Our backline

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I thought he was probably our best defender last night - not hard but even still he was nowhere near as bad as people make out.

He seems to be a big scapegoat does Skrtel and i don't get it. Johnson and Agger were alot worse than him last night and there's **** all said about them.

Regarding Johnson, i agree with Shaggy, his use of the ball more than anything is shocking, forever losing the ball cheaply...not controlling it.
He's ****ing **** at the minute and a real liability.

Lets all blame Skrtel though

He did give away a pretty daft penalty for their third.

[Rudo]

He did give away a pretty daft penalty for their third.

He did yes and the way he jumps into tackles like that pisses me off greatly, don't get me wrong it does but apart from that i thought he looked the best of our defenders. Johnson and Agger had shockers and Carra had a bad night as well i thought.

[gentingfrmhell]

I till prefer the combination of Agger and Skrtel for me. Skrtel did very well for his country during the world cup. He just needs a solid partner in the middle. Carra i am afraid is losing pace.

I am for the option of pushing johnson up to right mid. can see him doing well there. would give us some much needed pace on the wings.

[danperkins]

Lads Glen Johnson has never been a good defender, his attributes always lay in the way he got forward and up the line. But his defending as a Liverpool F.C. player apart from the first 5 games has been atrocious and the evidence has been there for us all to see, don't get me wrong i was delighted when we signed him (although i thought he was horribly over priced) and i think he'll still do very well at LFC but he really needs to be drilled better at RB, personally i think RM is a much better option for him and us at the moment.

But Johnson is not the pressing issue defensively, Agger should be CB instead of the average Skrtel and Aurelio should be LB. Anyone's notions that Agger could be our LB surely must have ended after seeing him getting targeted by City and absolutely roasted. IMO Skrtel should only be used as a squad player, he is all brawn and no brain, headless chicken that makes rash tackles in most games he plays, a liability in most games IMO and for a bloke so big he is useless in the air.

Lack of Pace across our back line is a serious problem too IMO, we got exposed for pace so many times by Johnson,Milner and Tevez, other teams must surely see this its glaring.

[danperkins]

I till prefer the combination of Agger and Skrtel for me. Skrtel did very well for his country during the world cup. He just needs a solid partner in the middle. Carra i am afraid is losing pace.

I am for the option of pushing johnson up to right mid. can see him doing well there. would give us some much needed pace on the wings.

Skrtel has a horrific World Cup mate.

[BrianF80]

Lads Glen Johnson has never been a good defender, his attributes always lay in the way he got forward and up the line. But his defending as a Liverpool F.C. player apart from the first 5 games has been atrocious and the evidence has been there for us all to see, don't get me wrong i was delighted when we signed him (although i thought he was horribly over priced) and i think he'll still do very well at LFC but he really needs to be drilled better at RB, personally i think RM is a much better option for him and us at the moment.

Or alternatively you pair him with a center back who knows how to cover for his weaknesses. Like Barca do with the equally dodgy Alves and how 'Arry did at Portsmouth. He's not going to turn into a solid RB at this point. Setup up the team to maximize his strengths and minimize the weaknesses, or if we insist on pretending he's a full back, sell him.

[elrichio86]

Thinking of our backline, anybody know whats up with Insua? We've not sold him yet, but Roy seemingly chooses to play a concussed centre back instead. Is he injured?

[BrianF80]

Thinking of our backline, anybody know whats up with Insua? We've not sold him yet, but Roy seemingly chooses to play a concussed centre back instead. Is he injured?

Nope. The club are trying to setup deals for him and he's refusing them!

[ronanm]

Didn't rate Johnson before he came and still don't. The first thing a defender should be able to do is defend and he cannot. He gives me no confidence whatsoever defensively. Attacking wise he's good. But he's too inconsistent for me and a liability. Give me a defender who can defend first and get forward the odd time - Finnan and Arbeloa both fit that mould. £18m ffs.

[Rudo]

Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Normally when people complain about him it is due to lack of his defensive skills and now he did not impress due to his offensive qualities.

I'll grant you he did not have a great game last night but in honesty who did.

GJ is imo one of our least problems as we have other areas in the team that require immediate improvements (LB, a winger, Back-up striker, Masch's replacement..).

It's not even his defensive skills - it's basic football skills like passing the ball, controlling it, being in the position and all that.

I've been disappointed in him since he's been here, he's had some cracking games of course but in the big ones i think he's been found wanting more often than not.

[DannyMan2006]

In all honesty, there is **** all wrong with Glen Johnson. the problem is he cost a lot of money and that is why people expect so much. He's not the one who set the transfer fee. had he cost £7m no one would be saying **** all. Bigger fee brings bigger expectations.

If you want to blame someone, blame Rafa for spending so much on him.

I admit he is not worth £16m. I admit he is not the best right back in the world. But there aren't many better out there. Stop thinking about the fee and I promise, you'll see him in a different light.

Fact of the matter is that so far this season he has been at fault for 0 goals.

[DannyMan2006]

It's not even his defensive skills - it's basic football skills like passing the ball, controlling it, being in the position and all that.

I've been disappointed in him since he's been here, he's had some cracking games of course but in the big ones i think he's been found wanting more often than not.

Sometimes he's the only one who looks like he can create anything from the wing. Johnson has the same problems as Gerrard and Torres in that he over plays it sometimes because he feels the need that he has too.

We need to take the pressure of our best players and give them team mates they can trust to get the job done.

[little dave hedgehog]

In all honesty, there is **** all wrong with Glen Johnson. the problem is he cost a lot of money and that is why people expect so much. He's not the one who set the transfer fee. had he cost £7m no one would be saying **** all. Bigger fee brings bigger expectations.

If you want to blame someone, blame Rafa for spending so much on him.

I admit he is not worth £16m. I admit he is not the best right back in the world. But there aren't many better out there. Stop thinking about the fee and I promise, you'll see him in a different light.

Fact of the matter is that so far this season he has been at fault for 0 goals.

wrong. the most current problem with glen johnson is that he was **** yesterday. the nagging problem is that he's been in poor form more than he hasn't lately.

[DannyMan2006]

wrong. the most current problem with glen johnson is that he was **** yesterday. the nagging problem is that he's been in poor form more than he hasn't lately.

I honestly fail to see what he did wrong yesterday. He looked fine in defence and he tried to create something with a few runs, which is what I want to see.

Much like the rest of the team he didn't get much joy going forward yesterday, but there you go. Against Arsenal he obviously couldn't go forward.

[Mostar]

I honestly fail to see what he did wrong yesterday. He looked fine in defense and he tried to create something with a few runs, which is what I want to see.

Much like the rest of the team he didn't get much joy going forward yesterday, but there you go. Against Arsenal he obviously couldn't go forward.

Pretty much how I saw him too.

He was solid defensively but he did not make too many offensive runs he normally does. I would not necessarily blame him for the lack of attacking ambitions as the right wing was crowded with both Ngog and Kuyt (especially in the first half) trying to impose themselves and take the control that side of the pitch.