Liverpool FC Forum

[Cool Hand Luke]

Now I don’t want to sound like a pessimist, but what is all the fuss about Zak Whitbread?

I have seen people on newkit and other forum’s getting excited about him. So far to me has looked O.K at best, nothing I have seen of him suggests to me he will ever be good enough to be a regular at this club. He is 21, slight of build, isn’t very imposing and gets pulled out of position way to easy. I know people will bang on about experience but at his age you can usually have a strong idea about whether a player will make it, as far as know no clubs have tried to get him on loan and Rafa hasn’t really indicated that he will be relied upon in a first team capacity.

Maybe I am being harsh but just wanted to know exactly what other people think of him at his present level and what the future may hold for him?

[A.B.]

We need a new CB, Whitbread may or may not make it but it's obvious that we need a CB that's better than Hyypia and that will give us cover.

Whitbread is not good enough to depend on as cover.

[7_Kewell]

Zak will be handy for the early FA cup and league cup matches.  to be fair, i don't think he's good enough to cut it, yet but it will be interesting to see how he pans out this season.

[stmichael]

agree that whitbread is too inexperienced to be relied upon against the big boys this season.

a mate of mine mentioned distan as a possibility the other day. now he is for sale and i rate the guy quite highly. what does everone else reckon?

[neilE]

I thought he did well last night although he wasn't put under much pressure to be fair. At the moment, I can't see him being our missing centre back, but he'll be a competent stand in, and could be another Hyypia in 3/4 years time - he's already got the hair!

[7_Kewell]

although Zak won't be first choice, he will probably get 10-15 games this season, so he will deffinatly get his chance

[A.B.]

a mate of mine mentioned distan as a possibility the other day. now he is for sale and i rate the guy quite highly. what does everone else reckon?

Distan = mid-table defender.

If we're going to sign a CB then we should sign a quality one, Distan doesn't fit that bill.

[7_Kewell]

Distin is a good player, but i'd rather have Gallas.

[Cool Hand Luke]

a mate of mine mentioned distan as a possibility the other day. now he is for sale and i rate the guy quite highly. what does everone else reckon?

Distan = mid-table defender.

If we're going to sign a CB then we should sign a quality one, Distan doesn't fit that bill.

Distan is actually quiet a good player, he is very strong, competent and quiet speedy. Wouldn’t be the worse signing that’s for sure, and can definitely play at the higher end of the league.

But the price he is being quoted at is around 7MIL, I would be reluctant to do business at this price, 5MIL is more sensible.

[JC_81]

I think he's looked quite good actually.

I'll have to disagree with you and say that his positional sense is actually pretty good, especially for someone of his age.  I wouldn't say he's particularly fast but he's quick enough.  He's also good in the tackle, always makes himself available for a pass and his distribution is certainly better than Hyypia's if not Carra's as well.

His physique doesn't worry me.  Huth at Chelsea was slightly built when they bought him and now he's an absolute beast, a bit of weight training will sort whitbread out.

My only worry is that he doesn't look comfortable in challenging for headers, not commanding enough in the air yet, but it's early days for him (especially for a defender).  It took Carra until he was 27 before he looked totally comfortable with dealing with high balls and look at him now.

I'm not saying Zak is the next Carra but he's a good prospect and if needed in the first team this season I'm sure he'd do a decent job.

[A.B.]

But the price he is being quoted at is around 7MIL, I would be reluctant to do business at this price, 5MIL is more sensible

All English players are overpriced which makes signing them really difficult.

For instance Birmingham value Upson at 15 million pounds, I wouldn't pay anything more than 4 million for Upson if I were a manager.

[A.B.]

if needed in the first team this season I'm sure he'd do a decent job.

We need more than a decent job, Hyypia is not good enough any longer to be first choice through out the season. Andrade is cup-tied but he's certainly class and it would be a great addition to the squad.

[7_Kewell]

I wouldn't pay anything more than 4 million for Upson if I were a manager.

and you wouldn't get him as a result.  Shopping abroad for central defenders is risky because for every Hypia there are a 100 Toben Picknicks 

[A.B.]

and you wouldn't get him as a result. 

I wouldn't want him in the first place, he's overrated.

Shopping abroad for central defenders is risky because for every Hypia there are a 100 Toben Picknicks

Well you got to take risks once in a while. I rather take a risk then pay 15 million for a defender that's average at best.

[JC_81]

if needed in the first team this season I'm sure he'd do a decent job.

We need more than a decent job, Hyypia is not good enough any longer to be first choice through out the season. Andrade is cup-tied but he's certainly class and it would be a great addition to the squad.

I never said we didn't need another centre-half to be first choice.

Not sure about Andrade though