When I look at the squad I'm fairly happy, yes I want players in to improve us but quality and not so much quantity. When I look at our centre backs though I feel that there is potential for big changes in the Summer, we currently have....... Skrtel Agger Toure Sakho These are our main men and out of those there are so many problems, age, injury prone, one good season can he maintain it, no leaders. Youngsters with potential Wisdom, Kelly, Coates but again only Wisdom is a consistant injury free player Ilori may come into that bracket but we just don't know if he good enough yet. So considering all that we could see wholesale changes in this position come the Summer. Does anyone disagree? If we are going to get players in who will they be?
Kelly is not youngster with potential. He is the same age as Sakho. Maybe older. Injury has really hit his career hard. I hope he can turn it all around. I cant see large change in CB in the summer. I expect Cotes to leave. After that it could be one in one out if the right player is available at the right price.
Kelly will be off in the summer I think and Coates obviously. Wisdom could do with another loan, but at premier league level. Sakho should be starting, but I still feel we need someone new to partner him. We need a new full back most importantly.
If we dont get a new CB in the summer I dont think it will be to big a deal as long as we get a decent LB and CM and strengthen other areas. We'd cope fine I feel.
When we signed Coates I thought we had signed the next Hyppia the way the press raved over him being a full international and I think he won the best young player at various international tournaments. He was never given many starts and looked a bit of a liability at times when he did play often going forward and being caught out of position. He was then hit by a major injury and has never done anything since.
CB is one of those positions you cannot fool around with. It immediately becomes a priority if short there. A squad needs 4 CBs. Scratch Toure off, as he's pants, and we are left with 3. 1: Sakho 2: Skrtel 3: Agger or new buy? Verdict at the end of season, imo. 4:? Kelly? Nah, more of a RB anyway. Wisdom? Would rather lend him to a PL outfit first. Illori? Would rather lend him to a PL outfit first. In short, we need to buy a solid defender in his prime, to make 4 CBs in next years squad.
Arsenal coped kinda well with the CL, PL, FA Cup, playing 2 defenders most of the time. So having 4 defenders next season with CL, should be more than enough. I be happy with having the same 4 defenders.
The dream is New right back-Illori-Sakho-Flanagan I think Rodgers wants to drop Skrtel but has no justification to do so, he bases it on if you play well in the game you keep the place, which is fair, but I think he's hoping for Sakho to come in.
For me Kelly doesnt seem to have improved and I cant see him getting a stint in the team to prove his worth so I think he will be moving on in the summer. Coates has had a bad season with injury and it is only fair to give him some time to show where he is at on his return. That said I can see him leaving this summer aswell Ilori may go out on loan again next year as he needs regular game time Toure is past his best and cant see him playing much part Skrtel and Agger are both part of the fabric of the club and should both stay to be part of four regularly used cbs. Sakho has impressed me for club and country and will also be a good member of the four. Wisdom should eb getting game time at CB when needed, but also covering rb. Giving him a fair amount of game time. Had had a good time at Derby. For me we need one quality CB to come in and be ready for first team action. A leader, comfortable on the ball, pacy, in his prime, Liverpool fan and solid in defence would do. Hopefully we have some good scouts because i cant think of anyone..lol
Kolo at the start of the season was heralded as one of the best frees ever. AS backup i don't think you could get better
Sakho is safe, the rest aren't. At least one of Agger or Skrtel will go, the fact that I'll be sad to see either go speaks volumes about the season Skrtel has had!
We simply have to make Sakho our number 1 CB. I'd play Skrtel with him personally, as Skrtel has had a good season and scores goals. If we buy another CB then I'd probably choose Sakho and the new guy - obviously depending on if he turns out to be good enough. Sakho has to be our main man and we have to grow our defence around him. The guy is a ****ing beast and before he got injured his stats were immense. He hasn't got a history of injuries so hopefully this was just a one off. But for me the Beast is our number 1 - No doubt.
I actually think Agger will go in the summer - probably to Napoli. He's been a fantastic servant to our club, but I just feel we need to move him on while we can still get money for him. Sad to see him go as he's Liverpool through and through - but we need to do whats's right and let go of sentiments.
Skrtel, Flanno, Agger and Johnson will not be starting in our back line next season, or they shouldn't be at least. Sakho is the long term leader of the back line and it's important we get quality around him. Everyone thinks that Skrtel is some top defender - he's not. Whilst he can be quite dominating in the air and put in hard tackles, he is prone to errors, as are the other defenders.
We seem to have bought so many CBs, a disproportionate number in relation to other positions, none of them are much cop and we still need to recruit genuine top players for the 1 XI at the back, not sure what's gone wrong there, if you look at our midfield recruitments of late we've managed to find at least a few gems amongst the duds and transient dross, are there just less quality CBs around because it's not one of the games glamour positions and youngsters are reluctant to commit to the role leading to a shortfall at the higher level? Or are we just a bit **** at identifying and lining up personnel at the back? Sakho definitely still has potential but at the moment he's like the best china that you get out once or twice a year and even then are paranoid about using. Skrtel and Agger are like your favourite mugs whose handles are slightly loose and threaten to spill their scalding hot contents all over your front at any moment. Come on Rodgers you need to find a new homeware supplier.
