Liverpool FC Forum

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

Ok Scott we can disagree on this one mate .... but how many games can we afford to have a profligate right back before the realization he is simply a weak link that opponents will magnify to the extent it becomes a target for all who play us
You can answer that tomorrow if you like  I'm off to bed Lad these JD's are starting to take effect

[maguskwt]

I think if I had made the call earlier in the season Scott then yes it would have been harsh but given his seriously annoying ability to leave the centre backs ( usually Carragher ) covering the gaping hole he leaves on his surges up field plus his inability to cut out any form of cross from wings and then the ridiculous ease that players and sometimes not the most pacier of opponents seem to skin him ...
No mate I don't think I am being to harsh at all ... Johnson is as I have stated in the past a skilful player when approaching an opponents box but where it matters in defence and providing the stability needed for a seemingly impervious back line he is sadly woefully lacking

the faults you are highlighting to me seems to be more for the team than the individual...

[Owzat]

I think if I had made the call earlier in the season Scott then yes it would have been harsh but given his seriously annoying ability to leave the centre backs ( usually Carragher ) covering the gaping hole he leaves on his surges up field plus his inability to cut out any form of cross from wings and then the ridiculous ease that players and sometimes not the most pacier of opponents seem to skin him ...
No mate I don't think I am being to harsh at all ... Johnson is as I have stated in the past a skilful player when approaching an opponents box but where it matters in defence and providing the stability needed for a seemingly impervious back line he is sadly woefully lacking

the faults you are highlighting to me seems to be more for the team than the individual...

Seems pretty role specific to me, and bang on the money. Although I am not one who reckons he would make a good RM because I doubt his output of goals and assists would be that much better than playing when he plays RB

You can't expose your CBs that much, it becomes a team problem when defenders don't do their job so in the respect it is a problem for the team more than the individual you are correct, but it is an individual causing the problems.

I don't think it is entirely a coincidence we conceded most goals per game under Rafa last season. Defensively I think he's a comfortable winner as the worst RB we had under Rafa

[Benny The Noon]

Johnson is a right back not a winger - two totally different positions demanding two totally different things - just because he likes to come forward from right back doesn't mean he can make a good winger

[Scottbot]

Johnson is a right back not a winger - two totally different positions demanding two totally different things - just because he likes to come forward from right back doesn't mean he can make a good winger

I actually think he could do a decent job at Right Mid, not necessarily on a regular basis but if you wanted to change things up a bit you could quite easily push Carra out to RB and move Jonno forward. He has some qualities that can work for him in that position, he quite a strong lad, he's fairly quick, he's got a few tricks up his sleeve, he can run at people and he's direct and of course, it negates the doubts you might have about his defending.

[Ben Patrick]

Johnson is a right back not a winger - two totally different positions demanding two totally different things - just because he likes to come forward from right back doesn't mean he can make a good winger

Agree totally.

As a winger he would be marked by an actual full back and denied the freedom that he gets when he gets forward from full back.

I dont think he is anywhere near as bad defensively as alot make out.
Sells himself too easily at times one on one but is quick and strong and can get back.

I think he is a very good player and the fact that he gets forward so often is probably the problem as it obviously leaved gaps.
He could possibly decide when to bomb on better, his decision making i mean.

[devaney]

I think if I had made the call earlier in the season Scott then yes it would have been harsh but given his seriously annoying ability to leave the centre backs ( usually Carragher ) covering the gaping hole he leaves on his surges up field plus his inability to cut out any form of cross from wings and then the ridiculous ease that players and sometimes not the most pacier of opponents seem to skin him ...
No mate I don't think I am being to harsh at all ... Johnson is as I have stated in the past a skilful player when approaching an opponents box but where it matters in defence and providing the stability needed for a seemingly impervious back line he is sadly woefully lacking

the faults you are highlighting to me seems to be more for the team than the individual...

What a load of utter tosh! Carragher probably had his worst season for many years and it wasn't as a result of Johnson trying to create something. Last season the team were incredibly poor overall. We had a midfield including Gerrard that created very little so to have a go at a player that is actually trying to play attacking football is a bit rich even from you! The number of goals we leaked wasn't the problem it was the number we scored - Liverpool F65 A35 - Chelsea F103 A32. It's not blee.din rocket science!

[Thommo's perm]

There is no doubt he is a talented skillful player.
However he seems fragile of mind to me. Much in the Heskey mode. Someone who is a sensitive soul and always struggling for self-confidence. He started with a bang and was chock full of confidence when he started. This slowly ebbed away as the season progressed. He needs an am round his shoulder and a kick up the ar'se. Whether Red Roy will be able to do this at the same time remains to be seen.

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

What a load of utter tosh! Carragher probably had his worst season for many years and it wasn't as a result of Johnson trying to create something. Last season the team were incredibly poor overall. We had a midfield including Gerrard that created very little so to have a go at a player that is actually trying to play attacking football is a bit rich even from you! The number of goals we leaked wasn't the problem it was the number we scored - Liverpool F65 A35 - Chelsea F103 A32. It's not blee.din rocket science!

Yawning Man 

[aCe']

He's a good player.. a good rightback... Im not sure about the price we paid for him (worth no more than 10mill in my opinion) but now that we have him i dont think we should be looking at replacing him...
I think the main concern with having a player like him as part of our back4 is that the other players in our defensive system need to be good enough to cover for him when we're going forward... The likes of Mascherano, Lucas, Carra, Insua ..etc...
I wouldnt say hes a big liability defensively as many have said, but he isnt a great defender thats for certain... If the manager manages to get the balance right then i think Johnson could prove to be a very good player for the club next season... What we lacked last season more than anything were balance and fluidity... As far as im concerned we have the players to improve drastically on last season's showing in terms of performances AND results, as long as the manager gets his selections and tactics right...
Not too many worries from me as far as Glen Johnson is concerned though..

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

I think if I had the time or for that matter the inclination to compile a brief succession of clips highlighting his performances this season ,I think  posters  would agree Johnson's  capitulation at right back has been the main reason Carragher has looked so tired performing his defensive duties.... which in Carragher's  defence those same duties he performed so diligently in the past have now  been added to greatly with the inclusion of Johnson ..... This game is all about opinions and mine is simply that Glen will never inspire confidence whilst he sits uncomfortably in our back four ........ I personally feel its high time for young Martin Kelly to be blooded....  who has more than impressed when given the right back slot

[devaney]

I think if I had the time or for that matter the inclination to compile a brief succession of clips highlighting his performances this season ,I think  posters  would agree Johnson's  capitulation at right back has been the main reason Carragher has looked so tired performing his defensive duties.... which in Carragher's  defence those same duties he performed so diligently in the past have now  been added to greatly with the inclusion of Johnson ..... This game is all about opinions and mine is simply that Glen will never inspire confidence whilst he sits uncomfortably in our back four ........ I personally feel its high time for young Martin Kelly to be blooded....  who has more than impressed when given the right back slot

Sorry I gave you more credit than you deserved! In your case it clearly is ROCKET SCIENCE! Fkng patronising t.osser !!!

[devaney]

What a load of utter tosh! Carragher probably had his worst season for many years and it wasn't as a result of Johnson trying to create something. Last season the team were incredibly poor overall. We had a midfield including Gerrard that created very little so to have a go at a player that is actually trying to play attacking football is a bit rich even from you! The number of goals we leaked wasn't the problem it was the number we scored - Liverpool F65 A35 - Chelsea F103 A32. It's not blee.din rocket science!

Yawning Man 

Suggest you take a look at the s.*i*e you have been writing before having a go!

[Bad Bob]

I dont think he is anywhere near as bad defensively as alot make out.
Sells himself too easily at times one on one but is quick and strong and can get back.

I think he is a very good player and the fact that he gets forward so often is probably the problem as it obviously leaved gaps.
He could possibly decide when to bomb on better, his decision making i mean.

I'd agree with all of that.  He's been exposed on occasion defensively but he's not the glaring liability that say Dossena or Josemi was.  The fact that he likes to get forward and contribute to the attack means that he'll get caught out occasionally at the back and that, for me, is merely the price of doing business.  With a workman-like Dirk ahead of him at RM we need him galloping forward on the overlap and getting crosses and shots in and I'm comfortable with the risk it means at the back.  What he needs improving on, as you say, is that sixth sense to know when to push up and when to hang back and he needs to make sure he's concentrating 100% when doing his defensive work.  But, for me, he's nowhere near as weak a link at the back as is sometimes portrayed.

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

Oh Dear..... I appear to have inadvertently   trodden on the delicate toes of the forums resident Mr Angry again 
aka Mr Devaney