Martin Skrtel recently completed a 3 game tour of duty in the right back position for Liverpool, which came to an abrupt end with a red card against Spurs. Kenny Dalglish has stated that playing out of position is 'not a problem' for Skrtel, and whilst that's undoubtedly true from a team standpoint, the Slovakian's personal view on the issue is quite different.
Skrtel explained:
"Right-back is not my position. I played there for three games and I just tried to do my best there, but it’s not easy when you play out of position.
"If the manager needs me there, I just try to play there, and to be honest I’m happy to play anywhere for Liverpool, it doesn’t matter if it’s right back or centre-back, but of course, I prefer centre-back".
Skrtel also added to the chorus of positivity coming from Liverpool's players at the moment, which in no small part is down to the influence of Dalglish and his backroom staff:
"He [Dalglish] is a great manager and a nice person, but not just him, Steve Clarke and Kevin Keen also. I think the atmosphere round the team and in the dressing room is much better now – everyone is enjoying it, and we can see some progress on the pitch as well".
With Martin Kelly fit again, let's hope Skrtel has seen the last of the right-back position for this season (!)
Jaimie Kanwar
Skrtel explained:
"Right-back is not my position. I played there for three games and I just tried to do my best there, but it’s not easy when you play out of position.
"If the manager needs me there, I just try to play there, and to be honest I’m happy to play anywhere for Liverpool, it doesn’t matter if it’s right back or centre-back, but of course, I prefer centre-back".
Skrtel also added to the chorus of positivity coming from Liverpool's players at the moment, which in no small part is down to the influence of Dalglish and his backroom staff:
"He [Dalglish] is a great manager and a nice person, but not just him, Steve Clarke and Kevin Keen also. I think the atmosphere round the team and in the dressing room is much better now – everyone is enjoying it, and we can see some progress on the pitch as well".
With Martin Kelly fit again, let's hope Skrtel has seen the last of the right-back position for this season (!)
Jaimie Kanwar
Jaimie, if Skrtel ever features at RB again we will have another situation like the spurs match. He is not the worst CB in the world but we need better than him.
ReplyDeleteHe clearly has a great attitude but I reckon he will be sold at the start of next season.
I cannot see more players arriving in January as we have a solid squad but feel that a natural RW is required and without a doubt another top CB will be signed at the start of 12/13.
Kelly is made for the RB position. He has taken his opportunity and has proven himself worthy of a place in the starting eleven. Why are some people still saying that he needs to move to Cb? Why fix something that is not broken?
I think skirtel is just as bad a centre half as he is a right back! kenny what do you
ReplyDeletesee in this empty head?
Gets way too tight on strikers and is too frequently turned. He's like a soft, stupid Vidic.
ReplyDeleteWhat's harder is playing with a player who is past his best...namely...Carragher .
ReplyDeletedo u know guys who was the only player to play or premier league games last season ? just two did that, Martin Skrtel and L Banies!.. now criticizing him for a red card? he is one of our best performer players, didn't saw the goal he scored recently against bolton ?! Unfair
ReplyDeleteGreat to see all the true Liverpool fans commenting on here :) that's how to get behind the team.
ReplyDeleteSkirtel makes one mistake and has a bad game and suddenly he's the worst player to play for us. But Jamie carragher costs us games with his hand balls..penalties and own goals...but he's above criticism ....
ReplyDeleteThe back four look so bad cause of a simple reason....the midfielders are atrocious. It has become the achilles heal of our team. Adam and Henderson are too slow and both cant tackle. Adam loses the ball too many times while Henderson has no drive and no creativity all his passes going backwards. They both dont track back and have no defensive accountability. Tell me what has changed so much at the back from the last 6 months of last season? Its not the backline the same defenders are basically out there. What has changed is our midfield. From being consistent and workmanlike it has become slow and labouring. Kenny has destroyed the fluidity that was present beforehand with his donkey signings that contribute very little to the team. The opposition is just strolling through our midfield without any pressure and because of this our defence is under seige time and time again.
ReplyDeleteJust playing every game last season doesn't prove that he played at a high level for every game last season...
ReplyDeleteSkrtel hasn't just made a single mistake, he's consistently been making them ever since he arrived at Liverpool. (fortunately being at a big club refs tend to be more lenient and not give him all of the bookings that his stupid foul play deserves though!)
ReplyDeleteAnd in actuality Carragher has been getting criticized pretty heavily for his failings, as I've no doubt that you've noticed.
You really do seem to be another rebel without a cause.
Our back four looked atrocious last season also - it seems that you are suffering from selective memory if you now think that we were some dominant defensive outfit with a 'consistent' or 'fluid' midfield last year!
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with you that Henderson can't tackle but he certainly isn't slow.
The sad thing is that even way past his best, Carragher still remains a better centre back than Calamity Skrtel!
ReplyDeleteDan mate this is just our opinions,it is called freedom of speech,and i will
ReplyDeleteexercise my right to speak out against a player who for me as never been good enough a player to wear the red jersey of liverpool football club,and iam
a true red born in this city,have seen great defenders of the past so i think
i know a good player from a bad one.
Jay spot on !mr skirtel has been making bad mistakes from day one
ReplyDeleteand cannot tackle to save his life,as for carra i have stated elsewhere
that he has to be fazed out this season,for the sake of the club and his
own legacy,this is sad i know but life goes on.
Very good points there mate,play these two against the blues...e
ReplyDeleteand we will lose the game simple!henderson offers nothing in any shape
or form and adam cannot tackle,this is putting pressure on lucus and
our creaky defence,sort it king!
I didnt say we were a dominant outfit Jay. Dont put words into my mouth but we were definetely better than what we are now. Id have Spearing on any day ahead of that tortoise Adam and Kuyt over mr boring Henderson...who only knows how to back pass ...and both those two need a few training sessions in the art of defending cause quite simply they are hopeless at it. If i might add after the January transfer window shut our defence was quite good and the mainstay through all of that period was Skrtel. Now im not saying he is a classy defender but he does put 100% in each and every time and usually does a good job when played in the right position as a CB something that Kenny hasnt realized yet.
ReplyDeleteNo it doesnt prove he played at a high level it just means he played at a BETTER level than the rest...for which he needs to be commended for not slagged.
ReplyDeleteyour on drugs
ReplyDeleteNo it doesn't prove that he played at a better level - it just proves that he was consistently available more than anybody else.
ReplyDeleteHow Agger couldn't get a game in the middle under Hodgson is an argument for another day!
Well if the midfield that we're seeing now is so atrocious in comparison, you must think that last years midfield was pretty good right?? And the only words that I quoted were those that you actually used - "consistent" and "fluid".
ReplyDeleteYou may have forgotten but Skrtel was also mainstay of our defence BEFORE the transfer window shut, playing in his correct position btw... And the "consistent" midfield largely remained the same also. I guess none of that counts for you though right - it's only the few good performances from last year that should be held up for comparison against this year's failings, while last years flop shows are forgotten?
nope - you're wrong again there mate :-D
ReplyDeleteExactly my point he was consistent enough to get on the park meaning he did so much more than the other girls that couldnt string 3 games together..but lets just keep them in the team ..they may come good 5 yrs down the track. Its the defenders that are injured that are the problem in this team not the ones that show up week in week out. What good are they if their on the treatment table for 50% of matches throughout the year. Dont slag players that have pushed us up to that sixth position last year. It is not there fault they were so atrocious with Hodgson at the helm.
ReplyDeleteJay it pretty obvious that whatever anyone says your hellbent on slagging Skrtel. We all know hes not the best...but hes also no the worst. Go support the Mancs and the Chelskis we dont need supporters like you ready to slag our own players at every chance you get regardless of form or not
ReplyDelete