Meanwhile, another talented centre back, and in my opinion our best, Daniel Agger has seen his playing time restricted either by injuries or through Roy Hodgson favouring the Skrtel/Carragher pairing over him. When he has been fit he has invariably played out of position at left back and his form and confidence have suffered because of this combination of injuries and lack of game time in his preferred position.
Carragher signing a new contract may provide Agger with another body blow. Many Reds fans see both the Dane and Martin Skrtel as the next defensive partnership to blossom at Anfield. With Carra’s ageing legs, many feel it is nearing the time for the pairing to be used on a more regular basis but the two year contract extension signed by Carragher suggests otherwise. Jamie has given fantastic service to the club and his experience at the back is invaluable, but like Sami Hyypia, there comes a time when you have to take a step back and acknowledge you can’t be playing every Premier League match ahead of some much younger, and perhaps abler, bodies.
Perhaps over the next few years we will see Jamie taking a step back anyway. It will hopefully be a gradual process where other defenders take a greater and greater burden of matches, leaving Carra in the background, playing games when required and using his experience to mentor others in the dark arts of centre back play. For Agger though, the way the season has started under Roy Hodgson, he may just feel that this lengthy contract extension will hamper his abilities to get into the team further. With Skrtel now ahead him in the pecking order, and speculation that Roy is looking for a replacement defender in January, the Dane might just be asking himself whether he has a future at Liverpool long term.
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Well said. I think the time has come for Skirtel and Agger to be given a chance to form a partnership. Carra has been a great servant to the club and he should continue to play a role. But it’s time for the next generation to step up at center back.
i agree with you dave carra has been a great servant to the club and am happy that he will be with us but i dont think that he is good a enough to start in our team i will prefer a new signing at center back but i will start agger over carra but my real problem is jonhson he need to go
yes, i agree with the comments, but our main problem is with the full backs. Play Carra at right back, get rid of Johnson (what a waste of cash) buy new left back. Simples!
Carragher, although a great servant for LFC is no longer mobile enough.
I think Johnson will be much better playing along side Skyrtl with Agger and Aurelio at left back.
Unfortunately I think unless we get a new manager quickly we will lose Agger in January.
hey what if the width/wings problems could be solved with the like of ashley young from villa, good player cuts in really well… and then carra could be a super sub for defense he can play all along this gonna pave the awy for agger and skrtel out there… johnson should really be sent either to right wing or somewhere he can play but right back ouuffff…!!!
good article – Skrtel is no more of a long term solution for us than Carra is though. We need a proper replacement for Hyppia (somebody physically dominant), and in the short term until we can find that player, Agger’s partner in the centre of defence should be Kyrgiakos.
Hodgson’s management of Agger is almost as surprising as his decision to buy Poulson.
As a short-term measure I would play Carra in the centre of Skertel and Agger to see if that works and takes some pressure of all of them.That would allow Johnson and Konchesky to push further forward as wing-backs. Might as well, they can’t defend.
Roy is a nice guy but we need a manager that will instill the winning pride and mentallity throughout the team. Agreed three or four wins on the trot would change the scenery and thoughts about his style, but can we afford to wait and break more embarassing records? As much as I dislike him, I feel that Martin ONeil would do a better job than Roy! Oh and Maxi Rodrigez is worse than Lucas so get rid!