23 Mar 2026 15:28:29
I’d rate Kerkez as our best buy in the summer, always available, only one of a few players who shows any real fight or urgency, his height hasn’t really caused as much concern as I thought it could have. Has had to deal with Gakpo as his ‘backup’ partner. I like his attitude, he’s got a similar passion and drive to Robertson, I think.
Ekitike has been decent, but you can see signs of a horrible attitude within him. He’s young so he could mature, but there’s something about him that just screams he will have a really good season at some point, Madrid will come calling and he will throw his toys out to get a move.
I think we are desperately missing some ‘workmen’ players who will put their foot in even on a cold night in Stoke (Arsenal), the value of having someone like Henderson in a team is pretty evident this season. VVD says all the stuff in interviews, but don’t often see him really articulating it on the pitch.
I think we are missing those humble, hard workers. A few too many ‘can I get my hair flick in on camera’ and not enough I need to put my foot in. Never really considered it much, but I wonder if there’s also a ‘don’t want to miss the World Cup’ attitude going on with some players.
23 Mar 2026 16:58:32
Kerkez had 5 good games and 25 utter horror shows at LB. He is nowhere near peak Robbo and, tbh, when Robbo is on it, even today he outruns Kerkez.
How many assists does Kerkez have?
{Ed025's Note - to be fair Cafu i think he has improved and will turn out to be a good signing, and by the way there are no more Robbo,s about these days imo mate..
23 Mar 2026 17:11:03
Kerkez wasn't allowed to play his natural game until recently, and now that he can, he's performing near to last season's standard.
23 Mar 2026 17:14:36
25 horror shows is a wild overexaggeration. I agree he's definitely taken a long time to adjust, but he's shown plenty of promise. Of course Robbo's better, you can't even compare the 2 right now. One fella's barely got his foot in the door, and the other one's coming to the end of a stellar career.
And, in all fairness to Kerkez, I don't know how he's meant to improve link up play or increase assists when he has to spend most of his time playing with Gakpo.
23 Mar 2026 17:21:35
Rome, you having a giraffe? The whole squad, bar Dom, has been woefully unfit all season. It's glaringly obvious. We fade after 70 minutes, leak late winners constantly, and get outrun in every match. Even Slot admitted a few weeks back, "We're much fitter now than a couple of months ago."
That was 5/6 months into the season! How do elite pros, fit their whole careers, not fit 7 months into the season? And worse, how is the manager smiling about it as he openly admits it to the press? Completely unforgivable, and entirely Arne's fault.
Even if it turns out Chiesa done is groin getting up on some top-shelf brass, it's still Slot's fault.
23 Mar 2026 17:27:43
I will reserve judgement on our new players until (hopefully) we get a new manager. I would say many of them have been stifled in their play by the style of football we employ.
Kerkez, in particular, hasn't really played in same manner as he did at Bournemouth & I won't hold lack of chances against him because when he bombs forward, Gakpo usually ignores him & cuts inside.
23 Mar 2026 17:30:30
Why is Dom fit?
Surely they should all be unfit?
23 Mar 2026 17:38:22
Chewy, I'm all for having a laugh. I don't take many things seriously. However, I'm not having a "giraffe" on this occasion. Chiesa's injury, which you make reference to in the thread below, cannot be levelled at Slot.
Quansah has pulled out of the England squad. Is that down to Slot as well? Injuries happen, they always have. Ask Jamie Redknapp to name one of many. Chiesa is in the same bracket.
23 Mar 2026 17:42:19
Put 2+2 together, Ron. He obviously adheres to his own standards he has set through his own personal training regimen.
1 player being fit is a clear sign that the conditioning is subpar, not the other way around mate.
23 Mar 2026 17:53:14
Apparently it's not due to injury, so I really don't see how referencing Quansah, who does have an injury, is relevant. I mean, besides the fact that he doesn't play for us, of course, somehow I think both of those points are considerable deviating factors.
23 Mar 2026 17:57:44
For the fortieth time, Cafu, if you can criticise most of the squad for lack of form this season, maybe the problem isn't the players?
23 Mar 2026 18:26:44
My point is that players get injured, Chewy. Not every injury that we get, if any, is down to Slot.
23 Mar 2026 18:50:52
I hear you, SR....
At some point, mate, the rest will catch on.
23 Mar 2026 18:51:57
I think all professional players should have the same work ethic as Dom.
What else do they do all day? Productive activities, I mean.
23 Mar 2026 21:18:14
Bob, there was a good player for Brighton named James Milliner!!
23 Mar 2026 21:39:17
I don't think you grasp it guys. Yes training is optional at Liverpool under slut but you can still chose to train and as vvd mentioned he is surprised that most folks don't show up.
Yes the culture comes from the coach but when you are just young and joined a new club, even if optional I would expect players to show up. They don't none of the newer ones and some of the older ones don't bother either now.
It speaks volumes when your oldest players are probably the fittest in the team in vvd robbo and salah cuz rest of them have not come back from holiday bar maybe Dom.
23 Mar 2026 21:54:11
JLC, I'm starting to doubt that, cos the same people keep spouting the same crap on this topic and this, all season long.
24 Mar 2026 03:56:49
Yeah, Oli...I should have actually said that most of the rest will catch on!!!!
24 Mar 2026 05:18:34
Surely Ekitekkers has been our best signing to date.