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Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Michael Owen was scathing in his criticism of Milos Kerkez, however, has he been as bad as is being made out?
It is never one thing. When things go wrong in football, fans, pundits and managers alike all look for the silver bullet that can solve all the problems.
For Liverpool, take your pick. Players failing to settle, key players struggling to replicate their usual levels, injuries, lack of depth, and players being sold who were serial winners. Another reason is new signings not being of the same standard of those who left despite expectations being that they would hit the ground running. A record transfer spend has not delivered as expected.
Michael Owen not impressed with Milos Kerkez
Speaking after Liverpool’s costly defeat to Wolves, Michael Owen picked out one player who fits this profile and who has yet to embrace the pressure of playing for one of the world’s biggest football clubs when he said: ”I can’t warm to Kerkez, I’m afraid," claiming that the 22-year old Hungary international was a shadow of the player who he was bought to replace - Andy Robertson. Kerkez was named in the Premier League’s team of the year last year and looked every bit the young pretender to the Scotland captain’s throne.
Radar image comparing Andy Robertson and Milos Kerkez statistics.placeholder image
Radar image comparing Andy Robertson and Milos Kerkez statistics. | Data MB.
Using Data MB’s comparison model, it doesn’t look good for Kerkez. Using statistics from last season when the veteran Scot was still first choice, the younger of the two only comes out on top in two metrics: aerial duel success and possession won percentage, and even then the latter category is only marginal. He still has some way to go before he can successfully claim to be the long-term replacement for a club great.
What has Slot said about Kerkez struggles?
Slot is more than happy with his first-choice left-back though, praising the 22-year old only a matter of weeks ago, via Liverpool.com: "I have a lot of respect for these players," said the Liverpool manager. "For Milos, for example, he had to adjust to the Premier League and to add the Champions League to that. If you lose more games than everyone would have expected us to lose, criticism comes with that.
"And then you have to stay fit. You also have to adapt to new standards. I'm not sure if there has been research but usually when a team doesn't do so well, there are a lot of injuries.
"We don't have a lot of injuries. I talk about that I have to adapt but that is not because I have a lot. We only have three long-term injuries but the rest are almost constantly fit (touch wood). They have had a period where things have gone against them individually and collectively.
"It tells me a lot about the work they put in, the quality of the coaching staff, but also the mentality of the players and Milos is a great example of that."
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