He never puts in a tackle to be beaten 1 v 1 though, just shadows his opponent. I’d love to see stats on how many crosses he allows because he doesn’t block many. Just not my cuppa.
He’s generally good at what he does to defend against wingers. Gets them on their weaker foot, positions so that those who like coming inside just don’t. The pressure he puts on tends to be good, forcing the attacker to take weaker options in more difficult positions. Buys time for support to come which is when a tackle could be made.
At speed he gets his foot in for the tackle, sliding or other.
I feel defensively he does well enough in most matches.
What he needs to do is improve his crosses and get some good combinations going with the players around him when in possession.
He seems rarely taken by surprise. When VVD did his incredible intricate ‘clip’ to him he took it as completely normal.
With the right coaching I think he could become a very good asset the team. I certainly don’t understand the negativity around him.
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I think this is a good analysis really.
He´s very hectic and he doesn´t think. As you suggest, he has his strengths but I don´t think you can be that reckless and lacking thought and be a top full back.
He is passable for now but realistically, if we do sort out the midfield and RW, his would be a position we´d likely get round to considering an upgrade on.
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We need to have a right back first 
.
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Yeah that would be a higher priority but I think he´d not be that far behind, once Bradley is fit (IF Bradley is fit).
Hmm, he didn’t do much of the good defensive stuff tonight that you mentioned. I don’t think it’s lack of effort, but maybe concentration
Have to admire his spirit.
He fucked up for their goal and was having a stinker but he kept going and played an important role in our first goal from fighting to win the ball back high up the pitch.
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Is at his best when he engages his opponents directly as opposed to doing subtle or overly clever things like stepping up to play the other team offside that should be led by the centre backs and not a fullback
Everyone in defence needs to be as aligned as possible though. That said, I didn’t like Szobo’s reaction (he tried to be too clever and lost the player) and their midfielder cutting so easily through our centre. But yeah, Kerkez also needs to do better there. No doubt.
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Szobo has these odd bad decisions in him. Hopefully he can limit them more and more.
I don’t want to give up on him because it’s so early in his Liverpool career but I’m very disappointed with his performances under Iraola. I was convinced he would hit the ground running because of their previous cooperation at Bournemouth but I think that only Frimpong has performed worse since Iraola came to Liverpool. I fully expect that Tsimikas will be given more playing time over the next few weeks.
Flogging a dead horse maybe but I think he’s another one that would benefit from having a much more decisive on the ball and solid midfield.
Kerkez’s job on the ball should be giving it easy to the midfield or charging down the left and ideally off the ball just defending his flank. Not being in situations where he has to think, ideally, and playing to his strengths instead.
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We must have a kid in youth team better than Kerkez is at the moment?
He plays like puppy with a ball for the first time.
Offers nothing going forward, was at fault for the goal and also got caught leaving his man several times.
He didn’t did he. Particularly in the first half, better in the second.
Too enthusiastic? Leading to black if conceias you say?
It’s a strange one to analyse as against Ipswich he held off the player too much so not enough pressure on him. Then against Athletico he’s too in the face and getting mugged too easily.
Could have been analysis/coaching errors. Wasn’t he up against the ‘wrong’ man? Who disappeared in the 2nd half he was so knackered. Even so in coaching they should imo be encouraging Kerkez to use his strong points more, not try to be clever and get caught out so easily.
He had to leave his man a few times as Lloriente (sp) was causing problems.
Tsimi, if given more playing time in the next weeks, will deserve it. He’s always very reliable. But that said, I don’t like how many people give up on Kerkez already, and I don’t like the part in myself who wants to do it too…
Looking at it rationally: Iraola knows him inside out as you say yourself, and he knows Iraola as well. The gaffer managed to bring out a really good full-back in Kerkez during their common Bournemouth times. There is no objective reason he can’t do it with us again.
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Iraola seems to trust Kerkez a lot allowing him to be very isolated at times. With better structure in midfield it might work out well. It really is a situation where we need to show patience imo. Iraola has a lot on his plate sorting our press and midfield before really getting down to the ‘smaller’ defensive issues. It’s not all going to be done in one training session (with 2 matches a week there aren’t many sessions to talk of).
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I agree with this. You don’t have to write Milos off but I think he needs a break to get back to the fundamentals and regain confidence. Kostas should start as whenever he comes on everything seems to just calm down on that side. Plus he can cross.
He has been directly involved in two goals in our last two games though. Admittedly the first was primarily a defensive action winning the ball back, but that is an important part of our attacking philopshy
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This is spot on, against Ipswich he had very little help against his winger who had space to run at him.
What Kerkez did effectively was to deny him going outside, as the same player the previous week had roasted Luke Shaw on the outside to create Ipswich’s opening goal.
Instead he cut back and wafted crosses into the box where we had 3 six foot plus CB’s, good tactics from Andoni?
Same does happen to Araujo but on his side he has Szob who is more mobile than Macca.
The other thing I have noticed he seems to be more rash or over commits the further up the field he is and it seems very rare that any wide player beats him 1 v 1 when they get closer to our goal.
The biggest issue I have is more the decision making he has on the ball as the above can be coached, and the one thing I love about him is his aggression, the same can be said for Araujo.
Just needs the aggression fine tuning and with both of them there will be times they get it wrong.
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