I think the key word is pairing personally I've always thought we can cope better without skrts than agg but I really can't fault either this season other than the spurs away game when skrts was played out of position and bolton when the whole team was poor. The longer we can keep both playing together the better they seem to get so great credit must go to both...and pepe and the full backs as well.
Agger is a World Class player, end of, Skrtel isnt world class but is in the form of his life, I think the fact he has Agger besides him who NEVER gets flustered in possesion helps him
I have to say that Agger is probably the key for me. Skrtel played last season and looked a liability when paired with Carragher - even more so when paired with Kyrgiakos. Together they were fouls being given away, bookings ready to happen and a collective pace that would have made a glue-factory nag look like Red Rum... Agger's return has made Martin look very good, and as a pair they operate well...
I agree with both the above but in fairness to Skrts when he played with Carra and even Kyriagagariakariogos he was playing as the left of the 2 CBs and so was more often than not trying to go into tackles with his "wrong foot". If you played Aggs on the right of the 2 CBs he may well encounter the same issues Skrts was having
I think it was patently obvious against brighton how vital agger is. With carragher back in we went back to defending so deep it was ridiculous. Agger attacks the ball, wins header, and allows the line to play much higher. Skertl benefits loads from this approach. he loves agger so much for making him twice the player... I hope coates can come in for agger on occasion and continue this. this reminds me so much of carrgehr and hyppia... hyppia goes and attacks things carragher sweeps up the crumbs and looks heroic.... skertl is sweeping up in behind and doing well at it... I would retire carragher if i were kenny and get kelly into the middle to cover... finally i don't agree agger would suffer as much as skertl does on the worng side simply as agger can pass better, quicker and control the ball better... simply put he's just all round better but compliments skertl in the role he can play. for me if we keep both men fit and sort out johnsons defending at the back post we've a real base to build on... add lucas to that, add more talent going forward and you can see the emergence of something...
One thing we have to take into a count is that Carragher and Skrtel have quite similar playing styles. They are both big, strong, physical players. So its a bit like have a lot of the same with. So Agger ads the variation and versatility. Having said that. I think Skrtels our player of the season and I actually think of him as the best defender in the league right now.
true jk but then why did we play so deep v brigton and let them be level nealry to half time yesterday and for part sof the seocnd half? cos carrgehr was playing and skertl can't force the line higher. For me the partnership is working well but neither man is the ultimate player like say hyppia was... If agger was 2 inches taller he's be even better... skertl is doing extremely well but i'd like to see him paired with coates and organising the defense, keeping the line high and in shape and allowing coates to exploit his assets... then i'd pirase skertl to the heavens.
Also consider that at the start of the season Skrtel was injured and Carragher and Agger were playing. Skrtel came back, Carragher got injured, so they swapped, and our defence suddenly got a whole lot better very fast. We do have a great pairing at the back. In fact the whole back 4 and keeper!! They may have played deep v Brighton because the midfield was completely attacking.
Both, you need two centre halves. They have played together for a number of years and have built an excellent understanding, hence the reason we are not conceding goals. Agger is an excellnt defender, his distrubution from the back is outstanding, and Skrtel looks like he loves to defend, his postioning and ability to spot danger has been impressive of late. Don't see a better pairing in the league ATM.
