Barcola's striker gamble backfires as Liverpool fall to Fenerbahce
Liverpool's defeat to Fenerbahce in the Champions League has sparked plenty of debate, with much of the focus on the decision to play Bradley Barcola as an emergency centre-forward. The Reds went down 3-2 in Istanbul, and several outlets agree the makeshift system around Barcola was a key reason things unravelled.
The Liverpool Echo's player ratings had Barcola down at just 4/10, with Trey Nyoni singled out as one of the few bright spots on a difficult night at the Chobani Stadium (Liverpool Echo). This Is Anfield similarly described Barcola as "anonymous" on the night, noting he shared a lowly 4.5 rating with a teammate, while again crediting Nyoni's performance (This Is Anfield). Liverpool.com's talking points piece was even more pointed, calling the "Barcola experiment" a failure and suggesting it exposed a harsh reality for Liverpool's current setup, though it also praised Nyoni among the individual showings (Liverpool.com).
Manager Andoni Iraola has defended the call. According to the Liverpool Echo, he said "we thought it would work" when explaining his thinking behind starting Barcola up front rather than in his usual wide role (Liverpool Echo). Liverpool.com reports Iraola explained the switch came alongside an admission about Alexander Isak, who reportedly made an instant impact after being introduced from the bench (Liverpool.com). This Is Anfield adds that Iraola did not rule out trying Barcola as a makeshift nine again in future, suggesting the manager still sees logic in the experiment despite how it played out (This Is Anfield).
Not everyone is convinced. Liverpool.com reports Jamie Carragher has again criticised aspects of the squad and selection, singling out Barcola among a couple of other Liverpool players for fresh criticism following the loss (Liverpool.com). It all adds up to a tricky midweek for Liverpool, who looked to have the game in their hands before letting it slip in Turkiye.
Away from the tactical inquest, Barcola has been giving his own perspective on life at Anfield more broadly. ESPN reports the forward has said he does not feel burdened by comparisons to Mohamed Salah, insisting "I'm not Mohamed Salah" and that he is not dwelling on filling his predecessor's considerable shoes (ESPN). It is a reminder that, Fenerbahce setback aside, Barcola is still very much adapting to life as a big-money arrival at Liverpool, with plenty of scrutiny on every performance as he does so.
With the Champions League disappointment to digest, attention now turns quickly to the Premier League, where Liverpool head to Crystal Palace this weekend looking to bounce back.
Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.
