Milos Kerkez Thrives Under Andoni Iraola at Liverpool

Milos Kerkez walked off Anfield with tired legs and a wide grin. Ninety minutes in the tank, a 2-0 win over Como, and the feeling that his Liverpool career is finally starting to move in the direction he always imagined.

The difference? Andoni Iraola.

From restraint to release

Kerkez’s first season at Liverpool under Arne Slot never quite caught fire. A £40m signing from Bournemouth, he arrived with a reputation as a relentless, attacking left-back, but often looked caged in a more controlled system.

Now he has his old boss back.

Having spent two seasons with Iraola at Bournemouth, Kerkez has become the early standard-bearer for the Spaniard’s ideas on Merseyside. He knows exactly what is being asked of him – and he knows how demanding it will be.

“It's a big difference, obviously,” he admitted after the win over Como. “We play really aggressive. We need to run a lot more. It is good. It is tough, but if you want to compete at the top, you need to do that in the Champions League, the Premier League.”

The change is obvious in his own role. This is the Kerkez Bournemouth fans recognised.

“You can see I have more freedom to fly up and down,” he said. “I'm really running more, with more freedom, putting more balls into boxes.”

For a full-back who thrives in chaos, Iraola’s system feels like a release. The trust between the pair, built on the south coast, has simply been relocated to Anfield.

“The manager gave me confidence when I was in Bournemouth. We all have to do what he tells us to do. Play aggressive, front-foot, so we need to continue.”

Legs burning, belief growing

The Como game was more than a routine pre-season friendly for Kerkez. It was his first full 90 minutes of the summer, and it hurt in all the right ways.

“Today is the first time playing 90 minutes,” he said. “I felt a bit in the legs at, I would say 70, 70-something, but it's good to get the whole 90 minutes today.”

Liverpool’s 2-0 win, sealed with a clean sheet, ticked the final box before the real business begins.

“We needed to get the win today, to get that positive mentality going into the next week. So, we did good, clean sheet - good for the defenders - and, yeah, we're happy.

“We have still some work to do to be more defensively set up. More help from the wingers, but it's going to come next week.”

The message was clear: this is a work in progress, but the foundations are in place. Iraola’s trademark intensity requires miles in the legs, and Kerkez knows why so many players were pushed to the limit against Como.

“A lot of guys needed 90 today. Need to be ready for Premier League intensity next week. You know how it is, especially Newcastle away, so it was good that a lot of guys got 90 minutes, definitely.”

Newcastle on his mind

The Premier League opener at St James’ Park looms large. For Kerkez, it carries a personal twist.

“I can remember last season how it was,” he said. “Big difference for me when you play like Bournemouth at Newcastle and Liverpool at Newcastle, so I can't wait, really. I think my team-mates also can't wait.

“Fantastic atmosphere there, so we need to go and first game, need to get the three points, definitely.”

This is the stage he wanted when he left Bournemouth. The same coach, the same high-octane football – but now in Liverpool red, with Champions League nights on the horizon and expectations to match.

Kerkez insists Liverpool are “more ready” than they were a few weeks ago. The final rehearsal is done. Now comes the examination of whether Iraola’s aggressive, front-foot blueprint can survive one of the most hostile grounds in the league.

New faces, same standards

The night against Como was not just about fitness and systems. It also offered a first glimpse of Liverpool’s new boys under the Anfield lights, and Kerkez did not hesitate when asked who caught his eye.

On Jeremy Jacquet, who marked his unofficial debut with a goal, the verdict was emphatic.

“He was brilliant, really,” Kerkez said. “Defensively, calm on the ball. Confidence is what we need. Plays hard, plays aggressive - Liverpool style of play, definitely. Really, really good.”

Ronald Araujo, introduced after the break, earned similar praise.

“Araujo when he came in second half was aggressive, made a few tackles. So was good. JJ good. We were solid.”

Behind them, Alisson Becker did what Alisson Becker does.

“Ali, great, great to keep balls out of the net, so feels good when you have a clean sheet. We have to keep going next week.”

That last line carried the weight of the night. Pre-season is over. The experiments, the heavy legs, the tactical tweaks – all of it now feeds into one question.

Liverpool have their coach, their structure, their aggressive identity. Kerkez has his freedom back.

Now they have to take it to Newcastle and prove this version of Liverpool can live at the pace Iraola demands.