The Centre Back Dillema

One thing that Brendan Rodgers has to address this offseason is the issues at centre back.  Kolo Toure is old and should really only be used as a squad player.  Skrtel and Agger will both turn 30 in December and are starting to show their age.  Sakho has the ability to be all-world, but he appears to lack the discipline.  Sebastian Coates days as a Liverpool player are probably over, which is probably for the best.  That means, unless Tiago Ilori or Conor Coady are ready to step it up, or Rodgers wants to use either Martin Kelly or Andre Wisdom as centre backs (which both are fully capable, just not where they primarily play), we're going to have to bring someone in.  The players who seem to be high on Rodger's list are Dejan Lovren, Steven Caulker, and Mateo Musacchio.  Let's see how they stack up against our current group of centre backs.

	Skrtel	Sakho	Agger	Toure	Lovren	Caulker	Musacchio
app (sub)	36	18(1)	16(4)	15(5)	31	38	32
goals	7	1	2	0	2	5	1
assists	1	0	1	2	1	0	2
chances	7	2	2	7	4	9	8
shot %	46.7	12.5	33.3	0	9.9	14.7	14.3
pass %	90.8	92.5	89.1	86.4	82	74.4	79.5
bp %	23.7	22.6	18.7	20.5	21.5	20.3	16.4
tackles	1.4	1.5	1.4	1.7	2	1.2	2.4
tackle %	50	71.4	55.6	65.1	57.8	55.4	50.9
fouls	0.8	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.8	0.2	1.2
clearances	11.4	7.6	5.7	7.4	7.7	8.6	6
blocked spm	1.1	0.4	0.4	0.7	0.3	1.6	0.5
interceptions	1.7	1.5	1.1	0.8	2.7	1.2	3.4
drib past	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.6	0.5	0.3	0.8
off won	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.1	1.4	0.9	0.6
adwpg	3.6	2.6	2.3	2.2	3.3	3.8	2.2
adwg %	70.1	56	65.2	50.6	61.2	59.3	48.3
de (g)	4(2)	2(0)	3(0)	3(2)	1(1)	0(0)	4(2)
own g	4	0	0	1	0	0	1
TTI	5.2	5.6	5	5.8	10.9	10.1	9.5

First, the surprises: Sakho's 92.5% passing rate is phenomenal while Skrtel's 90.8% is skewed by his back pass rate of 23.7%.  Sakho is also the most consistent tackler with a 71.4% success rate, while Skrtel is worst at a mere 50%.  Steven Caulker took (or tied for) the most categories with 7, but his piss poor pass %, tackle rate, and TTI really hurt him.  Speaking of TTI, I was very surprised to see Lovren be the worst here, errant passes are his biggest fault.  Musacchio's tackle rate is outstanding at 2.4 and a bit unforeseen considering he plays in the less physical La Liga, unfortunately he appears to take too many risks with a 50.9% successful tackle rate.

The Captain Obvious award goes to Kolo Toure, who is old and plays like it. He took home the raspberry for shot %, interceptions, offsides won, and aerial duels won per match, and came close to bottom in three other categories.

We can really tell each player's strengths and weaknesses with these stats, Skrtel is a poor tackler who likes to back pass, but makes up for it by dominating the air and clearing the ball.  Sakho is a great passer and tackler, but not that great in the air, which is probably why those two are paired together.  Agger takes care of the ball, but is not a fan of clearances.  We know what Toure doesn't do, but he did tie for most assists and the third most chances created.

So what about our three potential signings? Well, as I stated before, Lovren's TTI can be a deal breaker, he makes a lot of bad passes and his pass rate of 82% is not impressive.  The other stat that stands out is 2.7 interceptions, which is solid.  He also turns 25 in July.

Caulker seems a bit bipolar.  He can create chances, but he's not a very good passer.  Maybe he's trying too hard or maybe he needs better teammates to feed the ball too. He's only 22 though and his passing can be improved.  Defensively, he doesn't seem to like to tackle, but he's not afraid to block shots nor commit to the air and he's hard to dribble past.  I'm not sure Cardiff can afford to keep him now that they were relegated, but they will probably want to recoup the £8m they paid for him.

Finally, we have Mateo Musacchio, who will turn 24 this August.  His back pass rate (16.4%), tackles per match (2.4), and interceptions per match (3.4) are exemplary, but he is foul prone, only succeeds at 50.9% of his tackles, easily dribbled past, and not very aerial-minded.  He also tied Skrtel with 4 defensive errors that also lead to 2 opposition goals.

Of those three, I honestly think Caulker would be the best.  Lovren is too turnover prone and I don't see Musacchio's game adjusting well to the Prem.  Of course, the dream signing would be Mehdi Benatia from Roma, but he would cost at least £20m.

'Inter is going to kill Liverpool'

That's all I heard going into our first elimination showdown from those who think they are in the know. I hope now they have a better understanding of how the footballing world works and some clue who the true ringmasters are... or maybe I should say puppets and puppet masters. Here's a clue, those with the strings attached to their arses are the team with the least amount of players on the pitch and those controlling the strings make the most money from matches. It's not rocket science.

The first match at Anfield was a joke nonetheless. With a man advantage and a ferocity of attack it was merely a matter of time before Liverpool netted. The second match was one of less subtlety. The surprise Torres goal seemed to spark a change of favoritism, atoned probably to in-game betting, but the ref could hardly keep his hand out of his card pocket with or without the smirk on his mug. A draw would have sufficed, a win for Liverpool was probably more profitable.

Now we have Arsenal and my first thoughts were, 'we've no chance.' The younger, more exciting Emirates side should in all reality have little trouble with the slower, less creative Reds. But one has to consider where the officiating crews' loyalties will lie. Hopefully not Arsenal, but who knows.

The coming schedule is brutal, but really, what is our goal? Fourth place and the Champions League? The latter negates the former, so what is more important? Obviously a trophy is nice but giving in and throwing away matches at Man United and Goodison Park are hard to fathom. I just don't see it.

The saddest casualty of the season was not Daniel Agger but Harry Kewell, who showed glimpses of past brilliance in the mere minutes his been able to play. Is Ryan Babel that much better than him right now? No. Hopefully King Harry will get a chance to once again shine with his future at Anfield now seemingly nonexistent.

A special pair of boots...

A special pair of boots,
Our D-agger wears a special pair of boots.

Gees.
Let's hope he's back to best form as soon as humanly possible.

Today's Banter: Injury updates, Guðjohnsen wants 'revenge', & Man U build-up

It looks as if Xabi Alonso may be available on Sunday, while Steve Finnan looks a scratch. The midfield maestro has been deemed fit by Rafa, but it's unclear whether he'll feature or not. I'm thinking two things here, first, Benitez may just be setting a ploy, as Man U will definitely be more worried about Xabi than Mascherano, due to the former's awesome passing abilities. The other thing is that he may actually be fit, which is fine by me, but will he play? I would hope so, with Mascherano pairing and Gerrard on the right, but if he's not fully fit, he shouldn't.

Finnan, on the other hand, is not a very big concern. We have Arbeloa and with the return of Aurelio on the left, the Spaniard only has to cover the right. If the Irishman is definitely out, I expect Fabio to start on the left with Riise in front of him, giving us at least some sort of wing-back option in the Brazilian. Agger, by the way, is definitely a no-go.

Eiður Guðjohnsen apparently wants 'payback' for his side being booted by Liverpool last year in the Champions League. Fair game, though I don't really care who we get on December 21st when the drawing is held, but I think Guðjohnsen should be careful what he wishes for. Call me crazy, but I think we'll draw AC Milan and Barça will get Arsenal, rematches of the last two finals. The funny thing is, if we do draw the Spanish side, I doubt the former Chelsea forward/attacking midfielder will make more than a cameo in either tie.

The tension for Sunday's showdown with Man U is already bringing about words from the neighbors to the east. Sir Alex Ferguson believes form will be thrown out the window, though I'm not sure what the hell he's talking about. Both sides are in great form and though they barely boast a better record overall, we have scored considerably more goals. Is he claiming his side is in better form? If so, good, let them be cocky.

As for the players, Guadaloupian striker Louis Saha brings up last year's fiasco and how it 'kick-started' the Mancs run to the title. Ah, yes, the match where Carragher wasn't allowed to defend and Man U players were allowed to grab jerseys, but Liverpool were not. Can't wait to see who the ref will be, if it's Mike Riley I might not even bother to watch. Surprisingly, Wayne Rooney talks some sense, talking about the Marseilles match and our recent form: "They did very well and got an excellent result... They are scoring a lot of goals but probably the best thing we can do is concentrate on our job rather than worry about them." If Roons thought that was doing very well (against the 'French'), well, hopefully he hasn't seen nothing yet.

Today's Banter: Crouch not for sale, Hicks not selling, Agger not fit... yet, & more

Greetings, hope everyone is doing well. I'm neither sick nor incarcerated so life can't be that bad. Anyhow, I guess Rafa and Crouch have kissed and made up since it appears that the England International won't be going anywhere come January. If he continues to play like he did against Porto, even I wouldn't mind having him around. There was speculation earlier this season of him being unhappy about playing time and basically acting bigger than his boots, but apparently egos and differences have been put to rest and for the most part everyone is content. Which brings me to my next point.

In this past month, there's been a visible change in our side. Though there's always plenty of room for improvement as a squad, there appears to be a metamorphosis in attitude. Peter Crouch not whining about playing time being just one of the signs. The thing is, between the Blackburn match and the Fulham tie, our boys began to approach matches with a new found outlook. Instead of going in thinking that they will win because we're the better side, they started believing they would win despite the circumstances. I firmly believe it was the record-setting performance against Beşiktaş that assured them that they are a class bunch capable of beating anyone. Funny how revenge that would make Montezuma blush does that. Then, despite coming up empty most the Fulham match, we didn't give up and continued to push and attack until we finally broke the camel's back. I just thought I'd share that observation.

Apparently Hicks isn't interested in selling his shares in the club. In fact, he's angry that such speculation has come about. I find it a bit humorous that any grown man would get angry over such a thing, not that the press didn't just make up that angle to lure readers. Whether he's interested in selling his shares or not, I don't know, but with how unstable financial markets are these days, anything is possible.

The metatarsal injury Daniel Agger sustained two-and-a-half months back, still isn't fully healed, or at least it doesn't feel right to the soon-to-be 23-year-old. He could return next week though versus Reading thanks to special protective boots. Killer boots, man!


Going into tomorrow's match with Bolton, Rafa gave former Liverpool coach Sammy Lee some credit for Bolton's current run of form. As I mentioned in my kids watch yesterday, the Wanderers are unbeaten in their last five matches including a win over Man United. I'm not sure how much recognition their former manager deserves though, not playing Kevin Nolan wasn't exactly the brightest of ideas. He did break in Danny Guthrie into the starting side though, so I guess he's entitled to some credit for that. By the way, Bolton will not have either Nolan, due to suspension, or Guthrie, due to on-loan regulations, when we face them tomorrow.

Finally, Rafa has come out and said that Torres needs to improve his current form. I know that may shock some supporters who believe the striker was our best player in the Porto match, but let me assure you, if he was our best player, we would have lost. Two flashes of brilliance don't make a great match and I've seen Fernando play far better than that. If he was top that match, he would have probably scored four. Be back soon with my 'What will Rafa do?' for Bolton. Godspeed. Yes, that's my new favorite word.

Today's Banter: Bellamy named Welsh FOY, BBC half-ass apologizes, Injury update, & more

Congratulations to Craig Bellamy who was named Footballer of the Year for Wales, beating out the likes of Ryan Giggs and Gareth Bale. Anytime a Liverpool player, former or not, beats out a Man U player for something, the sun seems to shine a little brighter. It was the first time the 28-year-old striker has won the award. The always humble Bells was surprised to win, but thought he was more deserving in previous years. I sometimes wonder if he was still with our side, what kind of contribution he'd make. Outside of leading the club in offside calls that is.

The BBC just doesn't get it. In their apology for an Eastenders character making remarks about Heysel, Hillsborough, and hooliganism, they claim it was 'misinterpreted.' Any chance of such a notion should be avoided when referencing such a sensitive subject. The causes and the consequences of those events are much too complicated for a television show to handle in just a matter of a couple of lines. Stick to the lame-ass imaginary story lines and stop trying to mix in reality where real people were/are killed and other real people were/are traumatized because of it. Moving on...

There's a good chance that Daniel Agger will be back for the Newcastle match at St. James Park. The 22-year-old Dane is expected to return to full training next week. Since Hyypiä will probably play for Finland next Tuesday, the young centre back's return couldn't come at a better time. Yossi Benayoun could be back in action for the Tyneside tie as well, but Xabi Alonso will be at least an additional week if not more.

In transfer market news, Rafa is ready to sell Scott Carson to Villa if the club are prepared to meet his valuation. It is thought that Benitez wants at least £9m for him. I wonder if we waited until the summer, we could get a bit more for him, especially since Arsene Wenger is an admirer and is in need of a better goalie. Of course, if we could use that money to sign Masche on a permanent, there's no question we should sell.

Sticking to transfers, we are apparently interested in Juventus defender Jonathan Zebina. The 29-year-old Frenchman has apparently fallen out of favor with Claudio Reyna at the Old Lady and could be available in the January transfer window. He can play both right-back and central defense. I say if the price is right, why not? The more the merrier, as long as he doesn't mind not playing every match.

In the laughable news category, apparently Hamburg SV stole the next greatest striker in the world, Macauley Chrisantus, out from under us and every other big club in the world. Let's see here, a youth player has a great U17 World Cup, gets hyped up and apparently everyone wants him. Well, that always works out... *cough* Anthony LeTallec *cough* *cough* Florent Sinama-Pongolle *cough*... We've learned our lesson there.

Finally, in the pot -> kettle -> black category, Real Madrid youth coach Michel took a cheap shot at us for 'stealing' 16-year-old Argentine Gerardo Bruna after the young forward had spent the three previous seasons with the Spanish club. Michel goes on to say, “How many young players taken by Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have played for their first team? They sign the boy to a contract, make all sorts of promises and then put him in their reserves and never give him a competitive game.” Ha ha ha... is he kidding? Two words: Alvaro Arbeloa. Cheers.

Today's Banter: The kids crush Bolton, Carson gone, God may need surgery, & Agger almost back

It's a match day so I'm not going to indulge as much as usual. First off, the Academy hailed brimstone and fire on the young Wanderers of Bolton to secure a 5-2 victory. Nathan Eccleston and David Amoo notched a brace apiece with Marvin Pourie adding the fifth. You know, I've heard of the latter two kids, but this Eccleston seems to be the business. Hopefully he'll continue to develop and progress so if he ever gets to the first team, we can stick it to the Mancs about stealing one of their own right out from under them. They can have their Cofie and biscuits and shove them you know where. Anyhow, youth coach Hugh McAuley was pleased with the scoring output, but disappointed that the clean sheet wasn't kept.

Well, it's looking more and more like a done deal that our keeper/super-model extraordinairre, Scott Carson, may be making his loan to Aston Villa permanent. Apparently we've agreed to terms with Martin O'Neill's side. I have mixed feelings about this as I think Carson is as good if not better than Reina, but the Spaniard is always going to get the nod with Rafa calling the shots. Hopefully we're getting a respectable chunk of change for him and can use that money to sign Masche permanently. In any case, I'm gonna dread when we have to face the Villans from now on, just another keeper with more cause to shut us down.

Word out of Cardiff is that Robbie Fowler is having hip issues. So much so that he may need surgery to fix the problem. Details are far and few between, but God is traveling to Germany sometime next week to see a specialist. He's the same guy that treated Michael Owen and Ronaldo, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. Hopefully it's not as bad as thought and he'll be back to fitness in no time.

Speaking of getting back to fitness, the return of Danny Agger after the international break looks highly likely. The Dane has returned to training and as soon as he gets to fine fettle, he'll be back on the pitch for us. Maybe he'll feature for the Reserves on Tuesday, who knows, but we need him back ASAP. Cheers.

Today's Banter: De-constructing Rafa, Babel babble, & A look at our depth

There isn't really much going on in the world of Liverpool Football Club, just reiterations of yesterday's headlines, so I've decided to just ramble on about a bunch of nonsense. Feel free to share your opinions below.

Before I go down that long and winding (or winded, which ever you prefer) road, there's an excellent piece on Rafa's obsession with our club and football in general by Oliver Kay at the Independent.ie. It gives good reason to laugh at all those who feel as if they are obligated to criticize the boss' managerial decisions. He puts in the time and has the trophies to prove it.

Anyhow, moving on, I think it's time Ryan Babel is made a permanent part of our striker force, don't you? From the looks of our last three matches, Rafa may have already decided to do so. He started there against Cardiff and when Kewell came on for Voronin in the Beşiktaş match, the young Dutchman was moved up to partner Crouch. He appears more comfortable there anyhow and in fact, when he plays for the Netherlands, that's his normal spot.

It seems as if when he does occupy the left, he's basically trying to play the role of a forward instead of a winger anyhow. Though I think it would be great if he learned to be effective on the flank, his talent seems best suited up front. With Harry Kewell back to share left wing duties with Riise and occasionally Benayoun, Babel is really no longer needed over there.

Which brings me to squad depth. Just for kicks, let's take a gander:

GK - Pepe Reina, Charles Itandje (inj), David Martin
LB - John Arne Riise, Fabio Aurelio, Alvaro Arbeloa, Emiliano Insua (res)
CB(2) - Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger (inj), Sami Hyypia, Alvaro Arbeloa, Jack Hobbs
RB - Steve Finnan, Alvaro Arbeloa, Stephen Darby (res)
LM - John Arne Riise, Harry Kewell, Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun, Sebastian Leto (res)
HM - Javer Mascherano, Xabi Alonso (inj), Momo Sissoko
AM - Steven Gerrard, Lucas Leiva, Xabi Alonso (inj), Momo Sissoko
RM - Jermaine Pennant (inj), Steven Gerrard, Yossi Benayoun, Ryan Babel
F2 - Dirk Kuyt, Andriy Voronin, Peter Crouch
F1 - Fernando Torres, Ryan Babel, Peter Crouch

(I put in bold who I believe to be our ideal starter at that spot, (inj) = injured, and (res) = primarily a Reserves player but capable of filling in on the first team on an emergency basis.)

The thing that stands out to me is our lack of depth at centre back. With Babel establishing himself as a forward, our focus during the January transfer window has to be a class centre back at any cost. Even when Agger gets back, having Jack Hobbs even in the depth chart is a scary aspect. The kid may be good one day, but he's still very raw.

The depth on the flanks is great, but most goals are scored from the middle of the field. One of the most positive results of the Beşiktaş match was that Hyypia and Carra had to do very little, which means they'll probably be pretty fresh come Saturday. After that, there's a two week layoff for the international break, which means when the team plays again at St. James Park on the 24th, we could have a full, fresh squad including Danny Agger and possibly Xabi Alonso.

Some other links to kill some time:
- Before there was Stevie Finnan, there was Jimmy Willis
- Carra calls on the entire squad to improve

Today's Banter: Birmingham fears Pennant, Carra calls an end to penalties, Anderson may start, & more

- Birmingham boss Steve Bruce has singled out Jermaine Pennant as the player his side is worried most about come Saturday. Pennant though, who played two seasons for the Blues, isn't sure he'll even get to play after being sent off in the Porto match. I'm not sure he'll start, but would be a bit surprised if he didn't get to play at all. Rafa may save him for our Carling Cup match at Reading next week.

- Jamie Carragher has vowed to stop the giving away of penalties. Well, Carra, if you can somehow manage to get the league to hire better quality referees, you might have a shot at doing so, but don't hold your breathe. What sucks is that Pepe has yet to concede a goal from play this season.

- Paul Anderson may get his first league start for Swansea when they face League One side Leeds tomorrow, who has won all six of it's previous matches yet stand bottom to last on the table because of a 15 point penalty deduction for failure to comply with rules on insolvency. The 19-year-old on-loan winger already has two goals for his temporary club, one in Leaugue play and the other in League Cup.

- UEFA spokesman William Gaillard is running his mouth again. This time he accused our new owners of having ulterior motives when they took over the club. He claims they are in it for the 'quick buck'. Rick Parry has responded, calling the obligations 'absurd'. I'm not even going to bother to address this, if Platini and UEFA are so stupid that they don't see the true negative influences in the sport, than maybe they are collecting a few bucks on the side from that influence.

- Rafa is worried about the effect the loss of Agger is going to have on the squad. I think it was made worse with Xabi going down as well since the Spaniard showed he was capable of playing centre back if needed, but it's far too soon to panic. We have ample coverage at the moment and I truly believe that Mascherano is fully capable of covering there if needed. Hell, Gerrard could too. One of the pluses is that Carra has just come off a vacation, so as long as he can remain healthy, we'll be fine. The thing that I'm worried about is bringing up Jack Hobbs from the Reserves as a needs be basis. I say give him the start against Reading and if he does well, go from there. The couple of times I've seen the lad play I've been wholly unimpressed, but am more than willing to give him another shot.

- Finally, Michael Shields is set to spend his 21st birthday in prison. He was convicted of attacking a Bulgarian barman just after the 2005 Champions League final. If you want to read more about his situation, go here.

Anfield Banter: Xabi & Agger injured, Riise fit though, Leto stars in Reserves win, & more

- Both Danny Agger and Xabi Alonso will be out up to six weeks with foot injuries. With Riise declared fit for our upcoming Birmingham match at Anfield on Saturday, we should be fine, but once again after seemingly getting out of depth issues concerning our backline, we're nearly right back where we started from. Aurelio coming back is a huge boost as Arbeloa will no longer be needed to share duty on the left. I expect him to play a lot in the middle in front of Hyypia and on the right when Finnan needs the occasional day off. Riise has centre back experience as well if needed.

- The Reserves beat Wigan 3-0 behind two assists from winger Sebastian Leto to remain undefeated in FA Premiership Reserves League (Northern Division) play. Jordy Brouwer scored his first goal for Liverpool as Nabil El Zhar and Ray Putterill also netted. I fully expect at least Leto and Lucas to be featured in our Carling Cup tie with Reading next week.

- Finally, Palermo forward Amauri Carvalho has been linked to a summer move to Liverpool. The 27-year-old Brazilian scored 8 goals in 18 league games before suffering a serious knee injury to end his season. He has returned to action since. He seems like a good player, but seriously, if only he's coming on board to replace Crouch would it make sense. Even then I expect a bigger name.

International Update: Agger injured?

From the looks of it, none of our boys suffered any major injuries today. In fact, some didn't even play which is awesome because it means there's a good chance they'll be available for Saturday at Portsmouth. Here's a round-up by player:

Sami Hyypia, Finland
Played the full ninety in his side's 0-0 draw with Poland. A win here would have been huge for the Finns chances of advancing, but since Portugal ended up tying as well, they stay in second place and live to fight another day. I doubt the 33-year-old will play versus Portsmouth considering this is his second full match in a row.

Andriy Voronin, Lithuania
Came in as a sub in the 60th minute in his country's disappointing loss in Kiev to Italy. They are pretty much eliminated from advancing now. His limited time on the pitch definitely makes him a possibility for Saturday. How you don't start Voronin in what is basically a must-win beats the snot out of me.

John Arne Riise, Norway
Riise scored an absolute cracker of a goal versus Greece today, but it wasn't enough as his side took a slight blow to their Euro advancing dreams with the 2-2 draw. I don't expect Riise to play Saturday, but he's known for his fitness and despite playing the full match, he is a possibility.

Craig Bellamy, Wales
Oops.

Steven Gerrard, England
Played the full 90 in the Three Lions crucial 3-0 victory over Russia which I guess it's good news since it means he's fit, but I doubt he'll play versus Portsmouth.

Peter Crouch, England
Came on with 10 minutes remaining for England in place of Emile Heskey. Will probably be on the bench on Saturday, but I doubt we'll see him play. Rafa will probably want to save him for our Champions League clash with FC Porto next Tuesday.

Daniel Agger, Denmark
Agger was substituted in the 28th minute of the Danes 4-0 romp over Liechtenstein. No news as of yet whether it was serious, but let's keep our fingers crossed. Losing a centre back could potentially be devastating for our side right now.

Fernando Torres, Spain
Torres played the full match and scored on a rebound in the 86th minute to assure his side's victory over Latvia. As long as he is deemed fit, I wouldn't be surprised to see Torres start against Portsmouth.

Pepe Reina, Spain
Didn't play, will start Saturday.

Ryan Babel, Netherlands
Played the full ninety for the Dutch in their last second 1-0 win over Albania, he's young though and I expect him to at least be on the bench Saturday.

Dirk Kuyt, Netherlands
Edit: Well, I just watched a majority of this match and it appeared that Kuyt was in the whole time, so it's unclear whether he'll play this weekend or not.

As soon as here something about Agger I'll post it. I'm just thankful we'll have Yossi, Xabi, JP, Arbeloa, and Momo ready for action. Cheers.

Daniel Agger Classic White

Liverpool vs Portsmouth: What will Rafa do?

Well, we got some good news today with the international clearances of Fernando Torres, Ryan Babel, and Lucas Leiva, as well as the near return to fitness for Stevie-G, because after Tuesday's match, it looks as if we'll need all the bodies we can harbor. I'm really excited about getting a look at Lucas and fully expect him to start in the middle with Gerrard.

The heat and the humidity definitely seemed to get our boys by the end of the last match. Danny Agger and John Arne Riise looked especially exhausted, which is not good, considering how thin we are on the back line. Carra and Arbeloa played the entire match as well and Hyypia saw some time at central midfield of all places.

I can see Rafa giving a start to Robbie Threlfall at left back as well as Gabriel Paletta in the middle. I also think, since Hyypia came in late and Finnan left early, they will probably allow them to start at centre back and right back respectively.

On the flanks, I think Babel might start on the left, though I wouldn't be surprised to see Kewell there since he was taken out early on Tuesday and with him just leaving the Asian Cup, he's probably pretty well adapted to the conditions. On the right, we'll probably see Pennant since he only played twenty-five minutes or so in the South China FC match.

Up front is not as simple as it would seem. One would think Torres would get the nod since he's well rested, but I think Rafa might start with a relatively fresh Kuyt and pair him with either Babel or even Crouch. If he starts Voronin there, I'll be shocked since the Ukrainian played the whole match Tuesday, but it is Rafa and he does know his player better than I. Voronin actually didn't look too worn out by the end of the match, but you never know.

At keep, I can definitely see Reina starting, but I think Carson will get the nod, if just to keep him happy.

So here's how I see it:
Carson
Threlfall
Hyypia
Paletta
Finnan
Kewell
Lucas
Gerrard
Pennant
Kuyt
Babel

As for the bench, who knows? If I knew the actual fitness of the players I could guess more accurately, but I definitely expect the younger players like Agger, Crouch, and Riise to be available, despite how the looked by the end on Tuesday.

I hope we win this match, but I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't. Portsmouth and Harry Redknapp, without a doubt, have more desire than we do to win this, despite Rafa's words. I just hope it's entertaining, no one gets injured, and we get a solid look at Lucas. Cheers.

Daniel Agger Wallpaper

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