25 Oct 2013

'He's too predictable': LFC hero urges BR to dump 'one-footed' €8m star. Harsh...?

Liverpool left-back Jose Enrique is currently on the sidelines recovering from surgery, and with Aly Cissokho fit again, the Spaniard may have a tough time winning his place back. Anfield legend David Fairclough is not a fan of the speedy defender, and he believes fans have been 'misled' by Enrique's performances for the club.

In a column for 5-Times this week, Fairclough - who won three European Cups during his wildly successful spell at Liverpool - suggested that Aly Cissokho should retain his place ahead of Enrique, arguing:

"People have been misled by [Enrique].

"I look at what we have got from his service down the left and he is too predictable. He is so one-footed and I think he closes himself down when he gets into a corner.

"He doesn’t get himself out of tight situations, and I think that is why he hasn’t forced himself into the Spanish squad".


This is a little unfair on Enrique IMO. His performances have been good this season (IMO). He has pace; can take players on, and he's as strong as a bull. Being predictable and/or one-footed are the least of Enrique's problems. His passing accuracy (opposition half) and end product (mainly in the form of crosses) are the main issues:

2012-13

Passing Accuracy: Opposition Half = 64% (Worst in squad)
Crossing accuracy: 10% (only 7 of 68 crosses accurate)

2013-14

Passing Accuracy: Opposition Half = 68%
Crossing accuracy: 15% (only 3 of 16 crosses accurate)

Enrique gets into some fantastic positions, but it's end product that needs to be fixed, and if can do that, he'll contribute more often in the form of goals/assists. As a comparison, Glen Johnson may be more two-footed and less predictable, but that doesn't translate into increased creative contribution. Last season, for example, both Johnson and Enrique got 5 goals/2 assists apiece.

One thing's for sure, if Enrique is fit, I'd always have him playing left back/left wing-back over Aly Cissokho. The French defender is a decent player, but despite his flaws, Enrique is (IMO) the better attacking player.

Brendan Rodgers also seems to rate Enrique these days, and last week he argued that he has 'all the attributes to be one of the best left-backs in the Premier League'. He told LFC.com.

“He’s a threat when he goes forward and defensively he's very difficult to beat. Jose is always working at his game. He appraises himself honestly when we have chats. He’s one who is looking to improve his game and his passing. On his day he’s one of the best in that position in this country.”


online polls



Author:


32 comments:

  1. not even a question Enrique is much more of a threat then Aly

    ReplyDelete
  2. To be fair, playing left back isn't just about attacking funnily enough, he gets a few assists which u don't have the stat for and he does a reasonably good job in defence, how many assists does he have the last few seasons

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anybody over Enrique........ Although a pretty good defender he's rubbish going forward, can't pass or cross the ball and many of our attacks break down when he gets the ball.

    ReplyDelete
  4. David is right but the need not be so predictable, when he was given a more forward role he did well cutting inside - he stopped doing it why ? orders ?. sissoko is going o get a lot better.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hard to assess who is better, since we have seen very little of Cissokho, The best LB at the club by a mile is Glen Johnson, he was brilliant when he played there last season. I'd love to see us get Montoya in January, and move GJ to LB.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Johnson looks more defensively secure at LB than at RB for some reason - weird

    ReplyDelete
  7. It's hard to change the common narrative and Enrique's reputation took a knock last season and doesn't seem to be impacted by any of his improved performances.


    Fingers crossed Cissokho will come good though anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  8. cissoko is 1 of a number of poor players rodgers has bought
    aspas,borini,assaidi,coutinho,allen,sahin,alberto,iloris,cissoko all very poor signings
    sakho and moses its too early but sakho seems unnecessary
    only sturridge,mignolet and toure have been a success
    so 3/14 is not good enough at any level
    rodgers needs to be sacked and sammi hyypia bought back

    ReplyDelete
  9. why are lfc fans being so patience with rodgers?
    no liverpool team should ever lose to home at southampton or draw with newcastle
    rodgers is turning lfc into a midtable team
    i can guarantee you we will lose tomorrow , steve clark is way better manager.
    you dont get in a manager whose biggest success was promotion with swansea and gets sacked by reading
    #rodgersout

    ReplyDelete
  10. rodgers not good enough for reading but good enough for liverpool says it all really
    fsg sack him i don't want my club to be relegated
    bring sami hyypia back he said it was his dream to manage lfc
    west brom 3- lfc 1 tommorow
    west brom are better than us now

    ReplyDelete
  11. To say that coutinho is a poor signing is just plain STUPID, and regarding iloris, how would you know, when the lad havent played a game yet...


    ReplyDelete
  12. what has coutinho contributed this season? thats right 0 goals/assists
    his performances againts utd and villa were so poor it had to be up there with one of the worst in an lfc shirt.
    iloris does not play because he is not good enough same as assaidi

    ReplyDelete
  13. why did rodgers attack fergie?
    does he not remember the last two managers that tried that
    benitez and keegan , its all a sliperie slope from here

    ReplyDelete
  14. doesn't enrique have 2/3 assists
    top player
    daglish knows good players , rodgers does not

    ReplyDelete
  15. What are u cheping on about I would agree with aspas and assaidi and I think we over paid for boririni but he may come good yet, coutinho has been injured and there's no question he is class I do feel we may put to much on his shoulders thou! Allen has also not had it easy because of injuries and I think we should give him more time,and BR said that both Alberto and iloris were ones for the future oh and how is sakho unnecessary when we have 3 ageing centre backs???

    ReplyDelete
  16. robbo don't even reply to that sxxt he hasn't a clue what hes talking about

    ReplyDelete
  17. It's a little bit early to have an 100% opinion about Cissokho, he is strong and he can run, maybe he is not so comfortable with the ball. We shall see... From the other side I think Enrique is better as left winger - midfielder, than left back. I have to say that I prefer Johnson when he plays left. Also I think that Aurelio was better than Enrique (when he was 100% fit) and Riise was double the player...

    ReplyDelete
  18. I cant help but love Enrique! He's like a big goofy Labrador let loose in a field, which is actually a bit worrying though. At the same time I don't think I have ever seen a fullback who can see a ball over the line like him, it's incredible! I don't think I've seen him beaten like that since he joined us. Obviously his end product does need to improve a lot but I do think he does play a big part in a lot of our attacking play, even if it's not one of the final two balls of the attack.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Enrique does a great job defending and getting out of our zone. His passing and crossing is horrid. I have no idea how he can work on and improve on those skills. Maybe he needs to make shorter passes on the way out and leave the offense to others......have an attacking mid overlap when he gets within 30 to 40 yards......

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'd like to point out we were turning into a mid-table and some would argue already a mid-table team by the the time Rodgers became manager.

    ReplyDelete
  21. West brim worries me because Clark is a great manager and their players are tough.. I hope Coutinho gets Two goals and two assists.....I fear a disappointing result unless he lights up our offense early and often....

    ReplyDelete
  22. Coutinho will not start in this match. He might be on the bench though.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Nope - you're wrong, Fairclough's right.

    Next.

    ReplyDelete
  24. move JOSE or Agger to DM role....

    ReplyDelete
  25. Just watching the match now and cissoko has been disappointing so has to be Enrique for now

    ReplyDelete
  26. Guarantee eh?
    You don't have too much of a grasp of reality do you?

    ReplyDelete
  27. Think the question is a little unfair considering cissokho has barely played any games.


    Can't really answer this question until he plays at least 20 - 30 games.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I see your guarantees are on a par with your opinions :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Medication time, medication time :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Aly and Enrique are not LFC's long term solution. They both offer something different as far as tactical options. Aly doesn't seem confident cutting to his right foot when going down the flanks. Enrique is sloppy but then has sublime moments. Defensively, Aly seems to offer BR some options Jose can't. Aly has only played a few games for LFC, so the jury is out. With Jose, we know what we get.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I think we need Sha Ker Huss Ain as Director of Football.

    ReplyDelete