Some good news - Skrtel!

[Joe King]

It allows your wing backs to really push up field

Look at Argentina for example. Solid as a rock at the back, and unreal going forward. Sure they have Messi and Aguero....but we have Torres and Gerrard

3 at the back lets Agger push forward a bit more too when teams park the bus. He's so good making runs forward. It would be great to see it more often.

Disagree there. Maradona has been blessed with embarrasing amount of attacking talent. Tevez, Messi, Aguero, Lavezzi, Maxi, Barrientos however their defence is suspect. I watched the game against Scotland and they were exposed many times which is why Maradona wants to bring in Oscar Ruggeri as his assistant rather than having Mancuso

[Harv]

Disagree there. Maradona has been blessed with embarrasing amount of attacking talent. Tevez, Messi, Aguero, Lavezzi, Maxi, Barrientos however their defence is suspect. I watched the game against Scotland and they were exposed many times which is why Maradona wants to bring in Oscar Ruggeri as his assistant rather than having Mancuso

One game you watched

Ayala, Samuel, Sensini (or Heinze), Zanetti and Sorin,

That was an incredibly formidable defence IMO, and allowed Zanetti and Sorin to be so effective getting foward.

[dww]

It allows your wing backs to really push up field

Look at Argentina for example. Solid as a rock at the back, and unreal going forward. Sure they have Messi and Aguero....but we have Torres and Gerrard

3 at the back lets Agger push forward a bit more too when teams park the bus. He's so good making runs forward. It would be great to see it more often.

Why more so than a back four with a holding midfield player?

I really think that a back four plus a screening 2 midifelders which allows you to attack with three of those six is infinitely more flexible. You are hugely more at risk down the flanks from even half competent opposition in a 3-5-2 with pushed forward fullbacks and if you don't push the wing backs forward you have a 5-3-2 and no attacking width. I genuinely see it as offering almost no advantage over a system with a well structured back four and central midfield.

Argentina would appear a bad example to me as considering the talent in their team they have under performed for a large number of years.

[Joe King]

One game you watched

Ayala, Samuel, Sensini (or Heinze), Zanetti and Sorin,

That was an incredibly formidable defence IMO, and allowed Zanetti and Sorin to be so effective getting foward.

I'm basing it on the recent match not just one match.

The key word there WAS. I remember watching some of that defence playing against Brazil in the Copa America and were absolutely slaughtered by Wagner Love and Robinho - not the greatest of partnerships to be added. And lets be honest, if this is a so-called formidable defence, they would have been a lot closer to contest for honours.

[The_weatherman]

Why more so than a back four with a holding midfield player?
I really think that a back four plus a screening 2 midifelders which allows you to attack with three of those six is infinitely more flexible. You are hugely more at risk down the flanks from even half competent opposition in a 3-5-2 with pushed forward fullbacks and if you don't push the wing backs forward you have a 5-3-2 and no attacking width. I genuinely see it as offering almost no advantage over a system with a well structured back four and central midfield.

Argentina would appear a bad example to me as considering the talent in their team they have under performed for a large number of years.

I think the introduction of the holding midfielder/ defensive midfielder has for the most part killed off 3-5-2. He can give freedom to the fullbacks and screen the defence and keeping a link between defence and midfield.

[rage]

352 means our best player in their best positions all on the pitch at the same time. i know dave thinks its **** but at home it can't be any worse than what we've done pretty much all season

[PTP]

i ****ing knew this would happen! I just knew people wouldn't be able to post things like

"great news - good player skrtel and good that he is recovering well from a bad injury"

without the thread turning into a tactics debate! even going way off the topic and discussing Argentina's good attack poor defensive attributes roflmao hahaha how did the **** that happen

[dww]

i ****ing knew this would happen! I just knew people wouldn't be able to post things like

"great news - good player skrtel and good that he is recovering well from a bad injury"

without the thread turning into a tactics debate! even going way off the topic and discussing Argentina's good attack poor defensive attributes roflmao hahaha how did the **** that happen

So long as it doesn't become a Rafa/home form debate I'm happy with anything at the minute.

It is great news for the team though. I tend to agree with Rafa that four CBs is what we need and that we have an excellent range of styles available when Skrtel is in the mix.

[Joe King]

i ****ing knew this would happen! I just knew people wouldn't be able to post things like

"great news - good player skrtel and good that he is recovering well from a bad injury"

without the thread turning into a tactics debate! even going way off the topic and discussing Argentina's good attack poor defensive attributes roflmao hahaha how did the **** that happen

So you agree with me then?

I know this might ruffle some feathers but I prefer Skrtel to Agger mainly because he does his job and does it extremely well. Agger for me is still finding his feet and does seem to get dominated or maybe intimidated by the bigger, stronger defender. If Skrtel can add goals, he can be just as much as a hero as Hyypia.

[Reece]

Great news - good player Skrtel and good that he is recovering well from a bad injury.

[PTP]

Great news - good player Skrtel and good that he is recovering well from a bad injury.

[Craig_H]

Back in training

Martin Skrtel returns to full training - Liverpool FC latest
Dec 17 2008 EXCLUSIVE by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL have been boosted by the return of Martin Skrtel to full training.

The Slovakian international has spent the last two months on the sidelines after suffering a knee ligament injury in the Reds’ 3-2 win at Man City.

Skrtel had been in outstanding form alongside Jamie Carragher at the heart of Liverpool’s defence before injury struck. In his absence, Daniel Agger and Sami Hyypia have taken it in turns to fill in alongside Carragher with neither able to hold down a regular starting place.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is adamant that he needs four top class centre backs to give him the competition for places within his squad that he is looking for.

Though Skrtel is able to join in with training with the rest of the squad he is unlikely to be considered for the trip to Arsenal at the weekend, particularly as he is still to get any competitive football under his belt.

A more likely date for his possible return is Boxing Day when Liverpool face Bolton at Anfield.

Since joining Liverpool from Russian side Zenit St Petersburg, Skrtel has become a cult figure with fans thanks to his uncompromising physical style.

Meanwhile, Alvaro Arbeloa believes Liverpool have what it takes to put their recent troubles at home behind them and go to Arsenal and get a good result.

The Spanish right back is well aware of just how difficult it will be to get a win at the Emirates but insists the Reds have nothing to fear having beaten fellow big four members Manchester United and Chelsea this season.

“We have a difficult game against Arsenal but we believe in ourselves.We can get a good result,” he said.

“We have beaten Manchester United, Chelsea and now we want to beat Arsenal.

“We have a really good team and I don't think they are playing their best football at the moment, so we have a good opportunity to show what we can do.”

And we are? Love all that footballer bull**** talk

[bobbyfallon]

Why more so than a back four with a holding midfield player?

I really think that a back four plus a screening 2 midifelders which allows you to attack with three of those six is infinitely more flexible. You are hugely more at risk down the flanks from even half competent opposition in a 3-5-2 with pushed forward fullbacks and if you don't push the wing backs forward you have a 5-3-2 and no attacking width. I genuinely see it as offering almost no advantage over a system with a well structured back four and central midfield.

Argentina would appear a bad example to me as considering the talent in their team they have under performed for a large number of years.

na 3-5-2 all day

[DannyMan2006]

442 with Agger at LB.

[Redspin]

And we are? Love all that footballer bull**** talk

Not as bad as the whining football fan bull****. We are playing better than Arsenal and our league position reflects that