So, do we still need a left back? With the emergence of Robinson and Flanagan; and with both of them doing superb jobs, do you think we need a Left back anymore? Especially when we now have 4 choices for LB: Aurelio, Johnson, Insua (when back from loan) and Robinson. The other option is to sell Insua and Aurelio and buy a top notch LB so that Robinson will be 2nd choice giving him some more time to mature. What do you think?
Aurelio doesn't have a future at LFC anymore. Injured too often makes him too unreliable. Insua will probably be sold. Johnson may move back to RB as I reckon Kelly will be playing central defence at some point in the future (when Carra starts playing less). That mean Johnson/Flanagan at RB, ?/Robinson at LB. So LB is still a problem I think we should address by bringing somebody in.
Insua's contract runs out at the end of the season i believe (day before the transfer window opens) so we won't be getting any money for him. I think it's naive to think we don't need a left back. We're looking to play Champions League football so we're going to need some experience and quality. Aurelio is just never fit and Robinson is only 17 so he doesn't need to be a first team regular until he's early twenties which would give us 4/5 years to blood him in. Not strengthening areas like this is why we have lost ground over the last couple of years. We needed another striker alongside Torres- nope stick with Ngog. We need a replacement for Riera- nope rely on Maxi and Joe Cole on a free. We need a left back- Paul Konchesky. Oops.
Question is, who should we go for? Like you said we need experience in this position. To rely on what we have already will be a massive mistake and will cost us points.
Enrique is the obvious name to mention. Doesn't excite me that much but he would strengthen us a great deal i think. Would bring a lot of consistency and a good balance between attacking and defending.
Not sure if what Tommo said on Norwegian TV is going to come true, but if it does then I don't reckon we should pay more the ã8M for him. Coentrão would be my choice though.
Johnson can cover LB as well, as we've seen. I bet that even surprised Rafa, always one for a versatile player. Aurelio will be gone. If Insua was coming back I think it would've been in Jan when Gala stopped using loan players. (Did that actually happen? I heard Insua went to Italy but never looked into it.) And the youngsters don't need expectation heaped on their developing shoulders so yeah, I think another FB who can threaten going forward because that's where Robinson and Flanagan are probably weakest.
Flanagan and Robinson weakest. Robinson maybe,but not Flanagan.According to David Fairclough,John Flanagan is actually better going forward than Martin Kelly.And Martin Kelly was excellent going forward when he played right back.
No he isn't, IMO. Robinson is technically better than either of them and is a better crosser. I would get Enrique btw, he's not young, but he's not old, so by the time he's 31, Robinson will be in his 20s and should, theoretically, be ready to play in the first team. We'd also have a lot of money to spend elsewhere, like on wingers, because Enrique is in the last year of his contract.
I agree; Robinson looked better technically than Flanagan, more so at the back than going forward. Flanagan got forward plenty but he tried to cut inside too much to be effective, and I think he's still probably a bit inexperienced to be an effective attacking full back. I still reckon Kelly is a better all round RB; but Kelly is 2 years older and I think Kelly at CB and Flanagan at RB would be brilliant.
It's definitely looking good for the future with regards to our defence. The youngsters can be used as back up players to get the experience they need. The good thing about this is that it looks like they might have what it takes to become regular first team players. Kelly will eventually revert to CB when Carra stops playing.
They already look like they have what it takes to stay in the squad.The frightening thing is that Jack Robinson is still eligible for the Youth team.They have the necessary ingredients to make it to the top,they are assured,composed and unfazed.And made the transition like a duck to water.
Like I said mate, looks good for the future. Wouldn't make them regular first team players just yet though, but if they carry on the way they are and keep playing well, it may be sooner rather than later and could mean we can invest in other areas of the squad like wingers for example.
we need to go with more experience for both full back positions. think that if we rely on the two young lads, then we could end up in the same boat as we were with insua, he was an exciting prospect but lost his confidence because he was relied on too much, wasn't experienced and it affected him a lot. think that celtics left back is a good option, Izaguire (sp) and keep johnson at right back, with the lads being thrown in for the league cup etc...
Yup, that's pretty much what I've been saying too. Bit part players for the time being to gain experience.
I agree with that. However reputations count for very little when it comes to Kenny,Its performances.If these two lads continue to perform in the same way they have performed,they will make it hard for themselves to be left out.However there will come a time for them to be left out to prevent them from getting burnt out which can happen to youngsters.So having options is a necessity.Back to reputations,If Jay Spearing keeps performing the way he has,then Kenny will have a selection headache,it will be either leaving Gerrard or Mereiles out.
