Our Centre Backs

[MLB]

I would send Wilson on loan and sell Soto and Ayala.

 

Kelly would be my first choice at right back.

[Iantn]

I dont think Johnson gets unfairly criticised. Roy Hodgson speaking out about his bad form seems to have made Glen Johnson more popular though in some fans eyes. Just my opinion of course!

 

Not at all, this board was full of people knocking Johnson during his time under Hodgson. Most of them have been, equally, praising of his performances under the King.

 

I still can't see us not starting him at right back, though.

[WaltonRed]

I think we'll sell agger, soto and ayala.

 

Wisdom will get games and if we sign Dann/Jones or both they'll be our 3 with JC eventually going down the pecking order

[buffaloboy]

I definately see Kelly at right back on the opening day of 2011-12 if fit.

[Captain]

Agger, Skrtel and Soto can all be sold. We need a new top class cb.

[buffaloboy]

Agger, Skrtel and Soto can all be sold. We need a new top class cb.

 

Yes we do. Agger is good but always injured. Skrtel isn't good enough, he always has a mistake in him. Soto isn't that good either but I would assume he is on low wages and if he is happy to be a back up then I would keep him.

[Liam]

Not at all, this board was full of people knocking Johnson during his time under Hodgson. Most of them have been, equally, praising of his performances under the King.

 

I still can't see us not starting him at right back, though.

 

Totally agree he has improved under Dalglish. I would be delighted if he maintained that level but I dont think he has it in him. Maybe Kelly as genuine competition for a place will make him up his game consistently, especially with Kelly being a threat to his England place in the mid to long term.

[Guido]

I agree with Captain. Skrtel wouldn't get a start at any other top team and would just block the progress of younger players if on the bench - though i'd keep Agger as cover for CD and LB for a season til Jack Robbo comes through.

 

Would love to see this back 4:

 

New LB - New CD - Carra - Johnson

 

with these as 2nd choice:

 

Agger - Jones - Kelly - Flanno

 

Jack Robbo, Coady and Wisdom would be pushing for the first team squad from the ressies.

 

Loan out Wilson.

Sell Fabio, Soto, Ayala, Degen, Insua, Konchesky, Darby, Irwin, Mavinga and Mendy.

 

The fantasy manager bit would be Bale and Cahill as the new LB and CD. (Seemed like the appropriate thread to put that bit in. Utter nonsense of course, but the fantasy of spending £35m on Bale to stick him at LB is irresistible.)

[mars]

This is interesting (warning: the article is stats based and might mot agree with your version of reality - there's another article on the site where the author discusses centre back options that's worth a read, too).

 

The statistical best and the worst: Defenders | Liverpool FC Stats & Blog

[njackets]

Agger, Skrtel and Soto can all be sold. We need a new top class cb.

 

Brilliant idea, let's sell Lucas, Spearing and Meireles also and buy a top class CM who needs squad depth?

[Newport]

I'd just like to veto the sale of Agger that's been proposed by some. You're all idiots. His injuries will be sorted by the start of next season and he'll play at least 40 matches.

[MLB]

Who would buy Agger?

[Chairman Meow]

It's off topic but the thread has gone that way anyway.

 

I know a lot of people keep saying we need quality in the first team which is true. That said we also need quality in depth.

 

The way I see it is that we have a first team squad which when everyone is fit and plays at their best (something which hadn't happened consistently for a long time until Kenny came back) can have a go at most teams, behind that we then struggle and really just have the kids. Kelly, Flanagan and Robinson have all done very well when they have come in but it still remains to be seen how they would stand up to being played week after week with more pressure and/or with things not going well.

 

It's all well and good saying Kelly for instance is to good for the bench and arguably he could/should be first team but we have for a very long time had a week bench.

 

Ultimately it all depends on who we can get, how much we have and whether they want to come here or not.

 

Personally I would ideally like two left backs (but think that is possibly overkill) so would be looking at a first choice left back, Kelly and Johnson as our first three to cover the three full back positions then Flanagan and Robinson next in line. With the exception of Robinson (as best I can remember) all of those have played on either side this year. You start with the first choice left back and one of Kelly or Johnson with the other on the bench and you then have cover and options. Something we don't have a lot of now. One of them gets injured you have Flanagan and Robinson to take the spot on the bench and it we had two injured one of Flanagan and Robinson to step in with the other on the bench. Theoretically we also have Aurelio assuming we can't move him on and he doesn't have a ruptured finger nail and then Brad Smith if we got really desperate.

 

Just Johnson, Kelly and the kids would give us not a lot of depth and come a few injuries have people complaining that we don't have a strong enough squad.

 

Centre half god knows as it depends on who if anyone we can get rid of or bring in. I'd like to see someone else to play alongside Carra as I'm still not convinced by Skrtel, I know he played regularly and statistically he may have done OK but I still have this sensation that he is always an accident waiting to happen. That said some centre backs don't really settle till mid to late twenties so he still has room to improve.

[J-V]

Who would buy Agger?

 

'Arry

[LFC64]

I'd hate to see Agger leave since he's a classy defender but FSG will weigh up his injury record against his value and wages and may decide to cash in provided we can find a buyer.

Soto is sure to leave but i can see Skrtel staying whether or not we sign a young cb or not.

[Captain]

Brilliant idea, let's sell Lucas, Spearing and Meireles also and buy a top class CM who needs squad depth?

 

Where have I said we don't need squad depth? Keeping players who aren't good enough is not the way to achieve it though.

 

When a new first team cb is in place, it's up to Kenny to decide how many he needs. I haven't said we shouldn't buy a back-up cb as well, have I? Maybe he decides to move Kelly to cb?

 

Your analogy with our midfield is pretty shit imo, so I'll leave it at that.

[Newport]

I'd hate to see Agger leave since he's a classy defender but FSG will weigh up his injury record against his value and wages and may decide to cash in provided we can find a buyer.

Soto is sure to leave but i can see Skrtel staying whether or not we sign a young cb or not.

 

Come on, that's just too unrealistic. We know that it's Comolli and Kenny that deals with this, and there is no way they're weighing it up in that manner.

[njackets]

Where have I said we don't need squad depth? Keeping players who aren't good enough is not the way to achieve it though.

 

When a new first team cb is in place, it's up to Kenny to decide how many he needs. I haven't said we shouldn't buy a back-up cb as well, have I? Maybe he decides to move Kelly to cb?

 

Your analogy with our midfield is pretty shit imo, so I'll leave it at that.

 

You saying the 3 players you mentioned are not good enough even for back up? We've had enough injury crisis in defence to highlight lack of depth in this area. Don't people learn? I don't get this fascination with selling players for the sake is it too much Football manager? Fair enough if there blatantly shit a liability or we get offered crazy money for someone average, how much money are you expecting to raise for Soto, Agger and Skrtel?

[Captain]

You saying the 3 players you mentioned are not good enough even for back up? We've had enough injury crisis in defence to highlight lack of depth in this area. Don't people learn? I don't get this fascination with selling players for the sake is it too much Football manager? Fair enough if there blatantly shit a liability or we get offered crazy money for someone average, how much money are you expecting to raise for Soto, Agger and Skrtel?

 

No, that's not what I'm saying. Let me break it down for you:

 

1. Agger isn't fit enough to stay at this club, back-up or not. I like him as a player (like I do Aurelio), but he's just fucking broken.

 

2. Skrtel is good enough to be a back-up player. I doubt he would like to be one though at this stage of his career, and his transfer would hopefully be the one of the three that commands any kind of substantial transfer fee. Should Skrtel accept sitting on the bench I'm happy for him to stay, but I can't see that he would be.

 

3. Soto almost never plays and is a waste of wages next season, I'd rather play Wilson/Ayala or move Kelly in on the odd occasion. Kelly has made the right back his own, but with Flanagan and Johnson we have alternatives.

[moof]

Anyone who wants rid of Skrtel is mad. He's been one of our best players since kenny arrived

[LFC64]

Come on, that's just too unrealistic. We know that it's Comolli and Kenny that deals with this, and there is no way they're weighing it up in that manner.

 

I take your point. Kenny and Comolli are not interested in his sell on value, but only his worth as a squad member. We do know however that FSG do take a lot of notice of injury records and a player's age and sell on value and perhaps Agger could bring in a substantial fee to add to the transfer budget. Particularly if the Aquilani deal doesn't go through.

I hope not, since as I said I think he's class and would rather see how he goes this season injury wise.

[sir roger]

Anyone who wants rid of Skrtel is mad. He's been one of our best players since kenny arrived

 

Totally agree Moof. He had a really good season & played every single second in the Prem games.

 

A lot of Liverpool fans just seem to have no intention of rating Skrtel no matter how he plays. It makes me laugh that some of our defenders are not criticised for their errors whereas Skrtel gets criticised for imaginary things like these endless penalties he is going to give away.

 

Regarding the earlier debate on full backs, I think Johnson and the new left-back should be the first choices with Martin Kelly first in the queue to cover either if injured & the 2 young tyros after that in line. Really excited by Kelly, but at this stage Johnson is more experienced, first choice for his country & has more to his game. Martin's injury record is also a worry.

[Mathewbet1]

I would use Skrtle as makeweight for another CB. Skrtle plus 12m for Cahill has been mooted.

[Iantn]

Anyone who wants rid of Skrtel is mad. He's been one of our best players since kenny arrived

 

Totally agree Moof. He had a really good season & played every single second in the Prem games.

 

A lot of Liverpool fans just seem to have no intention of rating Skrtel no matter how he plays. It makes me laugh that some of our defenders are not criticised for their errors whereas Skrtel gets criticised for imaginary things like these endless penalties he is going to give away.

 

Agree with these. I think, and have said many times before, that Skrtel gets a tough time because we see him more often and he's a reputation in our fanbase as this "disaster waiting to happen" despite the less than numerous penos etc he's given away and reds he's picked up.

 

We see Skrtel, and the rest of our side, all the time and we know their weaknesses just as much as their strengths whereas those we covert we don't. We see bits and either decide they are better or worse on that limited exposure of their games.

[silverlining]

I suppose it's tricky to guess the starting defensive line-up without knowing who we buy, but let's assume we do buy a LB, as we obv will. And if we buy a new CB, then the line-up will be:

 

Magic----Carra-------New CB-------New LB