Alonso and Agger out with fractured metatarsal

[JohnDoe]

Official

DOUBLE INJURY BLOW FOR REDS
Paul Eaton 20 September 2007

Liverpool have been hit with a double injury blow with the news that both Xabi Alonso and Daniel Agger are expected to be sidelined for up to six weeks.
Both players returned from international duty in midweek with foot injuries and scans have confirmed they have suffered a stress fracture of their metatarsal.

Club spokesman Ian Cotton told Liverpoolfc.tv: "Neither player will require surgery but we expect them to be out of action for between four and six weeks.

"Xabi Alonso has suffered a stress fracture to the 4th metatarsal in his left foot and Daniel Agger has suffered a stress fracture to the 2nd metatarsal in his right foot."

The news means both players are likely to miss a number of Barclays Premier League and Champions League matches, including fixtures against Birmingham, Wigan, Tottenham, Everton and Marseille.

[homer1]

Arbeloa isn't very good in the air and isn't strong enough to impose himself at CB for a full match. It makes me think Rafa'll go Finnan-Carragher-Riise-Arbeloa in games where pace at the back will be crucial.

Call me crazy but I think it might work.

Agree Riise is better in the air than Arbeloa but Arbeloa is a CB by trade so would at least have the tactical know how and positional sense to play there ...... Riise has been a LB for years and still hasn't mastered his positional sense so to stick him in at CB would be suicide IMO

Anyway, although Agger will be a big loss Sami is capable of doing a job there - just wonder if Rafa will re-shuffle his CM to offer more protection to the defence when needed

[Resu]

He was a bit raw but was it really that clever to get rid of Paletta

IMO Rafa made a mistake when he let Paletta go and then placed all the eggs in one basket named Heinze.
A decent back-up CB doesn`t cost that much, and what we need is someone content with the bench most of the time.

[redhendrix]

Against the likes of Arsenal Sami will struggle but otherwise he'll do ok. My worry is how many games can he play. Not twice or three times a week thats for sure. Step up Jack Hobbs.

[JohnDoe]

Against the likes of Arsenal Sami will struggle but otherwise he'll do ok. My worry is how many games can he play. Not twice or three times a week thats for sure. Step up Jack Hobbs.

I think Agger will be back for the Arsenal game.

They said 4-6 weeks, I'm hopeful they'll get him ready for that.

[Morph]

I think Agger will be back for the Arsenal game.

They said 4-6 weeks, I'm hopeful they'll get him ready for that.

I reckon he'll back for Everton after the international break, have a feeling he'll be a quick healer, Alonso tho i think will be out for the full 6 weeks

[JohnDoe]

Agree Riise is better in the air than Arbeloa but Arbeloa is a CB by trade so would at least have the tactical know how and positional sense to play there ...... Riise has been a LB for years and still hasn't mastered his positional sense so to stick him in at CB would be suicide IMO

Anyway, although Agger will be a big loss Sami is capable of doing a job there - just wonder if Rafa will re-shuffle his CM to offer more protection to the defence when needed

CM will be fine. We have plenty of cover there.

We'll see about Riise, it's just a personal feeling of mine. He has the physical abilities to play there, definitely. Rafa will sort him out

[Reece]

What about Sissoko at CB?

[JohnDoe]

I reckon he'll back for Everton after the international break, have a feeling he'll be a quick healer, Alonso tho i think will be out for the full 6 weeks

That will be great if he makes it to the Derby. It's a month from now so not impossible.

[JohnDoe]

What about Sissoko at CB?

Now you're just talking bollocks

He's barely capable of sitting back as a holding midfielder.

[Reece]

Now you're just talking bollocks

He's barely capable of sitting back as a holding midfielder.

Are we allowed to bring in free agents at this stage of the season? If so, I don't think Pellegrino is currently at a club.

[Craig_H]

This is exactly why i was so keen on us getting Heinze (or SOMEBODY) for CB cover...and some planks laughed at me...

[Morph]

Birmingham, Reading CC, Wigan, Marseille, Tottenham, Everton, Besiktas, Arsenal, Blackburn

These are our games for next 6 weeks, up till spurs that isn't the most difficult run of games after the spurs game which is at home we have a fortnights international break, so hopefully by the time Everton comes round we can at least have Agger back, if Alonso made it back for Arsenal that would be pretty decent

[red g]

we can cope without Alonso, The mash can step up no worries......its agger thats a big worry, would like to see arbeola in the centre if aurelio can stay fit for a month

[Sarb]

Why not Gerrard in Central Defence? Likes of Hansen and Lawro have said that he would do a good job there. As a stop gap I don't see any harm. He can also bring the ball out from the back much like Agger does