Liverpool FC Forum

by **crazyhorse** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:15 am

Dont write him off. He has a few good games left in him. Remember class is permanent, Carra has not exactly been uprooting trees lately either.
We need to defend as a team, from the front men back to Reina - we cant blame Sami for the teams failings at the moment.

by **bunglemark2** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:37 am

Maybe we cna't blame Sami for recent failings, and actually I'm not....Thing is, it's bizarre to think that you're "past it" at his age, but in the cut-throat world of CL and Premiership football, he's perhaps good enough but not quick enough, and the latter is the reason for immediate change.
I said in a previous thread that I believed we should have bought at least 2 CB's in the summer, and come the January window it might just be too late to tempt a quality CB at a decent price. So then we need to look within the club....Give Hobbs a chance. But try desperately for a good quality cover for Hyypia. What would happen if Agger got injured again ?

by **stmichael** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:46 pm

To be honest, I think Carra's been equally as poor recently.

What can certainly be said is that Carragher and Hyypia lack pace as a partnership. Obviously this means they're exposed by pace, but also impacts our game in other ways: we sit deeper, we have a bigger gap between defence and midfield exposing the lack of passing ability from the back (or forcing the midfield deeper) and allow the opposition more space in front of the back four.

by **red37** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:56 pm

stmichael wrote:To be honest, I think Carra's been equally as poor recently.

What can certainly be said is that Carragher and Hyypia lack pace as a partnership. Obviously this means they're exposed by pace, but also impacts our game in other ways: we sit deeper, we have a bigger gap between defence and midfield exposing the lack of passing ability from the back (or forcing the midfield deeper) and allow the opposition more space in front of the back four.

Im glad someone else has said it too. In truth, you can add Finnan into that equation as well.

I said a while ago that the area for least concern was Central Midfield. While that on paper should be the case...in reality the team has been dealt a major blow with the loss of Alonso (Gerrard to an extent) also. This has had a big effect on the lads at the back as much as the loss of Agger from their ranks.

Sure the two missing players (key as they are) Are not the sole reason for the dour state of affairs recently - but the side was set up pre season to incorporate them. The plan backfired is all, through injuries. It happens. Add in a player of the quality of a fully functional Kewell to the left flank, and im pretty certain things will get back on track soon enough.

Well, you can repeat yourself over and over but at the end of the day, when these components are restored to the first team - i wholly expect to see a raising of the bar, from ALL areas of the park.

by **Owzat** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:02 pm

bunglemark2 wrote:Maybe we cna't blame Sami for recent failings, and actually I'm not....Thing is, it's bizarre to think that you're "past it" at his age, but in the cut-throat world of CL and Premiership football, he's perhaps good enough but not quick enough, and the latter is the reason for immediate change.

He's not "past it" exactly, it's just he's not good enough for a title winning CB.

Toure, Gallas
Ferdinand, Vidic
Terry, Alex
Agger, Carragher

How many of those pairings would and should Sami break up? Those are the four teams contesting the title, we keep Sami in our pairing much and you will find our name in fourth place as it is above (not ordered, just coincidence I did it in that order)

We spent was it £11m on Babel, surely £6m or £8m or even £10m of that would have been better spent on a CB. A former spudz player and now plonker said that if the spudz defence didn't concede any goals they'd win more games - well duh! If you don't concede you will either draw or win, since spudz are scoring freely of course they'd win more games!

by **Avi Cohen** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:15 pm

I love Sami. But unfortunately his time is up. It;s not his fault or anything - he's just too old now.

Since Agger got crocked and Sami came in, we've been playing a lot deeper to accommodate Sami's lack of pace. As a result, there's a massive gap between the defence and the midfield and the midfield and the strikers. I don't know if anyone's noticed of late that our players seem to be isolated from the rest of the team. We are stretched out, far too much IMO.
This tactic might be the only option Rafa has with Sami in the team.

by **7_Kewell** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:44 pm

bunglemark2 wrote:Maybe we cna't blame Sami for recent failings, and actually I'm not....Thing is, it's bizarre to think that you're "past it" at his age, but in the cut-throat world of CL and Premiership football, he's perhaps good enough but not quick enough, and the latter is the reason for immediate change.
I said in a previous thread that I believed we should have bought at least 2 CB's in the summer, and come the January window it might just be too late to tempt a quality CB at a decent price. So then we need to look within the club....Give Hobbs a chance. But try desperately for a good quality cover for Hyypia. What would happen if Agger got injured again ?

he's not a bad player, it's just his pace. He would probably be ok in Italy or Spain.

by **Owzat** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:32 am

7_Kewell wrote:he's not a bad player, it's just his pace. He would probably be ok in Italy or Spain.

He'd be ok at another Premiership club, just not one that needs to win 25+ games a season and can't afford to leak sloppy goals.

I think Fulham were interested, he'd fit in nicely there. They don't expect to win most games and he'd be way better than most defenders at smaller clubs. But a team with title and Champions League aspirations can't afford to have obvious weaknesses in their back four

by **poolboyuk** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:19 pm

Seems to me Rafa wasnt intending on playing Sami half as much as he has. You can get away with him for a game or two but much more than that and it falls apart. Having said that he has been a great servant and a fine player - its just that his time is up.

If we'd have got Heinze I'm not sure he would still be at Anfield.

To be fair as well - Finnan and Riise have hardly been in the best of form as well

http://liverpoolfc-redramblings.blogspot.com/

by **EddieC** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:52 pm

I just think Sami can no longer play this many games in a short space of time, if he plays tomorrow it will be his fifth game in two weeks for club & country.

I thought the own goal aside he played well against Everton, especially in the air, but against Besiktas his tiredness showed. Tomorrow if Agger or Arbeloa doesn't make it back I would go with Hobbs, he might be inexperienced, but I just don't think Sami could hack another game in quick succession. Given plenty of rest though I think he;s still an important member of our squad this season, and seeing as we could really do with four CB's who are we gonna get that's any better but willing to spend a lot of time on the bench or not in the squad at all?

by **heimdall** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 1:01 pm

Guys hang on a second with the Hyppia bashing please, do you guys realise that Sami actually wanted to retire/leave this summer but Rafa begged him to stay on. Sami knows he is past it, but is so devoted to the club that he had to answer the call from Rafa, so let off him, he's one of the greatest defenders Liverpool have had, show him some respect please.

by **EddieC** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:38 pm

heimdall wrote:Guys hang on a second with the Hyppia bashing please, do you guys realise that Sami actually wanted to retire/leave this summer but Rafa begged him to stay on. Sami knows he is past it, but is so devoted to the club that he had to answer the call from Rafa, so let off him, he's one of the greatest defenders Liverpool have had, show him some respect please.

Where did you hear that? Every report I've read is that there was a Hamman type situation where Rafa said 'I want you to stay but won't stand in your way if you want to go' and Sami decided to stay on.

by **heimdall** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:45 pm

EddieC wrote:
heimdall wrote:Guys hang on a second with the Hyppia bashing please, do you guys realise that Sami actually wanted to retire/leave this summer but Rafa begged him to stay on. Sami knows he is past it, but is so devoted to the club that he had to answer the call from Rafa, so let off him, he's one of the greatest defenders Liverpool have had, show him some respect please.

Where did you hear that? Every report I've read is that there was a Hamman type situation where Rafa said 'I want you to stay but won't stand in your way if you want to go' and Sami decided to stay on.

Not sure, might have been Uncle Albert

Seriously though I heard it from someone with a reliable source inside the club, didn't get any other exciting gossip from him though :sniffle

by **7_Kewell** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:39 pm

sami will be due his testimonial this summer and maybe that will be a good time to finally call the curtain for his time at Anfield....hopefully with a premiership winners' medal... :nod

by **roberto green** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:57 pm

I think we should even ask Gary Ablett to come out of retirement if Agger isn't fit enough soon because sami deffo lost it now.

He will be a Liverpool Legend tho.

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