Liverpool FC Forum

[Bammo]

He was decent in the air although he was mostly at fullback so wasn't tested that much for headers. He's well respected by both Town's staff and fans but they all know he's better quality than league 1.

Incidentally Lee Peltier is now there on a free after they couldn't get Kelly. It's a small world

[stmichael]

Well Skrtel has come through a practice match which is good news!

[JoeTerp]

MARTIN KELLY . MARTIN FECKIN KELLY .

agree 100% - very impressed with the lad from what i have seen and would be happy for him to be 4th choice .

I havent seen enough of him to make a judgement.
But it appears that Ayala and San Jose are above him in the pecking order based on pre-season.

Which is strange as i dont think either are good enough.

If the 2 spainsh lads are better than martin kelly (seeing how they are played ahead of him in the pre-season matches).....then surely kelly isn't the answer.

San Jose and Ayala are woeful......

Jesus Christ. Dani Ayala is 18 years old and was thrown into the fire against Kun f.cuking Aguero and Deigo FUc.king Forlan.  THey make some of the best CBs in world football look woeful, what did you expect?

Ayala is gash mate.

Did you watch the youth cup last year when we got to the final and then got destroyed by Arsenal ?

Well he looked out of his depth at that level and was a liability.
The thought of him stepping up to our first team makes me wince.

On the little i have seen of him Kelly looks a better bet, but Rafa seems to have picked the two young spaniards ahead of him so thats a little concerning.

he was playing injured in the cup final, was partnered with an even slower Joe Kennedy, had absolutely no help in CM because Pepper was out through injury, and some of those Arsenal players are the fastest around for their age group, and as a team were just on a higher level than Liverpool on the night.

[JoeTerp]

My theory is that Kelly (unless we buy a CB) will be both 4th choice CB and 2nd choice RB.  My guess is that prematch vs. Atletico, Rafa was always going to go with JOhnson then Kelly, to give kelly some RB time, and he was trying out the Spainairds, because if both Skrtel and Agger are out, one of the Spainairds is likely to make the bench, and it was a great learning experience for all four of our young defenders.


just to be clear, am I saying that I think Ayala or San Jose will or are likely to "make it" at LFC, no.  But I am also not willing to write them off either.

[GYBS]

Skrtel is back

[Owzat]

I think Rafa should put in a cheeky £19k bid for Lescott.................

[7_Kewell]

I watched the Hull game today and i can see why Rafa is interested in Turner. He’s gutsy and very similar to Carra. He gave 110% today and was throwing himself at every challenge and i think we should stump up the cash because he’s certainly a future England centre back.

[Owzat]

Depends what "the cash" is. Something in the region of £5m-£7m maybe, the £12m that was mentioned in the rumours I think is way too much. For what could end up being 3rd or 4th choice can we afford to go splashing large chunks of our transfer budget on?

[Effes]

It will be interesting to see how Carra and Skrtel cope with Crouch today.

[bigmick]

I watched the Hull game today and i can see why Rafa is interested in Turner. He’s gutsy and very similar to Carra. He gave 110% today and was throwing himself at every challenge and i think we should stump up the cash because he’s certainly a future England centre back.

I wouldn't be inclined to get too carried away with him mate based on the performance against Chelsea, although I must say I also watched it particularly to see him and was impressed. He does have a certain something about him, a kind of John Terryesque throw your body on the line attitude and his block on Drogba in the dying minutes was impressive. What got me about that was that he wasn't actually picking Drogba up at the time, and the ball only arrived at the Ivorians' (I do believe that's the first time I've ever used that word) feet kind of by accident. To get there Turner needed the awareness of impending danger mostly, a quick read and then quick feet to get the block in.

He did well there and he did well all game, but I'm with Owzat on the price. 12 million quid is cloud Cuckoo land, you'd just about get Upson for that and he isn't "going to play for England one day", he does now. Half of that would be about right for me, although I've no doubts you've got no chance of getting him for that given his importance to Hull. No, if I was buying from the Premiership I'd buy either the bloke from Fulham whose name for some reason I can never fecking remember, or Upson. If we are looking for a fourth choice centre half, then our budget should be around 2-3 mill given the stories about our finances, and for that we should be scouring the lower leagues for a big lad with a bit of presence and pace about him. Maybe Baldricks lad form Sheffied Wednesday might be worth a look.

[bigmick]

It will be interesting to see how Carra and Skrtel cope with Crouch today.

I would fancy them to play Crouch pretty well Eff in many ways, but it's probably his partner in crime Defoe who will give us most problems. Providing we can make sure that Spurs have to hit Crouch from the full back areas, then I don't really see them or him particularly giving us too may problems. This is particularly the case if through pressure we can make sure the right fullback hits it long down the right and the left full back down the left. I'm not worried that the left back will certainly get harried to a standstill and will be more than happy to hoof it anywhere which will give him some peace, but their right side would worry me a bit if Riera is in one of his sunbathing moods.

I've always fancied Crouch for a diagonal ball hit from the fullback slot, the one where he jogs backwards and nods it back in under the trajectory. Defoe loves this kid of thing, and no doubt they'll have Modric buzzing in and around off the left side as well when it comes from the right full back slot.   

Obviously if they can advance the ball up the flanks through Lennon and Modric then balls hit long from well inside our half become more of a bother. From here you can win the header but lose the war quite easily.

I fancy Carra to know a little bit too much for Crouchie though in their matchups, his body position managing to diminish the big fellas influence. As usual though if he plays Skyrtel will worry me. If he takes Crouch, expect a few free kicks conceded as his impatience to get to the ball means he'll go through Crouch. If he picks up Defoe, he really does need to be in "fully awake" mode, ball watching will be extremely costly against the little Tottenham man I think.

[Lando_Griffin]

We need someone who is as good in the air as Sami.

Good luck finding anyone!

Sami was beyond exceptional in the air.

[Nando26]

I watched the Hull game today and i can see why Rafa is interested in Turner. He’s gutsy and very similar to Carra. He gave 110% today and was throwing himself at every challenge and i think we should stump up the cash because he’s certainly a future England centre back.

I wouldn't be inclined to get too carried away with him mate based on the performance against Chelsea, although I must say I also watched it particularly to see him and was impressed. He does have a certain something about him, a kind of John Terryesque throw your body on the line attitude and his block on Drogba in the dying minutes was impressive. What got me about that was that he wasn't actually picking Drogba up at the time, and the ball only arrived at the Ivorians' (I do believe that's the first time I've ever used that word) feet kind of by accident. To get there Turner needed the awareness of impending danger mostly, a quick read and then quick feet to get the block in.

He did well there and he did well all game, but I'm with Owzat on the price. 12 million quid is cloud Cuckoo land, you'd just about get Upson for that and he isn't "going to play for England one day", he does now. Half of that would be about right for me, although I've no doubts you've got no chance of getting him for that given his importance to Hull. No, if I was buying from the Premiership I'd buy either the bloke from Fulham whose name for some reason I can never fecking remember, or Upson. If we are looking for a fourth choice centre half, then our budget should be around 2-3 mill given the stories about our finances, and for that we should be scouring the lower leagues for a big lad with a bit of presence and pace about him. Maybe Baldricks lad form Sheffied Wednesday might be worth a look.

Dont you mean Carraesque & Upson aint worth 12 million

I dont understand where this 4th choice is coming from Carras nearing the end & Skrtel & Agger are always injuried id be looking for a 1st choice myself & one with pace

[Effes]

It will be interesting to see how Carra and Skrtel cope with Crouch today.

I would fancy them to play Crouch pretty well Eff in many ways, but it's probably his partner in crime Defoe who will give us most problems. Providing we can make sure that Spurs have to hit Crouch from the full back areas, then I don't really see them or him particularly giving us too may problems. This is particularly the case if through pressure we can make sure the right fullback hits it long down the right and the left full back down the left. I'm not worried that the left back will certainly get harried to a standstill and will be more than happy to hoof it anywhere which will give him some peace, but their right side would worry me a bit if Riera is in one of his sunbathing moods.

Mick, Im thinking Crouch may have one of those games where he comes to get the ball at feet or chest height,
controls it and lays off for Defoe and an overlapping Modric.

...or controls it, lays it out wide and then runs into the box for the returning cross.

Should be interesting all the same.

[bigmick]

Dont you mean Carraesque & Upson aint worth 12 million

No, and IMHO he is.