I just wanted to create a thread giving special praise to our defence. Watching the game against Bolton today really brought it home to me. As a unit, there is no better defence in the country. They are generally in a perfect line and cover each other's positions brilliantly.
Reina takes some stick, but it is no coincidence that he has been in goal for our record-breaking defensive run last season and a run of 10 clean sheets in 11 (and counting) this year. He occasionally flaps at crosses, but i can't think of any other problem with him. He is decisive and that is the best quality a goalkeeper can have. He doesn't have a great deal to do behind our back 4 but can generally be relied upon to make a save when needed. And he's still got 10/15 years ahead of him.
Finnan is under-rated and continues to get in some quality crosses. He is a bit suspect to deep high balls but is one of the best right full backs in Europe. Very rarely gives the ball away, and is not prone to daft challenges like a lot of defenders.
Carra. Legend. Had a bit of a dodgy spell earlier this season, but has returned to supreme form. Outstanding at Spurs, he was solid again today and deserves unbelievable credit for turning himself from a good utility player into a world class centre back. He loves the club, loves the fans and we love him back. Top notch, and a more than able vice-captain.
Hyypia. The best buy Houllier made by a distance. Before he came, we use to fear crosses and high balls into the box and i think a lot of fans take his outstanding positional sense and reading of the game for granted. Comfortably in our top 5 centre halves of all time and has chipped in with a few crucial goals over the years as well. Another thing to note is his professionalism.....you've never heard him complain about being left out of the side and he looks as good now (superb against Bolton today) as he ever did.
Agger. A lot's been said about him already, and it looks as though he could be a mainstay of our back 4 for the next 10 years. Fantastic composure for a kid of his age, very good on the ball, brings it out of defence (a quality we've not had for 20 years) and can ping one from 25 yards as well. If he can develop as good an understanding with Carra as Sami has over the last 3 years, he's going to be a revelation.
Riise. Yet another who is taken for granted by some. He has his faults (slightly too partial to a long ball down the channnel and gets sucked into the middle too much), but he's solid in the tackle, good in the air and has a goalscoring record better than most full backs. One of the sweetest left foots we've ever had at the club and, again, a tremendous professional. There are better left backs in the Prem (Heinze especially), but there would be so many takers for Riise if we decided to sell. Oh, and the successor to Didi in terms of picking up the scouse accent!!!
Honourable mentions go to the guys that fill in (Jerzy, Palletta, Warnock, Aurelio), but those five are the cornerstone of the best defence in the country. Rafa has them drilled like a machine, and they've conceded just 3 goals at home in the league this season. In fact, of those 3, Zamora's was a freak and Agbonlahor's was a consolation. Take a bow boys, and let's keep it tight in 2007.
