Totally agree, think the reliance on him is on the one hand to do with our continuing lack of options, and on the other having too high expectations from him (fueled by a few outstanding bits of football earlier in the season) when he's clearly not ready to impose himself when it gets tough, or perform at his best consistently. Not really his fault, he's still growing physically and mentally.
At the start of the season he was running at players, taking them on and beating them. Now, he never tries, he seems to be our new Downing in that he is constantly looking for the safe option. I hope this isn't Rodgers doing having seen the documentary when he told him to 'stop dancing with the ball'
That's a good point, he did seem to be looking for the short pass into centre mid today pretty much every time, rather than trying to make something happen for himself out wide, beat the man and get towards the box. His pass completion wasn't good let's just say!
There are a few people saying that Coates will definitely be off now. Actively in the market for a new defender.
We need a top defender though imo. Agger is one of the partnership, but Skrtel gives away a lot of free kicks and has been dropped for Carragher who we all have doubts about.
I do like the Skrtel/Agger parternship as they compliment one another however Skrtel doesn't look the same when he plays without DA. Vincent Kompany is one of the bargains of the PL IMO. For £6m, Man City got a technical and physically imposing defender and a leader.
Skrtel was the best of a bad back line yesterday but can't say I was inspired by his confidence. Couple of seasons ago I thought he would become a monster at the back but not seeing that anymore. Him and Agger always look solid, refuse to condemn until the death metal Dane comes back.
I'm not defending Coates because he, like several others was woeful today - however I think this was for several reasons: 1) the defence was left very exposed in the first 60 minutes by a 2 lightweight man midfield - noone like a lucas hounding the opposition of giving options to for the ball to be passed out. I think against a strong physical team, this was a tactical error by Rodgers. 2) Jones was looking very shaky from the start, and I suspect not filling the defenders with confidence and so they dropped back to goal whereas Reina would have been shouting for them to push up the field. 3) Coates, as others have said is very rusty and whilst tall he is not muscly enough yet. For uraguay in the copa America he looked great because he is good with his feet and towers over generally smaller opposition, so wins most balls in the air easily. In the uk he doesn't have this advantage and is currently too lightweight. Yesterdat i believe a combination of being physically weakand rusty led I believe to a poor display. I still think he is technically gifted, and given experience in loan and help to toughen up, he could still be a great defender.
Moussa Sissoko for 2.5 M'Vila for some 8 mil Fer for 10 mil ( think 8 mil pounds) to everton. All the type of players we could use to physically improve our midfield.
This For 3.5M shouldn't we try and trigger Mo Diame's release clause? Guys a beast and is PL tried and tested!
