Grabbing the shirt..

[juniormember]

Everyone does it, blah blah blah.

But the most comfortable I ever felt when faced with free kicks and corners was when we had a back 4 of Babbel, Henchoz, Hyppia and Carra. I don't remember them grabbing hold of shirts (particularly the best ever defensive header we had in Hyppia). They just won their headers.
Considering the height and leap of Skrtel, couldn't he simply have put his head on the ball when Kompany scored? Just a simple flick or deflection would have been fine.

What are the best defenders in te world right now doing when defending? Are they all going at it Skrtel style?

 

[kingjulian]

Ya, but Henchoz got away with playing as the false no 1

 

[keniget]

If BT didn't make a sport of pointing out Skrtel's shirt pulling then this wouldn't be as much of an issue.

Even if he does end up giving a pen away, it's still a risk worth taking because you could argue that on balance we'd still be better off in terms of goals (not) conceded.

As for why he does this - beyond the "everyone does it" argument - I guess it's because he's not confident enough in his ability. So the answer to all the "can't he just watch the ball" type questions is: No.

 

[juniormember]

We've been saying about it, well I and a few others certainly have, for years and years though.
It's either something that should be coached out of him (which I doubt at this point in his career) or we get someone capable of using his body strength to head a ball out.

 

[hmmmmm1]

Sakho goes to he win the ball, powerhouse centre half.

Skirtl does his best to put the other player off winning the ball.

 

[FoxForceFive]

Carra did it for years, kompany does it the other end too, loads of defenders do it, Skrtel is just being put under the microscope for it.

 

[keniget]

we get someone capable of using his body strength to head a ball out.

If we don't like it, that's the only answer.

 

[Modo]

This isn't new, and it's been going on for ages.

 

[Mors]

I'd rather he focused on winning the ball, rather than putting off the attacker. Maybe he doesn't think he'll win the header against some of these players.

 

[Rafiagra]

Little Michael Owen ha been like a dog with a bone on this issue.

He's particularly cringeworthy with his attempts to be insightful as he commentates. Now we're faced with a media agenda against in and I bet we get a penalty against us on Sunday.

What irks me most about Skrtel for the goal yesterday was that he jut doesn't try to beat Kompany to the ball. He's always way too focused on disrupting his opponent rather than the ball.

I don't think he's good enough personally. Nor is Agger. However, he's good enough to see us through to the end of the season.

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

Carra did it for years, kompany does it the other end too, loads of defenders do it, Skrtel is just being put under the microscope for it.

Exactly, everyone does do it, we can blah blah blah about all we like but it happens in every PL game multple times.

 

[juniormember]

Carra did it for years, kompany does it the other end too, loads of defenders do it, Skrtel is just being put under the microscope for it.

Don't quite agree with you there.
I've been saying Skrtel's a penalty waiting to happen for years, along with others, because it's so obvious with him.

 

[mark1975]

He did exactly the same last week and it resulted in stopping their player getting the ball on target, as it does almost every other time. Agger got shit for it the other week because he failed to challenge convincingly or to try to win the ball.

 

[Hansern]

I'd rather he attacked the ball though. He gets caught flatfooted and ends up holding the oppositions shirt instead of going for the ball. For a CB of his size he's poor in the air. When he wins a header he usually have no controll over them. Giving away corners and what not.
The last ditch tackles are great but are usually a result from his poor positioning.

As I've said before we need a better CB as Sakhos partner. Skrtel can be third choice.

 

[rurikbird]

Yes, with each week it's becoming more obvious that Skrtel is simply not a long-term 1st choice defender for a top team that we are trying to become. I'd gladly have him as 3rd choice though.