Martin Skrtel (Napoli)

Dunno if it's 100% probably not but i've heard this is happening very soon.

Ive heard this thread will be locked.

Ive heard this thread will be locked.

 

News article added to give this thread some credibility (if a Daily Mail article can be considered as such!).

Benitez eyes Skrtel reunion at Napoli but Liverpool will only sell if the price is right

By Graeme Yorke

PUBLISHED: 21:38 GMT, 5 August 2013 | UPDATED: 21:38 GMT, 5 August 2013

Liverpool are ready to let defender Martin Skrtel go for the right price.

The Slovakian is wanted by Napoli but Rafa Benitez is only considering a loan deal similar to that of Pepe Reina at the moment.

The Italians have been on a summer splurge following the sale of Edinson Cavani to Paris St Germain, investing more than £34million in Gonzalo Higuain, as well as the significant figures of Raul Albiol and Jose Callejon.

As such, the £12m fee Liverpool want for Skrtel, who joined five years ago for £6.5m, is considered restrictive.

The 28-year-old’s future is in doubt with manager Brendan Rodgers is in the process of overhauling his defence. He has already added Kolo Toure from Manchester City and has pondered a return to Valencia's Aly Cissokho.

The Northern Irishman is also considering St Etienne defender Faouzi Ghoulam who is wanted by Torino, but has shelved interest in Benfica left-back Lorenzo Melgarejo.

Danish defender Daniel Agger remains a target for Barcelona also should they fail to prise David Luiz from Chelsea, which would force Rodgers’ hand.

Whatever happens in the case of Skrtel , Liverpool are unlikely to pursue interest in MK Dons midfielder Dele Alli. The League One side value the 17-year-old at around £2.75m, similar to the price agreed by West Ham for former striker Sam Baldock.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2385027/Liverpool-defender-Martin-Skrtel-wanted-manager-Rafa-Benitez-Napoli.html

Ive heard this thread will be locked.

Why would this thread be locked smart lad?
Why are poster's on here so far up their own arse's?

Talk about delusional "i've heard this thread will be locked"
Get a F***ing life lad..

Why would this thread be locked smart lad?
Why are poster's on here so far up their own arse's?

Talk about delusional "i've heard this thread will be locked"
Get a f**king life lad..

At the time it was posted, the OP did not provide a source, just some rumour they heard

Why would this thread be locked smart lad?
Why are poster's on here so far up their own arse's?

Talk about delusional "i've heard this thread will be locked"
Get a F***ing life lad..

Wow, quoted and lots more than I saw before.... Handbags... It would be locked because you opened with no link to a story as per the forum rules.

To be honest, he played a few poor games last season and has always been a bit dodgy. Hard as nails but dodgy - however under Rafa he looked a class player - how many times have we said that though..! In all fairess, sell him and bring in a better all round technical Agger esk player and im happy.

Why would this thread be locked smart lad?
Why are poster's on here so far up their own arse's?

Talk about delusional "i've heard this thread will be locked"
Get a f**king life lad..

To me it was a light hearted joke which is noticeably lacking on the forum the last few months.

To me it was a light hearted joke which is noticeably lacking on the forum the last few months.

Same thing I thought!

I like Skrtle as a player and its very hard to imagine what's happened to a player that was quality under Dalglish but sh*te under Rodgers.

Once sold all what will be left of Benitez team would be Johnson, Agger & Lucas with the first 2 being sold by next summer.

As in nearly all transfers, it all depends on replacements - hopefully improvements.

I never saw Skrtel as a top defender, as in 'among the best in the country/Europe', but for all his flaws he's been solid and deserved his player of the year award under Kenny.

It wouldn't feel like the end of the world to see him leaving as Rodgers doesn't seem to count on him much, but I wouldn't be so quick as some to dismiss Skrtel's quality and possible contribution to the team. If he's sold, we'll surely need to improve on him, which isn't that easy. He would be a very good signing to quite a lot of teams.

To me it was a light hearted joke which is noticeably lacking on the forum the last few months.

Amen to that!!  There has been so much friction and tension on here the last few months it is borderline depressing reading through some of the threads.... It's definitely time for some lighthearted banter and good times to return to the club and the forum

I like Skrtle as a player and its very hard to imagine what's happened to a player that was quality under Dalglish but sh*te under Rodgers.

Once sold all what will be left of Benitez team would be Johnson, Agger & Lucas with the first 2 being sold by next summer.

The main difference being that Skrtel cannot play a high line very well, but is a good defender on the edge of the box. Dalglish/Clarke tactics had us sitting a bit deeper than under Rodgers/Pascoe.

Why would this thread be locked smart lad?
Why are poster's on here so far up their own arse's?

Talk about delusional "i've heard this thread will be locked"
Get a F***ing life lad..

Here, have a snickers.

The main difference being that Skrtel cannot play a high line very well, but is a good defender on the edge of the box. Dalglish/Clarke tactics had us sitting a bit deeper than under Rodgers/Pascoe.

Hmm... not so sure about that Mozzie.

I may be wrong but I seem to remember that, in Kenny's last season, we played an awful lot of our football in the 'final third'; as opposed to lying deep, as we passed it 'round the back for days, in the first half of last season.

One thing I wouldn't dispute tho' is that Clarke's qualities as a defensive coach certainly seen the best out of the team at free kicks and corners. Skrtel, throughout all that time was very dominant. It's horses for courses tho' and if Brendan doesn't think he's good enough [surely his big wage doesn't come into it] so be it.

Hmm... not so sure about that Mozzie.

I may be wrong but I seem to remember that, in Kenny's last season, we played an awful lot of our football in the 'final third'; as opposed to lying deep, as we passed it 'round the back for days, in the first half of last season.

One thing I wouldn't dispute tho' is that Clarke's qualities as a defensive coach certainly seen the best out of the team at free kicks and corners. Skrtel, throughout all that time was very dominant. It's horses for courses tho' and if Brendan doesn't think he's good enough [surely his big wage doesn't come into it] so be it.

These two articles do a pretty decent job talking about the defensive line in the 2011-12 season.

http://liverpool.theoffside.com/2011/11/2/3108062/liverpools-deep-defensive-line

http://liverpool.theoffside.com/2012/3/5/3108307/holding-the-line

But probably the most informative part are the pictures of everyone's average position on the pitch based on their heat map.

I can't really find anything about this past season's defensive line, but it definitely seemed a bit higher to me IIRC.

These two articles do a pretty decent job talking about the defensive line in the 2011-12 season.

http://liverpool.theoffside.com/2011/11/2/3108062/liverpools-deep-defensive-line

http://liverpool.theoffside.com/2012/3/5/3108307/holding-the-line

Thanks for the info Mozzie even if it's only comparing our line with and without Carra in it. If you can, would you keep looking for a couple of illustrations of average position from last season - one first three months; one last three months - it'll be interesting to see how they compare with each other and 2011/12 (I'll do the same).

I can't really find anything about this past season's defensive line, but it definitely seemed a bit higher to me

Like I said I may be wrong (being as how I'm half-daft) but I seem to remember, in the first three months, we played an awful lot in our own third with defenders, 'keeper and Joe Allen passing it about, for decades on end and no penetration. I really would like to see the average from then.

Like I said I may be wrong (being as how I'm half-daft) but I seem to remember, in the first three months, we played an awful lot in our own third with defenders, 'keeper and Joe Allen passing it about, for decades on end and no penetration. I really would like to see the average from then.

I think the high line has more to do with our defensive position when we lose the ball than when we are in possession.  Under Kenny/Clarke, when we would lose the ball we would retreat into our own half and hold a deep defensive line that had a back four shielded by Lucas and then another line of four with one striker forcing the ball to one side.  However, under BR the idea is to press high up the pitch and win the ball back in an area where we can take advantage of our positioning when we force the turnover.  That is the difference - our CB's and fullbacks are not dropping upon the loss of possession, which leaves acres of space for the opposition to exploit behind our back line and through the channels which is why we conceded so many goals on the counter last season. 

In order to be effective with this sort of tactic, we need CB's who have a good turn of pace and are also very good at 1v1 defending.  Skrtel is better at zonal defending and using his strength and athleticism to snuff out chances, but when he is isolated in 1v1 scenarios I am always worried he is going to get torched.  He was rarely faced with this sort of scenario under Kenny/Clarke's system, but last season he came up against it much more regularly.  Carra, despite being slower, is a much better tackler and fares much better in the 1v1 situations than Skrtel does. 

Just my 2 cents on the matter

Like I said I may be wrong (being as how I'm half-daft) but I seem to remember, in the first three months, we played an awful lot in our own third with defenders, 'keeper and Joe Allen passing it about, for decades on end and no penetration.

You're right mate and this when Joe Allen was being lauded with MotM after MotM. His tempo, control, presence, pressure, power, pace, posture, predisposition, pontification any other of the Brendan P's you want to give him was highlighted so well, because we actually went a long way without doing anything.

That's why the key P, possession, is only meaningful if you are actually a threat while in possession and something when compared with Kenny's tenure seems to be forgotten the number of chances we created was top of the league for the first half of the season.

I'm always more forgiving of missing chances created than not creating at all.

I think the high line has more to do with our defensive position when we lose the ball than when we are in possession.

You think right Harry. Which is why, when we were losing the ball in our own third (in the first three months), I believe the line will show up as being deeper. 

Carra, despite being slower, is a much better tackler and fares much better in the 1v1 situations than Skrtel does.

That, apart from Carra being slower, is not true harry. 





http://www.eplindex.com/17270/

Thanks for the info Mozzie even if it's only comparing our line with and without Carra in it. If you can, would you keep looking for a couple of illustrations of average position from last season - one first three months; one last three months - it'll be interesting to see how they compare with each other and 2011/12 (I'll do the same).

Like I said I may be wrong (being as how I'm half-daft) but I seem to remember, in the first three months, we played an awful lot in our own third with defenders, 'keeper and Joe Allen passing it about, for decades on end and no penetration. I really would like to see the average from then.

I'll take a look tonight. I'm at work so don't have a ton of time to be researching football

Hmmm......so does this mean we can close all of the LFC player transfer threads??

Viktor Fagerström ‏@ViktorFagerLFC 29m
Rodgers: No bids near our valuation of Suarez. Bids only from Arsenal. We have no intention of selling Suarez this window, or any player.
Retweeted by LFCTS

Hmmm......so does this mean we can close all of the LFC player transfer threads??

Viktor Fagerström ‏@ViktorFagerLFC 29m
Rodgers: No bids near our valuation of Suarez. Bids only from Arsenal. We have no intention of selling Suarez this window, or any player.
Retweeted by LFCTS

Nah mate leave them open, we might not sell any but we sure as hell can loan them out.