Jamie Carragher

[RedReet]

My take on this is Carra was playing full back before Rafa came in. Rafa picked him at centre back and for a couple of seasons helped turn Carra into one of the best centre backs in the PL then things behind the scenes somehow turned sour and Carra played a part in getting rid of Rafa and replacing him with the worst manager in our recent history (50 years or so)
The point here is no other aspiring top side plays a 33 year old who was never blessed with pace in the first place yet we reward one with a 2 year 90k a week contract.

Carra has been a phenomenal servant for LFC and had spells as a top player but he isn't good enough to be first choice anymore

That’s a fair post. I’ll be honest, I wanted rid of Carra before Rafa came in because he wasn’t good enough at full back and the long balls were infuriating. It was acceptable when we were winning, like the treble year when Owen and Heskey and even Fowler were on form and compensating. Towards the end of Houllier’s tenure though Carra epitomized everything that was wrong our team and our style, so I wanted a new start. Playing to Carra’s strengths and putting him back in the centre was a great decision by Rafa and under his guidance he performed as you say as good as any other CB in the league. Like all footballers though, age has caught up with him and he’s not the player he once was. Watching him at times last year and this season I’ve been thinking that we’d maybe be stronger without him, that Agger and Skrtel might be the way forward. Who knows, maybe that might still be the case, maybe if Agger can get a run of games injury free and Skrtel get his confidence back they could form a formidable partnership, but on current form we need Carra back. It’s maybe a sad reflection on the club at the minute and hopefully we can rectify it in the transfer window, but sadly that’s the way it is at the minute. As much as I’ve cursed at Carra over the past 18 months, I honestly think if he has of been playing alongside Agger for the majority of games, and we were able to keep a consistent back 4, then his age wouldn’t have been as much of an issue and we’d have been a lot sounder defensively. Unfortunately injuries have deprived us of that opportunity and consequently all the chopping and changing has exasperated the weaknesses in more or less all our defenders, not just him.

**** me, that wasn’t even the point I wanted to make. Basically I just wanted to say that I’ve never been Carra’s number 1 fan, but some of the crap people are saying about him is ridiculous now. Despite what people might think of him as a person now, you can’t deny what he’s helped the club achieve over the years. Ultimately it hasn’t been enough, but in pure footballing terms over the past 20 there are a few more players at fault than him for not delivering no.19.

[Catrin]

Carra has been a great defender but he has had too many weaknesses to be considered amongst the very best. He isn't Jocky, Lawro or Crazy Horse. My memories of Tommy Smith are a bit hazy but he was a great player, as was Thommo. does Carra belong in that company?

With Arbeloa to his right and Mascherano in front of him Carra's lack of mobility didn't matter so much. With Glen Johnson in the side he has been dragged out wide too much and runners from midfield no longer have Mascher snapping at their heels. Since last season Carra has no longer been the right fit for that position. That he was still 1st choice is a reflection on our lack of funds (and other priorities) in recent transfer windows.

[RedReet]

Mascherano is a big loss no doubt, and I suppose now you mention it Carra’s best years were with a steady RB alongside in Arbeloa and Finnan, but if that’s his excuse what about the rest of our defence? Where is the promise Insua and Skrtel showed, where is the form that made Johnson an England international, were is the steady performance from PFK we were promised, what happened to the Kyrgiakos that used to errrrr, well you know what I mean. Far too many coincidences to put it down to poor form for me.

[The Birdman]

Interesting point.

So who is first choice then? The hapless Skrtel? Or the slow-as-a-snail, cant-deal-with-the-ball-at-his-feet Kyrgiakos?

Mate just because I don't think he is good enough to be first choice doesn't mean he isn't the best of bad options when the alternatives are Kyriakos and Skrtel.
I also think he would be a lot better if he didn't play every single game (when fit). If he was rested/dropped for certain matches and we played Kelly/Wilson in some Europa games.

The bottom line is the only centre back we have that is consistantly good enough has a history of injury problems.

[Craig_H]

Based on our squad as it stands now though, Carragher is (and should be) first choice.

[Redspin]

Interesting point.

So who is first choice then? The hapless Skrtel? Or the slow-as-a-snail, cant-deal-with-the-ball-at-his-feet Kyrgiakos?

You're having a laugh. Carragher makes Kyrgiakos look like Usain Bolt with the ball control of Alan Hansen.

I can name numerous occasions when the leaden-footed Carragher has been done for pace but I can't think of any instances where it's happened to Kyrgiakos. Maybe you can enlighten me.

Kyrgiakos at least can pass the ball on the ground. Carragher only does this when employing his Plan B - passing back to Reina. Plan A being his default ball - the aimless punt into low-earth orbit

[Redspin]

So he fooled Houllier, Rafa, Roy, Capello (to a lesser extent) and probably Kenny no doubt. Fooled the 40,000 Liverpool fans who sang about a team of Carraghers at matches, fooled the millions of fans that have Carragher on the back of their shirt, fooled even more millions that appreciate that he was a very good player on his day but accept he is not the same player and have been left with a sour taste after recent rumours, but still appreciate what he has achieved at the club.

But he didn’t fool you, no, no. Well done Sir.

Please grow up. He is a slow, hoofing liability with the turning circle of an ocean liner. If you think "millions" have his name on their shirt you're deluded - even with the huge fanbase we have.

I appreciate what he's done in some games, but overall he's been a weak link and should be gone by now. His astronomical salary requires that he contributes more than aimless hoofs and shouting at junior team-mates

[RedReet]

Please grow up. He is a slow, hoofing liability with the turning circle of an ocean liner. If you think "millions" have his name on their shirt you're deluded - even with the huge fanbase we have.

I appreciate what he's done in some games, but overall he's been a weak link and should be gone by now. His astronomical salary requires that he contributes more than aimless hoofs and shouting at junior team-mates

Ha ha, the irony.

[Drago]

You're having a laugh. Carragher makes Kyrgiakos look like Usain Bolt with the ball control of Alan Hansen.

I can name numerous occasions when the leaden-footed Carragher has been done for pace but I can't think of any instances where it's happened to Kyrgiakos. Maybe you can enlighten me.

Kyrgiakos at least can pass the ball on the ground. Carragher only does this when employing his Plan B - passing back to Reina. Plan A being his default ball - the aimless punt into low-earth orbit

Sorry but that's just

[CJ]

my view on carra is he is a limited footballer. however he was a limited footballer when no one really questioned the fact he a brilliant defender.

However, his legs are now going, and it is effecting his game. In truth he only had 4 years of being a top class defender which to be a huge club legend isnt that much when you look at how long he has been in the first team.

he clearly acted in his own interests regards his last contract but i dont see much evidence of footballers not doing that anywhere.

i am very very thankful for what he has done for us but i would be very disappointed if we were not looking to replace him in the next two windows, as a first team regular.

The best teams we have had, have done precisely this, ruthlessly replaced players.

[Baracus]

Bump

Genuinely feel carragher is under pressure for the 1st time in many a moons. Simply because his position is under threat from Coates. Hence mistakes are creeping into his 'hoof' game.

[Charly]

To be honest, I think the Skrtel-Agger combo works as well as the Carra-Agger. Its when he has to play alongside Skrtel I worry. Thing is, he is getting old, but he will always be a great third or forth choice when we find a good enough replacement. It may be Coates, but he has it all to prove. As it stands I think Carra still has a big part to play, and even top defenders at the pinacle of their game sometimes give away the odd penalty.

[Kenneth]

To be honest, I think the Skrtel-Agger combo works as well as the Carra-Agger. Its when he has to play alongside Skrtel I worry. Thing is, he is getting old, but he will always be a great third or forth choice when we find a good enough replacement. It may be Coates, but he has it all to prove. As it stands I think Carra still has a big part to play, and even top defenders at the pinacle of their game sometimes give away the odd penalty.

Always

[magicalbarnes]

I hate to say this because im a massive Carra fan but he needs to be dropped.

He is one of 4/5 players that is a automatic selection, but he needs removing from that list. He's been a great servant to the club and would still be a good squad player but he's simply too much of a liability now.

[-V-]

Yep its time for him to step aside. Kenny needs to realise that we are in a position now where no-one expects us to win the title this season so its the perfect time to drop him and either give Skrtle and Agger a run together or bring in Coates, especially so when we can't beat ****e like Sunderland and can't score into ****ing stoke theres nothing to lose