​Andoni Iraola confronts a slate of high-stakes choices as he prepares for his inaugural season in charge of Liverpool. In the wake of Arne Slot’s exit, it became obvious that the squad needed a thorough rethink to avoid another season of underachievement. While much of the chatter has focused on bolstering the attack, there are several other areas that require attention, and one of the most pressing is the goalkeeper position. Iraola must decide whether to retain Alisson Becker or begin transitioning Giorgi Mamardashvili into the role of number one between the posts.
Alisson remains among the world’s elite shot-stoppers when fully fit, yet his injury history presents ongoing concerns, having missed 12 Premier League games last season. Since his 2018 arrival, the Brazilian has been pivotal to Liverpool’s success and continues to flash his undoubted quality whenever he is available. Nevertheless, the previous campaign underscored a dip in form. He managed just eight clean sheets while conceding 31 goals, marking the least productive shutout rate of his Liverpool tenure and translating to a 31% clean sheet rate for the season—well below his 2018/19 peak of 55%. His goals conceded per 90 minutes stood at 1.19, a stark rise from 0.58 in his breakout season, highlighting a broader defensive struggle that played a part in the team’s difficulties.
The club’s defensive fragility last season amplified the pressure on Alisson, and his health issues could compel Iraola to lean more heavily on his understudy. Liverpool’s £29 million investment in Mamardashvili in the summer of 2024 signaled that the club viewed the Georgian international as a future cornerstone of the team, potentially the long-term answer in goal. Yet, despite making 19 appearances in all competitions during the 25/26 campaign, Mamardashvili has not yet solidified himself as Liverpool’s unquestioned starter.
In the previous Premier League season, Mamardashvili featured across 10 league matches, conceding 18 goals and recording only two clean sheets. Those figures suggest that his level remains inconsistent and that he has yet to demonstrate that he can perform at the peak level required for a club of Liverpool’s ambitions. Critics have pointed to questions about his distribution and occasional errors, indicators that have tempered his early promise.
For Iraola, the choice between trusting the established great or giving Mamardashvili a genuine chance to claim the top spot is a delicate balancing act. Becoming the first-choice goalkeeper could provide Mamardashvili with the confidence and continuity needed to realize his potential and grow into the role, while a continued understudy position might limit his development and leave Liverpool seeking a long-term solution elsewhere. The decision will reverberate through the squad, potentially shaping Liverpool’s defensive identity for years to come. As Iraola maps out his first season, the goalkeeper conundrum stands as a central test of his leadership and strategic vision for a club aiming to reclaim its status among Europe’s elite.