Aerial Ineptness

[shanks59]

Last night was fuckin embarrassing, Carragher, Agger and particularly Skrtel are fuckin woeful at defending crosses. If Sami isn't playing, we are wide open for an aerial bombardment, against any opposition .. :whistle:

[The Party Boy]

Of all the things to whinge about you pick this?!? Whistle

[Red Paul]

Last night was fuckin embarrassing, Carragher, Agger and particularly Skrtel are fuckin woeful at defending crosses. If Sami isn't playing, we are wide open for an aerial bombardment, against any opposition .. :whistle:

 

Thats simply not true.

[zigackly]

Thats simply not true.

 

Or at least it hasn't been true for two seasons before this. Of the three, I would say Agger is the weakest, but it's not something we suffered with particularly when he was partnering Carragher in 06/07, and it's not something we suffered particularly with when Skrtel was last season. This season however, there have been a number of games where I've been very concerned that we don't clear the ball properly in the air, and given that most of the goals we've conceded have been from set pieces and crosses it's clear something has gone wrong. I put it down to having no settled partnership this season personally. They've all proved they can do it in the past.

[The Dude Abides]

Or at least it hasn't been true for two seasons before this. Of the three, I would say Agger is the weakest,

 

Strange, i'd go the opposite way and say he's second only to Hyypia amongst the CB's. His positioning is better than the others so that alone sees him win balls both Skrtel and Carra don't come close to winning. Carra's been stopped from going up for corners too, which tells a story i think. I know we're not really allowed to criticise Carra in any little way at all on these boards....but there you go.

[zigackly]

I just don't think Agger is as good in the air as Sami or Carra. His positioning is good, yes, but his leap isn't as good as theirs and the ball consequently goes over him more. That's just from observation, and it's not something I make a habit of putting in spreadsheets or anything. Maybe someone has a stat for defensive headers won or something which might shed some light on it, but even that would be a bit deficient. Defensive headers successfully cleared is what I'm thinking about.

[Section_31]

Or at least it hasn't been true for two seasons before this. Of the three, I would say Agger is the weakest, but it's not something we suffered with particularly when he was partnering Carragher in 06/07, and it's not something we suffered particularly with when Skrtel was last season. This season however, there have been a number of games where I've been very concerned that we don't clear the ball properly in the air, and given that most of the goals we've conceded have been from set pieces and crosses it's clear something has gone wrong. I put it down to having no settled partnership this season personally. They've all proved they can do it in the past.

 

Could be something to do with the change of coaching personnel too, good aerial defending is more to do with positioning than physical height, anyone who's watched the Italian national side over the last two decades can testify to that. (or watched a 6ft 2ins Dave Unsworth conceding a goal after being outjumped by a Japanese player at a corner while on England duty, for that matter)

[zigackly]

Could be something to do with the change of coaching personnel too, good aerial defending is more to do with positioning than physical height, anyone who's watched the Italian national side over the last two decades can testify to that. (or watched a 6ft 2ins Dave Unsworth conceding a goal after being outjumped by a Japanese player at a corner while on England duty, for that matter)

 

Sure, I don't think it's all to do with height either. It's also to do with positioning, as well as your leap and the strength in your torso and neck. You can get the positioning right and still be shite at heading.

[shanks59]

Could be something to do with the change of coaching personnel too, good aerial defending is more to do with positioning than physical height, anyone who's watched the Italian national side over the last two decades can testify to that. (or watched a 6ft 2ins Dave Unsworth conceding a goal after being outjumped by a Japanese player at a corner while on England duty, for that matter)

 

Sami has both in spades, hence his aerial prowess .. :whistle: