05 Oct 2026 02:31:22
Ed 001
Semenyo will be a big threat on Sunday (still really wished we had signed him) and not least of all because Kerkez is utter crap, he really needs the support of the midfield on Sunday but I'm not sure who is the best 3 (still think we need two new recruits) I would personally drop Wirtz for this game
If you could pick one player to replace Kerkez in January, who would that be?
{Ed001's Note - are you being serious? Kerkez is not utter crap at all. He was one of our better players last time out.}
05 Oct 2026 06:51:21
Well said, Kerkez is this season's kicking boy.
05 Oct 2026 07:34:02
They take it in turns @Fat, this week Kirkez, next week Wirtz.
05 Oct 2026 07:57:33
Apparently we've only about 2 or 3 good players?.kerkez just needs to relax a bit.
05 Oct 2026 08:03:29
Kerkez had a great game for Hungary a few days ago too, he will be full of confidence.
05 Oct 2026 09:15:52
@Hughes if you actually have been watching City this season, Semenyo plays on the left while N'diaye plays on the right over the past few games so if Semenyo will be a threat to any of our fullbacks, he will be going against Araujo and I fancy my chances here.
So your attacks on Kerkez went up in smoke if what I mentioned above is true because Kerkez will be going against N'Diaye and once again, I fancy my chances here.
Flo & Patrik for me, it is becoming utterly tiring and tedious at this point with the way some of our fans personally attack our players sometimes out of the blue like this pathetic post. It was Wirtz (still is, btw) and now is Kerkez. Tedious as heck.
05 Oct 2026 09:19:37
Kerkez was being hung out to dry getting no defensive support. He has improved massively now that Iraola has made our setup a bit more solid and Virg is not worrying about his right-sided defensive partner.
05 Oct 2026 09:38:27
I do wonder how much some of the posters on this site actually watch us play. We look solid at the moment, Kerkez is part of that. He's not perfect, but he's playing decently well imo and still only 22.
05 Oct 2026 10:01:50
With you FORNAX, 5 games into the season and people are forgetting about the whole giving everyone a chance after Slot left.
05 Oct 2026 10:05:25
Yep agree with some of the above not OP.
Our whole defence looks much much better VvD is looking like he is not past his best, engaging and imposing and much much less visibly attacking kerkez. JJ blindfolded looks about to be a better option then Konate / Bambi. not comparing the 2 and obviously more factors involved, but the massive shift in defence stability is much akin to when VvD arrived. (As a whole)
I was going to ask what people's thoughts were on the line up. i think i would start Mac Nyoni and Wirtz. if Gakpo is injured Barcola on left, Munoz on right. Rio to come off bench. or even Chiesa for last 10 or 15 if fit. as we are at home and he certainly gets the crowd going to another level! (Got to love the cult favourite)
Looking forward to the game. dreading the build up and the media frenzy circus that will follow it.
05 Oct 2026 10:08:51
I'm not bothered about not signing Semenyo. I really don't see what all the fuss is about.
He has the odd decent game here and there, but just saunters around the pitch for the most part.
Decent player on his day, but doesn't warrant the reputation he seems to have with some.
05 Oct 2026 10:14:11
I'm old enough to remember when Gakpo was the whipping boy.
05 Oct 2026 10:20:30
I am yet to be sold on Kerkez, positionally I think he's weak, a bit rash in challenges, doesn't know when to drop or go tight, and a big frustration of mine he tries slide tackling on the wrong side of his man like Moreno used to, he still really can not cross either.
I think for what we paid we certainly could have gt a far better left back, but there have been improvement on last year, I still believe if a better left back option became available, we should go for them.
05 Oct 2026 10:25:14
I will continue to have a pop at Wirtz and Kerkez, because I can. I'm on record as saying that up till now Wirtz has been a waste of money and Kerkez is just an upgrade on Moreno, nothing more. Let's not run away with the idea that he's the next Roberto Carlos.
05 Oct 2026 11:18:05
I can't imagine the City players heads are going to be fully on the job at hand after all this coming out. Plus the crowd will rattle them. I think they need to be more concerned about us than us of them this time round.
Imagine trying to play effectively against us at Anfield when in the back of your mind your wondering if your going to be playing in the conference next season with the crowd reminding them with every touch.
05 Oct 2026 11:42:47
I think all the tiring and tedius fans should return their best fans in the world badges.
05 Oct 2026 12:12:42
It was tiring and tedious how some of our fans continually and personally attacked the previous head coach.
It was far worse than what I've read about Kerkez and Wirtz.
05 Oct 2026 11:53:26
Because you can or because it's warranted Rome?
05 Oct 2026 11:46:26
I watch us play Fornax. He's not a whipping boy it's just that he's not a great LB. Like I have previously said there's a mistake in him just waiting to happen each and every game. He's unreliable and if we're chasing the titles we don't need that. However, like FW, he absolutely deserves his chances this season under Iraola to prove his worth.
Perhaps he will. In the interim I'm just saying what I see. Sunday will go somewhat towards knowing if his good performance last time out can be replicated but City will beyond doubt target him as a weakness in our defence. Hopefully he'll prove them wrong. I really want to win this one and shove the whole of Anfield down their neck to choke on!
05 Oct 2026 12:13:31
It's like a "flashmob" mentality on here sometimes. Once a player is criticized by a poster (rightly or wongly is not being discussed here), 2 or 3 others will chime in, and then the stampede flows in, elevating it to flashmob status.
And then the whipping boy status lingers regardless of how the player is doing on the pitch. The saving grace is always scoring a goal. Watch how Mac Allister goes up and down in peoples' minds regularly depending on the "blinder" goals he scores. ?.
05 Oct 2026 12:33:49
Kerkez's defensive game is fine. I wouldn't have any issues with him up against Semenyo or any other RW in the Premier League tbh.
I can understand the complaints about the attacking and/or ball progression side of his game, but defensively, he seems fine to me.
05 Oct 2026 12:52:23
Yes FPF. That would be the way I would look at Kerkez also.
05 Oct 2026 12:59:14
People often forget how poor Robertson when he first played for us. He was benched for Moreno after that first game if I remember correctly and many people were saying that he was a poor signing and that Moreno was better. Players take time to adjust especially those who have had two coaches/managers in two seasons.
Moreno is doing alright but I feel that people are just waiting for him to commit one small error before jumping on his back. He was poor when he firsr played for us last season but he has improved a lot since then.
05 Oct 2026 13:13:45
Rome I have to agree on Wirtz so far not sure how much is confidence now because he has regressed a bit now.
Kerkez is a lot better than Moreno but his biggest problem is he just needs to calm down he tries to win everything and it makes him reckless at times his final ball needs improvement but like I say if he just slows down a bit am sure he will improve all aspects of his game.
AI will improve both players am sure my biggest concern is Frimpong who has never shown any signs to say he can make the grade.
After him Gravenberch is the next problem because he just can't pass the ball good enough and I feel he thinks he is just a lot better than he is.
05 Oct 2026 13:22:01
Gonna be an absolute melt down on here if Kerkez, Wirtz & Dom have a great game and we batter City - highly unlikely according to some tho, given how crap they are.
Or flip side we get beat and at least some of our players can have a break from being crap for a few days while we hyperventilate about how City shouldn’t even been in the league.
Enough of this International break b******, let’s get back to proper football and bashing half the squad before a balls been kicked ?♂️
05 Oct 2026 14:32:05
If Kerkez was a forward you could say many of his game traits like, unconventional positioning; both relative to his team mates and the opposition, like unpredictable movement on and off the ball, especially in combination play. Making risky high reward passes.
Like stopping play and giving away freekicks. Preserving his legs by using his hands to make blocking tackles. All this would make him a difficult forward to manage for the opposition. unfortunately, as a defender.
He has a lot of improvement to make to become a plus.
05 Oct 2026 17:17:23
Rio, in my humble opinion its warranted.
06 Oct 2026 02:59:06
Hard to keep up, the whipping boy was Dom wasn't it? Maybe it's a Hungarian thing.
06 Oct 2026 09:24:14
I personally hope that Anfield is an absolute cauldron of toxic loathing for those cheating cretins, that would be enough to negatively affect City. Good old fashioned intimidation from the court of public opinion.
06 Oct 2026 09:28:58
We should amalgamate the whipping boys to make it easier to keep up.
Wirtkez.