Liverpool FC Forum

[RAGE UK]

agger could learn a lot from Sami.
He is still good and solid and he has got plenty left in him yet.

[Lando_Griffin]

I would play his as the central CB of 3, with JC on the right, and Agger on the left. This would take the pressure off him against speedy opponents, but we would still have the calm-headed seasoned-pro there, sheparding the backline.

i'll be honest, when we signed agger (who is naturally left footed) and also signed paletta, it does make you think if rafa is thinking about playing three at the back on a more regular basis. we played it at newcastle and produced our best away premiership performance of the season.

in this system, it also allows players such as riise, finnan, warnock and kromkamp to get up and down the line more as wing backs.

Well I've thought that 3-5-2 would be our best formation since the CL final.
I just hope it means regular performances like that!!!!! 

[madred]

Probably go so far to say that he was Houlliers best ever signing ahead of Hamann or Riise. I had doubts when he signed him from Willem as to be honest i'd never even heard of him and we needed some quality after being served up the school of defending by Babb, Matteo and Ruddock etc. I remember him making an instant impact when he scored against the Mancs at Anfield and just went from strength to strength. During the treble season he was one of the players of the season and i always remember the Barca game in the uefa semi when late on they threw everything in the air to force an equaliser and Sami met everything and he got us to Dortmund and victory over Alaves. Pace was always something he never had in his locker but he had a yard start most of the time with his sheer understanding in the art of defending. Class player and a legend in my book.

[Espionage]

Fantastic player, I have loved watching him play for many years, he has the best ariel defence in the world bar none. I think he still has 2 more seasons at no. 1 if he can stay clear of injuries....

[HacksawJimDuggin]

Agree wholeheatedly with the comment about playing 3 centre backs. We looked excellent v's Newcastle. Hyppia was the spare man on many occassions meaning his pace (or lack of) wasn't exposed. Palletta is an agressive CH with Agger a strong but more classy CH. Perfect mix for the club going forward.

3 Centre halfs (carra, sami and agger) would allow a central midfield of Gerrard, Sissoko and Alonso supported by Finnan/Garcia/Kewell/Risse/Gonzales on the wings. Not forgetting the 2 forward players that would be an awesome line up!!

[Big Niall]

I actually thought Hypia was better this season than last. He should start next season and play until he drops below the required level.

As players get older, the do pick up injuries which is why it is important to have agger. He'll get his chance but only when what works stops working.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Next season we will have Carragher and Hyypia (the best centre back pairing in the Premiership this season), a very promising and more physically powerful Agger, and Gabriel Paleta, a relative unknown at this moment, all fighting for 2 spots. First things first, it is very encouraging that Rafa is building a strong and well balance squad fierce with competition.

Now on to Hyypia, he has been absolutely outstanding this season and has only had a couple of bad games that have come from him being overworked and fatigued (I believe that he has played more games than anyone else this season, shows how important he is). I am fully expecting him to be first team come the first pre-season game. I don’t expect Paleta to be figuring much as he will need time to settle, and Agger will have to wait his chance. If Hyypia starts to struggle and has a bad run of games then it Agger will be waiting in the wings for his chance. Sami’s form only dips when he has too played too many games in a short period of time, he and Hamann suffer more than most when this happens and it shows.

Eventually Agger will replace Hyypia but he will have to fight for the right to partner Carrgher, and I don’t think Hyypia is ready to give it up easy. On the whole, the centre back situation is very rosy.

[yckatbjywtbiastkamb]

yeats, smith, thompson, hughes, hansen, lawrenson, - when he does hang his boots up sami`s name will be placed on that list of liverpool legends.
only last weekend he showed how important he is against the tactics employed by bolton (long throws and corners) that leave teams like arsenal and their back four winging in the papers. just another day in the office to the big finn.
i think he`s good for at least another 2 years and probably beyond that.
agger will eventually fill his shoes but he looked out of his depth in the air against sutton and heskey at anfield, and carra looked a bit wrongfooted because he`s that used to long balls being headed back where they came from.
chasing the flick ons that were bouncing around the box was a new experience for jamie.

[Pedro O'Maradona]

I dunno...last season a lot of the media were saying sami was finished and this season he proved them wrong bigtime, he seems to have adapted to the benitez defensive gameplan.....agger is a good buy but he is young yet and if he is half as good as sami then he is worth the money they paid for him....

[banana]

Hyypia is finished. Dead. He is only playing at 80% at hios 2001 form. And he is in need of maximum protection from all over the place. He need Carra and Reina to cover his back, and Sissoko/Hamann and Alonso to babysit in front of him. We have to play a deep line to prevent us from getting hammered on through balls and we do not get enough power and pressure on the opponent because our defenders are lying too low.

I fully expect Palletta to replace Hyypia next year with Agger as cover. Hyypia may be kept until his contract expires or be sold to a lesser team like Wba or Sunderland.

Hyypia has been a good servant for Lfc and should retire while he is still remembered as one.

[48-1119859832]

Banana,

I disagree with all most all of your points. How can you say Hyypia's finished when he along with Riise, Finnan and Carragher have been by far the best defence in the Premiership this season? As far as your comments about Hyypia needing protection that back from the likes of Alonso, Sissoko and Reina are just plain non-sense.

I'll grant you the fact that Carragher has helped Hyypia out when we were faced with counter attacks from the opposition but apart from that Hyypia has been top quality this season. However the team has this togetherness about it that each player covers for each other when they are in a bit of bother.

Lying low? I take it you mean "dropping too deep"? As far as I can tell and I maybe wrong but under Benitez and especially with the introduction of Pepe Reina we have pushed up the park rather than dropping deep like we did under Ged.

If you think new boy Palletta is going to replace Sami next season then I think you're insane because as Ace said what the point in tinkering & changing something that doesn't need to be changed. Palletta and Agger are just going to have to wait in line unless Sami is tired or injured in order to get games.

Sami's far from finished, he has plenty left to offer us and that's why Rafa gave him a contract extension.

[Rafa D]

Sami Hypia has been a great servant to this club for 6 to 7 years now, and probably the best buy for Liverpool Football club in the last decade.
  His partnership with Stephane in the 00/01 season was the meanest in the Premiership, and his goalscoring record with his head for that season was also tremendous. He then had to develop a whole new partnership with Jamie Carragher and I think that this one is ever better than Sami and Stephane of 00/01. He and JC have played over 50 games together this season and were vital to our 10 game clean sheet record at the end of the year.

   However great Sami has been for the club over the last 6-7 years, I think this is the last season we will see Sami being such a dominant force in our defence. He is a loyal servant and will always do his best, but next year I believe , his ageing legs , will give way and allow the emergence of Young Agger. Sami was always a bit slow but recently he has looked really tired  and Agger is a lot fitter. Rafa would not spend £5.8m on a defender to sit on the bench and even though it will be  sad, I believe Sami's last year here next year will mainly be looking from the bench.

Yours views.

So tempting.... but I won't.   


   With the emergence of young Agger I felt compelled to find this post and see how peoples views have changed. I, like it says above always felt in my heart of hearts than Agger would reduce Sami to a bit part player this year. I love Sami, he has been brilliant for us, he steadied the ship, just after Roys departure and was a brilliant captain for us and scored some vital goals. I feel he has been our best signing in the Premiership and he is a Liverpool legend.

  However Agger is something else and is really calm and composed on the ball, he looks a class act from what we have seen so far and I feel he will be our centre back for the next 10 years  -  A bold statement but I fully believe it. With Paletta waiting in the wings also, I truly believe that this will be Sami's swansong so lets send the lad out in style.

Your thoughts.  ( Again)

[account deleted by request]

I just wonder if Agger might just inspire Sammi to another great season. Playing less than in the past but still first choice for the big games.I noticed against Spurs Sammi made two early tackles that were quite unlike Sammi in that he flattened two Spurs players, and then he even picked up a booking late on. 

I think there is still life in the old dog yet, but Agger is certainly going to push him all the way. I think the game against Gala will be a good indication of Rafa's thinking. Carra and Hyypia - Carra and Agger or even Hyypia and Agger?

One things for certain, you cant question Benitez's nerve - Resting Carra yesterday would have left him open to a lot of critics if we had lost.

The future is Agger this season is Sammi's (just)

[ConnO'var]

Agger's been brilliant so far this year.... has made some mistakes but that's probably just growing pains and he'll sort them out once he grows into the role..... As far as I'm concerned, this year we have 3 outstanding centre backs. 1 in his prime, 1 who's powers are clearly waning and the last is the heir apparent. We definately need to expose Agger more and more and phase him in even further....

Sammi is on his last legs but still has an important role to play and can contribute in our assult on this years campaign in all competitions... The reason his contract was extended is because he can still cut it with the best (albeit less often these days) but IMO, Rafa wants him to benefit our 2 young uns with his experience and street smarts...

Agree with s@int ..... the future is definately Agger.... But Sammi is still a vital if no longer indispensable cog in our defensive gearbox.....