Carra

[Fox]

[quote author=Richey link=topic=34954.msg913488#msg913488 date=1248784413]
The problem is (and its not a bad problem!) that we have 3 very good centre backs, so already one will have to miss out. If Benitez were to spend big on another one now they would either not get games, another of our current centre backs will miss out or we would be rotating a lot, which is never a good idea in the defence.

Not many top class players will want to move here and not play - especially with a World Cup on the horizon - and buying a second rate type defender will mean the money won't be there in the future for a top class one.

I do share the concerns that we will be in trouble if one of the three gets injured for a long time, and we were very lucky to still have Sami around before now, but maybe Benitez is hoping a fully fit Agger is the replacement?
[/quote]


hmmm, old problem, play them all

Babb - Scales - Ruddock
;D

 

[spider-Neil]

I still think if ssmi had stayed he'd have been surprised at how many games he would have played this year.

 

[Squiggles]

Based on what?

Hyypia couldn't get a game when Carragher couldn't run towards the end of last season. We should have used him more but even so, he was right to be pessimistic about his chances at Liverpool.

 

[dee]

[quote author=Fox link=topic=34954.msg913539#msg913539 date=1248787006]
hmmm, old problem, play them all

Babb - Scales - Ruddock
;D
[/quote]

Made me laugh!

Seriously - what about Kelly? He has looked reasonably capable. Almost certainly too young and as a CB youth is a bad thing.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

I'd love us to get Distin as a 4th choice, he's 31 and available for 2-5mill.. Prem pedigree with 28 games for the deck chairs, 178 for Citeh and 74 for Pompey.. He'd be happy to be at a top club and Danny/Martin are pretty injury prone tbh meaning he'd get opportunities.. Can't be negative to have him around in training either..

 

[SaintGeorge67]

Carragher needs to improve, and if he was foreign I think more people would acknowledge that. Sure, he's set VERY high standards in the past, so it's not like he's completely finished. He has however seemed more complacent, giving away silly fouls etc and his legs seemed to have given up at the end of the season. Hopefully it was just fatigue.

His last ditch tackles look great, but Sami for example would usually be in the right place so just make it look much more boring by effortlessly clearing it.

He will start the season as first choice CB and rightly so, but I'm not sure if he will end it there. I hope I'm wrong, but I think he may be going the way of Gary Neville.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

[quote author=SaintGeorge67 link=topic=34954.msg913960#msg913960 date=1248821492]
Carragher needs to improve, and if he was foreign I think more people would acknowledge that. Sure, he's set VERY high standards in the past, so it's not like he's completely finished. He has however seemed more complacent, giving away silly fouls etc and his legs seemed to have given up at the end of the season. Hopefully it was just fatigue.

His last ditch tackles look great, but Sami for example would usually be in the right place so just make it look much more boring by effortlessly clearing it.

He will start the season as first choice CB and rightly so, but I'm not sure if he will end it there. I hope I'm wrong, but I think he may be going the way of Gary Neville.
[/quote]

He won't go Gary Neville on us, Ratface has declined due to a series of injuries whereas Carra's just been knackered.. Good rest'll sort him out, he's only 31 for fucks sake..

 

[Delinquent]

[quote author=SaintGeorge67 link=topic=34954.msg913960#msg913960 date=1248821492]
He will start the season as first choice CB and rightly so, but I'm not sure if he will end it there. I hope I'm wrong, but I think he may be going the way of Gary Neville.
[/quote]

That's bordering on absurd. There isn't even a comparison to be made.

 

[Ryan]

[quote author=SaintGeorge67 link=topic=34954.msg913960#msg913960 date=1248821492]
Carragher needs to improve, and if he was foreign I think more people would acknowledge that. Sure, he's set VERY high standards in the past, so it's not like he's completely finished. He has however seemed more complacent, giving away silly fouls etc and his legs seemed to have given up at the end of the season. Hopefully it was just fatigue.

His last ditch tackles look great, but Sami for example would usually be in the right place so just make it look much more boring by effortlessly clearing it.

He will start the season as first choice CB and rightly so, but I'm not sure if he will end it there. I hope I'm wrong, but I think he may be going the way of Gary Neville.
[/quote]

Absolutely ridiculous.

 

[SaintGeorge67]

I'm drunk so am allowed to be ridiculous.

OK, probably it was probably an exaggeration, but I can't see him being in the top, top bracket of CB's again. I hope I'm wrong of course.

 

[Delinquent]

Don't worry. You are. ;D

 

[Richey]

[quote author=SaintGeorge67 link=topic=34954.msg913960#msg913960 date=1248821492]
Carragher needs to improve, and if he was foreign I think more people would acknowledge that. Sure, he's set VERY high standards in the past, so it's not like he's completely finished. He has however seemed more complacent, giving away silly fouls etc and his legs seemed to have given up at the end of the season. Hopefully it was just fatigue.

His last ditch tackles look great, but Sami for example would usually be in the right place so just make it look much more boring by effortlessly clearing it.

He will start the season as first choice CB and rightly so, but I'm not sure if he will end it there. I hope I'm wrong, but I think he may be going the way of Gary Neville.
[/quote]

Okay, well I am not going to just condemn that, because I do see your point, I just disagree with it.
I don't think that Carragher has necessarily become exempt from criticism because he is a Scouser. Just like we have had many foreign players who rarely ever get criticised, we have also had many a local lad who have come in for massive amounts of stick. Indeed a few years ago on Koptalk we had threads every day demanding Carragher himself was dropped, some of the authors are still around on this forum today.

If Carragher does get let off criticism it is because of the high standards that he has set, which you yourself acknowledge. If a player has done the business in the past then the odd off day tends to pass without comment, and that's fair enough I think.

I don't think that Carragher has slipped as badly as you seem to suggest, nor that he relies a lot on last ditch challenges. My assessment of him is that one of his strengths is positional sense.
There were a few games last season where we did fall apart defensively but I don't recall Carragher being the only one to blame for this. However, I think it is worth noting that last season probably wasn't the easiest.

He played 38 league games and 54 games in total. So what's that? Every game apart from 1 (which incidently was our heaviest defeat)? He was the only constant in that defence while the rest of it changed around him, so you can forgive him for being a bit tired at times but I think it's a little unfair to start talking about him being on the decline just yet. Afterall, that defence that he played virtually every game in certainly didn't do too badly did it!