Jon Flanagan

[Craig_H]

Aside from anything else, there's a great deal of value in having one fullback who is defensively solid and reliable, though may not give you a cutting edge going forward; and one who is a creative and attacking threat, but isnt Carragher-esque, defensively. This is why i wanted us to keep Arbeloa when we signed GJ. Though he wanted out and we decided to take the money, so fair play. But the idea of having one of each, is ideal.

[Chris]

No place for Glen Johnson in this Liverpool team i'm afraid

Kenny seems to speak very highly of him so good luck with that one. You've had an absolute nightmare in this thread, nothing new there then!

[DannyMan2006]

For arguments sake:

Rio 18
Clichy 17
Kelly 18
Richards 18
Bale 18

Rio was at a poor West Ham team. Bale was in the Championship with Southampton. Richards was in a poor City side, but he was also a very well built young man.

Clichy was brought in slowly behind Ashley Cole and probably learnt a hell of a lot of him, very similar players.

But what is key is that all players above forced themselves into the above sides because they were better than the other players in the squad. JF is in the side because of injuries. The rest of the season is his chance to show he deserves to be there ahead of the others.

[cream]

How about this for a future back four??

LB - Robinson
CB - Kelly
CB - Wilson
RB - Flanagan

You never know!

No idea, is it any good?

[billy_mac]

See maybe I'm getting old or something, but I've got a curious old fashioned opinion that full backs should well, be defenders first. If he wants to act like a winger he should be a winger. Johnson offers a certain amount of attacking threat, for a full back anyway, but does he offer more than say, a proper midfield player? Every time he goes bombing forward then someone else has to fill in behind him, so our sum total of players in the attack is still the same. I don't think his distribution is amazing, nor is his reading of the game. In how many games when teams have done exactly that against us has Johnson's attacking play really made the difference?

Our weakest positions over the last couple of years have been full backs mainly in my view because the full backs are being asked to do too much. Since Kenny has come in even Johnson has looked more solid, because he has been asked to do less. What did we pay for him, 17m? and people say Cahill for 20m would be too much.

Well done to Flanagan, good solid debut. Hope he gets more action to see how he fairs out.

[Lee]

Selling Johnson and having Flanagan & Kelly replace him?!

Behave!

[kris90210]

well in that case name me 5 defenders who made there name at 18?

or are you saying Flanagan is the first defender in the history of football ever to be good enough at 18.

I agree with you boys about it being too soon to judge him based on one performance. But just trying to think of 5...

* Maldini
* Ferdinand
* Ramos
* Richards (debatable!)
* Cole

That's the best I can think of off the top of my head!

[Shaggy]

Let's hope for Rudo's sake that Flanagan is the new Maldini then.

[kris90210]

Let's hope for Rudo's sake that Flanagan is the new Maldini then.

Kelly actually reminds me a bit of Maldini - should probably have put that in the controversial opinions thread!

[Red_Polo]

...or Alessandro Nesta; captain at something like 20 or 21 too

[Mostar]

Kelly should be our first choice right back next season with Flanno as back up.

No place for Glen Johnson in this Liverpool team i'm afraid

[Fosterbloke]

How about Vincent Kompany or Gary/Phil Neville? John Terry?

[Fosterbloke]

Oh and Sol Campbell?

[Red_Polo]

How about Vincent Kompany or Gary/Phil Neville? John Terry?

Oh and Sol Campbell?

Well Kompany was playing in a **** league at 18 so I wouldn't consider him. The others were all well known youth talents but were older than 18 before they became first choice for their clubs. Arguably Phil Neville was a regular for 6 months at 18...

[El Diego]

For arguments sake:

Rio 18
Clichy 17
Kelly 18
Richards 18
Bale 18

Only Richards and Rio stand out as actually making there name at 18 though. Kelly played once at 18 and didn't play again for like a year. Bale was in and out and looked **** at left back, Clichy maybe played 5 games??