Carra at right back

Sami Hyypia, Oh Sami Sami!

For me he is in some of the best form of his career.  Since he sort of knocked Agger off his perch, and with Arbeloa's injury moving Carragher out wide - Hyypia has had a decent run of late.  For me it was a real shame he was left out of the Champions League squad and I would not only be getting this fella signed up on another contract and his name back in the UEFA squad - but I would probably have him regularly in the team to be honest.

The team are playing well so it would be unfair to let Skrtel just breeze back in as well.

Degen is made of glass so I think, even though Carra might not like it, our strongest team may include Carragher as our right back ahead of Arbeloa?

I suppose what I'm trying to say is I would rather have Hyypia in the side than Arbeloa,

and that I rate all four of our centre backs ahead of Arbeloa as well.

I was talking about this recently with a mate.

What our angle was is that Arbeloa doesn't really have much competition. But I think since Hyypia has recently commanded a place in the team, he's displayed some of the best form that we've seen him have since joining us.

Competition is not a bad thing for Arbeloa. Especially if you look at how it's had an impact on Hyypia.

And seeing Carra get forward a bit more is something else that's interesting. On more than one occasion he's been a genuine threat in attack!

Why not? If you look at it from outside the box, it makes us more unpredictable for other managers. And it's something that works as much as Carra in defence and Arbeloa at right back.

Carra is a very adaptable player he will play where ever ,i can remember watching his debut as a central midfielder ....like him at full back he has the chance to get forward and looks comfortable..

Skrtel is good and deserves to play in the starting 11; but so also is Hyypia and Agger. This looks more like a problem. The possibility of losing Agger is there if he does not get a regular start.

I wish we could keep them all. Hyypia is that good. However, I do think Arbeloa is a better RB than Carra

Looks like we may return to: Arbeloa  Carragher  Hyypia  Insua. What then happens to Agger & Skrtel? Surely we haven't forgotten about Skrtel just yet.

Rafa has a lot of shuffling to do with the Central defence.

Sami Hyypia, Oh Sami Sami!

For me he is in some of the best form of his career.  Since he sort of knocked Agger off his perch, and with Arbeloa's injury moving Carragher out wide - Hyypia has had a decent run of late.  For me it was a real shame he was left out of the Champions League squad and I would not only be getting this fella signed up on another contract and his name back in the UEFA squad - but I would probably have him regularly in the team to be honest.

The team are playing well so it would be unfair to let Skrtel just breeze back in as well.

Degen is made of glass so I think, even though Carra might not like it, our strongest team may include Carragher as our right back ahead of Arbeloa?

I suppose what I'm trying to say is I would rather have Hyypia in the side than Arbeloa,

and that I rate all four of our centre backs ahead of Arbeloa as well.

Sami Hyypia is close to becoming an Anfield legend ,the times he's got us out of jail are there for all to see and as you point out he's in the form of his life,he did it again today even though it wasnt as vital as some of his goals they all count though,his work rate is unbelievable the ball hadn't stopped spinning in the goal before he was back in his own half for the next challenge,Hyypia is the backbone of the side and continues to show his wholehearted commitment to LFC,he is the only selection on the day.

If it aint aint broke....

Keep him there

Hyypia never miss a header clearance, which is what I like him most. But being easily dribbled passed by opponents is always a problem. I don't think he is slow against quick players, as it's a problem of his posture during 1-on-1 marking. Simply standing too close to the opponent.

I would play him against Chelsea, but not against more speedy teams, like ManU or Arsenal. By the way, wouldn't it be lovely if Agger/Skrtel can inherit Hyypia's heading threat during dead-ball-situation before his retirement?

I never liked the idea of Carragher at right back but I have to admit he has done well in the last few games. He even had a bit of a pot shot against Bolton! I think however that there is the risk of pace. If a winger turns him I would worry that he won't catch up. Against 'smaller' teams we might get away with it but the likes of Samir Nasri or Ashley Young could make us pay. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic and cautious with the position we're in. Anyway while things are going well I see no reason to change it!

I don't like the idea of Carra at right back, for the simple fact we're a completely different side when he's out of the middle. I think against a decent attacking side we look much stronger with Carra in the middle. Don't get me wrong, Sami has been outstanding during his return to the first team during Skrtel and Arbeloa's injuries but I still want Carra in the middle.

Plus I think Arbeloa is a much better choice at right back, he's been one of our best and certainly consistant players this year. I don't mind the idea of Carra at right back for the odd occassion when we're stretched but on a regular basis, I much prefer Arbeloa there with Carra in the heart of the defence.

The only reason why I do like Carra at right back is because it takes him away from the centre of the park and he can no longer hooof the ball over the midffield. He does well in the RB role as well I think this is a sweet dillemma for Rafa to have 3 world class centre backs hitting form and another just returning from injury. Also competition for Arbeloa will be a good thing.

Some people saying it's a good dilemma for Rafa - I don't agree at all.  If there is one thing that we all know, and even Rafa knows - it is that one aspect of the team that doesn't work when it is rotated it is the defence.

We have Hyypia who is playing out of his skin, Agger who has done a great job, Carragher who is vice-captain, Skrtel just back from injury and Arbeloa who will probably be back soon.

We need to have a settled back four.  Left back's fairly sorted for the minute but 5 in to 3 just don't go and I don't want to see it changing week in week out.

Big problems in my opinion.

Consistency and stability is key but I think at the moment based on form there is that much quality available to Rafa that we can afford to have these changes occuring and keep everybody fresh. I am of the view that limiting the CB positions to 2 players will cause more problems to the group dynamic especially when we have Agger who has been linked to a number of clubs in the winter window.

I like Sami alot. For a 35 year old and has not much pace, he has really played well since his arrival almost 10 years ago.
At the age, he's about to retire soon and that will ease our problems a little.

But i agree with JD , our strongest back 4 would include Carra, Hyypia and Agger. Skrtel just returned and shouldn't just enter the starting 11 straightaway.

But i wouldn't want to kick out Arbeloa as he is pretty consistent.

It depends a lot on the opposition. If a team has a very good left winger I'd have Carra at right back anyday.

Hyypia is in good form but I think he doesn't have the legs to play 8-9 games in a row...

Skrtel has no right to walk into the team but the only way he can get back into contention is by building up his match fitness and that means putting him in the team.

And if the Glen Johnson rumours are true this debate just got a hell of a lot more confusing.

It depends a lot on the opposition. If a team has a very good left winger I'd have Carra at right back anyday.

So you think our defence should be rotated then?  I think that's the problem - I want to see a settled back four.

We have to play people on form, Hypiia has to play when he is in this sort of form, performing better than Carra IMO. But Carra can't be dropped as he is vice-captain, and you can always rely on him to save the day in defence, Arbeloa has been very consistant for us and provides a good attacking outlet, Agger has performed well since his return to the side. And Skrtel was one of our best players before his injury.

I  think that Skrtel and Arbeloa should be the ones dropped, they been injured so they have to play there way back into the team, like Sami did.

And Agger did (it was actually from skrtel's injure)

Settled back four:

Insua - Agger- Skrtel - Carra

Hyppia when needed.

You mean

Carra - Agger - Skrtel - Insua

I know this sounds strange but why not play all four centre-backs?  It's possible, look:

-------Carragher-------Skrtel-------Hyypia-------Agger-------

You would have Arbeloa and Insua as possible replacements in the full-back role.  It's risky but why not give it a try against a so-called 'lesser team'?

I personally don't really feel that Carragher is comfortable enough on the ball to play at right back unless of an emergency.

His lack of pace wouldn't serve much of a purpose at home either when we are looking to get the full backs to overlap and support the wide players.

His passing isn't really good enough to play quick snappy triangles to carve out an opening and get someone in behind a left back either in all fairness.

Carragher is an amazing centre half and should stay there.

There are far too many limitations to his game that outweigh his good points when considering him to play regularly in the right back berth.

It's a NO for me I am afraid.

I also feel that we would concede a lot of set pieces around the right hand side of our own penalty area (from Reina's perspective) which would put us under unnecessary pressure.