Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy believes Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are not good enough for the Reds.
Danny Murphy has delivered a scathing assessment of Liverpool’s full-back options, claiming Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are “not good enough” for the Reds and warning that neither player is likely to improve significantly.
Liverpool spent heavily on both defenders last summer, signing Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen and Kerkez from Bournemouth as replacements for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson. However, neither has completely convinced since arriving at Anfield, particularly when it comes to their attacking output and defensive consistency.
Speaking on talkSPORT, former Liverpool midfielder Murphy argued that the full-backs could become a major problem for the club going forward.
“The bigger problem for Liverpool because at times at Anfield, they are going to dominate the ball so much that the press isn’t going to be that important,” Murphy said via the Mirror.
“The bigger problem is that the full-backs aren’t good enough at Liverpool. They are not good enough. They are not going to get better, it is not in them. They are 100mph. They are working hard but their level of crossing and choice of final pass is really poor.
“It looks worse for the Liverpool fans when you have been so used to seeing two of the best we’ve ever seen in Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, in terms of assists, quality and picking the final pass. They have brought in two full-backs, who aren’t as good. I think they are okay defensively, not brilliant, but they are okay.”
Frimpong and Kerkez’s debut campaign at Anfield
Frimpong endured a difficult first season on Merseyside. The Netherlands international featured in 35 matches but accumulated fewer than 1,800 minutes and contributed to just four goals. He also struggled to establish himself as Liverpool’s undisputed first-choice right-back.
Kerkez made 48 appearances and played more than 3,200 minutes during his debut campaign, while contributing to four goals. The 22-year-old defender”s performances were nevertheless inconsistent, particularly when compared to Robertson’s consistency.
Murphy believes Liverpool may eventually need to look elsewhere for a long-term solution at left-back. Kerkez is now working under Andoni Iraola again, the manager who helped maximise his qualities at Bournemouth. The Spaniard’s presence could help the defender rediscover his best form, but Murphy remains unconvinced about his long-term ceiling.
Liverpool will hope both players can improve as they become more accustomed to their surroundings. However, Murphy’s assessment suggests the club could face difficult questions if Frimpong and Kerkez fail to develop into reliable successors to two of the best full-backs in Liverpool’s history.
