Skrtel

[JohnnyH]

He’s really worrying me now. He was caught out far too easily by Young and could have been sent off yesterday and seems now to be back to his one significant fuck up every game, if not more. I think his head was turned in the summer and it’s affected him. He’s a mile away from last seasons form.

 

For me, he is the problem in our back 5 at the moment and I’d be very tempted to play Carra against Arsenal and City away. Maybe even decide to trust Coates and give him a proper run?

 

Was last season an aberration and the error prone Skrtel of the years previous is the norm, or should we just keep playing him and hope he gets last seasons form back? Or, am I overreacting and bar 1 or 2 small errors it’s not a big issue and he’s fine?

[piscinin]

This is the problem you face when you change your defensive setup. Some players won't be able to adapt. Their weaknesses will be exposed and they will go to pieces. Having watched swansea last year I had may doubts about our ability to adapt and this is what you are seeing IMO.

 

Skrtel is now playing as a split CH meaning limited cover from the other CH on transition. With FBs pushing much further up meaning he has more space and less support. And with a porous midfield screen "guarding" the critical central areas (while he and Agger are off in less critical areas). He's just not that good and I think he knows it.

 

It's reminiscent of what happened to Carragher when we swapped Arbeloa for Johnson. All of a sudden he had to do different things, in different areas of the pitch and he lost his head.

 

Of course you could drop him. Or, you could shape your system to suit your players.

[Kevin D]

I don't think he's a problem. He hasn't been as good as he was last season, but I still think his form has been more than acceptable. Certainly he is a much better CB than either Carragher or Coates are at this stage.

[ngogswilly]

I think hes definitely looking dodgy at times, but as piscinin has highlighted its might just be him struggling to adapt to the way we are playing.

 

In fairness to him though hes not alone. Every defender we have has been guilty of making mistakes this year, hes probably looked most out of depth at times though.

 

I don't think swapping him out for Carragher is a good idea, Carra(here comes obligatory "I know hes a legend" part) has been done at the top level for at least a year probably 2 now.

 

I think its just going to be a case of keep playing him and hope he gets over this dodgy patch, because hes not a bad player.

Or we just replace him somewhere along the line.

[Guest LFD]

Posted this in MF on the same subject:

 

I wouldn't single out Skrtel.

 

Agger, Johnson and Skrtel are all making too many mistakes, Reina has made a few as well.

 

Agger got sent off vs West Brom and was partly at fault for one goal in that match, at fault for the Jones goals vs Stoke, at fault for the Van Persie goal yesterday IMO..

 

Skrtel made that bad back pass vs City, at fault for at least one goal vs Villa, should have got sent off yesterday.

 

Johnson has made the most errors IMO. Arsenal at home he didn't track Podalski, Sunderland away a lazy challenge for the Fletcher goal, Udinese at home, poor touch for the first Di Natalie goal, Spurs away didn't cope with Bale for the Lennon goal, West Ham away didn't close down Jarvis for their first goal, then yesterday he was at fault for the Evra goal.

 

This is off the top of my head, I'm sure Agger / Skrtel have made more mistakes and Johnson probably has as well.

 

Enrique, Wisdom and Carragher have been our best defenders this season. They have all played less granted.. Coates has made a few too many errors as well and I'm not confident about him.

[The Golden Eel]

I think he's class. He has limitations but I think he's quality. I thought he was good again yesterday apart from the foul on Welbeck, which he got away with anyway. He's a real battler and he gives a shit, I like him.

[fowler9]

he hasn't been as good as last season but I don't think he is an issue, had he been sent off yesturday it would've been the wrong decision, I gather this new bloke is a left footer so can't him and Agger playing alongside each other and I'd prefer Skrtel to Carra and whilst I wouldn't be completely against Coates/Agger its plainly not going to happen this season so for now Skrtel stays in the team for me

[Il Fenomeno]

The £20m+ talk last summer seems extremely generous now.

 

At this point that he isn't really suited to the system and he's always been a bit of a confidence player, so I think if someone offered £10-15m I would take it and buy someone who is more suited to the system like Caulker from Spurs.

[manwiththestick]

To be fair, he's the least of our worries at the minute. I'm more concerned about our midfield presence, or lack of.

[Guest San Don]

He’s really worrying me now. He was caught out far too easily by Young and could have been sent off yesterday and seems now to be back to his one significant fuck up every game, if not more. I think his head was turned in the summer and it’s affected him. He’s a mile away from last seasons form.

 

For me, he is the problem in our back 5 at the moment and I’d be very tempted to play Carra against Arsenal and City away. Maybe even decide to trust Coates and give him a proper run?

 

Was last season an aberration and the error prone Skrtel of the years previous is the norm, or should we just keep playing him and hope he gets last seasons form back? Or, am I overreacting and bar 1 or 2 small errors it’s not a big issue and he’s fine?

 

Think you need consider Agger's marking or rather lack of it instead of Skrtel myself.

[Guest San Don]

Posted this in MF on the same subject:

 

I wouldn't single out Skrtel.

 

Agger, Johnson and Skrtel are all making too many mistakes, Reina has made a few as well.

 

Agger got sent off vs West Brom and was partly at fault for one goal in that match, at fault for the Jones goals vs Stoke, at fault for the Van Persie goal yesterday IMO..

 

Skrtel made that bad back pass vs City, at fault for at least one goal vs Villa, should have got sent off yesterday.

 

Johnson has made the most errors IMO. Arsenal at home he didn't track Podalski, Sunderland away a lazy challenge for the Fletcher goal, Udinese at home, poor touch for the first Di Natalie goal, Spurs away didn't cope with Bale for the Lennon goal, West Ham away didn't close down Jarvis for their first goal, then yesterday he was at fault for the Evra goal.

 

This is off the top of my head, I'm sure Agger / Skrtel have made more mistakes and Johnson probably has as well.

 

Enrique, Wisdom and Carragher have been our best defenders this season. They have all played less granted.. Coates has made a few too many errors as well and I'm not confident about him.

 

And its no co incidence these mistakes, call them what we will, have become more frequent since Clarke has left.

[J-V]

As I said in the summer. if a decent offer came in I would sell him.

[Jairzinho]

He, like Agger, Johnson, Enrique, Reina, and Lucas, are very good footballers.

 

Pretty happy with the personnel of our full strength back six. The youngsters have done ok as well.

[Newport]

As I said in the summer. if a decent offer came in I would sell him.

 

What he said.

 

I actually don't rate Skrtel at all. All defenders make mistakes sometimes, but he makes mistakes and plenty of them every game. It doesn't always get noticed because he is a big strong player who can use his physique to make up for it, but when he slips up and repeatedly gives the opposing players extra yards of space it is a big problem.

[BCM]

Just a quick question to the masses.

 

Can someone tell me why for their 2nd goal (free kick),Why the fuck is our centre half stood in the wall, and Johnson and sterling marking players in the box. If someone can give me a logical answer to this i would really like to hear it...

[Delmar]

Just a quick question to the masses.

 

Can someone tell me why for their 2nd goal (free kick),Why the fuck is our centre half stood in the wall, and Johnson and sterling marking players in the box. If someone can give me a logical answer to this i would really like to hear it...

 

I guess I'm stating the obvious, but on set pieces the players do as rehearsed a hundred times in training, with the manager telling everyone exactly where to be and what to do. If they don't, or if they don't have the instructions, then we have a bigger problem.

[Dracco]

Martin Skrtel made his 200th appearance for Liverpool on Sunday – and although the Reds lost at Manchester United, the post-match stats show the Slovakian was a rock in defence once again.

 

During the full 90 minutes, the centre-back won 87.5 per cent of the duels he entered with the opposition and 100 per cent of the aerial battles. The 28-year-old also made two interceptions.

 

Skrtel was head and shoulders above his teammates in the distribution department too, completing each and every one of the 45 passes he attempted and sending only 6.7 per cent of those long.

 

He is the least of our worries, and he has not been worse than his defensive partner this season.

[Dracco]

What he said.

 

I actually don't rate Skrtel at all. All defenders make mistakes sometimes, but he makes mistakes and plenty of them every game. It doesn't always get noticed because he is a big strong player who can use his physique to make up for it, but when he slips up and repeatedly gives the opposing players extra yards of space it is a big problem.

 

bullshit

[DooooodekNo5]

I don't think he's a problem. He hasn't been as good as he was last season, but I still think his form has been more than acceptable. Certainly he is a much better CB than either Carragher or Coates are at this stage.

 

Thats how i see it to.

 

He got caught the wrong side of Welbeck yeasterday , it happens , hes been allright this season , the midfield in front of him certainly hasn't been doing him or Agger any favours.

 

No disrespect to Carragher but il'd rather have a slighty off form Skrtel playing ahead of him everytime , ild only start Carra if the was no choice bar the odd Cup game.

[xerxes]

This is the problem you face when you change your defensive setup. Some players won't be able to adapt. Their weaknesses will be exposed and they will go to pieces. Having watched swansea last year I had may doubts about our ability to adapt and this is what you are seeing IMO.

 

Skrtel is now playing as a split CH meaning limited cover from the other CH on transition. With FBs pushing much further up meaning he has more space and less support. And with a porous midfield screen "guarding" the critical central areas (while he and Agger are off in less critical areas). He's just not that good and I think he knows it.

 

It's reminiscent of what happened to Carragher when we swapped Arbeloa for Johnson. All of a sudden he had to do different things, in different areas of the pitch and he lost his head.

 

Of course you could drop him. Or, you could shape your system to suit your players.

 

A cracking analysis Piscinin.

 

Rodgers has a theoretical system, and boots on the ground. Does Rodger's system play to Skrt's strengths? Probably not. But he is a good central defender.

[Newport]

bullshit

 

Not surprised you would disagree. Sorry, but it's the truth.

[Guest LFD]

Just a quick question to the masses.

 

Can someone tell me why for their 2nd goal (free kick),Why the fuck is our centre half stood in the wall, and Johnson and sterling marking players in the box. If someone can give me a logical answer to this i would really like to hear it...

 

Not sure if Rodgers or Reina told him to do it, but it was ridiculous!

[Saintslfc13]

Just a quick question to the masses.

 

Can someone tell me why for their 2nd goal (free kick),Why the fuck is our centre half stood in the wall, and Johnson and sterling marking players in the box. If someone can give me a logical answer to this i would really like to hear it...

 

Thought that was a trash decision as well but I suppose the thinking behind it is that most players would go for goal in that position and irregardless if you can't get the ball over the wall then you can't score or cross there.

 

As far as Skrtel goes I don't think we have much of a choice but to persist with him as the players behind him aren't better at this point in their respective careers. I don't think he's been quite as bad as is being made out by some on here either and I'd agree that it's mostly down to adapting to the new defensive system. If his form drops more as the season continues and we got a decent offer for him in the summer whilst either having an equal or better replacement lined up for purchase or already on the books then I wouldn't mind us selling him, but if that isn't the case I'd rather we hang on to him barring any crazy offers.

Edited January 15, 2013 by Saintslfc13

[Josef Svejk]

We have more problems in midfield than defence.

[DanDanShaw]

Rumours that Zenit are looking to replace Samba with Skrtel, their window is still open as well – what do you reckon? Few papers have gone with the story and it’s all over twitter.

 

We’d be incredibly stupid to sell him at this time (or at all in my opinion)