Liverpool FC Forum

stmichael wrote:Arbeloa is underrated imo.

I saw him linked with Seville for 8m Euros which is a joke really. United wouldn't sell someone like O'Shea for that price and he does almost exactly the same job for them as Arbeloa does for us but just not as well.

Owzat wrote:

Number 9 wrote:Its blatently obvious our defence suffered as a result of Aggers long term injury last year in the League.

Ballacks, we had more than adequate cover and it was draws which cost us dearly (13 in the Premiership), none of which were 3-3 or worse and most were 1-1 or 0-0

Bamaga man wrote:

Toffeehater wrote:

Bamaga man wrote:Good topic.

Firstly on the RB's (going off topic) I actually think Arbeloa looks a better full back than a man marker myself. I've been happy with his displays both at LB and RB, he gets forward more than Finnan IMO down the flank and is pretty consistent in his defensive duties. I think he is slightly underated around here, and thats a surprise amongst Newkit goers.

Sorry to go off topic , but i totally disagree with this , arbeloa is at most a cover for the right back position not one who should be in the 11 for a club as big as LFC . Arbeloa , yes he's excellent when going forward but he is at best average in defending , gets pushed off the ball easily , gets beaten by his man far too often , if money was available , we need a decent right back if not we should push carragher out to right back and ageer and skrtel in the middle , carragher is deffo better than arbeloa at right back and skrtel has started to show some promise last season after a shaky first two games .

Well I've been impressed with Arbeloa, and while Carragher maybe a better defender, Carra's best position is CB. Plus Arbeloa goes forward more and is much better and more comfortable on the ball than Carragher is.

People say he isnt that good defensively, I honestly cannot remember him being that bad during a game. I remember he played at CH and looked like a fish out of water. But at full back I think he is decent enough, he doesnt get skinned that often, and he recovers position well enough and supports the midfielder infront of him better than Finnan or Carra. Whether o not Rafa sees him as an adequate player to replace Finnan remains to be seen though. But everyone has harped on about our fulbacks not attacking enough and Steve Finnan is a culprit of this, Arbeloa isnt, personally I dont have a problem giving him a go at RB for a good length of time, I think he'd prove me right.

I think some people dont really consider him to be a starting eleven player because we didnt pay millions for him and he isnt considered World class, and isnt as desirable as a player like Alves, sometimes fans like flavour of the month, than a good standard stock player..

Bamaga man wrote:

Toffeehater wrote:

Bamaga man wrote:Good topic.

Firstly on the RB's (going off topic) I actually think Arbeloa looks a better full back than a man marker myself. I've been happy with his displays both at LB and RB, he gets forward more than Finnan IMO down the flank and is pretty consistent in his defensive duties. I think he is slightly underated around here, and thats a surprise amongst Newkit goers.

Sorry to go off topic , but i totally disagree with this , arbeloa is at most a cover for the right back position not one who should be in the 11 for a club as big as LFC . Arbeloa , yes he's excellent when going forward but he is at best average in defending , gets pushed off the ball easily , gets beaten by his man far too often , if money was available , we need a decent right back if not we should push carragher out to right back and ageer and skrtel in the middle , carragher is deffo better than arbeloa at right back and skrtel has started to show some promise last season after a shaky first two games .

Well I've been impressed with Arbeloa, and while Carragher maybe a better defender, Carra's best position is CB. Plus Arbeloa goes forward more and is much better and more comfortable on the ball than Carragher is.

People say he isnt that good defensively, I honestly cannot remember him being that bad during a game. I remember he played at CH and looked like a fish out of water. But at full back I think he is decent enough, he doesnt get skinned that often, and he recovers position well enough and supports the midfielder infront of him better than Finnan or Carra. Whether o not Rafa sees him as an adequate player to replace Finnan remains to be seen though. But everyone has harped on about our fulbacks not attacking enough and Steve Finnan is a culprit of this, Arbeloa isnt, personally I dont have a problem giving him a go at RB for a good length of time, I think he'd prove me right.

I think some people dont really consider him to be a starting eleven player because we didnt pay millions for him and he isnt considered World class, and isnt as desirable as a player like Alves, sometimes fans like flavour of the month, than a good standard stock player..

andy_g wrote:and another thing. 'left backs' in the context of the topic shouldn't have the apostrophe.


thank you.

Agreed...ergo sorted.

s@int wrote:

Leonmc0708 wrote:Despite the obvious issues with defenders individually missing and out of form at times, the defence was not our problem last year, it was more to do with not putting it away up the other end.

So you think Rafa was wrong then Leon !!!    

RAFA: AGGER LOSS COST US TITLE SHOT
Jimmy Rice 03 July 2008 
  The loss of Daniel Agger cost Liverpool a shot at the Premier League title last season, according to Rafa Benitez. 
The manager's words came as his Danish defender returned to pre-season training at Melwood having missed most of 2007-08 with a metatarsal break.
 
Benitez said: "I think it cost us early in the season. We conceded goals at the end of games which finished as draws because Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher were playing too many games in a row.
 
"We were using Jack Hobbs in some games and Alvaro Arbeloa as a centre-back; clearly we missed Daniel Agger.
 
"He is a centre-back but good on the ball and a threat for the other team too. We missed Agger."
 
Benitez tried to sign Gabriel Heinze from Manchester United last summer as cover but the move proved impossible.
 
Instead Liverpool had to wait until January for top-class reinforcements by the name of Martin Skrtel
 
The Slovak made an impressive start to his Anfield career and will ensure that competition is fierce for central defensive places this season.
 
Benitez added: "We knew this player when he was 18. It was funny because some people were going to see Everton against Zenit and were saying this player really has ability. But we already had four or five videos of him which we liked. We had already sent our people over there and we knew he was the player for us.
 
"It can be difficult to settle down in this country but Martin has been really good.
 
"We know the players we want whenever the window opens and we try to sign the players at the right price."

Leonmc0708 wrote:

s@int wrote:

Leonmc0708 wrote:Despite the obvious issues with defenders individually missing and out of form at times, the defence was not our problem last year, it was more to do with not putting it away up the other end.

So you think Rafa was wrong then Leon !!!    

RAFA: AGGER LOSS COST US TITLE SHOT
Jimmy Rice 03 July 2008 
  The loss of Daniel Agger cost Liverpool a shot at the Premier League title last season, according to Rafa Benitez. 
The manager's words came as his Danish defender returned to pre-season training at Melwood having missed most of 2007-08 with a metatarsal break.
 
Benitez said: "I think it cost us early in the season. We conceded goals at the end of games which finished as draws because Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher were playing too many games in a row.
 
"We were using Jack Hobbs in some games and Alvaro Arbeloa as a centre-back; clearly we missed Daniel Agger.
 
"He is a centre-back but good on the ball and a threat for the other team too. We missed Agger."
 
Benitez tried to sign Gabriel Heinze from Manchester United last summer as cover but the move proved impossible.
 
Instead Liverpool had to wait until January for top-class reinforcements by the name of Martin Skrtel
 
The Slovak made an impressive start to his Anfield career and will ensure that competition is fierce for central defensive places this season.
 
Benitez added: "We knew this player when he was 18. It was funny because some people were going to see Everton against Zenit and were saying this player really has ability. But we already had four or five videos of him which we liked. We had already sent our people over there and we knew he was the player for us.
 
"It can be difficult to settle down in this country but Martin has been really good.
 
"We know the players we want whenever the window opens and we try to sign the players at the right price."

I agree that his absence did mean our defence leaked more goals, but 1 goal against Wigan at anfield, none against Birmingham, Portsmouth, Blackburn and Man City tell me a lack of goals where more of a problem. These games, one goal in each, would have netted us 10 points. Right in the mixer.

Leonmc0708 wrote:

s@int wrote:

Leonmc0708 wrote:Despite the obvious issues with defenders individually missing and out of form at times, the defence was not our problem last year, it was more to do with not putting it away up the other end.

So you think Rafa was wrong then Leon !!!    

RAFA: AGGER LOSS COST US TITLE SHOT
Jimmy Rice 03 July 2008 
  The loss of Daniel Agger cost Liverpool a shot at the Premier League title last season, according to Rafa Benitez. 
The manager's words came as his Danish defender returned to pre-season training at Melwood having missed most of 2007-08 with a metatarsal break.
 
Benitez said: "I think it cost us early in the season. We conceded goals at the end of games which finished as draws because Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher were playing too many games in a row.
 
"We were using Jack Hobbs in some games and Alvaro Arbeloa as a centre-back; clearly we missed Daniel Agger.
 
"He is a centre-back but good on the ball and a threat for the other team too. We missed Agger."
 
Benitez tried to sign Gabriel Heinze from Manchester United last summer as cover but the move proved impossible.
 
Instead Liverpool had to wait until January for top-class reinforcements by the name of Martin Skrtel
 
The Slovak made an impressive start to his Anfield career and will ensure that competition is fierce for central defensive places this season.
 
Benitez added: "We knew this player when he was 18. It was funny because some people were going to see Everton against Zenit and were saying this player really has ability. But we already had four or five videos of him which we liked. We had already sent our people over there and we knew he was the player for us.
 
"It can be difficult to settle down in this country but Martin has been really good.
 
"We know the players we want whenever the window opens and we try to sign the players at the right price."

I agree that his absence did mean our defence leaked more goals, but 1 goal against Wigan at anfield, none against Birmingham, Portsmouth, Blackburn and Man City tell me a lack of goals where more of a problem. These games, one goal in each, would have netted us 10 points. Right in the mixer.

Or conversely all the games where we took the lead  only to let it slip away. Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, Wigan, Villa one goal LESS conceeded and we would have had another 10 points, (I am claiming Wigan as we were in front, so that knocks your arguement down to only 8 points   

The other thing to note is they were all home games too.

Then throw in Arsenal away, another game were we let our hard won lead slip and I am up to 12 points, and we would have also reached the CL final as well!

s@int wrote:

Leonmc0708 wrote:

s@int wrote:

Leonmc0708 wrote:Despite the obvious issues with defenders individually missing and out of form at times, the defence was not our problem last year, it was more to do with not putting it away up the other end.

So you think Rafa was wrong then Leon !!!    

RAFA: AGGER LOSS COST US TITLE SHOT
Jimmy Rice 03 July 2008 
  The loss of Daniel Agger cost Liverpool a shot at the Premier League title last season, according to Rafa Benitez. 
The manager's words came as his Danish defender returned to pre-season training at Melwood having missed most of 2007-08 with a metatarsal break.
 
Benitez said: "I think it cost us early in the season. We conceded goals at the end of games which finished as draws because Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher were playing too many games in a row.
 
"We were using Jack Hobbs in some games and Alvaro Arbeloa as a centre-back; clearly we missed Daniel Agger.
 
"He is a centre-back but good on the ball and a threat for the other team too. We missed Agger."
 
Benitez tried to sign Gabriel Heinze from Manchester United last summer as cover but the move proved impossible.
 
Instead Liverpool had to wait until January for top-class reinforcements by the name of Martin Skrtel
 
The Slovak made an impressive start to his Anfield career and will ensure that competition is fierce for central defensive places this season.
 
Benitez added: "We knew this player when he was 18. It was funny because some people were going to see Everton against Zenit and were saying this player really has ability. But we already had four or five videos of him which we liked. We had already sent our people over there and we knew he was the player for us.
 
"It can be difficult to settle down in this country but Martin has been really good.
 
"We know the players we want whenever the window opens and we try to sign the players at the right price."

I agree that his absence did mean our defence leaked more goals, but 1 goal against Wigan at anfield, none against Birmingham, Portsmouth, Blackburn and Man City tell me a lack of goals where more of a problem. These games, one goal in each, would have netted us 10 points. Right in the mixer.

Or conversely all the games where we took the lead  only to let it slip away. Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, Wigan, Villa one goal LESS conceeded and we would have had another 10 points, (I am claiming Wigan as we were in front, so that knocks your arguement down to only 8 points   

The other thing to note is they were all home games too.

Then throw in Arsenal away, another game were we let our hard won lead slip and I am up to 12 points, and we would have also reached the CL final as well!