin Ramsay, Ifeanyi Ndukwe, and Mor Talla Ndiaye, struggled to cope with Leeds' attacking prowess.

Despite the first-half excellence, highlighted by the returns of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, the second half revealed glaring deficiencies, particularly in set-piece situations. Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai commented, "We conceded two goals from set-pieces. We have to fix that and make sure we deal with them better."

The intensity that Iraola demands in training was evident initially but faded after the break. Senior players like Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa did not perform to expectations. Iraola expressed his frustration with the uncertainty surrounding player departures and arrivals, stating, "I particularly hate this month of August because you start the competitions and you still don't know if some of the players are going to leave and who's going to come."

In the coming days, Iraola will meet with key players, including Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Alisson Becker, and new signing Victor Munoz. The only first-team player yet to meet him will be Alexis Mac Allister, who has been granted additional time off after Argentina's World Cup run. Throughout their two weeks in America, Liverpool has not made any new signings, as Iraola aimed to evaluate his current squad before making decisions. The lessons learned from this defeat will undoubtedly influence his future choices.