Liverpool's Jeremie Frimpong Emphasizes Finishing Chances Against Nottingham Forest

Jeremie Frimpong says Andoni Iraola’s message could not be clearer as Liverpool prepare to walk out at Anfield for the first time this league season: stop wasting chances, finish the moves, win the game.

The Reds host Nottingham Forest on Saturday lunchtime, still chewing over the feeling of two points dropped at St. James’ Park. They came back from Newcastle United with a 2-2 draw, rescued only when Dominik Szoboszlai buried a 99th-minute penalty after a string of missed opportunities had threatened to punish them.

For Iraola and his staff, that wastefulness has dominated the debrief.

“Finishing your chances, finishing the actions, because that’s what gets you the result,” Frimpong told Liverpoolfc.com. “You can keep the ball all you want but if you don’t finish then it stays 0-0 or they end up scoring, so [the message has been]: just finish the actions.”

One game in, the new era already has a defining theme.

Adjusting to Iraola’s demands

The draw at Newcastle was Iraola’s first competitive match in charge, the opening glimpse of a high-energy, aggressive style that will demand precision in both boxes. Frimpong knows the adaptation will not happen overnight, but he sees the direction.

“It’s normal,” he said. “I think every coach has their own type of system that they want to play and it takes time to adjust and for us to know, and get used to it [to a point] where we’re comfortable with it.

“So, we’re still working on it but I think it’s going the right way.”

The right-back sits at the heart of those changes. Since Iraola’s arrival, Frimpong has been used exclusively on the right of defence, after a previous campaign in which he split time between right wing and right-back. The role is more demanding, more disciplined, and, for him, more rewarding.

“This whole pre-season I played right-back and I’m getting more comfortable there,” the No.30 explained. “Last season was a mixture of right wing and right-back, but right now it’s just been right-back. I feel like I’m defending more, I’m recovering more [and] I still attack, of course. But I like it, I’m enjoying it.

“Obviously first of all, [I am enjoying] just being on the pitch because last season [I had] injuries, so just being on the pitch and looking at my teammates and trying to help them out [is good].”

The fitness to get up and down, the sharpness to defend one-on-one, the composure to still offer a threat going forward – Iraola’s system asks for all of it. Frimpong sounds ready to embrace that burden.

Anfield return and a familiar challenge

Now comes the first test of that work in front of a home crowd. Anfield awaits, and Frimpong’s voice lifts when he talks about it.

“This is home, this is where we’re comfortable at, this is where we are at peace,” he said. “So, it’s going to be a tough game, but we’re happy to be home again with all of our fans… when you’re at home with fans like Liverpool’s, it’s amazing.

“Obviously we would have liked to win against Newcastle but I don't think it’s a bad result coming from St. James’ Park. But we definitely want to win against Forest for sure. It’s going to be a hard battle but we’ll see what happens.”

Forest will not arrive as an unknown quantity. Frimpong has already taken a close look at Oliver Glasner’s side – almost by accident.

“I’ve watched Forest. They had a pre-season friendly against [Bayer] Leverkusen and I went over to watch them,” he revealed. “They play good football, they are really good.

“I really like how they play. Obviously they play similar to Crystal Palace last season because of the manager, and obviously we had a difficult time with Crystal Palace last season. So, like I said, it’s going to be a tough game, for sure.”

Liverpool know what is coming: a well-drilled, front-foot Forest team built on the same principles that troubled them against Crystal Palace last season. Iraola’s players also know what must change from Newcastle.

Keep the ball, yes. Control the tempo, yes. But when the chances come at Anfield on Saturday, Frimpong’s message is the one that will echo loudest: finish the actions.