Liverpool FC Forum

[stmichael]

I've said it in other threads all over the forum. It's the one area of the team that still concerns me. I think we're as good as anybody else in the other areas of the pitch. However I've always had doubts as to whether whether our fullbacks are of the required standard to be in a championship winning side. In modern day football, the fullbacks are absolutely vital, not just defending, but also in an attacking sense. They also have to be comfortable on the ball. When I watch Bosingwa and Cole and Chelsea, they virtually play as wingers for most of the game. Same with Evra and Neville at United and Sagna and Clichy at Arsenal. I just don't think our guys are at the same level in a footballing sense.

Listen I'm not having a go at any of them. I mean our defensive record has been impressive this season with only Chelsea conceding less. To be honest, I haven't really understood the slating that Dossena has been getting on here. He hasn't been directly at fault for goals, and seems to link well with Riera, or whoever else has been stationed on the left. Granted he looked a touch short on match fitness and pace in preseason, but even though he looks a relatively solid guy, he seems to have a yard or two of pace about him now the season has got going. To make a final judgement on Dossena after 7 games is laughable, but he looks like he's none too sprightly, although on the positive side, he seems eager to get forward and does seem to have the strength that Rafa likes in Premiership defenders.

Aurelio I quite like but he did have a very poor game the other day, SWP was the main threat for them and he had the beating of him everytime. He also can't stay fit for more than three games at a time. I've never been 100% convinced by him though. He's comfortable on the ball and has a decent incisive pass/cross in his locker, but lacks killer pace and is suspect defensively, particularly with his positioning. The fact that he plays one week and Dossena the next seems to suggest to me that neither is particularly good enough to nail down that left back spot as his own. Ask yourself, we let Stephen Warnock go for peanuts and he is now an established Premiership player. Are either of these two better than Warnock? Or even Riise, who got absolutely slated in his last year at the club?

On the right, with Finnan gone and Degen injured, Arbeloa is our only option (Carragher is no longer an option with Skrtel injured). I like Arbeloa, but I don't see him as being anywhere near as good as Steve Finnan was a couple of years ago. Ok he's reliable and will get forward when he can, but generally his delivery into the box is nothing short of woeful at times. Degen I've not seen anywhere near enough of to comment.

On a positive not though, seeing as this is a fullbacks thread, has anyone noticed how much further upfield we seem to be setting our play this year through the fullbacks? You'll rarely see either Arbeloa or Dossena/Aurelio receive the ball inside our own half when we are holding possession. It appears we're pushing them far further foward and they're offering a far greater threat in the final third than previous year.

The main question is though, in the long term, are any of them good enough?

[woof woof !]

Dossena has gradually improved but his crosses are sometimes nothing short of woeful. I like Aurelio (for many of the reasons you've already outlined) but it's true that he seems prone to injury, knocks and niggles and perhaps the failure to get a decent run in the side has prevented us from getting more out of him. I think Arbeloa is underrated by many, he's maybe not top shelf but does a fairly solid job and his often cited "failure to get forward" is imo a growing urban myth, I've seen him raiding into the oppo's half on countless occasions , although it is true as one poster pointed out that he doesn't overlap with Kuyt the lad definitely isn't shy to get forward, against City for example the lad was in the oppo's box when he made the final pass for one of Torres' goals, he can't get much further forward than that.

We could certainly do better in the full back department St Mick, but for the time being we're stuck with what we've got, thankfully although a little thin it's not that bad.

[taff]

I actually think that dossena looks good and will get better as the season progresses.  And Arbeloa is better than many think, definitely better than putting Carragher there.  They may not be the best in the world or that expensive but are solid and can give support to the attack.

Aurelio is good but as stated has not had a run in the side and that Swiss bloke, he was free I suppose

[maypaxvobiscum]

we dont have anyone outstanding. all the them are nothing special. they do a decent job. but they are nothing like Sagna, Evra, Cole, etc. i think we should check out Hossein Kaabi. i mentioned him before and he is very very skillful.

[woof woof !]

Are you talking about this Hossein Kaabi ?

from wiki
In June 2007, Kaebi was linked with numerous clubs such as Tottenham and Wigan. On 5 July 2007, he signed a two year deal with Leicester City for an undisclosed fee,[3] making his debut as a subtitute in a 4-1 win over Watford on August 25 at the Walkers Stadium.[4] Kaebi was relegated to the reserve squad following the sacking of Martin Allen on August 29.[5]

Kaebi revealed on September 19 that he was settling in well with the club and was eager to show his talent to the fans.[6] But on 15 October, he revealed to the Leicester Mercury that he was frustrated at being left in the reserve squad. Many Iranian fans questioned why Kaebi, who is a regular in the national team, could not get first team football with a club in the second tier of English football.[7] Kaebi hoped new manager Ian Holloway would use him in the first team, telling Sky Sports that if his "time on the bench continues then" he would consider leaving Leicester City.[8]

Kaebi finally made his long awaited start on December 11, playing on the right wing as Leicester lost 3-1 to Ipswich Town at Portman Road. [9] He was however placed on the transfer list by manager Holloway on 23 December, eight days after a 2-0 defeat to Hull City, his last ever appearance for the club.[10] His time at Leicester came to an end on Monday, 4 February 2008, when he was released by mutual consent.[11] Kaebi used a translator to speak for him during his time at Leicester City as he could not speak English. He was returned to Persepolis after he failed to make an impact at Leicester City. He won the Iran's Premier Football League for the second time under Afshin Ghotbi. Despite the offer from Persepolis F.C. he decided to move to Saipa F.C. He said he wanted to experience new team and he could not continue playing for Persepolis F.C. but he never said why. Many others believed that he moved to Saipa F.C. for a better offer.

[account deleted by request]

I don't think ANY of our full backs apart from Arbeloa look up to the job. I have little confidence in any of them. I think we have managed to buy the only Brazilian that can't pass, the only Italian that doesnt know how to tackle and the only Swiss...... well the Swiss have never been much good at football anyway!

Seriously I think there is no doubt they are the weakest link in the team and I just hope we bring in someone better in the winter window, as even Arbeloa is nothing more than adequate imo, and he's probably the best of a bad bunch.

I would almost go so far as to say this would be a better defensive lineup :-

Kuyt    Hyypia   Agger    Carra     obviously Skrtel coming in for Hyypia once he's fit.

I may be being a bit harsh as Degen has hardly played, Aurelio has been injured for a while and Dossena is quite new as well ....... but I don't think so!

[taff]

I would almost go so far as to say this would be a better defensive lineup :-

Kuyt    Hyypia   Agger    Carra     obviously Skrtel coming in for Hyypia once he's fit.

I may be being a bit harsh as Degen has hardly played, Aurelio has been injured for a while and Dossena is quite new as well ....... but I don't think so!

Either a wind up or you have gone mad. Kuyt as left back when everyone slates him for playing upfront and Carra as much as I love the guy is not the best fullback around.

[stmichael]

On a side note, I really hope Insua doesn't just fade out of the picture. Even with the 7 subs rule the reserves aren't getting much playing time

[taff]

On a side note, I really hope Insua doesn't just fade out of the picture. Even with the 7 subs rule the reserves aren't getting much playing time

Which debate shall we have. Rafa not picking the strongest team or not bringing youngsters through

[maypaxvobiscum]

Are you talking about this Hossein Kaabi ?

yup thats the guy. he seemed really impressive in the videos i saw.

[maypaxvobiscum]

I would almost go so far as to say this would be a better defensive lineup :-

Kuyt    Hyypia   Agger    Carra     obviously Skrtel coming in for Hyypia once he's fit.

I may be being a bit harsh as Degen has hardly played, Aurelio has been injured for a while and Dossena is quite new as well ....... but I don't think so!

Either a wind up or you have gone mad. Kuyt as left back when everyone slates him for playing upfront and Carra as much as I love the guy is not the best fullback around.

i think someone logged in under Saint's account     

[account deleted by request]

I would almost go so far as to say this would be a better defensive lineup :-

Kuyt    Hyypia   Agger    Carra     obviously Skrtel coming in for Hyypia once he's fit.

I may be being a bit harsh as Degen has hardly played, Aurelio has been injured for a while and Dossena is quite new as well ....... but I don't think so!

Either a wind up or you have gone mad. Kuyt as left back when everyone slates him for playing upfront and Carra as much as I love the guy is not the best fullback around.

Which is exactly my point Taff 

[taff]

Are you talking about this Hossein Kaabi ?

yup thats the guy. he seemed really impressive in the videos i saw.

 

I genuinely dont know what to say to that

[Bam]

Kuyt will end up between the sticks before his contract runs out, you never know he maybe better at keeping the ball out of the net rather than sticking it in the bl.eedin thing.

[maypaxvobiscum]

Are you talking about this Hossein Kaabi ?

yup thats the guy. he seemed really impressive in the videos i saw.

 

I genuinely dont know what to say to that

i think ive gone mental too