[article=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2414217/Jamie-Carragher-Big-crushing-Englands-kids.html]So, can £18m marquee man Sakho put his left foot forward at Liverpool?
I spent transfer deadline night in the presence of countless Liverpool legends at a dinner to celebrate Bill Shankly’s 100th birthday.
Brendan Rodgers was in attendance — he presented me with an award — and he was relaxed and in high spirits, for good reason. It was in stark contrast to 12 months ago when the transfer deadline passed with Liverpool failing to sign Clint Dempsey.
It has been good to see Liverpool replace the old man who pottered away in retirement last May with three central defenders. Kolo Toure has settled well and made a bright start, Tiago Ilori has been brought from Sporting Lisbon for the future and then there is Mamadou Sakho.
He arrives on Merseyside with a solid reputation and it was interesting to hear that Ian Ayre, Liverpool’s managing director, described him as ‘a marquee signing’ — when you spend £18million on someone, you would expect they will play.
So it will be fascinating to see how Brendan fits Sakho in. He is a left-sided central defender but Liverpool already have a very good one of those in Daniel Agger, who has succeeded me as vice-captain.
In my experience, you can play two right-footed central defenders as a partnership — that was the case when Sami Hyypia and I played alongside each other — but I have never seen a team line up with two left-footed central defenders as a partnership.
I would doubt that Brendan is now going to start playing 3-5-2, even though he used it at fleeting times last season, so where Sakho fits in remains to be seen. One thing that is not in doubt, however, is the start Liverpool have made to the season.
Nobody will be getting carried away by three consecutive wins but the positive thing is that Liverpool have laid solid foundations — and three clean sheets show they are going to be difficult to beat.
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I spent transfer deadline night in the presence of countless Liverpool legends at a dinner to celebrate Bill Shankly’s 100th birthday.
Brendan Rodgers was in attendance — he presented me with an award — and he was relaxed and in high spirits, for good reason. It was in stark contrast to 12 months ago when the transfer deadline passed with Liverpool failing to sign Clint Dempsey.
It has been good to see Liverpool replace the old man who pottered away in retirement last May with three central defenders. Kolo Toure has settled well and made a bright start, Tiago Ilori has been brought from Sporting Lisbon for the future and then there is Mamadou Sakho.
He arrives on Merseyside with a solid reputation and it was interesting to hear that Ian Ayre, Liverpool’s managing director, described him as ‘a marquee signing’ — when you spend £18million on someone, you would expect they will play.
So it will be fascinating to see how Brendan fits Sakho in. He is a left-sided central defender but Liverpool already have a very good one of those in Daniel Agger, who has succeeded me as vice-captain.
In my experience, you can play two right-footed central defenders as a partnership — that was the case when Sami Hyypia and I played alongside each other — but I have never seen a team line up with two left-footed central defenders as a partnership.
I would doubt that Brendan is now going to start playing 3-5-2, even though he used it at fleeting times last season, so where Sakho fits in remains to be seen. One thing that is not in doubt, however, is the start Liverpool have made to the season.
Nobody will be getting carried away by three consecutive wins but the positive thing is that Liverpool have laid solid foundations — and three clean sheets show they are going to be difficult to beat.
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