A tough decision!

[RichC]

I think clearly we need to splash out on a top CB if and when we come into money.

Start of the season I looked at Carra, Skrtel, Agger and Kyrgiakos and thought we were sorted, especially with Kelly, Ayala and Wilson coming through, not to mention Andre Wisdom a bit further back.

But the start to the season is proving me wrong.

yup, I'd agree with that, all the talk pre-season was we're sorted for the CB pairing but so far it's left me quite worried - I mean the number of crosses that have been coming over and caused all sorts of issues has been alarming to say the least (thank god for pepe at Brum!)

Carra is a legend, pure and simple but against the top strikers he seems to really struggle these days and perhaps doesn't have the physicality about him he once had - Skrtel should be the natural progression for this role but he's either way over the top or just gets bullied about.

I would play Agger and Carra myself at the moment but that still leaves a question mark as well.

[Arn]

Give Wilson the chance instead of splashing out on a new central defender.

Maybe I'm a bit crazy but I would play Wilson and Agger together as our first choice at the back.

We would probably leak a few more goals but we would also score more thanks to that our attacking play would be much quicker.

[Reece]

Give Wilson the chance instead of splashing out on a new central defender.

Maybe I'm a bit crazy but I would play Wilson and Agger together as our first choice at the back.

We would probably leak a few more goals but we would also score more thanks to that our attacking play would be much quicker.

They're both left footed aren't they?

[Shaggy]

They're both left footed aren't they?

They are but Carra and Skrtel are both right footed. No difference huh.

[Reece]

Yeah fair point.

[MrMichael]

Playing Carra and Skrtel together is always going to give us issues in terms of distribution, but when they also look as shakey as they do right now it just seems like madness. I've not seen anything of Wilson to judge if he's ready, but something needs to change for us at the back, and fast. I'd be going Agger and Carra for now, I really don't think Skrtel is very good.

[Exiled_red]

Give Wilson the chance instead of splashing out on a new central defender.

Maybe I'm a bit crazy but I would play Wilson and Agger together as our first choice at the back.

We would probably leak a few more goals but we would also score more thanks to that our attacking play would be much quicker.

We've seen nothing of Wilson yet so it's way too early to consider him first choice IMO.

Also at the moment I feel we need Carragher as he's the one who organises the defence. I'd go with Carragher and Agger, I really rate Agger and am puzzled as to why he doesn't get a game. Skrtel I'm unsure about, he seems to man handle opposition players alot and makes so poor decisions to dive into challenges. Kyriakos is a stop gap and Wilson is one to be brought through slowly in cup games, I was hoping he'd be involved in Europa league and Carling Cup ties.

But for the moment it's Carragher and one of Skrtel and Agger as a first choice partnership

[Fredo]

We had them together when Benitez was there and it didn't seem to be causing too many problems. I don't think Skrtel is that bad with the ball at his feet. Our midfield is the problem - with Alonso and Mascherano, we could actually play out of defence even with those two in defence.

[Redspin]

Carragher has been in steady decline for the last couple of seasons but somehow stays in the side as a regular. He's a rash tackle and a penalty kick waiting to happen. I'll be surprised if anyone else has conceded more penalties than him in the last few seasons. He's never had pace and looks slower than ever nowadays. The non-challenge on Berabtov on Sunday was just terrible. If that had been, say, Johnson this forum would have gone into anti-Johnson meltdown in seconds flat. As long as Carragher remains an undisputed first choice centre-back we're going to be in trouble defensively. It can only be a matter of time before he commits his next needless penalty

[Lecter]

Carragher has been in steady decline for the last couple of seasons but somehow stays in the side as a regular. He's a rash tackle and a penalty kick waiting to happen. I'll be surprised if anyone else has conceded more penalties than him in the last few seasons. He's never had pace and looks slower than ever nowadays. The non-challenge on Berabtov on Sunday was just terrible. If that had been, say, Johnson this forum would have gone into anti-Johnson meltdown in seconds flat. As long as Carragher remains an undisputed first choice centre-back we're going to be in trouble defensively. It can only be a matter of time before he commits his next needless penalty

As opposed to Skrtel who thinks marking someone off a set piece involves taking their shirt off their back

Carragher is no riskier/rasher than Skrtel is in terms of penalties

In fact I would probably say Carragher is less of a risk

[Redspin]

We had them together when Benitez was there and it didn't seem to be causing too many problems. I don't think Skrtel is that bad with the ball at his feet. Our midfield is the problem - with Alonso and Mascherano, we could actually play out of defence even with those two in defence.

It's not the defensive midfielders where the problems are - 95% of Alonso and Mascherano passes were to players within 20 yards of them - it's the three attacking midfielders and how the one in the hole links play between the defensive midfielders, wide players and the striker. Gerrard was below par last season in this crucial role and our overall play suffered. Meireles looked promising for the most part on Sunday before moving to the right. When the three advanced midfielders get their act together and play like a unit maybe we'll see an improvement. At the moment that's where our problems lie, leaving Torres isolated and unsupported

[Exiled_red]

As opposed to Skrtel who thinks marking someone off a set piece involves taking their shirt off their back

Carragher is no riskier/rasher than Skrtel is in terms of penalties

In fact I would probably say Carragher is less of a risk

And if Carragher has given away more penalties, it probably has something to do with the fact that he plays more games than anyone else in the back four.