Was about to put the exact same thing How you doing anyway Sky? Not seen you on here for a few days. You effected by the floods etc?
I'm good cheers mate. No floods here, have been some quite local though Been busy, took the week off work for half term so I can take the kids out each day, by the time I get home I'm knackered!
I heard Portland was stranded but then, I don't suppose that would take much. On kid time myself but house bound so not muxh fun happening.
Flanno's not going to be the next Cafu (despite all the jokes and hype). He's a good, young player who's shown remarkable improvement in the last two years to claw his way back to the first team - and play well enough for fans to want him to stay there for the time being. He's limited going forward, sure, and he's still learning defensively, but I feel safer with him at RB than I have done in the last 18 months with Johnson. When you have Coutinho, Sturridge, Sterling and Suarez up top, you don't need an Alves type player who's going to run the flank, cut inside and do some tricky one twos ending up with a shot. You need someone with an engine to get up and down the flank and keep the width. He does that. Good enough for top four? Well, right now he clearly is since we are. Can we get better? Absolutely, but he's certainly deserving of being the first pick right now and at least second pick (if we buy a new RB in summer) for next season. He's got heart and a desire to keep on improving. He's the type of player you need in your squad to play around your flair players.
you are right in one way. but what we do need in rodgers system is someone who not only gets up there but doesn't just back pass all the time. the kids ok, nothing wrong with it but just cos we happen to be in 4th now this instant doesn't mean he's top 4. longevity, and effectiveness determine that standard for a player... just like i said lukaku aint top 4 standard player yet. Maybe flanno does deserve first pick right now. but thats cos others have fallen by the wayside rather than him just being that good. For me had wisdom kicked on rather than gone on loan (rodgers seemed highly reticent to pick him) he would be my choice. kellys been scarily off the boil and johnson is either injured or not caring
i tell you what though.... our mate carra is similar. if flanagan can have the belief, real beelif in being positive wit the ball and its ok to lose it.. then he can improve. I have seen caragher run down a wing, i've seen him cross it. but he most of the time played safe so got a rep as a bad full back. Flanagan has to be positive and take a risk in advanced areas to lose it thre trying to create. If he's not up to knocking it by someone or crossing it (see neville for instance as a guy who could but would not be thought of really) then fine. but he should show it.
'Liverpool and Ajax Battle for Groningen Forward Richairo Zivkovic' http://www.empireofthekop.com/anfie...n-forward-richairo-zivkovic-by-mrliverpooltv/ Didn't we loan them Adorjan? How has he been doing?
That bit not quite right really despite it backing up my belief that he is good enough. We haven't completed the season had he's only play a part of it to boot. The reason I think he can be good enough is Carragher. He wasn't blessed with superb abilities but he worked had put what he had to best use. Flanagan has the right attitude and his abilities are goo enough to pull it off too. His positioning, marking and game reading will get better the more games he plays too.
I do think he can develop into a solid player. And sometimes, that's what you need from players who can come and rotate with the first teamers. But he won't be anything more IMO - but I do look forward to seeing him progress and develop. Also - Kono had a pretty good game today, ripped up Spurs right back.
The things that's impressed me with Flanagan is his composure on the ball and his passing. When he first came into the team these two things certainly weren't his strength. He loved a tackle and when he got it right, it reminded me of Gerrard flying into tackles in his youth however he would also inevitably get them wrong sometimes which he seems to have improved on, although he still has the odd moment. I've really noticed that when he gets the ball no though he rarely misplaces a pass, and especially one touch passes into team mates. A lot of them are forward passes as well which is obviously much better than just going sidewards to his CM or CB. I'd love to see some stats and reckon his passing accuracy and ball retention is probably one of the best out of all our defenders which is probably another reason why he's getting the nod over Kelly. Yes, he's never going to be WC, but 2 years ago, did anyone think he'd even get to this level? I'll be honest, I wanted him out the club in the summer thinking he would only ever be Championship level. Happily been proved wrong. He's only 20/21? If he improves in the same way he has done in the last 2 years in the next 2, then there is no reason why he can't make that RB slot his own. He's not the best going forward but then he's been brought up as a RB and had to improve his defensive duties in order to get a shot at getting into the team. Now he still needs to work on those areas, but he's at a level where he is good enough to get into the team at the moment on his current abilities. This will hopefully mean he can concentrate over the summer and pre-season on his attacking abilities and getting forward and linking up with the RW even more. No use just having a RB who get's up the line and puts in crosses as that's no good in our team, so we need one that can get forward and provide telling passes. I believe that is something that you can see developing in his game and long may it continue.
Agree with all of this IMO, he is our modern day Steve Finnan and I'd take the Irishman over any other fullback we've had (on either side) since Rob Jones!
If all Flanno brings his solid defending, then I wouldn't care. Problem is, he's still very raw as a defender. But I do agree that he has improved and looks more confident on the ball. Anyone see Kono play last night? Best player on the park and looks devastating on the ball. One of the few players who can run quickly with the ball as he does off it. Also, rumours that we have been scouting Dede (RCB) - amazing if we can get him as I think he would be the ideal partner for Sakho ...
Steve Finnan was just a bit before my time (before I could really appreciate positioning, marking etc) so I can't say too much on him - but my favourite was Arbeloa. What an underrated player he is - solid in defence, can support the attack, comfortable on both flanks. I would love to have him back. I do think Flanno can develop into this type of defender (as you mentioned Gez) - if he can, brilliant. But I think he has a long way to go.
