Liverpool FC Forum

by **JC_81** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:51 pm

stmichael wrote:
john craig wrote:The back four aside, by far and away the most important person in our defensive unit is Reina. No real weaknesses that I can see, and a very good presence behind the defence. His decision making is top class and he is the main reason why we only conceded 27 league goals last season and have only conceded 21 league goals in 30 games this year. Only United have a better defensive record than us this season. Reina is also on course for most clean sheets in the Premiership again.

Well said.

He is crucial to the way we play and I wouldn't swap him for any other goalkeeper in the world. His distribution in particular is fantastic.

I still can't understand how Casillas is Spain's number 1 over Reina. At the end of the day, Casillas is the Spanish Shay Given in that he always looks good as he has a lot to do behind Real's useless defence.

Yeah the Spanish goalkeeping situation puzzles me to be honest.

I think I'm right in saying that even Valdez is ahead of Reina in the pecking order, at least he used to be not so long ago.

How stupid were Barcelona in letting Reina go in favour of Valdez? Reina is twice the keeper Valdez is - he's better in every department from what I can see, it's not even close.

At the same time, how England would love the goalkeeping dilemma Spain have.

by **ConnO'var** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:33 pm

Judge wrote:connovar, the more you post the more i respect you

nice post mate, and set out well

Cheers Judgey...

Cheque's in the mail.... :laugh:

by **Dundalk** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:38 pm

Judge wrote:
Bad Bob wrote:Dundalk's "original" thread on the topic is now merged with Judge's "official" thread on the topic. Quit stepping on each other's toes you jokers.

i only listen to dundalk when he posts in the fit birds zone

what does that tell ya

by **Judge** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:40 pm

some power crazed mod has jokingly changed the thread title :angry:

by **ConnO'var** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:42 pm

woof woof ! wrote:
Aurelio/Riise - Our achilles heel defensively... I had such hopes for Aurelio when he 1st turned up but for whatever reason, he's just failed to convince me. All around, he's a good player but not quite the player I had hoped. Riise is puzzle for me.... on form, he's a fine player but the last couple of seasons, he's been below par.

I wouldn't write Aurelio off just yet ConnO'var, it's early days , he's still playing his way back into form and understanding with the team after his lengthy time out with injury. I actually like the combination of Aurellio and Riise working our left flank, both are primarily full backs and yet the pair of them are happy to push forward, both possess the ability to put in good crosses and also have a more than decent shot in their locker.

My preferred back four,

Arbeloa Carragher Agger Aurelio

Not the toughest back four we could field (no Sammi or Skrtel) but certainly imo our most skillful.

I know woof....

He was doing really well and put in some impressive performances last season before he was scuppered with the injury... It all went down hill for the lad from there.

He's taking a long time to recover his form though, woof.... and to be honest that's got me a little worried.... not on the lad's ability mind you but on his durability. Plus he's definitely better going forward as compared to defending (not saying his a sh!te defender btw.... just better going forward) If we're gonna challenge for the premiership next season, we're gonna need help on the left and Aurelio is still a "maybe" and may yet get injured again. We need to take out a sizeable insurance policy on the left and someone like Philip Lahm may just be able to provide that.

The Riise we're seeing these days is a mystery to me.... I just cannot fathom what's going on with our ginger ninja.... I've heard it said a fair few times that he's a confidence player.... if that is true, he's confidence right now must be in tatters!

:down:

by **redhayesy** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:02 pm

bigmick wrote:Skyrtel has promise for me but is a mile behind Agger and Carragher. Unless Agger doesn't come back, or Carragher either deteriorates quickly or moves to right back, Skyrtel is looking at eighteen months or so as a rotational option IMHO.

BM as much as i agree with most of your posts mate, i have
to say you are doing skyrtel as mass injustice mate!
the reason i say this is cause i was at the reading game
& beleive me mate he was imense!!! & alot of fans around
me agreed with me that he, from start to finish made crucial tackles, blocked passes etc throughout the game that
he was a credit to the team! his positional play was also
brilliant,covering the entire back 4 also he was intellegent
with the ball when he had it ie- gave it simple or passed
to an area where he created an attack.
for me he has understood very quickly that he has to
adapt to the speed & pyshpical side of the epl
& has already shown he is up to it!

he may not of had the best of debut"s ie- fa cup
but for me, there"s lot"s of other centre backs
who haven"t either ie- torben, biornybe etc
so for me keep playing him as he has shown
so far a fantastic attitude, & shows a real desire
to challange anyone he wants his place in the side.

i would pick him on a regular basis at the moment
based on his performances, also it will make
agger get fit quicker, believe me if he thought
his place was under- threat, it can only be a
win, win situation for us alround!!

l

by **stmichael** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:00 pm

the defence were all over the place today and have generally underperformed this season as a whole. carragher had a shocker. we don't half miss daniel agger.

also, it's ironic that i spent the build up to the game praising reina and he then goes and has his worst game since the 3-0 defeat to everton last season.

by **metalhead** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 10:24 pm

Skrtel had a shocker too, defence need to pull it together, arbeloa wasnt up to it either today.

by **AussieKopite** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:07 am

The Manhattan Project wrote:
yet they do all the ugly stuff well too.

Skrtel certainly does.

Have you seen his face?

He's the second ugliest defender in football history.

Number one is Phillip Senderos.

SKrtel a former ice hockey player scares me. Last night one of the United attackers didn't get to the ball before Reina and Skrtel knocks him over. It gave me a bit of joy seeing Skrtel and Reina standing over the United player giving him a few choice words to consider.

by **AussieKopite** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:08 am

kop king wrote:My defence for the rest of this season:

Arbeloa Carragher Skrtel Aurelio

Defence for next season:

Skrtel Carragher Agger
Finnan Aurelio

I think 5 at the back is too risky. There will be so many teething problems, we'd be out of the race just as quick as this year.

by **stmichael** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:16 am

Our full backs are just not good enough at offering an attacking threat. The traditional winger is a thing of the past now as its the full backs in the modern game that offer the width and its this department we are miles behind the top 3 in.

Arsenal have Clichy and Sagnol.

Man United have Evra.

Chelsea have Ashley Cole.

All three teams have one thing in common and that is they have at least one full back who is fast, over laps the player in front of him and is able to deliver a cross. Aurellio, Arbeloa, Finnan and Riise are our first team full backs and none of them are blessed with pace. The modern game requires you to have pace throughout the whole team and yesterday it was evident more then ever that you need your full backs to provide you with width to help stretch the opposition.

Man United looked dangerous on almost every attack because Evra was bombing forward at every opportunity and this left our full back exposed. The manc goal was scored from a full back who had got forward, stayed there and got on the end of a cross.

We need to be able to stretch teams and especially using our current formation none of our current first team full backs are good enough and in the summer better replacements need to be found.

Evra had an easy game because he was only faced with Dirk Kuyt but would he have had it as easy if it was Alves running at him as well. He would have had to think again about bombing forward all the time but instead he had a free run.

by **god_bless_john_houlding** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:29 am

I can count on one hand the amount of good games I've seen Aurellio play for Liverpool. I just can't see what many on here and more importantly Benitez sees in him. I think he's a waste of space personally. Problem is Riise is past his best now. I remember the 04/05 season, Riise scored plenty of goals on a consistant basis, since he's been going downhill. So I think we have to put Insua in now. Those of us who've seen him (whether it be live or on video) seem impressed with him, we all think he stands a real chance of being a top class left back so put him in. He can't become a world class left back in the reserves. Our left back position has worried me all season and I'd like to see Insua given a go sooner rather than later.

by **simon because** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:16 am

by **simon because** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:33 am

I can count on one hand how many decent posts you have made John!!

I've been reading this forum for a while and i can honestly say that you really annoy me,really to the point of frustration,you dont half chat some :censored:

...there is no doubt your chin is well brown!

Anyways..as they say and onto the game!!
There is no way Mascherano deserved his 'first' yellow card today,it was a tackle that he put his feet down in deliberately to avoid maximum contact...it was clear in the replay!Perhaps it looked worse in ref man utd motion.....?I will never know,but then im not a ref and i dont support UTD either!
Secondly,he should have new better........BUT BUT BUT,after Coles little dilema last week and the news being as it was!?
Mascherano is a casualty of his own stupidity,and i like his passion more than the fact he got sent off!

If that game today was at Anfield things would be different,we would be happier!When i look back at all the matches i've seen...today really was actually 11 vs 12.....or 10 vs 12 once incompetence and pressure crept in we were always gonna be the casualty!

Thanks very much Chelsea and ta v much Ashley Cole

by **AussieKopite** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:04 am

simon because wrote:I can count on one hand how many decent posts you have made John!!

I've been reading this forum for a while

Aurelio is getting better.

Its nice that a probationary member feels the need to slag everyone off.

Unless you were banned previously and you've got a new account, I don't think you have been reading that long...

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