It may have been a winning start in the Premier League for Liverpool against Bournemouth, but much like with the Community Shield defeat, many questions were being asked before, during and after the 90 minutes as Arne Slot’s team looked far from assured heading into the new campaign.
The late heroics from Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah managed to save the Reds from embarrassment after throwing away a two-goal lead. And while there were some bright moments, the new-look Liverpool who had £270 million worth of summer signings certainly didn’t completely cover themselves in glory. But one of the new additions in particular must step up or risk being replaced in the team already.
Liverpool Star at Risk of Losing First Team Spot
There were several underwhelming performers in a red shirt on Friday night. Florian Wirtz made a quiet start to life in the English top flight, giving possession away a game-high 21 times, which was only worsened by Salah’s 22. Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konate was so poor defensively that it led to scathing criticism from Jamie Carragher on commentary.
With all that going on, the performance of Milos Kerkez against his former club may have gone under the radar. However, there is a little more to be desired from the Hungarian international. Kerkez was one half of a brand-new full-back pairing, with Jeremie Frimpong on the other flank. And while the Dutchman doesn’t have to contend with the man he replaced – Trent Alexander-Arnold – the same can’t be said on the left side, as Andy Robertson remains at the club.
The Scot has been a phenomenal servant at Liverpool, making 344 appearances and chipping in with 67 assists. At 31, he still has a couple of years of his prime left, but many were quick to jump to conclusions after he had one of his weaker seasons during Slot’s first campaign.
He has now been forced to take a back seat, coming off the bench in the Community Shield and against Bournemouth, while Kerkez started ahead of him. However, the new boy isn’t exactly laying down a marker in the early stages of his Liverpool career.
If you were to sum up his displays so far in one word, it would be ‘average.’
Defensively, he was decent at Wembley, making two clearances and a block, interception and tackle apiece. However, as the Reds shifted into what was almost a back six when out of possession, Kerkez did seem to struggle to adapt. And the same can be said against Bournemouth, but more worryingly was his contribution going forward against the Cherries.
Kerkez vs Bournemouth: The Numbers
Despite the fact that the left-sided attacker, Cody Gakpo, was arguably Liverpool’s biggest threat of the night, Kerkez’s contributions going forward didn’t quite match up. Though he was tidy in possession, completing 93% of his passes, many of these weren’t the most threatening. He also attempted just one cross all game, despite having an imposing 6’3″ number nine to aim at in the middle. And the one cross he did make wasn’t successful either. All in all, he would lose possession six times.
When you consider that Robertson made his name as one of the Premier League’s best ever left-backs because of his contributions at both ends of the pitch, these disappointing numbers certainly aren’t matching the standard the Scot has set in recent years. At the other end of the pitch, Kerkez wasn’t particularly strong either, winning less than 50% of his duels and making as many tackles as times he was dribbled past.
Even Liverpool fans began voicing their concerns, with one fan taking to X to say: “Kerkez looks shaky, the defence isn’t sharp at all and they want to sell Tsimikas?” Another said: “Kerkez has had an absolute horror show. Wouldn’t be surprised if he is off at half time. Doesn’t help Gakpo provides him zero protection.”
A third added: “Kerkez makes us vulnerable even before the card. Robertson should start,” with a similar sentiment being shared by a fourth who claimed: “Kerkez was having a mare. He was on a yellow, he’s not up to standard yet. Robertson needs to start the next game.”
Given that Liverpool’s next game is away at Newcastle – a match that would’ve been tricky as it is without the added spice of the Isak saga – it may be best to opt for the player you know has proven he can handle such a fixture. Letting the 21-year-old take a step back and easing him into his Anfield career may be a smarter approach than allowing him to assume the starting role immediately.