Skrtel - Agger Partnership

I didn't get to see the game, but was wondering how did they get on as a partnership?
I do believe it was there first game together at the back?

They need more matches to perfect the partnership...

I think while Agger's been sniffing around the injury tables, Rafa's been giving Marty as many first team games under his belt.  Even when Agger made his way back to full fitness, Rafa gave Danny a task of proving himself again.

I do think Agger is the better of the two, but they both possess great individual attributes.  This IS the Centre Back partnership that we will see in the future, I'm sure of it.

This IS the Centre Back partnership that we will see in the future, I'm sure of it.

Hope so, Danny Agger seems to impress me more and more every game.

He could be like a new signing for us next season after all the games he missed this time.

Exactly.  He could prove the difference for us at the back next season.  And like you said, he'll be like a new signing!

New contract for Danny so he must be told he'll be first choice. Cant see him and Skrtel playing week in week out together but ye,  centre partnership for the near future.

Carra used more as a right back next season?

Carra used more as a right back next season?

It's Rafa's choice of course, but I would much prefer to see Arby on the right, or indeed a new signing.

The central partnership should be any two out of Carra, Skrtel and Agger.

Barring injuries it will be a bit of a head-scratcher for Rafa to keep all three happy. However, providing we have some decent cup runs there's no reason they all can't get a good number of games under their belt.

Dilemma however, is if one partnership is particularly outstanding, would it be a good idea to rotate? 

Still, better this situation than not having enough class at the back. 

New contract for Danny so he must be told he'll be first choice. Cant see him and Skrtel playing week in week out together but ye,  centre partnership for the near future.

Carra used more as a right back next season?

I'd give Carra a few goes at RB but you know what he's like, he'll through his toys out of his pram!  But the backline for next season could look like this...

Carragher/Arbeloa      Skrtel      Agger     Insua/Aurelio

Thought Carra was a bit of a disaster at right back to be honest.  Arbeloa seems to have far more pace and gets further forward (and doesn't go to pieces in their final third).

Skrtel - Agger seems a very solid base to me.  I wouldn't be remotely surprised to see it more and more evident next season.

Carragher has been exceptionally lucky with injuries (touch wood) but if anything happens to him he may struggle to regain his position, IMO of course.

Carra will play less games next season, I think towards the end of the season, the sheer amount of games he played was catching up with him.

Still think next season Carra will be playing the vast majority of games with probably Agger but maybe Skrtel on occasions.

We will see the Agger - Skrtel partnership more often next season though.

Our future central defence partnership has to be Daniel Agger and Martin Skertel,both are young ,good on the ball ,and as quick as any in the premiership ,Carra will get less games as Rafa now has options with these two ,if my memory serves me right when Carra played for england he played a few games in  a sweeper role ,this may also be a tactical option

Thought Carra was a bit of a disaster at right back to be honest.  Arbeloa seems to have far more pace and gets further forward (and doesn't go to pieces in their final third).

Skrtel - Agger seems a very solid base to me.  I wouldn't be remotely surprised to see it more and more evident next season.

Carragher has been exceptionally lucky with injuries (touch wood) but if anything happens to him he may struggle to regain his position, IMO of course.

Well he's certainly not past it just yet, but over the next couple of years he's going to be hard pressed by two young, talented CB's who want to get as many matches as possible.

I'm certain Carra is still capable of playing a lot of matches at the highest level. I hope (and believe) that Rafa is capable of gradually reducing the number of games Carra plays over the coming seasons, to break in, then firmly establish, our future central partnership.

Injuries apart, we certainly look very good in this position for the next 5-7 years at least.

It's not like Carra is past it yet, he's still very much a world class centre back. I just think that it may be time soon, age will start to get the better of him and therefore it may be beneficial to the club if we see more of the Skrtel and Agger partnership next season.

When he's fully fit Carra would still be my first choice centre back but he has indeed been very lucky in terms of injuries and fitness this season and therefore it is likely things will change slightly. I don't think we'll see him implemented as a right back more however, during this season he's been almost a needs be in that position and it is quite evident he doesn't like playing there himself. For example in the Middlesbrough game Skrtel played there and against Sunderland Mascherano played there.

Carra will be the one of the first names on the team sheet come next year but we will have to wait and see if he can continue to play or indeed his age is starting to catch up with him.

Carragher will still be the first name in the defence in my opinion next season and probably the season after taking us up to 2011/12 season.

Carra has never had pace so he's got none to lose. His organisation of the defence is fantastic and something we'll miss once he's gone as from what I've seen neither Dagger or Marty are the most vocal of defenders. Now what Benitez has to decide is who partners Carra next year because one part of the pitch that shouldn't be messed about with is the heart of the defence. It's not a position where you can start rotating and I think we saw that at the back end of the season where one week it was Dan the next Marty. It causes problems because defenders need to play together on a regular basis so they know when to push up together and when to hold back.

As for the Agger/Skrtel partnership well it looks on paper like it should work. And I'm convinced it will. But it'll take a brave man to start it next year. Neither have massive experience of the Premiership (Agger 54 league games and Skrtel with just 35). Agger only really has one full season and that was 06/07 as 2007/08 he was injured for large parts and this season he's been third choice behind Carra and Skrtel. And Skrtel only has the season just gone and the last half of the season before to go on. Inside of that a serious injury which kept him out of the side for a long time.

So for me it'll be Carra and one other next year by and large with the third choice still getting a few games.

Old thread but the debate seems to be heading towards this feeling this season.

Personally I still think Carra is a good defender but I don't think he should be guaranteed a place in a side, he's not getting any quicker and for all the times he's saved us in the past, he has cost us goals this seasons with his lack of pace most notably against Bolton and Stoke and sentiment has to go out of the window and for players to be handed their slots in the team on merit and not on name or history.

For me at the moment on current form, Skrtel and Agger are my first choice pairing with Carra warming the bench and rotating for loss of form/injuries, but it would be interesting to see what Coates has to offer too.

Quite a dilema this at the moment as I think if Jamie wasn't playing week in and week out at this stage of his career, he'd want to go somewhere he could.

Agree entirely with that RLB.  

Actually wondered whether we'd ship Carra to Bolton in part-exchange for Cahill...

Still think he'll finish his career here and move into coaching the defence.

Agreed.

As much as I love Carra, his lack of pace has cost us goals this season and it's happening more often now.

We need players who should start because of their abilities and no doubt Carra is a good defender but his name and history probably gives him a slight advantage above others.

What concerns me is I remember seeing an article where he said he might consider leaving if he wasn't first choice.

Ive had enough of carra , i love the bloke but hes lost his pace and never pops up with goals unlike skrtel or agger.

Agreed, our next game i would have Agger and Skrtel starting with either Kelly or Johnson out on the right.

Always tricky, talking about a living, playing Liverpool legend.

At what point do we draw the line from saying he makes the occasional mistake, and people should get off his back, to saying that he has lost too much pace (never was Usain Bolt! ) and needs to step down?

Personally, I feel that he's been struggling for a while now. He's got the experience and courage to often make up for the fact he is too slow, but has been forced more and more often to bring a man down by force to prevent a potential goal-scoring position.

I'm glad this is Kenny's decision to make, as it's a tough one. My opinion is he should be rotated out of the side gradually, but then, isn't a good defence reliant on playing a first-choice CB partnership every week....?

Not sure if it is just kneejerk reaction to yesterday, but I would "rest him" and give either Skrtel or Coates a go with  Agger.

I remember a few seasons ago Carra had a dreadful start to the season until we lost to Everton and then he seemed to pull his socks up and gradually get back to his best. Just can't see it happening this time unfortunately, although to be fair he has always seemed to struggle more when we change fullbacks. Maybe once we get an established right back again things will improve. Hopeful but not holding my breath  

Always tricky, talking about a living, playing Liverpool legend.

At what point do we draw the line from saying he makes the occasional mistake, and people should get off his back, to saying that he has lost too much pace (never was Usain Bolt! ) and needs to step down?

Personally, I feel that he's been struggling for a while now. He's got the experience and courage to often make up for the fact he is too slow, but has been forced more and more often to bring a man down by force to prevent a potential goal-scoring position.

I'm glad this is Kenny's decision to make, as it's a tough one. My opinion is he should be rotated out of the side gradually, but then, isn't a good defence reliant on playing a first-choice CB partnership every week....?

I totally agree.