In some respects, the latest injury to Liverpool centre back Daniel Agger comes as a double blow for the Reds. The Dane is a highly accomplished defender, both capable in the air, and very mobile on the floor, but his contribution to the team is probably greater when he is on the ball. His three fellow centre backs Martin Skrtel, Jamie Carragher and Sotirios Kyrgiakos are all no nonsense defenders but not one of them really plays the ball out from the back like Agger does. It is an aspect of the Liverpool team which is even more crucial when you have a striker like Andy Carroll in the side for it provides the ‘less able’ centre halves with an option to look for the easy out ball to the big man up front.
Agger was never one to look for the easy option on the ball and would always like to play on the ground from the back. He even went as far to criticise then manager Roy Hodgson when he felt he had been asked to just to hoof the ball away rather than play the ball:
“The manager has a philosophy that we’re playing football further up the pitch and then you have to play a different kind of football at the back. That’s not my style. That’s not the type of football player I am. I like to keep the ball on the ground. And I’m going to keep doing that. Whether he’ll use me or not, time will tell. I guess I’ll try to change even though I’m not going to be the player that unloads the ball every single time I get it. I’ll fight for my chance. I’ll get the chance. I know what I represent and I think he also knows that.”
For both these remarks and his style of play, Agger has many admirers among the Anfield faithful. I count myself as one of them, but the Dane’s recent injury blow has got me thinking, along with many other Reds fans, about whether we can ever rely on the 26 year old to play consistently. Injuries have plagued Agger this season, and I feel it is now time to look elsewhere for a reliable footballing centre half in the summer.
Continue Reading on Page 2 . . .
INTRODUCING CRYSIS 2!
Good player but too injury prone. Sell.
Depending on how high his salary is, I’d keep him and get in another ball playing centre back and/or start giving Danny Wilson more games. Strength in depth is never a bad thing. As much as I love the guy, the defender we badly need to replace is Soto, he just makes too many costly mistakes and at 31 he isn’t going to improve.
I am in total disagreement with the last paragraph of his article, agger is a
world-class defender, okay, get hurt easily, but with a
player who can replace (cahill) could be even better. NO SALE
I believe Agger would make a great DM. His defensive abilities are well known, his ball playing skills are widely recognized, his passing is currently good and could improve with time at DM. And his somewhat fragile frame would take less hammer at DM.
And he has a great shot from long range – he scored some wonderful goals for the Reds in the past. Given some time at the position, he could make people forget Makele! (and Mascherano).
we need the man, gets injured a lot but when he’s fit can be trusted at the back. Right now only Carra is doing the job but yet Carra is getting older the great dane shouldn’t go. getting cahill though could be an option.