He was great at the weekend, and I suppose you would have to say he's been a decent player for us during his time here. However, he's not a top defender like the likes of Carragher and Hyypia... anyway, I don't want to denigrate his achievement. He's done well to reach that landmark.
He was great at the weekend, and I suppose you would have to say he's been a decent player for us during his time here. However, he's not a top defender like the likes of Carragher and Hyypia... anyway, I don't want to denigrate his achievement. He's done well to reach that landmark.
The comparison with Carra is an interesting one because, before his excellent last few years, Carra for much of his career was definitely poorer than Skrtel has been as a CB (though he did pretty well at fullback). Carra eventually improved big-time at CB but it took a fair while. Maybe Skrtel can still get closer to that standard himself.
The comparison with Carra is an interesting one because, before his excellent last few years, Carra for much of his career was definitely poorer than Skrtel has been as a CB (though he did pretty well at fullback). Carra eventually improved big-time at CB but it took a fair while. Maybe Skrtel can still get closer to that standard himself.
No he wasn't.
He was an excellent left-back in 2001, when we won the treble, and was only about 23 then.
He was voted player of the year a couple of seasons before that.
"Excellent last few years". If by few years, you mean "decade" then yeah.
I refer the honourable gentleman to the words "as a CB (though he did pretty well at fullback)" in the post he himself quoted.
Eventually, certainly, but it took Rafa's arrival to bring that out of him. Before then he was ropey in the centre.
The Skrtel/Carragher own goals thing has never bothered me. I've always seen it as a result of being willing to throw their body on the line (literally) to blocking everything - the occasional poor deflection per multiple game saving interceptions.
As opposed to Lovren's tactic of his shutting his eyes tight and jumping out the way.
Agreed. A lot like a good DM's fouls.