by Owzat » Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:47 am
He was immense for many seasons, the last few his lack of pace has been exposed. He's still a good defender, good in the air, but he's losing it and is a liability at times. No challenge even on Walnut was pretty bad, could easily have cost us a semi place. Maybe that is overshadowed by his goal, if that had gone over people would probably have given him a 4 or 5 out of 10 tops for the same performance regardless of the result.
I'm just amazed more sides don't put a speedster up against Hyypia. And from set pieces you have to wonder if he gets zonal marking, one or two set pieces have been scored where he should have been marking. And Berbatov managed to best him in the air, both spudz' goals at Anfield came from him beating Hyypia in the air. He's not the defender he was, still able to do a job just about, but he is a weakness that is there to be exploited.
So yes, full credit that he is doing a good job at his age, but let's not get carried away with sentiment. He's cost us a few goals this season, both Arsenal's goals came down the left and Sami of old would have snuffed out both attacks, and while he's doing a decent job you have to think Agger will replace him when fit.
In the 46 games during 06/07 through to the start of 07/08 in which Agger played 39, Liverpool kept 27 clean sheets and conceded 34 goals. Since then the defence has conceded 35 goals in 42 games, but more crucially has kept just 17 clean sheets. This season is by far our lowest percentage of clean sheets under Rafa since his first. Maybe coincidence, probably not.
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