I like that too but the problem is who can currently provide width from RB. Short term Gomez can fill in but, unless Bradley or Frimpong become much more reliable, we’d need another RB with the same physical attributes of Kerkez to play this properly.
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I think this has been a big factor. Jota was a feisty wee player. Diaz was a fighter and grafter. Nunez, while fucking frustrating at least gave the CBs a fight.
Isak, Ekitike, Wirtz are all better technicians but are naturally chilled. This has been a big part of our change in identity. With Macca’s drop off we don’t really have anyone, bar maybe Bradley, who gets properly stuck in
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I think Ekitike has that yard-dog mentality. I saw him really get stuck in against Bournemouth on his league debut. He has both the attitude and the physical attributes, which is why he started with such a bang!
It’s clear to see that him getting jerked around because of Isak and that general mentality malaise of the team has caused him to go into his shell a bit. Understandable as he is not one of the top dogs or a leader of the team yet.
I’m actually quite annoyed at how he’s been treated. I’m not entirely sure he should have been dropped for Isak in the Carabao cup. Isak didn’t look physically ready even against Southampton. I’d have started Hugo and brought Isak on as a late sub. He’s not been the same player since that red card.
Wirtz and Isak are not fighters by nature. They could grow into that over time, but certainly not in a malfunctioning team.
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They aren’t the issue - the way Slot is using them as an issue.
Kerkez was an attacking FB yet hardly crosses halfway line for us.
Wirtz is a roaming 10 but we haven’t played with a 10 for years so we need to let him do his thing.
Isak just isnt ready so how he is starting ahead of Ekitike is mad.
Maybe start Ekitike on the left and Isak in the 9 but Isak shouldnt be starting over Ekitike.
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We had some games when we used Kerkez wider and not much came out of it. He has a nice cross without much preparation and from far out, but you need more than just crossing to be a quality attacking full back. Big questions why we went for the full backs we did.
We also literally changed the shape for the vast majority of last season (compared to Klopp in the 2016-2024 period) and played with a single #10/second striker in Szobo.
Indeed, I have suspicions as well about Kerkez (we haven’t seen enough from Frimpong for the time being, so I’ll reserve judgement).
And as we speak about that: how much responsibility lies with Slot’s bosses, Hughes and Edwards? This summer was a collective effort from the three. When they get things right (ie. Ekitike) I’ll applaud all three of them. When it doesn’t, I’ll question all three of them too.
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Yeah, recruitment is also Slot, but obviously not only Slot.
We’ll see with more time.
Slot alluded to this. He needs to play games. If he doesn’t he is never going to be ready.
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Don’t start him then. Bring him on in the second half. He would have more success against tired defenders and that would help both in confidence and his fitness. I understand about match sharpness but he doesn’t seem to even keep up his sprinting speed and volume. That doesn’t need matches, that needs training and time.
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But at the expense who out of all the summer signings whose settled and looked the best.
Since we left him out hes also gone off the boil.
This is exactly why we shouldve gone for Isak in Jan Weve paid £125m and got fuck all out him so far.
We’re now stuck with a £125m investment, who needs game time to get to the point he can contribute, but isn’t going to look great while he gets there.
The is a real lesson for the club in the knock on effects of getting involved in these kind of acrimonious transfers. Let’s be honest, we were all buzzing to sign Isak but by the time we got it done, he was totally off the pace.
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I really don’t get the pinning after Nunez, the guy looked completely devoid of any semblance of talent at the end, he wasn’t missing chances at the end he wasn’t even running or even bothering to run at the end.
I do tend to agree on Diaz not being sold now, you effectively had 3 guys who could play on the left side, Jota sadly passed away, Diaz was sold so you have to play Gakpo even though frankly hes well out of form (He will come back into form but at this point you could be playing Diaz until he hits poor form but you don’t have that option. Maybe you can shove Kerkez further forward into that position considering we now have the “forgotten left back” training with us but who knows if that is the idea.
I’d suggest maybe not but Slot’s been baffling me recently so perhaps that one might pay off. Effectively we signed two players too similar and haven’t even bothered to try and play them in the same system. Remember when he rested Salah for one game and the sulk he had, perhaps he needs to put his foot down on that a bit.
As for Wirtz, as I mentioned elsewhere hes gone from “Generational talent” to “Donkey”, odd how these things happen. I however will give the lad more than 3 months in an underperforming side because if it had performed then he would have several assists.
I do think Klopp stacking up on attacking talent was a good idea and I often remarked on it.
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This is not true, was quite a few here and in social circle wanted nothing to do with him once he went on strike, we are here for the club, once a transfer signing does something that if one of our players did to get a move , we’d be furious, so me personally didnt want a signing that did this to engineer a move to us …was other options that could have been explored but the truth is he was not needed imo
That’s not honest. Even if I’m just 1 individual I should fall into all.
Perhaps you mean all who like shiny new toys.
As I don’t know anything about players outside of LFC, and I’m sure many on here would dispute my knowledge of them, I was very much in the wait and see camp.
So far I feel Wirtz is a good player.
Ekitikè has been a nice surprise looked like he integrated quickly.
Kerkez is still in the balance, needs confidence.
Frimpong isn’t what he was made out to be by some and so far very disappointing.
Isak looks out of his depth definitely not what we needed from what I’ve seen.
I almost forgot the goal keeper that we have been waiting for for over a year. Looks ok to me but he needs to receive the ball to his left foot. Not really a ball playing goalkeeper but just about passes.
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If you mean in terms of durability then yes. If you mean in terms of performance etc I don’t think he’s done that bad.
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Shit happens in football.
Isak was our first target and for a while I thought that one wasn’t really realistic, unless he cost an absolute bomb (and even more than he did in the end, though I didn’t think we’d spend that much on two options which I don’t see working together for now).
I can’t fault us or certain people as the only guilty party for the Isak and Guehi sagas. It happens sometimes, what can you do.
As for Nunez… no. We wanted to replace and the lad also wanted something new (already back in January, when we rejected it and I supported that club decision). 3 years is more than enough chances at Liverpool.
Diaz… we had to make a decision. Last year Slot found the winning combination with Diaz up top, although we had periods with Jota up top, Nunez also, etc. It’s easy now to say yeah we should’ve given him the new contract. Give everyone? It’s not possible, sometimes you have to choose. And perhaps Diaz also grew tired of it and was open for a new challenge.
And Kerkez at LW? Please no. Slot said it himself last night, he’s a full back and that’s it.
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Yeah he doesn’t have the skill set to play LW
I was expecting a right back or right wing back for some reason and he isn’t. In fact I haven’t a clue what position he can cover. In any case he appears to have a very poor 1st touch, needs lots of space and seems very erratic. So for the instant a very big flop.
To me, Kerkez looks like he has more confidence than his quality can carry it. Wild in almost everything he does. It’s not a great trait for a defender at the top level. I bloody hope he calms down a little bit. Do show your physicality and aggression, but in a smart and controlled way.
That’s one where I’d love to hear from Hughes (and Slot), since he was involved in bringing Kerkez twice in his career.
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