Martin Skrtel is having a superb season for Liverpool, and alongside Daniel Agger, he is part of one of the most formidable central defensive partnerships in the Premier league. Liverpool's Assistant manager is not getting carried away though, and suggests that Skrtel can still be dropped if he doesn't maintain his high standards.
Speaking to LFC TV ahead of Liverpool's must-win game with Bolton today, Clarke implied that Skrtel's position in the team was safe...as long as he keeps performing:
"Martin has certainly improved a lot. He is having his best season for Liverpool at the moment, but we're only halfway through, and he's got a lot of games ahead of him.
"He's one of the first choice centrebacks at the moment but he knows there's a number of playings pushing behind to come in if he doesn't keep the same high standards".
The competition in defence seems to be having a great impact on the Slovakian, and with Jamie Carragher, Sebastian Coates and possibly even Martin Kelly breathing down his neck, Skrtel can feel the fire on his back, which is probably pushing him to keep producing his best form.
If only Liverpool had the same competition in other areas of the pitch, most notably up front. Andy Carroll has no real competition other than Dirk Kuyt; and when Luis Suarez is fit, he only really has Carroll pushing him.
Clark also praised Jamie Carragher's influence on Skrtel's improved form:
"It's a sad fact that players don't go on forever; there's a finite period to your career, and as you're coming to the end of it like Jamie is, it's fantastic that hes there to help Martin, and to push him and give him that responsibility".
On Thursday, Kenny Dalglish confirmed that Daniel Agger is fit again, so we should see the first choice partnership back in action later today.
Here's hoping for another clean sheet!
Jaimie Kanwar
Speaking to LFC TV ahead of Liverpool's must-win game with Bolton today, Clarke implied that Skrtel's position in the team was safe...as long as he keeps performing:
"Martin has certainly improved a lot. He is having his best season for Liverpool at the moment, but we're only halfway through, and he's got a lot of games ahead of him.
"He's one of the first choice centrebacks at the moment but he knows there's a number of playings pushing behind to come in if he doesn't keep the same high standards".
The competition in defence seems to be having a great impact on the Slovakian, and with Jamie Carragher, Sebastian Coates and possibly even Martin Kelly breathing down his neck, Skrtel can feel the fire on his back, which is probably pushing him to keep producing his best form.
If only Liverpool had the same competition in other areas of the pitch, most notably up front. Andy Carroll has no real competition other than Dirk Kuyt; and when Luis Suarez is fit, he only really has Carroll pushing him.
Clark also praised Jamie Carragher's influence on Skrtel's improved form:
"It's a sad fact that players don't go on forever; there's a finite period to your career, and as you're coming to the end of it like Jamie is, it's fantastic that hes there to help Martin, and to push him and give him that responsibility".
On Thursday, Kenny Dalglish confirmed that Daniel Agger is fit again, so we should see the first choice partnership back in action later today.
Here's hoping for another clean sheet!
Jaimie Kanwar
Well skirtel hasn't anything to worry about if Carragher is the best he has to compete with
ReplyDeleteThough having Agger fit has improved Liverpool's defence massively but Skrtel has been our best defender this season. During pre-season games the defense was looking the weak link for Liverpool but the work done by coaching staff has really made our defense rock solid and its our best defense in last few years, though midfield is very poor with no creativity at all and attack is totally abysmal without Suarez. I am getting worried about our top 4 chances because without a top notch striker and a winger, Liverpool won't finish in top 4.
ReplyDeleteSkrtel is our best defender he has improved his game in every part of his game showing now he can pass the ball and drive out of defence with it. He his even cutting out those stupid little fouls I would put him above Agger for the simple reason he stays injury free and should be one of the first names down on the sheet!
ReplyDeleteAndy Caroll could also be converted to centre back for reinforcement and competition. Me Ashfah loves Skrtel.
ReplyDeleteKENNY DALGLISH SHOULD RESIGN YET AGAIN IF HE REALLY LOVES THE CLUB. HE CANNOT ADD ANYTHING TO THE CURRENT SITUATION. BRING BACK RAFA
ReplyDeleteI agree Skrtel has improved alot and looks better on the right side of centre of defence but Agger for me is definately what we have missed, if he stays injury free, he reads the game well, has more pace, doesnt get overpowered as much as Skrtel and is comfortable in possesion, Skrtel needs to be stronger in the challenge as he loses out 50 50s too much!
ReplyDeleteits a high time that the coach came to his sense, all the prayers are below average, we miss lucas. can you please buy a defensive prayer. its painful to watch you play. you have 10 days before the window closes. do something.
ReplyDeleteSack Dalglish, Clarke and Comolli.
ReplyDeletemy thoughts exactly, miss lucas badly and you realise more so how good he is. charlie adams is a average sunday league player at best, hes a red card waiting to happen, cant pass, cant tackle, cant run, no vision, hes f#cking useless. and hes getting worse game by game. id rather see henderson in the middle, as average as hes been, kenny is destroying the boys confidence playing him out of position.
ReplyDeleteas for marin skrtel hes wat its all about, take your chance and play well and be in the team on merit.
how many are there on merit??
its getting a joke, sort it out kenny, these crap players are gona cost you your job
henderson and caroll fucking shit i cant take no more
ReplyDeleteBack to basics, 442, stick Gerrard in with Henderson in the middle, have Johnson at right midfield, Kelly at right back. Only a few players are performing at the moment, Suarez, although he has put pressure on the club and the team with his antics, Bellamy, Enrique, the rest have been disappointing and have to improve. The first Bolton goal today was unacceptable from a team who is hoping for champions league. All the results went our way today and we blew it.
ReplyDeletenonsense Liverpool..i don't surprise if they win a carling cup but their performances in the league were extremely awful...Stoke City no creativity but Bolton just simply outclassed Liverpool multi million pounds players.Dalglish will never make Liverpool great.He is our legendary player but can't manage the club at the modern day football.Sack him.Carroll,Henderson,Downing are wasteful of money.
ReplyDeleteHows that if Martin has a couple of baddies its on your bike son what about the ones that are playing that have rarely put a foot right.
ReplyDeleteIf as Clarke says Skrtel had a brill season , I wonder why he had to mention this negativity at al l? ,up till the Bolton match we had one of the best defensive records in the EPL. M,aybe a coincidence that they conceded 3 goals. I think the clUb need to get a coordinated PR system . That was part of the Suarez problem , Man Utd have a very, very organised system, after 20 years at the top of the EPL, so many cozy contacts in the Press and TV etc, so organized in fact they can cause problems for other clubs, the Suarez situation springs to mind.
ReplyDeleteWe need Rafa back. End Of
ReplyDeleteclark has deviated from someone he could've directed the warning to and not skirtel,why did'nt he (clark) made this warning to andy carroline whom kenny wasted such amount of money on without any improvement since carrol start playing for lfc, instead kenny and his coaching crew have been backing carroline andy,its like the club owners didn't know why they bought lfc if they (owners)know why they bought the club i advice to sack kenny because is not sound enough to move lfc to top 4 ,also send out some scrap players that kenny brought to the club,also reina should be send to the bench reina is not upto kenny should give DONI a chance to shows what he (DONI) upto look at arsenal the second keeper has that he deserved to be a first choice keeper.
ReplyDeletehow people can be so stupid? is there really any brain left?
ReplyDelete