Daniel Agger

[Lee]

MOTM today IMO.

Still our best defender and one of our classiest players.

[-V-]

You might laugh at this but I think in time Sakho will be our Vincent Kompany.

For me I find it hard to see how we concede so many goals with Skrtel, Sakho and Agger in the team. All 3 are good enough players and should keep them.

If we focus on sorting out our full-backs then I think those guys will improve too

[Darkon]

MOTM today IMO.

Still our best defender and one of our classiest players.

Completely agree

[meffin]

Agger and Sakho starting, with Skrtel and Ilori as backup/cover for me

[Paul12]

Completely agree

I'd bet my house that we'll sell him this summer. We need also to upgrade Toure, sort out the Kelly and buy a first eleven centre back.

[The_weatherman]

Still think that could be Sakho. He captained PSG from a young age. Reckon the fact it was his first season at a new club in a new country, he's still young, the language etc held him back from showing much leadership, but he has all the tools to be a monstrous leader.

Didn't he only captain them in one game when he was 17 and Le Guen started a game with the youth side in some sort of protest?

[RichC]

Agger was easily our best defender yesterday and adds some calm to the back 4.

I'd really like to see him and Sakho given a chance.

[McDermotX]

Agger was easily our best defender yesterday and adds some calm to the back 4.

I'd really like to see him and Sakho given a chance.

Got put on his arse a couple of times in a physical battle in the opening 30mins all the same if I recall. Ameobi certainly did at one point.

That lack of beef won't be impressing Brendan. He likes 'em beefy, juicy and dripping in man-sweat.

Played well enough yesterday overall, with a lovely finish for his goal. Definitely want to keep hold of him, plus he probably hasn't the suitors he once had, but in the end, it'll be Brendan making the call. Wages could be a factor, but he's heavily experienced, and let's face it.......who do we want to keep in the squad, Agger or Kolo ?

[PTP]

prob as good a thread as any for this - my defence assessment for the season

i really struggle to get my head round our defensive issues.

it's clear we have problems. We make far too many mistakes. We struggle every single time we're put under any pressure. And any big striker with a bit of mobility causes us nightmares every single time - and unfortunately in this league, the majority of teams have at least one of these.


But - on paper - it looks good. forget about the season for a second - when you think about it - it isn't that bad.....

Agger - classy defender. been very good for us and surely he suits are 'pass and move' better than any defender out there.

Sakho - big huge scare *******, young, strong, experienced, quick, and can play it tooo

skrtel - angry looking committed ******* who gives his all and has added goals

Toure - hugely experienced - might not have the legs, but should have plenty of experience


and then move on to the other defenders

johnson - hugely experienced right back and when on form is as good an 'attacking' right back out there other than dani alves

enrique - good, decent, reasonable left back. Not the best out there, but not the worst

Cissokho - on loan, experienced/pacy left back


plus - youngsters - ilori/kelly/wisdom/flanagan/robinson - all very promising and hoping two or three of this go on to fulfil their potential (flanno/wisdom/ilori - as kelly looks shot and robinson i'm not sure about)


it shouldn't be that bad...


But we just can't seem to work out the balance/right options etc. for me the reasons i can think off are


- clearly playing a more attacking style is going to leave you more exposed at the back.....whenever a team manages to hit us on the break, it seems it's always like 3 vs 3....and in this situation the defenders are going to be put under more pressure and forced into making quick 'risky' decisions, and if they don't get it right its costly.

- as part of the above - we clearly lack an extra engine in midfield who can tackle/help out.

- injuries - every defender at the club has been out injured at some point this season.....arguably our 3 main defenders (enrique/johnson and agger) seem to be extremely injury prone.


- and, last but not least....Mignolet. He's an excellent shot stopper and has the potential to become a very good keeper. however his decision making is poor, his distrubtion shocking and he is a bit of a flapper.....

i think we have a bit of a snow ball effect in that mignolet feels a bit nervy with the defence - and at the same time the defence is nervous of mignolet. -

That's why the defence drop deep...thats why indvidual players have made so many bad mistakes, because it's come being in a panic and making a rash last second decision to swing a leg at it - but because they drop so deep they also seemed to smother mignolet and he suffers


It's obvious we do need some improvements.....my worry is i don't know what or how to improve the side without having City/Chelsea money?

We need a new right back to replace glen johnson - Ok, who? and how much? £15m??

we clearly need a top left back - again who and how much? Bearing in mind Utd are reportedly prepared to pay £30m for Shaw

We could do with a 'top/consistent/leader of a centre half' - but who and how much? - another £15m to £20m, especially when you consider the likes of Barca and Man City could do with one of these so surely would be interested in anyone in this caterogory......and on top of that - who can we get that is going to be an upgrade on Skrtel/agger/sakho - i can't think of any that would be available.

[baitman]

That lack of beef won't be impressing Brendan. He likes 'em beefy, juicy and dripping in man-sweat.

are you sure you are not thinking about ian ayre

[Chris]

We know where I think the problem lies

Skrtel under Rodgers :

Started 59, conceded 80, 1.35 per game

Not started 17, Conceded 13. 0.76 per game.

Maybe it's just a gigantic coincidence but our defence improved dramatically last season when he got dropped. And this season we started with 2 clean sheets out of 2 without him. A run we could only do one more time this season in his 36 games.

Skrtel
12/13
23 starts, 30 conceded, 9 cleans sheets

Carra
12/13
16 starts, 13 conceded, 8 clean sheets.

I dont do all this because I hate him, I think he's an enormous issue that needs solving, the worry is there seems to be a lack of top quality centre backs out there, I defo dont think Caulker is the answer. If we cant find the right quality then give Sakho and Agger a shot, theres got to be someone out there though. That fella on here, cant remember his name always mocked Carra's "organisational skills" but I do think we are missing a bit of that. If he's replaced properly I honestly think a lot of these issues go away.

[~LFCHistory~]

^^^

Excellent post. We'll always struggle defensively while Skrtel is at the club you can bring in a new keeper, LB, RB or whatever this summer it will all make little difference for as long as Marty is getting game time we'll leak goals.

One thing that confuses me is how last season BR permanently dropped Skrtel in favour of a 35 year old Carragher but then did a U-Turn and made him our first choice CB this season often at the expense of our best (Agger). I could have understood it if we had been good defensively but we've been atrocious. Weird.

[baitman]

^^^

Excellent post. We'll always struggle defensively while Skrtel is at the club you can bring in a new keeper, LB, RB or whatever this summer it will all make little difference for as long as Marty is getting game time we'll leak goals.

One thing that confuses me is how last season BR permanently dropped Skrtel in favour of a 35 year old Carragher but then did a U-Turn and made him our first choice CB this season often at the expense of our best (Agger). I could have understood it if we had been good defensively but we've been atrocious. Weird.

a good point mate. it might have been a very different story if agger would have been a bit more durable. his form would make him undroppable, and then the others would have to fill in around him.

[Daniel 7]

Was it bootroom? I had a run in with him about similar - proper idiot, wouldn't have it that Carragher was brought in to provide leadership and organisation.

Skrtel is great at the anticipation and putting in a tackle / block further forward, which must be why he's given first choice status. Maybe Brendan thought he'd be able to play the rashness out of his game, but if that's the case it hasn't really worked.

I would be curious to see the Agger / Sakho partnership. I suppose that depends on which of the two would be comfortable playing on the right side - they can't be used to the right given they're both left footers.

[Shaggy]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/daniel-aggers-message-liverpool-fc-7143099

Agger delivers start message on Reds future: I'm no-one's third choice!

May 20, 2014 07:46 By Kieran Gill

LFC defender uncertain over future plans as he admits Brendan Rodgers 'doesn't think I'm good enough'

Daniel Agger says he is not sure if his future lies with Liverpool FC – as the defender feels he has been snubbed by Reds boss Brendan Rodgers .

The 29-year-old didn’t make the cut in the matches against Chelsea and Manchester City, and told Danish media he refuses to be anyone’s “third choice”.

When asked whether he’ll be with Liverpool next season, Agger said last night: “I don’t know. That’s up to the manager. I can’t go and put myself on the team sheet.

“It definitely wasn’t great (to be left out of the games against Chelsea and Manchester City), but I don’t make the decisions.

“I think it is because the manager doesn’t think that I’m good enough.”

But Agger will remain focused on his international duties for the time being.

“I’m not thinking about my future,” he said.

“Now my focus is on the next international games with Denmark and then I’m looking forward to a long five-week holiday. My body and mind needs to relax.”