Topic: My favourite Player #5: Danny Agger

[Bird Bird Bird The Bird Is The Word]

"Most footballers would have hidden from the embarrassment of moments ago. Danny decided to erase it."

That's Agger in a nutshell, perfectly put.

[amoh]

One of the finest pieces of football writing I've had the pleasure of reading in a long time, about one of the finest footballers I've ever had the pleasure of watching.

A lot of fond memories came flooding back; particularly, *that* Chelsea match.  The composure, and mentality, he showed to bounce back from the first leg at the age of 23 is staggering.  His resolve and courage, even at a relatively young age, must have been clear for his teammates to see.  I remember Carra stating in the build up to that second game that nobody needed to worry about Daniel coming back up against Drogba.  How right he was.

[THE7KING]

Superb piece...really enjoyed it on my way to work this morning!

[vincenzo524]

Outstanding. An excellent read during my lunch break. Just a shame so many footballers are the opposite of Dagger and do not have one iota of the passion for the club but plenty for £££'s they get paid.

[trenchtownrasta]

Thanks.

[Dr Abismo]

Brilliant article as usual, Yorky. Agger's career has taken a while to really get going, because of persisitent injuries and a succession of managers, some of whom didn't seem to recognize or value what he offered. But you spell it all out beautifully, and capture the man - and indeed, the fan.

Meanwhile, I have to note that you've got another of my heroes as your avatar (is that the right word?) - the great Tom Paine. Fab.

[BreakfastPercy]

Top, top work Yorky, really enjoyed that. If you don't mind thought I'd chuck in this for the extra lashings of good-feeling, Benitez first comments on Agger after we signed him:

"Daniel is a player we have been following for a long time. We first spoke to Brondby about the player when we were in Monaco playing the Super Cup final. At that time, their chairman said he wasn't for sale.

We scouted Daniel for a long time but then he picked up an injury. When he returned to fitness we watched his first game back and we knew he was at the kind of level we require, even though he played only 25 minutes. We've been told he's one of the best centre-halves in Denmark for 20 years. A lot of scouts have spoken highly of him and there has been lots of interest from other clubs.

People will remember he played particularly well in an international against England earlier this season. We'd already watched and asked about the player before then. That match surprised a lot of people, but it confirmed to us he could play at a particularly high level, which is why we've continued to follow him.

I wouldn't say he was a particularly aggressive style of player, I think he is a very clever type of defender. His positional sense is very good, for example, and he reads the game well. Of course, there are areas he needs to improve, but he is young and we will help him.

He will be an option for the first team within a short space of time. First he will need to improve his physical condition but then he will put both Sami and Carra under pressure for their place. This is an area where we've had no competition until now.

He can't play in the Champions League, but when you sign a player who's only 21 years old, he is for the future of the club, not for a competition in which we have a maximum of seven games left. If we have to play seven more games in Europe without players who are cup-tied, it will be a welcome problem."

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liverpoolfc/0100news/tm_headline=benitez-new-boy-agger-can-step-straight-in%26method=full%26objectid=16573181%26page=2%26siteid=50061-name_page.html

[Fromola]

One thing that encouraged me about Rodgers early on was his ability to keep hold of Agger.
The fact he did this and got rid of Carroll indicated  the direction we are moving in.
Agger is key to our future

Maybe, but I think the crowd against Gomel played a big part in that - it reminded me of Alonso against Lazio in 2008. There certainly seemed to be a desire at the club to sell Agger over the summer, but the crowd's reaction that night - combined with Agger's determination to stay - is what seemed to tip the balance.

[Yorkykopite]

Nice one Rawkites - thanks for appreciative comments and thoughts of your own.

No player is irreplaceable I suppose, but some take years to replace after they've gone. Not always. Kevin Keegan was 'irreplaceable' but then next season he suddenly, and amazingly, wasn't. But I reckon if Danny had upped and gone in the summer we'd have been looking at a tough few seasons ahead of us. 

[has gone odd]

even if you had never heard of him, after that writeup youd say he was an outstanding talent. ticks all boxes for me and now on a good injury free run (please god dont make me regret saying that) we see what hes all about. that infamous smack to torres' windpipe was awesome, biggest cheer of that season for me

[BreakfastPercy]

No player is irreplaceable I suppose, but some take years to replace after they've gone. Not always. Kevin Keegan was 'irreplaceable' but then next season he suddenly, and amazingly, wasn't. But I reckon if Danny had upped and gone in the summer we'd have been looking at a tough few seasons ahead of us.

Aye. Suarez is a behemoth in his own right, but he doesn't bring out the best in others especially. Agger improves those who play with him above and beyond his own direct ability, and that's what makes him a rare breed. Skrtel can play well on any given game, but you rarely think 'he's really upped our righback's game with how he's played today'. With Agger you get that all the time. From back to front the whole team functions better with him in it. Maybe that's why Keegan wasn't quite so irreplaceable in potentially the same way (and of course he had the greatest of successors)?

[Danny_]

If he can stay injury free which he has (touch wood) so far, he is one of the top 5 CBs in the league, maybe even in Europe.  We always over-rate our own players so I'm not going to say he's the best but I can't think of many other names that I would prefer than a injury free Daniel Agger. 

[Fromola]

If he can stay injury free which he has (touch wood) so far, he is one of the top 5 CBs in the league, maybe even in Europe.  We always over-rate our own players so I'm not going to say he's the best but I can't think of many other names that I would prefer than a injury free Daniel Agger.

I think the penny's dropped with Agger that he needs rest time between games. We try not to use him too much in midweeks, so when we just use him for the league the injuries tend to be less frequent. I don't think he's missed a Liverpool game yet through injury this season.

He will pick up injuries, it's inevitable, but it's about managing him well.

[rossipersempre]

He really is the footballing equivalent of a beta-blocker (calms heart rate), a statin (maintains blood flow and prevents arterial blockage) and Viagra (enhances potency) all formulated up into one wonder drug.

[StevenLFC]

Great piece that mate, Danny really is a wonderful player isn't he? It's a shame that we've not won more trophies with him in the side.

[saoirse08]

This site always produces great writing, but I have say that is one the best I've read on here for a while. I was nodding and mentally ticking off all of the eruditely argued pointsmade throughout. The 2nd leg semi against Chelsea at Anfield always sticks out for me. Think you highlighted all of his qualities, as the level of his performance did that night.

Thanks again, Yorky, for a lovely write up.

[Roger Federer]

Beautifully written piece, as per usual, Yorky.

[Crixalis]

Brilliant read, loved it.

[Rafas_Barmy_Army]

Its a huge shame Daniel and Sami didn't get more playing time together, the pair of them are calmness personified. You can only dream of how good that pairing would have been given a proper run of games together.

[OOS]

Its a huge shame Daniel and Sami didn't get more playing time together, the pair of them are calmness personified. You can only dream of how good that pairing would have been given a proper run of games together.

When I think of the two of them, I always think about this photo.



Great photo, one Liverpool legend, and one soon to be (Hopefully).

[Corkboy]

Great photo, one Liverpool legend, and one soon to be (Hopefully).

Enrique?

[Garstonite]

Supposed to be getting involved in the "96 tattoos" if there weren't enough reasons to frigging love the bloke.

[Drippy Dick]

Catching up on some of the ones I have missed on this excellent series. This was an excellent read. You have a gift Yorky. The way you write about football is inspiring to say the least. I can't wait for the next 6 a side so I can try and play a little bit like Agger, the right way. You should write a book Yorky and I don't know if you coach or not but you bloody well should. After reading that all I want to do is play

[Yorkykopite]

Catching up on some of the ones I have missed on this excellent series. This was an excellent read. You have a gift Yorky. The way you write about football is inspiring to say the least. I can't wait for the next 6 a side so I can try and play a little bit like Agger, the right way. You should write a book Yorky and I don't know if you coach or not but you bloody well should. After reading that all I want to do is play

Thanks very much Drippy. I'm not a coach but I have been coached. One man in particular was an inspiration for me when I was younger (he'd qualified in France not England). First because he believed defenders ought to be creative when they had the ball (and being a Liverpool fan I was ready to hear that). Second because he showed me simple ways to be calm on the ball and build from the back. Third because he would never get pissed off if you were trying to do the right thing and failed. And fourth because he was brilliant at explaining things. When he was talking to defenders he often applied a phrase which I use myself these days. He would say "change the picture in front of you if you don't like it". What he meant by that was don't just wait for a midfielder to find a pocket of space before you pass to him, but be proactive and move with the ball. That way you'll give your midfielders more chance to find space and your pass, when it comes, will be more disguised. Also, once you've delivered a pass on the move you have an energy that stationary passers don't have. That can be useful for defence (in case things go wrong) as well as attack. 

Agger of course is a supreme exponent of that idea. He is the consummate picture-changer. It's one of the main reasons I admire him and enjoy watching him play. Watching him on Saturday I was again reminded what a brilliant mover he is with the ball at his feet.   

[Vulmea]

I've  thought with Agger that there is type of leashed ferocity bubbling under the surface - controlled presumably by his intelligence - oddly as a player he's reminded me more of Gary Gillespie than the epitomy of cool that was Hansen  -  the same lean elegance and balance, the same fast feet, similar injury problems but maybe I've been reading it wrong - he does have a calm about him and amidst a defence and a team no longer assured of victory I guess thats something very special.

[OOS]

Enrique?

Sami and Daniel??

[Corkboy]

The Agger first touch – when appropriate - puts the ball two or three yards ahead of him into space (you can do that at centre back). By the time he touches the ball a second time he’s cancelled out the opposition front line and he’s travelling pretty quickly - and once he’s accelerating into the ball the opposition’s back line takes a step or two backwards.

I knew this rang a faint bell. From the Match Comms thread for our away game at West Brom.

Agger just strode out with the ball and at least eight West Brom players backed away from him in a Clarke-esque defensive synchronous stylee.

They had obviously been prepped...

[Corkboy]

Bump.

Am a little sad.

[Kovai Red]

Bump.

Am a little sad.

Me too 

[exCite]

A bit sad maybe, but happy for him that he could go back to Brondby. He really is one of the few real club players. He rejected the likes of Barcelona and Milan and stayed with us when times were dark. YNWA Danny.

[saoirse08]

Wonderful. Missed this first time around. Thanks, Yorky, lovely read.

[Oddball]

A bit sad maybe, but happy for him that he could go back to Brondby. He really is one of the few real club players. He rejected the likes of Barcelona and Milan and stayed with us when times were dark. YNWA Danny.

Defiantly mate. One of the few loyal players that remain. Could have gone for the money or even the kudos, but stuck with us. Now his body isnt the best at only 29! Gone home to see out his career with his boyhood club. Great player. All the best Dagger.

Wonderful. Missed this first time around. Thanks, Yorky, lovely read.

Same as. Cracking read that mate.