Liverpool FC Forum

[banana]

I remember the other year having this conversation saying how we needed the other striker desperately and it never happened.

Everyone kept insisting we didn't need another striker because we had Kuyt. I was getting called for alsorts saying he wouldn't provide the goals and wasn't upto it.... I could see it then the same way I can see what we need now.

Come the end of the season, again I expect everyone to be banging on about how we need another defender or two.

This side is very weak in the air, a good right back and centre back who can win headers and head a ball are needed. Simple as that. Which is why I want Richards and Woodgate, both are exceptional players, would get into every side in the country and both are commanding in the air with pace.

Richards yes please. He is young and competitive and seems hungry.

Woodgate. Never. Old. Slow. Very average. He is over the top. Not hungry. Just trying to squeeze out a little more cash at the end of his career. And on top of that; injury prone. I'd only rate him slightly better than Hyypia. Far behind Agger, Carra and Skrtl.

[Toffeehater]

The way I see it is Rafa wants to have fullbacks who support the attack especially against sides who defend deep against us.  With mash who is excellent in his role this gives the fullbacks a license to roam therefore giving the possibilities in attack.  A defence can organise against Torres and SG and even Keane as well but if we have fullbacks roaming then they have to keep an eye on the flanks, then space gets created for the attackers.

But to do this we need Mash and ideally pacy ball playing central defenders and this is where Agger was missed so much last season.  This is why I see Carra as a central defender as he gives insurance but against attacking teams I can see him given the occasional role as right back.  Riise and even Finnan dont really give that option and if Deggen is a bit ropey in defence then Mash and the central duo pick this up.  But rather than a draw which hampered us last season its worth that small gamble to push the fullbacks on.

I see the fullbacks and Keane as a response to dropped points against the lesser teams which seriously hampered us in the league.  Instead of being contained by teams the whole eleven have a responsibility to attack together so the ball to Torres is not the last resort, another reason why I think Crouch had served his time here as his strength was ball to him as the big guy, now the whole team will attack as an unit.

This then is the reason I am delighted that Alonso looks like staying.  Sure he needs to improve but teams who have swamped him will now have to keep an eye on the other options and if you give Alonso any time at all he dictates the game like no other player in the league, Mash being Mash and the fullbacks attacking can give us this situation.

The one thing I would have loved to have seen before anything else would have been a luxury left winger but it looks doubtful so Babel and Yossi can fullfill that role.  I can see SG going on the right or even in central midfiled on a rotational basis and Keane should then help in that situation.  People have suggested that Keane had poor assist stats last seaon well he didnt have Torres as a partner to start and now he will be helped by the team as a whole.

I think this is the Rafa style, the team defending and attacking as one

spot on , very good post .

[Fo Dne]

Woodgate. Never. Old. Slow. Very average. He is over the top. Not hungry. Just trying to squeeze out a little more cash at the end of his career. And on top of that; injury prone. I'd only rate him slightly better than Hyypia. Far behind Agger, Carra and Skrtl.

Are you havin a laugh?

Slow? Old? Average?

He's 28, not exactly old, prime of your career. He's not burnt out, he's defeinately not slow in terms of recovery and overall pace and average?

How can the second best centre half in the country be considered average? What a stupid statement that is.

[banana]

Woodgate. Never. Old. Slow. Very average. He is over the top. Not hungry. Just trying to squeeze out a little more cash at the end of his career. And on top of that; injury prone. I'd only rate him slightly better than Hyypia. Far behind Agger, Carra and Skrtl.

Are you havin a laugh?

Slow? Old? Average?

He's 28, not exactly old, prime of your career. He's not burnt out, he's defeinately not slow in terms of recovery and overall pace and average?

How can the second best centre half in the country be considered average? What a stupid statement that is.

Second best? COme on man

Toure
Gallas
Skrtl
Agger
Carra
Ferdinand
Vidic
Brown
Carvalho
Terry
Alex
Richards
King

Second best?


Also. In my opinion as I said earlier. He is past it. He is just playing to squeeze some more money from his legs. His hunger is gone. The quality was there maybe, but it is long gone. Long long gone.

[Scottbot]

Just reading through the posts and have to disagree on a few things -

1. back 4 - why change something that has given us one of the best defensive records during the last 4 seasons

Arbeloa at right back is more than decent enough both defending and going forward , carra should stay in the centre partnered along side agger with skittles and sami as back up . That leaves dossena and aurelio to fight out for the left back role .

I don't think anyone could argue with our back four's ability to defend the past few years BUT and it's a BIG BUT. Our back four aren't so great at starting things for our attack, in fact they don't really contribute at all. We have solid full-backs at the club, I like Arbeloa , he's a stout defender, he's strong, fairly quick and he gives his all but going forward he offers very little, Just look at our rivals, Evra, Bridge, Bosingwa, Cole, Sagna, Clichy are ALL a class above what we have. Hell even Wes Brown or Gary feckin Chuckle offer more going forward than ALL of our full-backs. There's no doubt it's a problem position and that's why the manager has gone out and picked 2 new players. I just hope Dossena can turn out to be a bit of an Evra for us.

[Fo Dne]

Woodgate. Never. Old. Slow. Very average. He is over the top. Not hungry. Just trying to squeeze out a little more cash at the end of his career. And on top of that; injury prone. I'd only rate him slightly better than Hyypia. Far behind Agger, Carra and Skrtl.

Are you havin a laugh?

Slow? Old? Average?

He's 28, not exactly old, prime of your career. He's not burnt out, he's defeinately not slow in terms of recovery and overall pace and average?

How can the second best centre half in the country be considered average? What a stupid statement that is.

Second best? COme on man

Toure
Gallas
Skrtl
Agger
Carra
Ferdinand
Vidic
Brown
Carvalho
Terry
Alex
Richards
King

Second best?


Also. In my opinion as I said earlier. He is past it. He is just playing to squeeze some more money from his legs. His hunger is gone. The quality was there maybe, but it is long gone. Long long gone.

The only centre half who is better than him in this country is Ferdinand. Thats it.

None of the others are even close.

[Igor Zidane]

Woodgate. Never. Old. Slow. Very average. He is over the top. Not hungry. Just trying to squeeze out a little more cash at the end of his career. And on top of that; injury prone. I'd only rate him slightly better than Hyypia. Far behind Agger, Carra and Skrtl.

Are you havin a laugh?

Slow? Old? Average?

He's 28, not exactly old, prime of your career. He's not burnt out, he's defeinately not slow in terms of recovery and overall pace and average?

How can the second best centre half in the country be considered average? What a stupid statement that is.

Second best? COme on man

Toure
Gallas
Skrtl
Agger
Carra
Ferdinand
Vidic
Brown
Carvalho
Terry
Alex
Richards
King

Second best?


Also. In my opinion as I said earlier. He is past it. He is just playing to squeeze some more money from his legs. His hunger is gone. The quality was there maybe, but it is long gone. Long long gone.

The only centre half who is better than him in this country is Ferdinand. Thats it.

None of the others are even close.

I'd say he's behind carvalho and gallas ,but ahead of ferdinand. Only cos i'm biased .

[holylamb2006]

Woodgate sucks through a straw . He isnt a top 4 team player .... and to say robbie keane is average is beyond belief , did you not see him last season ?? and the season before that to even class him in  the same category as voronin is crazy .

[maypaxvobiscum]

Woodgate. Never. Old. Slow. Very average. He is over the top. Not hungry. Just trying to squeeze out a little more cash at the end of his career. And on top of that; injury prone. I'd only rate him slightly better than Hyypia. Far behind Agger, Carra and Skrtl.

Are you havin a laugh?

Slow? Old? Average?

He's 28, not exactly old, prime of your career. He's not burnt out, he's defeinately not slow in terms of recovery and overall pace and average?

How can the second best centre half in the country be considered average? What a stupid statement that is.

Second best? COme on man

Toure
Gallas
Skrtl
Agger
Carra
Ferdinand
Vidic
Brown
Carvalho
Terry
Alex
Richards
King

Second best?


Also. In my opinion as I said earlier. He is past it. He is just playing to squeeze some more money from his legs. His hunger is gone. The quality was there maybe, but it is long gone. Long long gone.

The only centre half who is better than him in this country is Ferdinand. Thats it.

None of the others are even close.

you're blind. the players mentioned have not only been performing very well but also arent as injury proned as woodgate. i like woodgate, but if we wanted him, we should have gotten him when he was younger. now its just dumb spending a fee for a 28 englishman who could cost alot.

[GYBS]

find it very surprised people are wanting a cb seeing as its one position we are very well blessed in - carra,agger,skittles and sami.

why the feck would we wanna buy someone like woodgate ? to fill the gap kewell left in the physio room

[GYBS]

Just reading through the posts and have to disagree on a few things -

1. back 4 - why change something that has given us one of the best defensive records during the last 4 seasons

Arbeloa at right back is more than decent enough both defending and going forward , carra should stay in the centre partnered along side agger with skittles and sami as back up . That leaves dossena and aurelio to fight out for the left back role .

I don't think anyone could argue with our back four's ability to defend the past few years BUT and it's a BIG BUT. Our back four aren't so great at starting things for our attack, in fact they don't really contribute at all. We have solid full-backs at the club, I like Arbeloa , he's a stout defender, he's strong, fairly quick and he gives his all but going forward he offers very little, Just look at our rivals, Evra, Bridge, Bosingwa, Cole, Sagna, Clichy are ALL a class above what we have. Hell even Wes Brown or Gary feckin Chuckle offer more going forward than ALL of our full-backs. There's no doubt it's a problem position and that's why the manager has gone out and picked 2 new players. I just hope Dossena can turn out to be a bit of an Evra for us.

totally agree which is the reason why i find it quiet amusing that people put carra right back when he offers not much at going forward - i think arbeloa has shown on a few occasions he can get forward - having agger back is a major plus cause he can bring the ball out and create - just got to keep finegrs crossed on dossena

[Ola Mr Benitez]

Woodgate. Never. Old. Slow. Very average. He is over the top. Not hungry. Just trying to squeeze out a little more cash at the end of his career. And on top of that; injury prone. I'd only rate him slightly better than Hyypia. Far behind Agger, Carra and Skrtl.

Are you havin a laugh?

Slow? Old? Average?

He's 28, not exactly old, prime of your career. He's not burnt out, he's defeinately not slow in terms of recovery and overall pace and average?

How can the second best centre half in the country be considered average? What a stupid statement that is.

Second best? COme on man

Toure
Gallas
Skrtl
Agger
Carra
Ferdinand
Vidic
Brown
Carvalho
Terry
Alex
Richards
King

Second best?


Also. In my opinion as I said earlier. He is past it. He is just playing to squeeze some more money from his legs. His hunger is gone. The quality was there maybe, but it is long gone. Long long gone.

The only centre half who is better than him in this country is Ferdinand. Thats it.

None of the others are even close.

John Terry is the best CB in the country by a country mile.  Yes sure, Rio looks pretty (??) when he is walking out of defence but for put defensive duties Terry is miles better.

I think Woodgate is a good player, but we don't need him.

Carra, Agger, Scary and Hypia are all great CB's.  I'm not saying there all the best in the Premiership, but I don't think there is another side in Europe that has the stregth in depth we have in that position.

Hypia will need replacing at the end of next season, but at the start of this transfer window are attacking requirements outweighed our defensive requirements. (imo)

[GYBS]

Woodgate. Never. Old. Slow. Very average. He is over the top. Not hungry. Just trying to squeeze out a little more cash at the end of his career. And on top of that; injury prone. I'd only rate him slightly better than Hyypia. Far behind Agger, Carra and Skrtl.

Are you havin a laugh?

Slow? Old? Average?

He's 28, not exactly old, prime of your career. He's not burnt out, he's defeinately not slow in terms of recovery and overall pace and average?

How can the second best centre half in the country be considered average? What a stupid statement that is.

Second best? COme on man

Toure
Gallas
Skrtl
Agger
Carra
Ferdinand
Vidic
Brown
Carvalho
Terry
Alex
Richards
King

Second best?


Also. In my opinion as I said earlier. He is past it. He is just playing to squeeze some more money from his legs. His hunger is gone. The quality was there maybe, but it is long gone. Long long gone.

The only centre half who is better than him in this country is Ferdinand. Thats it.

None of the others are even close.

John Terry is the best CB in the country by a country mile.  Yes sure, Rio looks pretty (??) when he is walking out of defence but for put defensive duties Terry is miles better.

I think Woodgate is a good player, but we don't need him.

Carra, Agger, Scary and Hypia are all great CB's.  I'm not saying there all the best in the Premiership, but I don't think there is another side in Europe that has the stregth in depth we have in that position.

Hypia will need replacing at the end of next season, but at the start of this transfer window are attacking requirements outweighed our defensive requirements. (imo)

Think rio has gone ahead of cry baby over the last season as rio has learnt that sometimes you can just hoof it away as opposed to always trying to play the ball out . Terry over the last season or so hasnt looked all that great . think agger has ability to be better than both

[Ola Mr Benitez]

When did Terry not look all that good..?

Chelsea are a different team when he isn't in their side..

[GYBS]

When did Terry not look all that good..?

Chelsea are a different team when he isn't in their side..

you do know that last year most of chelseas defeats happened when they had terry in the side