24 Sept 2013

No love for Toure: LFC fans choose their first-choice defensive-duo. Surprise...?

With four senior central defenders vying for two first team positions, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers finally has great competition at the back, but after the Southampton debacle over the weekend, the question still remains: what is LFC's best defensive partnership? Rodgers doesn't seems to know, and with Man United coming up tomorrow, it will be interesting to see who gets the nod. What do the fans think?

A few days ago, I conducted a survey on the site asking fans to name their preferred firs-choice central defensive partnership.

* 9200 people (approx) voted.
* 51% voted Agger/Sakho
* 22% voted Toure/Sakho
* 19% Voted Agger/Toure

Discussing Liverpool's defensive options last week, Carra - who played alongside Mamadou Sakho in a charity match last year - was full of praise for the club's 'superb' defenders. He told the Liverpool Echo:

"He [Sakho] is at a great age, and physically he's ready for the Premier League. It will just be interesting to see where the manager brings him in. He's left-sided and there's competition for places everywhere now. Skrtel's done really well, while Toure's been a revelation. Competition's what you want, but you don't want your best players on the bench. I think the manager just has to juggle it round a little bit now and use the best two."

It's interesting to note that Carra namechecks three of Liverpool's senior defenders - including the much maligned Martin Skrtel - but makes no mention of Daniel Agger. As Carra suggests, competition is king, but who will get the nod against Manchester United tomorrow?

* Agger is vice-captain, and the club rejected a £15m bid for him over the summer, so you'd expect the Dane to feature heavily in the team. However, he is injured again at the moment, and should (IMO) be rested for tomorrow.

* Toure has rarely put a foot wrong since arriving at the club, and his leadership is desperately need at the heart of the team. Yes, he can play right back, but he is wasted out there.

* Sakho cost £17m (€20m), and you don't spend that amount of money on a defender to keep him on the bench. Additionally, he constantly complained about being sidelined at PSG, and that's one of the reasons he left the Ligue One club. With the World Cup on the horizon, he'll expect to play, and it seems Rodgers is going out of his way to accommodate the Frenchman in the team.

* €14m-rated Skrtel is playing well and arguably deserves to stay in the team on merit. I doubt Rodgers will see it that way, though, and I full expect Skrtel to be on the bench tomorrow. Having said that, he put in a man-of-the-match performance against United recently, so that may weight in his favour.

It's important that Liverpool build a stable defensive partnership, and with that in mind, I'd personally like to see Toure-Sakho given a run, with Agger and Skrtel used as back-up. For me, Agger/Sakho is a non-starter. They're both left-footers, which admittedly is only a slight issue, but I don't see how Sakho can build a rapport/understanding with a player who is constantly injured.

Additionally, Agger and Skrtel continue to be linked with moves away, so if one or both are to leave at some point over the next year, then it's even more important to bed-in the club's future defensive partnership, whatever that may be.

Tour-Sakho all the way! Anything but FOUR central defenders in the same team (!)



NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)


66 comments:

  1. Democracy is the dictatorship of the majority

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  2. Are the 51% going to be sacked if they get it wrong?

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  3. Agger and sakho can never play together well,cos neither of them use their right foot well enough to compliment each other
    Our cb pairing should be sakho and toure

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  4. Yes Sakho and Toure for me also. We will be massive underdogs so lets get Sakho in asap, if we lose, well we were not expected to win, but he can gain more experience against PL players, the sooner the better for me.
    The fact that Llori, sterling, Kelly, Ibe, were not part of the U21s Monday probably means some will play against UTD.

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  5. I think we need Toure anyway, his leadership skills are key and he's clever enough to play the ball into space to buy the team time when defending. If Agger was fit I would choose him to partner him because he seems to be at his best when he has someone to talk him through a game. Since he's not I would choose Sakho and pray to god he has a good game because his last two left a lot to be desired, although they were tough games anyway.

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  6. sakho was a huge waste of money imo. maybe he will turn out to be a great for us over many years but at this moment in time with agger, skrtel, toure, ilori, wisdom and kelly all as viable options, did we really need to splash so much on a cb? i actually think sakho is a quality player but theres no way all of them can be happy and i dont see how agger and sakho can play together unless rodgers goes to a back 3 (which given our lack of attacking options without coutinho/aspas looking out of his depth may be something to consider). on another note while we have too many defenders we really look light in numbers up front without borini and i think suso would have been better than aspas.

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  7. Waste of money? The guy isn't even 100% match fit! over time when he gets that be be a beast of a defender,

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  8. Agger, Sakho, Skrte,l Toure- in that order.

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  9. You just cannot play two left footed centre backs. What don't people get. It just doesn't work. If it did it would've been used by teams from the past. Sakho will learn that this is not the French league. If you get caught strolling forward..you will be punished. Toure/sakho against manu does it for me. But we should test sakho out in that one man holding role against weak teams and give the other centre mid license to roam forward.

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  10. don't get me wrong i really like him but considering our lack of funds and current strength in that area compared to others i'm just saying it doesnt seem like a good use of money. if we were getting rid of agger or skrtel i could understand completely but at the moment we have too many cb's. i was in no way saying sakho wasnt good enough.

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  11. We will finish above manu this year, by the way...

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  12. I dont think even BR thought Toure would be as good as he is. Llori is a youngster, Wisdom is not good enough/yet. Kelly is a sick note, that leaves the other 3. Which means we have 4 top class or capable of being top class CBs. That is not an abundance, with Aggers constant injuries.

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  13. why would anyone vote down this post...

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  14. I think the long term plan is to play 3 centre backs and 2 wing backs this way there isnt a problem having 2 left footed centre backs.this would also suit johnson and enrique and would allow us to play suarez and sturridge
    up front lucas and gerrard in midfield and coutinho behind the two front men

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  15. To many wingers for that formation...

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  16. Toure and Sakho for me.
    Agger needs to learn how to mark on set-pieces.

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  17. Toure and Agger for me. It worked at start of season

    Sakho looks very dodgy to me, big, strong and a bit crazy

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  18. Agger and Skrtel are both massive liabilities. Agger especially, hes has cost us so many goals at set piece. I would go with Toure sn Sakho for sure.

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  19. I can see the sense in that, but would it not be the same for two right footed players? This conversation only seems to come up when talking about two lefties. It would seem as if, because the imagined perfect combination is a left and right footed pair that the left footed defenders are always pushed to play on the left side, where-as the more abundant right footed players are encouraged to be able to play anywhere just in case there are no lefties available. Any time a leftie is in the team he's pigeon holder into a left sided role and therefore the idea that they can't play on the other side is forced on them. Apart from that there is no reason why a pair of left footed players is any different from a pair of right footed players. If anything, statistics show that left handed people are more likely to ambidextrous, so left footed players are more likely to be two-footed. They would ultimately be the MORE versatile player but for this created situation where they are never allowed to play in a right side role because they are a rare breed. It's the choice of the managers, not the ability of the player, that makes them left-side-only type players.


    So I think it must ultimately come down to the individual. To say that a left footed player is more left side dominant that a right footed player is right side dominant doesn't always make sense. It depends entirely on where the player has been preferred in the team over the life of their whole career. So if Agger and Sakho have always been deployed in that left sided CB position then OK, I can see why it would be potentially disruptive to their instincts to put one of them on the right.

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  20. Some people are not convinced so far with what they've seen from SAKHO.But he's got everything needed to succeed in the PL.He's fast, strong and good on the ball.We need to be is patient and he'll come good.
    A weakness i see in his game is he gets drawn to ball and abandons defensive shape in doing so but that can be knocked out his game.
    The combination of TOURE and SAKHO together would be my choice because at this early stage with MS adapting to the league he needs to guided.KT is a great leader and by far the best talker we have in our squad.

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  21. I agree, I thought Sakho looked a monster against Swansea, accepted he made a few bad judgement calls, but his control of the football, and passing amazed me. He was trying to impress by cutting out the danger early, but I feel we have the new Sami, fingers crossed of course.
    To be honest, it would be a miracle to come away from OT with anything, Moyes just cannot allow us to beat them, normally for them its only the League Cup, but their results thus far have him under big pressure, and he cannot afford a loss to us again, in just the space of a few weeks.
    So expect fireworks from them from the kick off.
    Take them into extra time and who knows,
    and apparently LFC have a new number 7 starting tomorrow, lets see what he brings to the table.

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  22. I began as a very one sided (right) player but my team needed me to play left full back and from then on my left foot developed. Now I'm two footed and can take free kicks/pens with either foot. I feel no difference at all, I think it's all mental. And if I was able to achieve that, I'm amazed that so many pros are so one sided.


    I don't think it's the same for two right footers though. Refer to what I said above about preferring one side. If Sakho was decent with his right foot I'd have no problem with slotting him in there. I say it's not the same for two right footers because I've never seen two completely one sided right footers in the team - because whenever Agger has been out Skrtel has occupied the left CB role and he is more than capable with his left foot, so there is no real negative effect. Width is pivotal and if Sakho played RCB and cut the whole right side out it would be a huge detriment to the team. Of course, I could be entirely wrong and he could play on the right, use his left foot all the time and not ignore any side and get the job done.


    I agree with your point about right side/left side dominance but there aren't many examples to prove your point - Agger doesn't have a right foot, imagine Enrique on the right...We haven't seen much of Sakho but I could add him to this list. Recent players like Aurellio and Riise, even Kewell were not capable on the right. Seems only Sturridge is capable with his right foot.

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  23. At the same time we must not settle for two defeats in a row, cups have been terrible under Rodgers. It's a path to Europe.


    Hoping for some squad rotation from United, players like Anderson etc...We should put the strongest team out possible.

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  24. Thats a coincidence Pete, i'm 2 footed also. joke.

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  25. Yes Pete I agree, but imagine the pressure on Moyes for this game, he has to go all out, play a strong team, the likes of Kagawa will strengthen their team, I am being pessimistic with a "I expected that" or what a result!!!!, who knows.
    One thing we dont need is a slaughter at this time.
    Everyone on their game, and it will be a toss up.

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  26. That all seems to suggest that left footed players are predominantly one-sided and can't play out to the right. The only reason that would be the case is because they are never played there. There is nothing inherent in being left footed or right footed that means you can more or less develop both sides except, as I suggested, that statistically speaking more left handed people are ambidextrous. Taking Skrtel as the example ... he's obviously been deployed on the left side of defense quite often even though he is a naturally right footed player. Of course in theory it would work both ways, why wouldn't it? But if a manager has no left footed CBs in his squad then one of the righties has to take that role and thus has no choice but to adapt. I guess that never happens for lefties. As soon as the manager spots you as a lefty you spend your entire football life on the left, never even getting a chance to develop that right side of your game.


    So OK, as it turns out that would mean left footed CBs just don't have the experience to play on the right because they've never been allowed to play there. If that's the case with Agger and Sakho then I'd agree, you can't play them together. But it does still stand to reason that left footed players COULD be capable of playing on the right side of defense. It's all about their ability to adapt and their experience. If they've never adapted or played on the right then you wouldn't start doing it now, but if either Agger or Sakho do have particular experience playing on the right side of a defensive unit then they could continue to do so. So it does very much depend on the player and shouldn't be a blanket rule.

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  27. DAVID MOYES chokes against top sides and even though he's got better players at his disposal i think he'll continue to have poor results against top sides with MAN U.
    They will beat other top teams every now and then with him in charge but not with the regularity of a team managed by SAF.We are of course are in no great form ourselves but i think we'll win and pile more pressure on DM which will be a bonus.

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  28. Nah not really, we don't really have that many wingers.. Hendo would feature in midfield, which is better IMO, sterling played RB now sometimes, he could be an decent offensive fullback backup, or joker for Johnson, or could be used as a second striker, just like Moses to feed suarez/sturridge with assists and open up spaces with pace and trickery.... Problem solved, I'd like our boys to play a 3 5 2 but I doubt we will see that too often.

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  29. Actually, this left footed story is a load of dung. Left sided players are equally if not better adept at using their right foot as well. It is anatomically researched and is known as ambidexterity.

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  30. im sorry but wasn't agger in carras all time 11 alongside hyypia
    obviously agger is 1st choice he cant be disposed

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  31. plus i dont think we need eriksen , id rather suso come back next year

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  32. lfc team vs man u
    mignolet,wisdom/kelly,toure,sakho,enrique,gerrard,lucas,henderson,sturridge ,suarez,moses
    maybe alberto can start instead of lucas or gerrrard , and sterling or ibe could play rather then moses

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  33. i hope we sign mata and will hughes and suso comes back for next season
    then we ahve the best midfield in the pl imagine
    sturridge,suarez,mata,coutinho,gerrrard/allen/lucas ,hughes/suso

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  34. Yet again, completely agree with you. At first, I thought Toure was too old but truthfully he has been our best and most consistent defender so far. Sakho can't be as bad as his first appearance. Skrtel has surprised me but I can't tell if he has re-located his focus or just on a good run. I trust him a bit more but am still a bit leery. With the upcoming schedule, we need to run the table because these are WINABLE games! No excuses so go with our best guys. JK, what do you think should be done with the following guys:
    1. Gerrard
    2. Aspas
    3. Lucas

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  35. for me. gerrard should sill be used, probably in a moe advanced role, as long as cou is missing! Aspas could be used as a sub, but only for the true stiker role - would really like to see him getting a run there - instead of playing him as a number 10 which clearly doesnt work.. lucas is vital for us, hes the best DM we have in the team - probably the only one, but i would like to see agger playing at DM, think that would work :)

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  36. And that has been a problem since Mascherano left. I don't understand how Benitez and consecutive managers after him could ever think Lucas could play in that position. Yet Mascherano left in 2010 and we have not made an effort to replace him aside from Hodgson signing Poulsen. So what are we all missing what Rafa, Kenny and Rodgers can see? The sad thing is, there are still plenty out there who could really do a job for us. There is Jordan Veretout at Nantes and Tom Trybull at Werder Bremen in the young and up and coming category who both are no older than 20 I'd say and then you have Fernando at Porto who at 26 is in the prime of his career and has CL and top level experience. Nemanja Matic at Benfica who is huge and Sebastian Rode at Eintracht Frankfurt who is only still 23 but who finished sixth best midfielder in the Bundesliga last year. With players like Javi Martinez in that league, that is quite an acomplishment. It's not that they're not out there, but you do have to go in for them.

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  37. Tiki taka is built on Dutch Total Football which actively uses the flanks to draw out defenders. Crossing is part of that game but I agree that you need to make sure your strikers and attacking midfielders are in the box before you bring the ball in. Look at Ajax though and look at Barcelona. How often do they cross the ball into the box high? Only if they counter attack, there are only one or two defenders back and a ball on the floor is not an option. High balls will always be easier to defend against because first of all they are more difficult for the attacker to control and so all he can do is flick it on or try to head on goal. A ball to feet gives an attacker options and the possibility to use his speed and ability to outsmart defenders. Another advantage of a low ball into the box is that it can go anywhere. If you have 7 opposition players inside the box and a couple of attackers a low ball traveling at speed can go anywhere even if it doesn't reach the player you intended your cross to go to. Three basic rules to total football: 1. keep the ball on the floor 2. if you have the ball the other team can't score 3 stretch the pitch when attacking, make it small when defending. Buying guys like Alderweireld and Eriksen would have helped with that because they've played that system for half a decade already.

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  38. True, but in a way I understand the purchases of Sakho and Toure. Alderweireld and Eriksen were heavily linked to us, but who knows how much of our interest was really upon them? Personally in the long run, I think Sakho would have fit us more than Toby; we lost an organiser in Carra in the summer, OK Toure has come in and I must admit his experience is already showing its worth. Yes he's physical but we also needed another commanding centreback, and Sakho fits the bill. Coates, had he not been injured might have benefited from a season long loan to get some playing time which he sees little of. Eriksen, I just get the feeling that with Coutinho injured, he could have slotted into that creative tole rather well, I think, as it is there's the relatively inexperienced Luis Alberto. I certainly think January will involve hopefully more ins than outs because replacing like for like is upgrading, not adding strength in depth.

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  39. I hope you'll get your wish in January but I seriously doubt it. We need to upgrade on Lucas. Other than that our first team is as good as any when everyone is fit and not suspended. Sturridge, Suarez, Coutinho Henderson is as good a forward line as any in the league. Gerrard partnered with our own Busquets too. Next for me would be Luke Shaw at left back. I'm fine with the likes of Aspas, Moses and Alberto on the bench.

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  40. I too doubt it, as you mentioned before, it's been an issue since the sale of Mascherano. Ball-winning, energetic, ball playing central midfielders, surely they aren't a rarity, and before you can express possession football you need to regain possession when it is lost, and try to retain it productively. Of course there are misplaced passes, that's always going to happen, but the proper utilisation of possession is going to be key. Alonso, like Gerrard is the outlet playmaker, with Gerrard being more of a surging box to box attacking midfielder, but with a firm defensive minder behind him, forming a protective layer between midfield and defence, and wingers and fullbacks who can cut in and hug the touchline, prioritising pinpoint rather than hopeful punts in the air. For me, as you said, left back, defensive midfielder, possible creative attacking mid, these areas need strengthening . Rodgers seems to be saying he's not done recruiting which is good news. Yes we've been unlucky with injuries, but that's why the Jan transfer window is there, to plug holes in the squad, and right now, there is a huge hold in the centre of midfield.

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  41. Ilori. I L O R I.
    :)

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  42. If we keep Rodgers for two years we will have a top team - if he can spot the real talented youngsters we have (he hasn't always up to now) and continue to buy well. Kelly probably the best right back in England cant get a game (he must be fit now), Texiera is on loan (at least he has been taken out from where he is being wasted) and the young lightning fast, skilful strong Irish lad is ready now. Aspas will never succeed if Sturridge wont pass to him I front of a open goal. - that is the Managers job - others can see it.

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  43. I think the club expected Skrtel to leave, hence they brought in Sakho. If Skrtel had gone for the £13m we were wanting, we would have recouped the majority of the Sakho fee to strengthen other areas.


    Skrtel may well leave in January and the money (hopefully) used on our midfield.

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  44. But (many) teams play with 2 right footed centre backs.

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  45. Rodgers is expecting Johnson to reject a new contract in the summer as FSG do not want to pay any player silly wages not performance or success related. So with the possibility of Skrtel leaving in January, then Johnson in the Summer, Toure coming up to 33 in March, Kelly and Agger injury prone and Wisdom still learning, it is easy to see why we bought Sakho and Llori now. Rodgers pointed out in an interview this week, he is always looking at the future and what is best for the club in the long term.

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  46. I like the formation too, but do not see too many chances for Moses, Ibe, Aspas and Sterling with The untoucheble duo of Suarez Stturidge..

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  47. It is that nobody can count on him as a first choice for the whole year with his age..

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  48. first 4 pleces in the epl is a way to Europe.

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  49. I think Spurs (Lamela, Erikssen, Lennon, Chadli, Holtby, Siggurdsson, Dembele, Paulinho, Capoue, Sandro et al),
    Arsenal (Ozil, Cazorla, Rosicky, Walcott, Camberlain, Ramsey, Wilshere, Diaby, Flamini, Arteta et al),
    Chelsea (Willian, Schurrle, Hazard, Oscar, De Bruyne, Ramires, Mikel, Lampard, Van Winkel et al)
    Man City (Silva, Nasri, Navas, Jovetic, Toure, Fernandinho, Garcia, Rodwell et al)
    would all beg to differ with the assessment that the addition of a couple of kids would elevate our midfield options above all of theirs...

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  50. As a left footer myself, I admit that my right foot has always been garbage - purely a swinger.


    I agree that the argument is a complete nonsense though

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  51. It seems that you just don't understand that left-footed players are more rare than right-footed players, hence less necessity to partner them together

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  52. Even forgetting about the handball, Agger has made a number of mistakes this season (including with his oft praised distribution), that are apparently overlooked because he is an established fan favourite.

    Tbh, on current form, he should be the 4th choice centre-back atm, irrespective of his injury status.

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  53. Agger and Skrtel has to be the best combo. Both at the right age, both units, compliment each other well, both loyal servants to the club. Do not understand the bitter views towards Skrtel, he is a class player. He had a couple of moments last season where he was guilty of giving away goals but he has looked brilliant this season.

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  54. Agger, when healthy, is going to play over anyone else.


    Last year's first-half situation with Carra aside, you don't make someone the vice-captain and then consistently sit them on the bench without reason.

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  55. Are people for real voting for Agger / Sakho?? Clearly no nothing.



    It should be sakho - toure
    agger - toure
    agger - skrtel
    sakho - skrtel


    Any of the above combos are above average.


    3 at the back is the way forward. Agger - Sakho - Toure

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  56. ibe is still young, moses is a loanee, sterling will get his chances and aspas should be cover IMO

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  57. But Joe's point remains valid. What's the difference between two right footed defenders playing together and two left footed defenders playing together? The fact right footed players are more common is irrelevant really.

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  58. It just doesn't work because right footers' have stronger..weaker feet. If that makes any sense. Sounds like a lame explanation but, it really doesn't work. Yes it is rare to have two left footed centre backs but no rare enough to not be in other teams across england&europe. It hasn't been done or rarely been done by anyone else. There must be a reason

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  59. Sakho makes me nervous when he tries to play his way out of trouble, Toure/Agger is the best combo for Liverpool's style of play, Sakho/Skrtel if we were hoofballers like West Ham!

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  60. how can Two left footed Centre backs play together(51 % vote)......Have they voted for Charity matches or Real Football Matches?...I still believe Skertel and agger is the best centre back partnership

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  61. That's the most unbelievable explanation I can remember ever hearing.
    So if you're left footed, your right foot isn't as strong as your left foot would be if you're right footed.
    Sorry, but that's rubbish

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  62. So.. what explanation do you have seen as you know everything. Agger/Enrique/vertonghen/mata/silva. I have seen all of them tested on their weaker feet and they are pretty useless. It's too much of a risk to play two left footed centre backs.

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