Bradley Barcola's difficult start at Liverpool has raised questions about whether Andoni Iraola is making the best use of the French winger, with the manager himself acknowledging a significant difference in the player's performances depending on his position.

The 24-year-old arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in August in a deal worth up to £123m, but has struggled to reproduce the consistency that made him one of Europe's most exciting attacking talents.

His three Liverpool goals have all come in the same Champions League match against LASK, while he has contributed two assists in the Premier League. Thirteen appearances into his Anfield career, the return remains modest given the expectations surrounding his arrival.

However, Barcola's struggles cannot be explained by his finishing alone. He has featured in several attacking roles under Iraola, including an unfamiliar central position during Wednesday's 3-2 Champions League defeat to Fenerbahce.

The Spanish coach's subsequent assessment has brought a wider tactical question into focus: why has Liverpool's expensive summer signing spent so much time away from the position in which he is most effective?

Iraola admits Barcola has performed better out wide

Iraola's decision to deploy Barcola as a central striker in Istanbul was partly influenced by the availability of his other attacking players.

With Rio Ngumoha and Victor Munoz starting on the wings, Alexander Isak was initially kept on the bench, having been earmarked for a shorter appearance.

Liverpool's manager believed Barcola's acceleration could cause problems for Fenerbahce's defenders, particularly when attacking the space behind their back line.

"We thought it would work well because I think Bradley, in terms of speed and the match-ups, it could be good for him," Iraola explained after the defeat.

However, he acknowledged that the experiment had not produced the same attacking threat as some of Liverpool's more familiar combinations.

"All season he has been better when he has played outside wide," Iraola admitted.

The assessment was revealing, particularly given Barcola's preference for operating on the left.

Of his 13 Liverpool appearances, six have come away from that preferred position, including five on the right and Wednesday's experiment through the middle.

Barcola's greatest strengths are his acceleration, close control and ability to isolate defenders in one-on-one situations. On the left, he can receive the ball facing an opponent, accelerate into space and create opportunities with either a cutback or a direct run towards goal.

Operating centrally presents a different challenge.

Against teams defending with limited space between their centre-backs, he is required to receive more frequently with his back to goal, hold off defenders and make decisions in congested areas.

Those demands do not necessarily suit a player whose most dangerous actions often begin with a run from a wider position.

Iraola has not ruled out using him through the middle again, insisting that such an arrangement could be useful against particular opponents.

Nevertheless, Liverpool's attacking performance in Istanbul offered little evidence that it should become his regular role.

Isak scored after replacing Ngumoha in the second half, while the Reds were more threatening once they had greater presence in central areas.

Barcola has also been guilty of individual errors that cannot be attributed to his positioning.

Against Brentford, for example, he attempted an unsuccessful chip when through on goal and later lost possession after delaying a pass during a promising counter-attack.

His decision-making and finishing therefore remain legitimate areas for improvement, regardless of where Iraola selects him.

Why Liverpool are struggling to unlock their £123m signing

There are mitigating circumstances surrounding Barcola's arrival that help explain his uneven performances.

Liverpool agreed to pay PSG an initial £106m, with a further £17m in potential add-ons, making the Frenchman one of the most expensive signings in the club's history.

Yet the transfer was completed only towards the end of August, depriving him of a full pre-season with Iraola and his new teammates.

Barcola had also been involved in the World Cup during the summer, leaving him with limited preparation before adapting to a different league and a new tactical environment.

His first Liverpool appearance came in early September, following several weeks without competitive football.

The physical demands of the Premier League have presented another adjustment, while Liverpool's difficulties against compact defensive teams have not always allowed Barcola to exploit the space that made him so effective at PSG.

There is also the challenge of developing an understanding with teammates who are themselves adapting to Iraola's methods.

In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, published before the Fenerbahce defeat, Barcola acknowledged that he had yet to reach his best level.

"No, I don't think I'm at my best yet," he admitted. "You still haven't seen the best version of me."

The Frenchman believes improving his relationship with those around him will be crucial.

"On top of that, we're working with my team-mates so that they can make the most of my strengths," he explained.

"So yes, I think once we really develop that understanding, things will get much better."

Barcola's comments suggest that he recognises the need to improve without regarding his difficult start as evidence that the transfer has failed.

Nor does he consider his fee or the responsibility of succeeding Mohamed Salah to be an additional burden, insisting that he wants to establish his own identity at Anfield.

The challenge for Iraola is to find an attacking structure that helps him do so.

Ngumoha and Munoz have provided encouraging alternatives on the flanks, while Isak and Cody Gakpo offer different qualities through the middle. Those options give the Liverpool manager flexibility, but also complicate the task of establishing a settled role for Barcola.

The Reds travel to Crystal Palace on Sunday, when Iraola will have another opportunity to reconsider his attacking selection following the defeat in Turkey.

Barcola must improve his finishing and decision-making if he is to justify Liverpool's investment. But with his manager openly acknowledging that he performs better out wide, how consistently he is allowed to operate in that position will be an important part of assessing his progress.