KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum defensive fragility

as we plough our way through the wreck of the season it has becoming glaringly obvious that we as a team defend pourly. saturday was another example of losing points from a winning position. In all I believe it is now 19points dropped when we have been in front. Baring in mind I cannot think of a game when we came from behind to win it is catastrophic. games
Arsenal
Wigan (twice)
Blackpool
WBA
Everton
Sunderland
Spurs
If we had these points we would be 2nd, a realistic half of these points and 5th with 4th in sight. Note this comes from both managers so not a Roy bashing. As we look at the players in these areas it is plain to see that far too many changes in defense this season have played a part. But for me some of the decision making has been shambolic and borders on the keystone cops. Only Kelly has come out of the season with credit, even Pepe has been average and subseptable to a blunder or two(WBA, Arsenal,West Ham 3rd). Carra looks old, Sktrel nervous and Agger just awful based on the fact he is never there. Soto and Aurelio not deserving a mention as they are stop gaps. Wilson has been plucked to early and is not developing - he needs games and was better off staying at Rangers.

If we are to progress next season a dominant and reliable centre half and decent left back are probably required more than two skilful wingers. All in all very disapointing.
Certainly Soto, Aurelio and possibly Agger should be moved on

players like kyriakos, wilson,konchesky need to go if agger doesnt fancy it anymore sell him too

Agger can fancy it all he wants but the fact remains he will never play 10 games in a row and as a defender that is horrific. He can't play just get rid of him this summer please.

ever since end of 08/09 season his head seems to have gone just like rafas did, went off with concussion against arsenal then wasnt seen for another 2-3 months :S

centre back, left back and defensive mid is what worries me

my point was that we have lost 19points from winning positions. Alot have been defensive howlers. I agree to you're point that with more creativity we could have extended our lead during these games and therefore would be irrelevant. However 5/6+ penalties this season and numerous errors at the back suggest we do not have the right personnel. A good team is built on solid defensive foundations

Why are you worried about defensive mid? Centre back i can understand and left back. But D mid seems fine to me with Lucas playing a centre mid while being a ball winner and decent passer.

I can't agree with either sentiment here. We've scored in every EPL game since Kenny returned, and we've kept a lot of clean sheets as well. But the truth is that without Agger we are hopeless at the back, because the vast majority of those 13 goals against have come when he's been off the field. One's defense cannot possibly revolve around a single player, but his fitness is proving to be the difference between winning and losing. WBA weren't even in the game before he went off, and in his last seven appearances we've no conceded a single goal while he was on the field - yet we've lost 3 of our last 5 games.

We're doing okay defensively, and okay up front, that's all; but we're right on that line that reads "squad holding together". What I'm more worried about is that our squad is not capable of playing the kind of football we want/need. Being unable to string 5 passes together without a hoof, and being overrun by a Hodgson-controlled bottom 1/5th of the table club is a far larger concern than our injury-hit back 4.

The boy has played a couple of games and not even in his natural position.... and to think I used to consider LFC fans to be a more enlightened bunch.

He's also 19.