I said it on the match thread the other day, but while we are moaning and harping on not scoring, let us not forget how awesome our back 4 have been. Since Carra's injury and thus being out of the squad, we finally got to see the Agger / Skrtel partnership that we have been waiting for and it does look good. GJ stepping his defensive game up and the addition of a quality LB since Riise has made our backline quite hard to breakdown. With that being said, there is that saying of "Grew old right before my eyes", and am I the only who feels that way with Carra? He came on yesterday and looked lost, got done horrendously by Delfouneso pace and strength and just looked out of it. Sad to see that his time as a player might be nearing an end ( in terms of first team prem games/CL/Europa games). Anyway, hats off to our defense for showing what having a strong backline play together week in and week out can do.
Yeah I was impressed with them as a unit yesterday, looked really up for it and they seem to have a good understanding with each other. As always I worry about Agger getting injuries, and Enrickys distribution needs work but great to see Skrts get a goal and clean sheets are always a good sign.
This has to be Carragher's last season. Club legend or not the lad is well past it, and for me Coates needs to be above him in the pecking order. Overall the back for of Glen Johnson, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Jose Enrique has been rock-solid these past few games.
I was one that thoguht we needed to buy a CB in pre-season as we were leaking goals and was very glad to see us get Coates. I think he will be monstrous for us and could even be now. I think that allowing Agger, Skrtel play together more has made this tick, those two really do work well together. Gj since returning from injury has been good ( knocks on wood), I feel he can rampage forward past anyone with ease and bar a heavy touch, could have been in some really dangerous positions the other day.
Very sheep like here…. but I agree (as I pointed out in an earlier post today), should never forget what he’s done for the team but the old man’s lost it, which is a great shame, but with the current back four and the likes of Kelly and Coates above him (or should be ahead of him) he’s gonna be playing less and less, so advice would, get to the end of the season fella, get your coaching badges and join the new boot room and learn from King Kenny.
1. the thing is this is kenny being brave.... 2. skertl needed to be backed and when he was he delivered. 3. agger has stayed fit and you have to wonder if he's just been limited in what he does to go do that. 4. johnson has stayed fit but also regained form. it has not been since hyypia/carrgher that we've had balance across the back, with players like skertl and kyrgiakso playing on the wrong side etc. Both agger and skertl are fast enough and strong enough on their respective sides to really support the full back so they can get forward too. in particular since carraghers come out we have seen some real benefit to johnson's game
Carragher will probably be used alongside Coates in our FA Cup game, as they have been so far in the League Cup. But other than that, I don't think he should be starting any games, barring injuries. Kenny had him sitting in front of the back four yesterday, but I think he'd actually be better behind them, in a sweeper kind of role. But only if we're a couple of goals up in the last 10.
The partnership between Agger/Skrtel has improved with every game that they have played together. Agger is the classic defender who reads the game and can pass the ball from the back to release players in midfield and counter attack. He also has a good foil in Skertl in the fact he is the destroyer of the 2. He tackles hard, sticks his head in where it matters and dos the simple things when the ball is at his feet... The problem we have is in cover for either of these two if they get injured. Carra is no great passer of a ball and we dont have that enforcer of a defender in Skertl... Coates is too early in his career at Liverpool to be judge yet and after that its Carra... We are short of cover and as this thread is now saying, we dont think Carra is the answer for the future... Saying that we are keeping clean sheets and look like one of the more solid defensive lines in the Prem at the moment... Now if we can only keep scoring and putting our chances away we would be better off in the league...
Another great thing about this partnership is that it's relativley young. Agger & Skertl are 27 (yet to hit their peak as defenders) while Coates is only 21 and has some fantastic professional footballers and coaches to learn from. I think Steve Clarke needs some credit here too
They are defending as a team this season which is something we could'nt do last year because of a certain lazy Spanish forward we had playing for us. Bellamys workrate is amazing and some people have questioned his attutude in the past but for me he work's harder for the team than Torres ever did and Fernando could take a leaf out of Bellamy's book if he ever want's to become a top player again.
The only thing I find annoying about Bellamy is his age. God I wish he was the same player but 10 years younger
They just need to play more games together. Question - if a top class centre back was available in the summer (Hummels etc) would you be tempted?
Have to say Skrtel has far exceeded my expectations, i thought he was a liability last season but he looks like a different player. The important thing is getting players to complement each other, and playing this style of football alongisde Agger is bringing the best out of Skrtel on the ball. Also surely with a top left back in Enrique and more pace alongside him (Skrtel not Carragher) then there is less demand on Agger so he will maybe, just maybe, suffer a few less injuries.
I may have been naive or inept at spotting a good defensive player but I have never really understood the whole Skrtel bashing, I've always thought he was a good defender and knew there was a reason for him playing every minute of last season. I'm delighted to see Agger getting a run of games this season, a lot of injury prone players are getting a decent run of games...Woodgate, Ledley King and RVP of course.
It's great having Carra as backup, I still think GJ's defending needs to improve though. Can't complain though as the current back 4 is doing the required job.
Dont know what it is, but I think he will still carry on playing after this season ( Carra ), he loves playing.And if he doesnt break back in2 the side,adn its lookin tough for him, but certainly not impossible,I think he will move at the end of the season
I don't think he will want to play for another team and will say as backup for another season before retiring.
