Liverpool kept a clean sheet for only the second time in 11 games against West Brom yesterday, and a key part of the excellent defensive display was the effectiveness of Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel. Should they now stay as Liverpool's first choice central defensive partnership?
Agger and Skrtel have played together as a partnership (without Carra) only 11 times in the last 4 years, with mixed results:
Played - 11
Won - 6
Drew - 2
Lost - 3
Goals conceded - 10
Clean sheets - 5
When Carra returns from injury, should he go straight back into the team, or should Kenny Dalglish stick with Agger and Skrtel?
I don't think it's wise to use the West Brom game as a basis for putting Carra out to pasture. It was hardly a solid defensive test, and with games against Chelsea and Man City coming up soon, I wouldn't be against Carra coming back into the team alongside Agger.
Having said that, I can see the logic behind Dalglish sticking with Agger and Skrtel at Carra's expense. Unless and until Liverpool buy another centre-half, they are the future, so it would be a good idea to get them playing together as often as possible.
Jaimie Kanwar
Agger and Skrtel have played together as a partnership (without Carra) only 11 times in the last 4 years, with mixed results:
Played - 11
Won - 6
Drew - 2
Lost - 3
Goals conceded - 10
Clean sheets - 5
When Carra returns from injury, should he go straight back into the team, or should Kenny Dalglish stick with Agger and Skrtel?
I don't think it's wise to use the West Brom game as a basis for putting Carra out to pasture. It was hardly a solid defensive test, and with games against Chelsea and Man City coming up soon, I wouldn't be against Carra coming back into the team alongside Agger.
Having said that, I can see the logic behind Dalglish sticking with Agger and Skrtel at Carra's expense. Unless and until Liverpool buy another centre-half, they are the future, so it would be a good idea to get them playing together as often as possible.
Jaimie Kanwar
I agree that Agger and Skrtel should be first choice. Carra has served us well and he is a legend, but its time to step down now before the errors due to his lack of pace and ballcontrol, that we have seen a couple of times this season, starts to cost us to much. Carra can serve as a backup player besides Coates, Agger is fragile so there will be chances.
ReplyDeleteshould and will be agger and coates
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt that Agger should be first choice. Skrtel has made a few mistakes that tend to cost us. Just a couple this season that spring to mind - sending off against Spurs (and before people comment - yes he was playing out of position but he didn't need to make the second tackle) and losing Hernandez for Man U's equaliser. That said he looks a lot better playing right centre half. So no I don't think this should be our first choice pairing. Coates is still young and for me Kelly's natural position is centre half. I'd like to see him start to play there more often now with the idea that he would be Carragher's replacement. Carragher has already said that he only has a bit of time left and I think it is just a bit too early to cast him aside just yet. Where he may lack in pace he makes up in experience. He is an honest guy with Liverpool at his heart and he'll be the first one to say when his time is up.
ReplyDeletefirst of all, agger is out only, calm center back. Skrtel, carra, coates and kelly all go for the ball aggresively. Wilson i dont know much about.
ReplyDeleteAgger Skrtel for a while but Kelly should take Skrtel's place, he messes up too much with fouls. Coates good third choice. Carra can take cup games for helping youngesters.
to be honest they both were fantastic against west brom, just unbeatable and obviously carra's getting older and sometimes making some stupid mistakes that cost us points at the end of game so I back agger-skrtel to play together in the center back they're both young and strong though agger's an injury prone and skrtel pulling shirts but they showed vs w.brom they can do it, so I guess this should be the last season of untouchable carra he has to be changed sooner or later even he knows that so leave the place for the youngs carra, your almost done with your career.
ReplyDeleteLet's be honest Liverpool have a good squad and team now!!!!, whoever plays is good enough for me!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAny body Will do as long as its not Carragher. Skrtel has made mistakes but i tell you what Carragher has made much more and cost us more than what skrtel ever has.
ReplyDeleteCarragher is all about hoofing the ball up..pulling shirts ..hand balls ..own goals..
ReplyDeleteSkrtel Agger is much better option.
skrtel has one good game, the bloke is a liability. should have been gone with the rest of the deadwood in the summer and replaced.
ReplyDeletecarra for me all day long with agger. least carra will put his life on the line and never say die attitude. and agger is class on the ball and commited to the cause. good balance with them both, two differnt types work better as a pair.
but sadly carra"s last seaon maybe as a first team choice. skrtel is crap end of
spot on Lowee!
ReplyDeletekenny should give danny wilson more chances. we haven't seen wilson enough to describe him as error prone as skrtel has been recently. sebastian coates dawdled with the ball for far too long which led to the kenwyne jones goal but he'll learn soon enough. if not, start playing martin kelly as centreback. he said it himself, his preferred position is centreback, he's so unbelievably calm on the ball and he's got a bit of pace on him too when he marauds forwards. plus he marks all the dangerous players so well in every match (young, bale, jarvis, giggs, baines to name a few).
ReplyDeleteif you guys look at coates past this guy is a winner, won with nacional won with Uruguay...i think is time for kenny to start playing him and that will bring much needed strength to the back line.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment, Skrtel & Agger are our best combination.
ReplyDeleteIts been evident for some time we've been leaking goals.
Carra has been a fine player, but at 34 is fading fast.
I hope he has the sense to bow out gracefully like Sami.
CB should be our number one priority come January.
We need someone who can walk straight into the team and do the job from day
one.
For me I'd like to see Gary Cahill come in.
I think Cahill & Agger would be a wonderful first choice pairing.
People saying that Skrtel makes mistakes too often. Can someone get the numbers of how many penalties he conceded in the last 2 years.
ReplyDeleteThat partnership suits me fine but should Agger be injured this is where Coates comes in. Carra can play the role of Hyypia in the latter twilight years at the club.
ReplyDeleteThat was one of the games where Skrtel was "on his game" and avoided any of his braindead moments, and tbh he looked a better defender than Agger to me (who has been turned worrying easily on a number of occassions this season, and in this game, also) against WBA. However, he reminds me of "Calamity" James in that those ridiculous errors are never far away. I'd rather watch Coates and hope that he eliminates those errors over time than continue to waste time waiting for Skrtel to mature.
ReplyDeleteAs things are at the moment though, Skrtel has just had a good game and deserves to hold onto his place until the mistakes start to rear their ugly heads again. If/when that (or the inevitable Agger injury) happens again though, Coates or Kelly should step in, rather than us going back to "the experience" of Carragher who we all know is no longer, and never will again be of the quality required for a title challenging team anymore
Wilson hasn't good at all when I've seen him play. I'd rather see Wisdom step up from the reserves than him.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Coates and Kelly should be learning on the job more though - if Man U can chuck players like Jones & Smalling in at the deep end with all of the expectations that are on that club, then I don't see why we're so cautious with our kids
Is conceding a penalty the only way that a defender can make a mistake?
ReplyDeleteDavid James was notorious for his mistakes but I don't remember him conceding too many mistakes. That may be before your time though. For reference to 2004, Traore was notorious for his lack of quality and I don't remember him conceding too many penalties either.
Doesn't really prove anything does it?
Hyppia was far better than Carragher ever was...
ReplyDeleteThat's not a knock on Carragher btw - I just feel that Hyppia was FAR better than most centrebacks in the Premiership era, along with the likes of Stam, Campbell, Ferdinand & King in their primes.
well said
ReplyDeleteAnother constructive post. Do you rate any of Liverpool's players? Carragher "has made much more mistakes than Skrtel", "hoofer" etc. Nice way to treat somebody who puts in 100% every game and is Liverpool through and through. Ok maybe he is past his best but you don't get to play that many games for Liverpool and earn the reviews from people who all of the football world respect if you can't play football. Have you have ever kicked a ball in your life and do you know how to play eleven aside? Carragher has probably forgotten more about football than you would ever have known.
ReplyDelete