07 Oct 2025 10:02:21
REDS, it seems to me, just my thoughts, that Kerkez is getting some unfair criticism . Last season at Bournmouth, he was a overlapping left back, pace and aggression. Crossing for forwards and going for goal. Im not seeing much of that. The players fault? or the Head Coach and the instructions he gives!
07 Oct 2025 12:34:20
I’m not worried about any of the new signings or the teams performances.
I know it’ll come good and Kerkez is already looking better.
07 Oct 2025 12:40:07
Our problem is trying to force players into roles they aren't best suited for, we need to go to a 4-3-1-2, let our fullbacks use their greatest strength which is providing pace and width down the flanks, not being inverted, they are getting let down there, we need to let Isak and Ekiteke form a proper old school partnership, our main ST goes out wide to much, stay in the middle and stay close to each and move around, Wirtz just behind them pulling all the strings, he is a ridiculously brilliant technical player, he needs to be played at his best position, we can a narrow workman mid 3 of grav, macca and szob.
07 Oct 2025 13:56:32
Ron, your comment is the only one worth reading - completely agree. Not concerned one bit.
07 Oct 2025 14:05:18
What exactly is Kerkez doing wrong? In the games I've watched he's kept the likes of Semenyo, Madueke and Neto quiet. All of Galatasaray's joy came down the other side. All of Palace's joy came from set pieces. Chelsea scored from that side after Robertson came on. Semenyo scored twice after Robertson came on.
Kerkez had one silly moment vs Burnley when he dived and then Burnley started trying to get him sent off so Slot reacted sensibly. Generally speaking, we're conceding goals from set pieces, or players running straight through the heart of the team. Kerkez hasn't been great going forward, but he's hardly been playing badly or costing us goals.
Seems to me like the team is struggling to gel and some of the established players are way off the pace, but people are just throwing mud at the new signings because they're the more obvious change point; regardless of whether they are actually the problem.
The let downs this season have been 3 fold in my opinion.
1) Mac Allister is not at his best yet after injury and we're suffering in midfield as a result.
2) Konate has been awful so far and is becoming a liability both defensively and in possession.
3) Salah is not playing well at all but we're still trying to pass to him at every opportunity.
I don't know how we fix these issues because Slot is smarter than me and hasn't managed to yet. But the issues are very clear when you watch us play. Konate keeps giving the ball away and losing duels, Macca is getting run over in midfield and losing duels, and Salah is missing chances like they're going out of fashion and losing duels.
If you have 3 players in the team who repeatedly lose their 1v1 battles, then gaps start appearing all over the pitch and you get punished. When those same players are also contributing very little in possession, you have to ask why they're still playing.
07 Oct 2025 14:16:24
Ron, so is Wirtz, IMO.
07 Oct 2025 19:18:03
Kerkez is an easy target. He's done mostly fine in a vastly underperforming team right now. It'll come good.
Wow, Robbo's ceaseless positivity is rubbing off on me!
07 Oct 2025 21:22:56
MK, I would add that Bradley has been shocking and Slot doesn't like Frimpong at RB. Or Gomez at RB/ CB.