Different Team Without Agger

[Radar]

Is it me or are we a different team without Agger in the line up? It reminds me of a couple of years ago when we were a differnet team when Didi wasn't in the midfield. Weren't we top of the league come xmas and Didi got hurt or have I drank too much tonight?????

[kurtangle01]

We don't seem to be able to bring the ball out of defence as effctivley but if we had Xabi fitand playing well the, imho, we wouldn't have missed him half as much.

[-V-]

The big problem is that with both Alonso AND Agger out injured we dont pass the ball out of defence anymore. Every single one of our back 4 just hoof it forward instead

When Agger is there he runs it forward and when alonso is there he drops deep and collects it to play a decent forward pass.

Without them we struggle to move the ball forward effectively

[El Jefecito]

The big problem is that with both Alonso AND Agger out injured we dont pass the ball out of defence anymore. Every single one of our back 4 just hoof it forward instead

When Agger is there he runs it forward and when alonso is there he drops deep and collects it to play a decent forward pass.

Without them we struggle to move the ball forward effectively

Hmmm, you seem to understand football (much be scottish or suffer from some such similiar disease), you are dismissed to the sin-bin forthwith.

[Radar]

Sami does hoof the ball alot. I actually had the game on Tivo but for some reason it only recorded 15 mins of the game. When I checked the score I was actually glad I didn't sit there for 90 mins watching

[MrMichael]

Agger's distribution and ability to carry the ball forward have been sorely missed.

Sami has been a great servant, and continues to give everything he has to the club, playing far more games in succession than anyone, him included could really have imagined or wanted at the start of the season, but the loss of Agger has undoubtedly been a significant one.

[-V-]

Hmmm, you seem to understand football (much be scottish or suffer from some such similiar disease), you are dismissed to the sin-bin forthwith.

[El Jefecito]

I'm scottish and think most people on here have had lobotomies. It was a compliment

[-V-]

Lol oh ok

[AFII]

Agger and Reina.

A team shouldn't depend on that any player plays but Rafa's system is built around Agger and Reina.

[bigfooty]

We certainly miss Agger but I don't think it has helped that we've become so narrow this season with Babel and Yossi regularly moving infield. This means when Carra and Sami look up their only options are to hit it long, otherwise it's a fairly negative sideways pass to Finnan or Riise who don't really have the pace to motor down the wings.

[Skillz]

Alonso is missed just as much. Simple things he does makes us tick.

[kemm1]

The big problem is that with both Alonso AND Agger out injured we dont pass the ball out of defence anymore. Every single one of our back 4 just hoof it forward instead

When Agger is there he runs it forward and when alonso is there he drops deep and collects it to play a decent forward pass.

Without them we struggle to move the ball forward effectively

Exactly and the teams we play against are well aware of this. Plus don't forget Hyypia's snails pace.

[slimbimjim]

The big problem is that with both Alonso AND Agger out injured we dont pass the ball out of defence anymore. Every single one of our back 4 just hoof it forward instead

When Agger is there he runs it forward and when alonso is there he drops deep and collects it to play a decent forward pass.

Without them we struggle to move the ball forward effectively

Thats rubbish as I saw lots of balls to Masher and Gerrard only to see it go nowhere. There is no forward movement as a team.

I am not a tactition but I saw Blackburns midfield move forward as a unit and use the front two to ping it either way to advancing midfielders or widemen. They also seemed to have quicker feet than us.