Martin Skrtel

[Gibbo]

that was probably when he looked a decent player i.e, when he wasn't actually playing and people had forgotten how bad he is, a poor man's jimmi traore

Even a poor man's Djimi 'CL medal holder' Traore is an absolute world superstar.

Traore

[DannyMan2006]

Jaco - Could be right about language barrier, doesn't help us though. He's been here a year and a half now. Should have learnt the language by now.

[Muddled]

You complete me Mudds

You had me at 'hello'.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Jaco - Could be right about language barrier, doesn't help us though. He's been here a year and a half now. Should have learnt the language by now.

Oh I agree that a year and a half is plenty of time to at least have enough of a language so that one can understand it and be understood when using it.


I also think that a lack of game time may be an issue as it would not be easy to come in and boss/organise a defence if you rarely play in competitive games with that defence. Then if many of the players in that defence are at the club for years and years it gets that bit more difficult for a new guy who does not play often to have the confidence to be the "boss" at the back.


If we think back to some of our recent leaders/organisers who came in from abroad, the likes of Alonso, Sami etc, they took a little bit of time before they established themselves as bone fide leaders/organisers and they had the advantage of knowing they would be starting pretty much week in week out.


Not saying that Sakho is a nailed on lionhearted leader of men, but he looks a very different beast when playing with France and he seems to be able to be that way regardless of whether it is Varane, Mangala etc starting alongside him.

He also seems to work very well with the midfield in the French national team and from what I have seen it is very common to see the likes of Matuidi peeling off when Sakho gets the ball because Matuidi knows a quick ball to feet is coming.


I just feel that of the centre backs at the club at the moment, I think Sakho has the most potential to become a mainstay at the back for us.

[baitman]

re the language issue, maybe sakhos time here he has picked up some englisheez but when they are all under pressure they are not fluent enough to think quickly enough in english and so end up saying nothing or very little.

[danperkins]

Been getting alot of **** like alot of players and rightly so but he was good today. Stupid foul for yellow was lack of awareness of his part not seeing support back there...suspended now i think.

Nothing wrong with a bit of criticism of any player but there also has to be credit where credit is due. Good performance keep it up

[DeanoUK]

Been getting alot of **** like alot of players and rightly so but he was good today. Stupid foul for yellow was lack of awareness of his part not seeing support back there...suspended now i think.

Nothing wrong with a bit of criticism of any player but there also has to be credit where credit is due. Good performance keep it up

Usually agree with everything you post dan, but thought Skrtl was ball watching and left his man free for the goal, something he should've had trained out of him yonks ago. General performance was ok apart from that.

[BigChief]

Was surprised to see him gain in so much confidence to come out to attackers and challenge them early rather than continuously falling deep. Also, when Swansea targeted Can as the ball carrier Skrtel did well with some runs from deep too.

The confidence with the way we played rubbed off on him big time. It was one of his better games even if he wasn't challenged often and was partially responsible for the goal.

[RedReet]

Been getting alot of **** like alot of players and rightly so but he was good today. Stupid foul for yellow was lack of awareness of his part not seeing support back there...suspended now i think.

Nothing wrong with a bit of criticism of any player but there also has to be credit where credit is due. Good performance keep it up

Was gonna reply this point in post-match, but got distracted.

I was glad at the time when Skrtel took the hit for that foul. Yes, there were covering players, but better safe than sorry, especially with our recent defensive problems. The fact that the foul broke up play and once we regained possession from the resulting free-kick and went on to score made it all the more crucial for me.

Obvioulsy would have been a differnt story if Bony got more on the free-kick, but he didn't so it was a great foul to make.

[Chris]

Thought he was poor again, might have got Bony offside if he wasn't so **** scared he has to go and hug Mignolet every time a team attacks. This is little things that piss me off about him :





Whats he doing?! Nothing, he's just a body standing there doing **** all. Sakho got stitched up here really, Hendo and Skrtel were much closer to Bony, Skrtel should be 2 yards further forward, moving over to help Hendo who didnt cover himself in glory either leaving Bony and not getting near Sig. All the pointing and bossing others around is fine if you arent just using it to duck responsibility, he did nothing, nothing on Bony, nothing on the follow up from Sigurddson.

Similar story later in the game, he's helping play Gomis onside with a little help from Moreno.



And still doesnt get near him! Thankfully there was no damage done.



We hardly ever seem to catch teams offside, it's not really surprising when you see stuff like this is it? Annoying he's like this at one end yet if it was the other end he'd fling himself over anyone to get a touch on the ball. Very weird!

[McDermotX]

Was gonna reply this point in post-match, but got distracted.

I was glad at the time when Skrtel took the hit for that foul. Yes, there were covering players, but better safe than sorry, especially with our recent defensive problems. The fact that the foul broke up play and once we regained possession from the resulting free-kick and went on to score made it all the more crucial for me.

Obvioulsy would have been a differnt story if Bony got more on the free-kick, but he didn't so it was a great foul to make.

I think its a tough one alright.......I mean Lucas was just left for dead, and with the way our wingbacks were getting forward, its going to be down to two CBs once one moves outside, so that no doubt enters the defender's minds. Chances are we may have got away with it, but there was still a chance a chance could have arisen. Not a clear cut 'good yellow card', but not a completely stupid one.
Not much of an offensive from Swansea last night, though Skrtel played well, but in general the CBs were grand apart from Sakho and Can for the goal, and a couple on instances of players being played into danger. Encouraging all the same.
Lot of talking Can through the game last night as well, which was good to see.

[marcus50bucks]

Thought he was poor again, might have got Bony offside if he wasn't so **** scared he has to go and hug Mignolet every time a team attacks. This is little things that piss me off about him :





Whats he doing?! Nothing, he's just a body standing there doing **** all. Sakho got stitched up here really, Hendo and Skrtel were much closer to Bony, Skrtel should be 2 yards further forward, moving over to help Hendo who didnt cover himself in glory either leaving Bony and not getting near Sig. All the pointing and bossing others around is fine if you arent just using it to duck responsibility, he did nothing, nothing on Bony, nothing on the follow up from Sigurddson.

Similar story later in the game, he's helping play Gomis onside with a little help from Moreno.



And still doesnt get near him! Thankfully there was no damage done.



We hardly ever seem to catch teams offside, it's not really surprising when you see stuff like this is it? Annoying he's like this at one end yet if it was the other end he'd fling himself over anyone to get a touch on the ball. Very weird!

The other good thing to come out of last nights result is the the fact that Skrtel will be suspended for our game against Leicester

[RedReet]

I think its a tough one alright.......I mean Lucas was just left for dead, and with the way our wingbacks were getting forward, its going to be down to two CBs once one moves outside, so that no doubt enters the defender's minds. Chances are we may have got away with it, but there was still a chance a chance could have arisen. Not a clear cut 'good yellow card', but not a completely stupid one.
Not much of an offensive from Swansea last night, though Skrtel played well, but in general the CBs were grand apart from Sakho and Can for the goal, and a couple on instances of players being played into danger. Encouraging all the same.

Aye, I'm surprised Lucas didn't take the foul himself and if Skrtel had of cynically took him down with his feet nobody would have been mentioning it today, but it was quite comical and makes it more of a talking point.

We probably would have got away with it, but players do it all the time, Britton got away with a similar cynical foul on Coutinho later in the match, made no attempt to play the ball.

Aye, the CB's were encouraging, was always going to be a work in progress, but the signs are good after a decent clean sheet against Burnley and a strong defensive display for most of the game last night

[dww]

I think Mignolet + Skrtel is a combination that brings the worst out of each other.

[RichC]

He's always done that dropping off thing and I've no idea why surely it's not something he's been asked to do especially with the line being held by the other players.

I do wonder if we'd see an upturn from Mignolet without Skrtel in the side