[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=32819.msg846493#msg846493 date=1239876533]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=32819.msg846488#msg846488 date=1239875993]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=32819.msg846485#msg846485 date=1239875826]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=32819.msg846478#msg846478 date=1239875233]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=32819.msg846474#msg846474 date=1239874707]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=32819.msg846469#msg846469 date=1239874491]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=32819.msg846460#msg846460 date=1239873585]
that's how I saw it as well, drogba dominted agger in the first leg and agger snuffed him out second leg.
this time around drogba has the freedom of the park in both ties with skrtal (and to a lesser extent carra) failing to get to grips with him.
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That's so wide of the mark. Agger got overpowered at Stamford Bridge, we kept possession better in their half at Anfield and snuffed out their supply, the only reason Agger got the plaudits was (once again) for scoring a goal rather than any defensive heroics.
Skrtel, for all his soul responsibility for giving Drogba the freedom of the park the other night (even though one goal came from the left, with Pepe and Aurelio largely at fault), was the main reason we got beat there last season. As soon as he went off the game changed for the worse. He played very well against Drogba.
The whole backline aren't functioning too well as a unit, blame it on collective form and fatigue or whatever, for the most part the same backline has been excellent this season.
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skrtal was at fault for the goal because he shouldn't have let drogba move ahead of him to recieve the ball, skrtal didn't put enough pressure on drogba to put him off.
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That was in a minuscule moment that cost us. It was great quick cross in from Anelka, ultimately Reina should have covered the near post and someone should have been on the player behind him. Skrtel did enough to narrow the angle, there was no way even the deftest of touches should have seen the ball go in like that, it was a basic goalkeeping error, you always cover the near post in that kind of position, but heh, it seems a given that Skrtel will get the blame, despite the other two Liverpool players involved in the move (the player on Anelka who allowed the cross, and Pepe who made a howler).
Your hatred of Skrtel and willingness to pick him out in every potential threatening situation is a joke, did you even look at the other players roles in the goals?
Yeah he's made mistakes and is in poor form, as are Aurelio and Arbeloa, while Carra looks thoroughly shagged out, but as said, for the most part, with him in defence we've looked defensively sound.
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three people were involved,
aurelio - for allowing nico to cross
skrtal - for not putting enough pressure on the ball
pepe - for not covering his near post
its down to opinion who you think was most to blame for the goal.
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It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see who made the biggest error. How do you surmise from the above three incidents that Skrtel's part was the worst?
Unless of course you just look for any excuse to criticise him.
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to be honest all three angered me.
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After I had initially pointed out Aurelio's part in the goal and Reina's gaff, your reply was:
skrtal was at fault for the goal because he shouldn't have let drogba move ahead of him to recieve the ball, skrtal didn't put enough pressure on drogba to put him off.
And now it's as though all three were equally at fault, just so you can get some measure of blame in there on Skrtel? He did what a defender should. He closed down Drogba and narrowed the angle, the rest of the work remained with the goalkeeper then to cover the near post to prevent the ball going in, he got caught in two minds and the ball ricocheted into the net. If he'd covered the near post it would never had happened.