Next season's back four

[Matt]

Bit of a spin-off from my post in the Fulham thread but how do you feel next season's back 4 will line up? Opinions seem to be formed and changed on the back of a few performances, especially with the full-backs.

Would you be happy if Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel and Aurelio were first choice in August?

I don't think Skrtel and Agger are ready to play together as a partnership yet.

[JohnDoe]

Agger > Skrtel

I'll be fine with Aurelio and Insua as our left backs next season.

We need a right back though, when Arbeloa's not playing, our right flank really suffers.

First choice

Arbeloa Carragher Agger Aurelio

Second choice

RightBack Skrtel Hyypia Insua

[Fivex]

Weren't there strong rumors of Arbeloa wanting a return home though? That would be a real shame if true

[The_weatherman]

Agger > Skrtel

I'll be fine with Aurelio and Insua as our left backs next season.

We need a right back though, when Arbeloa's not playing, our right flank really suffers.

First choice

Arbeloa Carragher Agger Aurelio

Second choice

RightBack Skrtel Hyypia Insua

I agree rith th right back, and if we get in a good right back we also have some cover on the right if Aurelio gets hurt, since Arbeloa can play there to a decent level.

Agree with the rest of it as well.

[EwarWoo]

Would you be happy if Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel and Aurelio were first choice in August?

I don't think it will be that simple if they're all fit.

Rafa likes to rotate and if he can get them all playing together regularly I think you'll see them switched around a lot.

Pending fitness he's going to use Carra in RB occasionally too no doubt. Though I would like to see us pick up another RB as back-up, rather than putting Carra in a role he doesn't like.

[Rich]

Stick a RB into the defensive fold and I don't think we need any extra new blood in there for next year. (This is based on Aurelio continuing to play the hard man)

Reina
Cavalieri
Insua
Aurelio
Carragher
Skrtel
Agger
Hyypia
Arbeloa
Dossena

[PTP]

i think we are close o be in a great position with our defence - we just need a top right back to challenge/cover arbeloa - the centre backs well we have two of carra/agger/skrtel and i would be happy with any combination. add to that, if needed i still think sami could do a job and come in for a few games as cover - left back looks covered too and will be a massive year for all three of the left backs.

Aurelio first choice, needs to start staying fit to prove he can play regularly. Insua and Dossena fighting it means we have good cover,- i'd give dossena another season to see if he settles and it's a amssive season for insua who really needs to push on and be given a good say 20 appearences. Then at the end of next season we ill have a better idea about can aurelio stay fit, has dossena settled/is he good enough and can Insua push on and keep improving on his early promising start.

I said it in a thread yesterday! we need a young steve nicol who could cover anywhere across the back and be class and then with reina in goal our defence would be near perfection

[Matt]

Do any of you think Darby should get the job as back-up to Arbeloa/new player if he leaves?

Bearing in mind Utd are happy to play Rafael and he looks like he's been plucked straight from the playground with no real experience in this country.

[Vermilion]

i think we are close o be in a great position with our defence - we just need a top right back to challenge/cover arbeloa - the centre backs well we have two of carra/agger/skrtel and i would be happy with any combination. add to that, if needed i still think sami could do a job and come in for a few games as cover - left back looks covered too and will be a massive year for all three of the left backs.

Aurelio first choice, needs to start staying fit to prove he can play regularly. Insua and Dossena fighting it means we have good cover,- i'd give dossena another season to see if he settles and it's a amssive season for insua who really needs to push on and be given a good say 20 appearences. Then at the end of next season we ill have a better idea about can aurelio stay fit, has dossena settled/is he good enough and can Insua push on and keep improving on his early promising start.

I said it in a thread yesterday! we need a young steve nicol who could cover anywhere across the back and be class and then with reina in goal our defence would be near perfection

Another Steve Nicol.

[PTP]

Do any of you think Darby should get the job as back-up to Arbeloa/new player if he leaves?

Bearing in mind Utd are happy to play Rafael and he looks like he's been plucked straight from the playground with no real experience in this country.

well i was hoping darby might have been give a bit more of chance this season - that never really happened, and it won't now due to the importance of every game - when i have seemed he has looked decent, but if he was good enough i'm sur ehe would have played more. - i'd love any player to come through the ranks and make the grade, sadly i'm not sure darby will.

I think the best we could is, if he isn't going to get any game time next season - send him on loan to a premiership team where he would get a good 20 plus games at this level - then we could assess whether or not he is capable.

[billy_mac]

Degen??

[the rev leeroy brown]

i'd be more than happy to see agger and skrtel play together next year at carra's expense. carra still a great player but we need to start blooding agger and skrtel as a partnership. you can count on one hand the games they have played together as a pairing.

arbeloa-----agger-----skrtel----aurelio

arbeloa and aurelio both get forward as much as possible and both have decent defensive attributes. agger is in my opinion one of the best footballing centre backs around and skrtel is just a beast. carra would be a great back up who we could play anywhere on the back four and keeping him fresh by not playing him every single game when we dont need to would give him another 3-4 years at his best.

[Matt]

Degen??

Who?

[Mike]

Sign Glen Johnson for RB and we are sorted.

[BJC]

I've always had soft spot for defenders called Steve....

Steve Nicol
Steve Harkness
Steve Finnan