Liverpool F.C.'s recent full-back signings have come under heavy criticism from former club star Danny Murphy, who says they are a major problem for manager Andoni Iraola. The comments focus on Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, who were brought in during a record transfer spree to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson. Liverpool currently sit 6th in the Premier League with 5 points from three games, having scored six goals and conceded four.
Danny Murphy did not hold back in his assessment of the defensive pair. He stated the bigger problem for Liverpool is that the full-backs simply aren't good enough. "They are not good enough. They are not going to get better, it is not in them," Murphy said. He described them as '100mph' players who work hard but possess poor crossing and decision-making in the final pass. Murphy directly compared them unfavorably to the players they replaced, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, calling the new signings 'not as good'.
Both Frimpong, signed from Bayer Leverkusen, and Kerkez, signed from Bournemouth, have shown defensive limitations since their arrivals. Their performances have become a talking point as Liverpool aims to close a four-point gap to league leaders Manchester City.
The acquisitions were part of a major squad overhaul across the last two summers. Last summer's window saw Liverpool make Bradley Barcola their third signing valued at over £100 million in a twelve-month period. The club also brought in Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, and Florian Wirtz during that previous spending spree. Frimpong and Kerkez were specifically targeted to refresh the full-back positions, which had been long-held by Alexander-Arnold and Robertson.
Jamie Carragher has expressed serious concerns about the long-term impact of that recruitment drive. "My fear is this window of 12 months ago could set Liverpool back a year or two, to fix it," Carragher said. He warned that if performances do not improve under Iraola soon, that period could be viewed as "arguably the worst transfer window we've probably seen in Premier League history." The full squad involved in that period is listed on our squad page.
The situation presents a specific challenge for manager Andoni Iraola, who has a previous working relationship with Milos Kerkez from their time together at Bournemouth. Iraola now must find a way to improve players that a respected pundit believes have reached their ceiling. With Liverpool dominating possession at Anfield, Murphy argued the press is less important than the quality of the full-backs' attacking contributions, an area where he sees significant weakness.
The team's current form reads WDD, and they face a important opportunity to build momentum in their next match. Liverpool's next fixture is at home against Fulham on September 12th. Fulham currently occupy 19th place in the table, offering a chance for the Reds to address their early-season inconsistencies. Fans can check the details for that and all upcoming matches on the club's fixtures schedule.
