Liverpool FC Official Thread

CollieBuddz wrote:People laughed at me for suggesting we should sell Agger if the right price came in. You need consistency at the back. I don't want us to have a Ledley King, I read Tottenham won 55% of games with him, 33% without. You can't have that shit no matter how good the defender is. He's a crock. I love him but we have get rid of sentimentality. If he can't stay fit we need to replace him. The weird thing is, it seems like his injuries are unrelated, legs, back, ribs etc He's just too feeble.

I'd rather keep him, even as a squad player than sell him for some stupid fee that is nowhere near his worth like £5m.

No one will pay what he's worth to us because of his injury problems.

Agger has such a great attitude. His loyalty is amazing. We tend to be blessed with decent players who bruise like a peach though. We could make a starting XI of decent players we've had who have been ravaged by injuries.

Jamie wrote:

CollieBuddz wrote:People laughed at me for suggesting we should sell Agger if the right price came in. You need consistency at the back. I don't want us to have a Ledley King, I read Tottenham won 55% of games with him, 33% without. You can't have that shit no matter how good the defender is. He's a crock. I love him but we have get rid of sentimentality. If he can't stay fit we need to replace him. The weird thing is, it seems like his injuries are unrelated, legs, back, ribs etc He's just too feeble.

I'd rather keep him, even as a squad player than sell him for some stupid fee that is nowhere near his worth like £5m.

No one will pay what he's worth to us because of his injury problems.

So would I but I think there'll be problems there. If we get an established CB pairing will one be happy to be dropped for the odd occasions that Agger is fit. Will Agger be happy spending some of the little time he's fit on the bench if no one deserves to be dropped.

I just don't want a second rate defender to fill in the gaps for Agger. I'd rather we got a top CB to replace him who's going to play more than 60% of our games.


Also, I don't think we can say "We'll have to accept a lower price than his worth because of his injury record". I think the lower price will be his actual worth. Saying something like "When he's fully fit he's worth 12m+" is wrong imo because he's never fully fit. Injuries are a part of him, not a temporary downside.

Mr Leiva wrote:

Cadbury wrote:Still can't believe how card happy that massive cunt was.

So, after spending so much in the window, we are still facing defensive issues?

IF

Johnson hamstrings are fucking up, i'd rather we sold him and bring in someone new in.

If Agger can't be relied on, we need a new center back.

Would like to see Skrtel and Coates playing together, with a high line.

Skrtel is not that quick you know Jordan, and from seeing Coates, he looks a bit big and gangly, and doesn't look quick either. Of course they're not as slow as Carragher, but we aren't just playing a deep line purely because of Carragher, it's more to do with tactics and the fact, we haven't really got ANY fast defenders.

Dean wrote:

Mr Leiva wrote:

IF

Johnson hamstrings are fucking up, i'd rather we sold him and bring in someone new in.

If Agger can't be relied on, we need a new center back.

Would like to see Skrtel and Coates playing together, with a high line.

Skrtel is not that quick you know Jordan, and from seeing Coates, he looks a bit big and gangly, and doesn't look quick either. Of course they're not as slow as Carragher, but we aren't just playing a deep line purely because of Carragher, it's more to do with tactics and the fact, we haven't really got ANY fast defenders.

Skrtel looked sound when we played a high line back in 07.

the deeper we have become, the shitter he has become.

Skrtel's no slouch, Bale made him look like a donkey though. Coates is nippy for a guy his size. I'm hoping for a future partnership of Coates and a sweeper.

CollieBuddz wrote:

Jamie wrote:

I'd rather keep him, even as a squad player than sell him for some stupid fee that is nowhere near his worth like £5m.

No one will pay what he's worth to us because of his injury problems.

So would I but I think there'll be problems there. If we get an established CB pairing will one be happy to be dropped for the odd occasions that Agger is fit. Will Agger be happy spending some of the little time he's fit on the bench if no one deserves to be dropped.

I just don't want a second rate defender to fill in the gaps for Agger. I'd rather we got a top CB to replace him who's going to play more than 60% of our games.


Also, I don't think we can say "We'll have to accept a lower price than his worth because of his injury record". I think the lower price will be his actual worth. Saying something like "When he's fully fit he's worth 12m+" is wrong imo because he's never fully fit. Injuries are a part of him, not a temporary downside.

Bottom part is fair enough I suppose.

We could always buy a top quality centre back and play him with Agger whenever both are fit. Hard to manage with our other defensive options though, I can see the others accepting a squad role but Carragher would probably have a problem with it and it could stunt Coates' development.

Tough call. We have quantity nailed at centre back but not quality.

Why can't you consider dropping Carragher?

Cadbury wrote:Skrtel's no slouch, Bale made him look like a donkey though. Coates is nippy for a guy his size. I'm hoping for a future partnership of Coates and a sweeper.

Bale hardly took him on. They went between Carra and Skrtel, where there was a massive gaping hole.

Skrtel, give him the benefit of the doubt, he is not a very good RB, his positional sense at RB is shit.

If I can remember correctly, Agger at times had to cover for him before he was subbed.

James wrote:Why can't you consider dropping Carragher?

I'd drop him instantly if it was up to me, no way he'd be in my line-up.

Realistically though a lot of people have an issue with it so that makes the managers decision harder than it should be. He's got too much power at the club for my liking.

Jack Robinson believes Jose Enrique can help mould him into Liverpool's left-back of the future.

The 18-year-old has been impressed by the way the Spaniard has performed since moving to Anfield and is convinced he will continue to develop if he follows the No.3's example.

"Jose is someone I have watched over the last few years and someone who will be a good player for us," Robinson told the Official LFC magazine.

"He's got everything for a left-back, both defensively and going forward. I was made up when we signed him because I realise that he is eight or nine years older than me.

"I can learn a lot from him because he is good at the things I need to improve on; getting a bit tighter to the players I'm marking; stopping crosses going into the box and going forward; dribbling with the ball; being dynamic."

Robinson's rapid rise into the first-team set-up followed a late cameo against Hull City back in 09-10, as well as impressive displays for both the U18s and reserves.

He credits Spanish coach, Rodolfo Borrell for the role he played in his development and feels the club's youngsters in are in safe hands with the former Barcelona man.

"Tactically and technically he's brilliant," he said.

"When you see the the players he's coached at Barcelona, people like Messi, you realise you are learning from someone who has taught the very best. He taught me to keep believing and eventually I would get another chance."

That opportunity arose in last season's 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Fabio Aurelio pulled up with an injury and Robinson was plunged into the action against England winger Theo Walcott.

He said: "The boss just said to me 'you look like you are going to be sick'.

"I told him I thought I was going to be sick right there and then. He just started laughing and told me eveything would be fine and to play my normal game. I was so built up on adrenalin, it kept me going through the match. I didn't have time to think about what I was doing."

A first start followed in a 5-0 rout of Birmingham and another appearance in this season's Carling Cup win at Exeter. For Robinson it is all part of a learning curve and one he hopes will one day see him become a regular in the starting XI.

"You see people like Jamie Carragher and the way he trains," he added. "It's the way he plays and leads the team. You realise you can't switch off if you want to stay at the top."

Jamie wrote:

CollieBuddz wrote:

So would I but I think there'll be problems there. If we get an established CB pairing will one be happy to be dropped for the odd occasions that Agger is fit. Will Agger be happy spending some of the little time he's fit on the bench if no one deserves to be dropped.

I just don't want a second rate defender to fill in the gaps for Agger. I'd rather we got a top CB to replace him who's going to play more than 60% of our games.


Also, I don't think we can say "We'll have to accept a lower price than his worth because of his injury record". I think the lower price will be his actual worth. Saying something like "When he's fully fit he's worth 12m+" is wrong imo because he's never fully fit. Injuries are a part of him, not a temporary downside.

Bottom part is fair enough I suppose.

We could always buy a top quality centre back and play him with Agger whenever both are fit. Hard to manage with our other defensive options though, I can see the others accepting a squad role but Carragher would probably have a problem with it and it could stunt Coates' development.

Tough call. We have quantity nailed at centre back but not quality.

We're in the shitter defensively. The only definite starter I'd have is Enrique. Glen, Kelly and Agger are all crocks. Carra is done. Skrtel is ok.

I hope to fuck Coates is ready soon.

James wrote:Why can't you consider dropping Carragher?

All of us want Carragher out of there James.

Anyway, for me, it's not the defensive line that is the problem, it's the players in it that is. We don't play a high line, but we don't exactly play deep either, and to mention it, not many teams do play a high line any more, it's very very difficult to master these days, finding a balance would be best option for us.

Arsenal play a high line and look a shame at the back, Chelsea are implementing it under Villas-Boas and look very unstable, so there's pro and cons of playing a high-line, don't just think, we play a high line and everything is going to be solved, because it's not. We need the right players first before we even think about implementing a new style in defence. And I will be critical of Kenny in that aspect, I'm amazed we didn't at strengthening sufficiently in defence, he's got it wrong in my opinion.

I said this around June/July and I'll stick by it-

Agger- He's just not reliable, his injuries damage us, not just him, he's a crock.

Carragher- He's finished now, hasn't got the physical attributes any more, reads the game as good as any one, fantastic defender, but unfortunately, his legs just aren't keeping up with his brain and at 34, we have to accept that. He's not big nor physically imposing, thus harming him even more, even though Sami was getting on, he always had the height and physical strength to keep him going, Carragher's relatively small for a centre back. His pace has diminished and so too his strength, it's as simple as that.

Skrtel- He's still too hit and miss, he's clueless at times and just plain stupid (yesterdays red card proves my point). Great back up and squad player, but first team? No chance, he's not even close to the abiliy of the the likes of Hansen, Hyypia, Carragher of old, Agger, so why should be lower our standards? We've always been known for our top quality defenders, let me tell you, he is not that, categorically.

And then you're left with Coates- Can't make a judgement on him, but we shouldn't be relying on a 21 year old Uruguayan centre half to solve all our problems in defence, because the fact is, he can't do that, he shouldn't have too. He's not ready yet to take all that weight.

So yeah, there you have it, my summary is our 2 first choice centre backs, well one is injury prone and one is just plain not good enough any more and then the back up, one's a liability and ones developing. We've got problems at centre back, no doubt whatsoever and I think Kenny's really missed the boat here.

We should just throw Wisdom in.

Andre Wisdom. A beast for me on FM.

Comparing Skrtel to Hansen and Hyypia is pretty harsh .

Who could we possibly buy who can play at the right level and would slot in and start every game?

Jord wrote:Who could we possibly buy who can play at the right level and would slot in and start every game?

We would have too look outside the Premiership for that.

Jord wrote:Who could we possibly buy who can play at the right level and would slot in and start every game?

There are defenders out there, who have the quality to step up, play at the top level become great players, it's a matter of spotting them, Coates could be 1 of them, but we need more of them.

Cahill.

We should have tried harder to get Phill Jones. A good, young, English CB. There aren't many out there.

Cadbury wrote:We should have tried harder to get Phill Jones. A good, young, English CB. There aren't many out there.

When United come knocking, there is fuck all we can do.

Offer £35 million.

Disagree about it being the players that are the problem. Well, that's part of it obviously but the deep line we use is awful.

I can't think of a single top club apart from us that play with a deep line, it's not just about harming us defensively either - use it and you invite the other team to camp out in your area, find it hard to dominate possession and it's harder to press the other team.

With Carragher it's lose-lose, play a high line with Carragher and we'll get murdered on the counter, play a deep line and we'll be backs against the wall which doesn't suit us unless we're playing the top teams.

Cadbury wrote:We should have tried harder to get Phill Jones. A good, young, English CB. There aren't many out there.

Was just about to mention him. A truly great great player in the making.

Don't think it was a case of trying harder, Man Utd wanted him and that was the end of it.

CollieBuddz wrote:Cahill.

I think he's proving how overrated he is lately. Even though I would take him at Arsenal.


Jamie, did you see Sport linking Barcelona with Cahill today?

Mal wrote:

CollieBuddz wrote:Cahill.

I think he's proving how overrated he is lately. Even though I would take him at Arsenal.


Jamie, did you see Sport linking Barcelona with Cahill today?

Nah, well I seen on twitter that it's apparently false but I didn't see the original link.