Topic: Left Back Situation

[Neil D]

It's worth pointing out that in 2008-09 Aurelio was awesome and we didn't miss JAR at all.

[McMahon]

The problem over left back has gone on for far to long. If we keep buying maybe cheap options, we are then relying on lady luck. Arbeloa was a cheap option, who rose to the level. But all to often too many stop gaps have been brought in, rather than a top class player. Who ever we buy,  regardless on how many players the squad requires, quality must rise above quantity. Rome was not built in a day and we are going to have to be patiencent.

[Lusty]

Think Jovanovic was supposed to give Insua the kind of cover on the left that Johnson gets from Kuyt on the right.  Would have been interesting to see what that would have been like.  Instead we've got Konchesky and Jovanovic has been a square peg in a round hole.

[JackWard33]

Sorry, Riise was becoming a liability.  Yes, he has made a resurgence at Roma, but here, oh dear, he had become painful to watch.

Funny how many players have a resurgence and look like world beaters in the ITALIAN league

[perth-red]

konchesky is a hack who would be average in my league in australia let alone a club such as liverpool. johnson for left back and kelly for right back

[DanA]

Simple solution. Sell Johnson in January, replace him with a competent right back and buy a decent left back with the change.

Or we keep our talented players and sell the shit ones.

[ReeNah]

Konchesky is the worst played I've seen in a red's jersey period... Needs to go! Opposition teams abuse his shitness and i'm sick and tired of it. Getting rid of Konchesky is't the answer but it's part of the solution!

[Passmaster Molby]

This.

The first set of players to sell in January are

Konchesky (29 yrs old)
Christian Poulsen (30 years old)\
Jamie Carragher (32 years old)
Dirk Kuyt (30 years old)

Of course, we would have to make sure replacements are already in the squad or are lined up.  Which means a Left Back is imperative.  The other 3 have adequate replacements, although for Poulsen we might need to sign someone, unless it is felt Shelvey is ready to be part of the rotation.

Sell Kuyt? I don't think so - he is still one of our best players.

Would add Babel, Aurelio and Jovanovic to your list of players to sell though.

[Cribertinokes]

It's worth pointing out that in 2008-09 Aurelio was awesome and we didn't miss JAR at all.

He was outstanding, contributed a lot defensively and was one of the reasons why we only lost 2 games all season in the league.

Not sure where he is at now both fitness and ability wise but he should be first choice left back no doubt.

[Samee]

This.

The first set of players to sell in January are

Konchesky (29 yrs old)
Christian Poulsen (30 years old)\
Jamie Carragher (32 years old)
Dirk Kuyt (30 years old)

Of course, we would have to make sure replacements are already in the squad or are lined up.  Which means a Left Back is imperative.  The other 3 have adequate replacements, although for Poulsen we might need to sign someone, unless it is felt Shelvey is ready to be part of the rotation.

Dirk should be going nowhere. Neither should Carra. Dirk is still a very important first team player. Carra should be demoted but not sold. He would still make a very good squad player.

[DanA]

Carragher just resigned and hasn't been bad when at centerback. Comments about his poor play are way overstated. We are getting pummeled because we give up 58%+ poseession to stoke and Wigan. Nothing to do with Carra. He isn't a rightbacks arsehole though.But I think he knows it.

[DanA]

Dirk should be going nowhere. Neither should Carra. Dirk is still a very important first team player. Carra should be demoted but not sold. He would still make a very good squad player.

Completely agree

[SuperMilan]

Get Konchesky the fuck out of our club. Get Insua back. Might as well keep Aurelio for the games he can play. Sign a new first team left back.

Spot on that, konchesky would struggle to get a place in a championship side, and what do we do, we go out and spend a load of cash to buy him.
Says it all about the grandad in charge of the team.
Out of his depth.

[Cpt_Reina]

Fabio's a crock and should never have been brought back. All it did was make us believe we had any sort of depth at LB when its clearly not true. Hes a fantastic player but he's a lost cause. Insua should've been allowed to grow in to the role. Our business in the summer is the worst ive seen during my time supportuing the club. And i fear it could be the gift that keeps on giving as we live to rue it for years to come. Thanks again Cecil.

[buzzing]

Selling Johnson would bring in money, and we do have Kelly that can play there, who is also better at defending....or we could try and do a spurs and move him to RW (as they did with bale, from LB to LW)

With regards to Koncheskey - He's fucking awful. Keeps getting targeted by every team.

PS: Is fabio still not fit? Re-signing him was a sure sign how shite of a situation we were in.

Just hope the new owners can see how bad some of these players are

[PaisleyPrint]

JAR + 14M =====(2 years) >> Konchesky.
 



You haven't accounted for dossena's fee in your equation - around £4.4 million.  Just wish Aurelio was not made of glass.

[Chakan]

Selling Johnson would bring in money, and we do have Kelly that can play there, who is also better at defending....or we could try and do a spurs and move him to RW (as they did with bale, from LB to LW)

The problem with playing Kelly constantly is you see what happened with Insua... over played and over used, for a young lad you need to get them playing here and there , not every week. Also Kelly is a center back by nature although does make a very good right back.

[buzzing]

The problem with playing Kelly constantly is you see what happened with Insua... over played and over used, for a young lad you need to get them playing here and there , not every week. Also Kelly is a center back by nature although does make a very good right back.

Good poitn about him being CB - Totally forgot.

But if he's good enough it shouldn't matter - Yes Insua got done. But i still think we rated him higher than he was. For me he didn't have the pace and got caught out far too many times out of position

[Chakan]

Good poitn about him being CB - Totally forgot.

But if he's good enough it shouldn't matter - Yes Insua got done. But i still think we rated him higher than he was. For me he didn't have the pace and got caught out far too many times out of position

I definitely think Kelly is better than Insua. Although I think with time Insua could have come good! Insua also had 6/7 assists last year, considering Gerrard had 10/11 in all competitions that's not a bad return. Insua wasn't great defensively but it's something one can learn with positional play and how to maximize a lack of pace. Whereas now Konchesky is 29 should know positional play and isn't pacey by any stretch of the imagination. We need to ship him out and get someone who can be first choice.

[U13]

Is Aurelio fit at the moment?

[funksta]

Konchesky was not the problem and is one putting his foot and effort in.

He kept pennant quiet and the lad has been putting in cross after cross against anyone else, they did not batter us down the right at all the problems came straight down the middle, skrtel needs to look at the ball rather than the man.

I would back roy to go and get Hangerland, Dempsey and Zamora those 3 would make us a better squad, seems unlikely i know but they are better than skrtel, maxi and Babel or ngog.
I like ngog but he still needs a partner if to start games.

[Chakan]

Konchesky was not the problem and is one putting his foot and effort in.

He kept pennant quiet and the lad has been putting in cross after cross against anyone else, they did not batter us down the right at all the problems came straight down the middle, skrtel needs to look at the ball rather than the man.

I would back roy to go and get Hangerland, Dempsey and Zamora those 3 would make us a better squad, seems unlikely i know but they are better than skrtel, maxi and Babel or ngog.
I like ngog but he still needs a partner if to start games.

Are you high?

[Gainsbarre]

Konchesky was not the problem and is one putting his foot and effort in.

He kept pennant quiet and the lad has been putting in cross after cross against anyone else, they did not batter us down the right at all the problems came straight down the middle, skrtel needs to look at the ball rather than the man.

I would back roy to go and get Hangerland, Dempsey and Zamora those 3 would make us a better squad, seems unlikely i know but they are better than skrtel, maxi and Babel or ngog.
I like ngog but he still needs a partner if to start games.

...against the wall I said!

[rafa forever]

What I'd do to have Insua back. Konchesky is absolutely awful. I wouldnt mind if he grafted a little all he seems to do is rely on the LM (Maxi) to tackle. Whenever a 2 V 2 comes along down the wing he never seems to put a tackle in. Wigan for example he got torn about on numerous occasions without even putting a foot in. Some of these players need to realise they need to earn the respect off the fans and play for the shirt. Being honest though, the majority new he was shite anyway. Then again I guess that's Rafa's fault.

[merseyboyred]

Bullshit. You don't need to go to the extremes of Kuyt just to accommodate an attacking fullback. Look at Chelsea, who have Cole and Bosingwa, with Malouda and Anelka in front of them. Look at any of the other top teams in the world.

Chelsea have Mikel and Ramires or Essien to do the leg work in midfield to cover for the attacking full backs. We don't have two good enough DM's with good enough engines to cover for two. I'm a Lucas fan, but his mobility ain't his strong point.

[OldCold]

Riise was never really a comfortable left back, he had his best days under Rafa on the left wing.

[funksta]

I would do but u love rafa so its ok i pity you!

There is no point beating the Chelsea to draw at wigan and then lose to stoke, roy maybe like mancini at times but at least mancini has balls to take off someone when they are poor!

[thegoodfella]

Insua isn't/wasn't a bad LB.

And I don't remember many people complaining when Riise was being sold.

[downtown]

I lmao everytime people say LET'S SELL JOHNSON and strengthen.

We want to become a top team with NESV's plan and yet people want to sell one of the classier members of our squad who can actually play football in order to improve.a our

this fucking lot would ask for Lahm's and Alves's head too, they deserve Tony Hibbert as our RB.


Every single top team in this world, and I mean every single of them, have offensive minded Fullbacks.....there must be something about them I wonder


We all dream of a team of hoofers....sell Johnson because it fits this criteria.

[SRAWL]

I disagree.  Kuyt plays waaaaaay too much, and produces far too little.  In his last 3700 premier league minutes, Dirk Kuyt has scored 10 goals, and has had 5 assists.  Those are atrocious figures.  He had a good season in 08-09, but since then he has been poor, yet he plays every.single.match.  He is 30 years old, and does not fit with NESV's sporting philosophy.

And you have highlighted the problem with statistics.....anyone can put a few statistics there to represent an argument. How about you look at the things that Kuyt does for the team?

Konckesky was woeful yesterday. We need to stop buying shit stop gap players and buy decent first team players, hopefully the new owners will allow us to do that.

[BCCC]

Just seen the worst bit of full back play I've witnessed in many a year from the supposed "best left back in the world"..