Topic: My favourite Player #5: Danny Agger

[liverbnz]

Superb read, thanks.

[Ycuzz]

That was a beauty Yorky. Thanks mate.

[Hazell]

Brilliant piece. Agger is a fantastic player and you've nailed his game perfectly. That bit about him being capable with the ball not necessarily meaning he 'can't defend' is spot on.

[Fat Scouser]

Obviously, over the moon when he signed. I'll be sick as a parrot when he's not around. But at the end of the day, the lad could play football in a top hat and tails.

Great stuff Yorky.

[Severely]

Love this man. My favourite player along with Lucas. I hope he never leaves.

[Alonso_The_Assassin]

Great stuff, Yorky. He's my favourite player, too. Next captain, IMO.

[Funky_Gibbons]

Fantastic piece Yorky, really enjoyed reading that.

I don’t know if it’s because I used to play in defence, or because I believe a good team is always built on a good defence, but I do love a good defender. I like defenders who will lay their body on the line to prevent a goal, who take as much satisfaction from a clean sheet as they do scoring a goal.

We have been blessed over the years to have some truly fantastic defenders, but Agger is capable of being the best. He ticks every box you that you want from a defender, but also has so much more to offer.   

[Crosby Nick]

Yorky, can only echo what's been said already. A fantastic write up of one of my favourite players. I just love everything about how Agger plays. A joy to watch which seems strange writing about a centre back.

Have to say I was quite surprised this wasn't dedicated to Dirk Kuyt though!

[Johnny Foreigner]

Wonderful piece. thank you.

Leads me back to royhendos excellent article about stupid football

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=291464.msg10064081#msg10064081

I commented the enclosed and he has just gone the next step.. Obvious choice for our next captain

"Food for thought there..

Our istanbul-team had 2 englishmen in the starting 11 (gerrard/carragher)
Our athens-team had 3 englishmen (never mind the irish and the welsh)
Milans athens-team had 7 italians in their starting 11..

For me - intelligent football consists of knowing when to keep possession, when to speed up, when to fall back - when to committ the "clever" foul in the midfield - when to do the 1-2 whackings you're allowed to do..

Apart from a general trend of being notorious bottlers, the Italians are for me the prime example of being an intelligent football nation. It runs in their blood - getting the 1-0 away in the tricky away game; crippling maradona and getting three draws to get out the WC group..

England are for the total opposite... Being brave, bold and lionhearts doesn't make you win anything when you're up against quality opposition. Could be the reason why rugby was invented, but football is a different matter..

Prime nations in Europe now being Spain and Germany - both intelligent footballing nations with skills and now also the ruthlessness to back it up..

Prime example of the modern footballer in the current squad is Agger - classy but ruthless when needed..  I guess we can add a few examples of the oppsite in the current squad.. "

[Fat Scouser]

Have to say I was quite surprised this wasn't dedicated to Dirk Kuyt though!

HA! We have a winner.

[Hazell]

Yorky, can only echo what's been said already. A fantastic write up of one of my favourite players. I just love everything about how Agger plays. A joy to watch which seems strange writing about a centre back.

Have to say I was quite surprised this wasn't dedicated to Dirk Kuyt though!

Agger and Kuyt - in combination for that goal against Wigan.

[Zlen]

Amazing post, pleasure to read.

[Red number seven]

It's as if we fall for the division of labour imposed on our economy by capitalism and refuse to accept that the artist and the artisan can exist inside the same breast.

As good an explanation of the English disease as any, and the reason I am proud to support a club that has the longest tradition of playing from the back in the country.

Great read Yorky. Captures Danny perfectly. Also captures the reason Hodgson was never welcome at Liverpool perfectly.

[RedMichelFerri]

Brilliant mate. My favorite player in current lineup alongside Lucas.

[LucyLFC]

Great read love Agger

[MaschHead]

Brilliant mate. My favorite player in current lineup alongside Lucas.

Same for me, love them both. I also relate to this:

If he'd gone I'd have given up football.

[Malaysian Kopite]

Another thing about Agger is he's one of those players who as soon as they mistake they're desperate to set it right and will go out of their way to do so. You see that with Stevie,Suarez,etc.

[OOS]

Brilliant mate. My favorite player in current lineup alongside Lucas.

This. Great read.

[RojoLeón]

I remember his debut - was worried for the lad, thought it might be over before it started with Johnson's studs up, high lunge catching him as he committed to a 50-50 in the center circle.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=193040

Johnson's foot caught Agger on the knee as they both threw themselves at the ball. Rennie was only a few feet away and had no doubt about the decision, Birmingham protested, but to no avail. TV replays showed Johnson's foot high but maybe without as much intent as Rennie clearly felt was there.

Shame about Robbie's shot being disallowed, too!  Eight home wins in a row before that draw, also.

Of course, his being there (after the first of many forays upfield in a red shirt) drew my attention - he looked like someone who could play while surrounded and under pressure.

Great piece of writing, Yorkie. He's one of ours that gives you hope for the future of the redmen.

[mikey_LFC]

Great read. Really encapsulates Danny lad.

Wonderful piece. thank you.

Leads me back to royhendos excellent article about stupid football

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=291464.msg10064081#msg10064081

I commented the enclosed and he has just gone the next step.. Obvious choice for our next captain

"Food for thought there..

Our istanbul-team had 2 englishmen in the starting 11 (gerrard/carragher)
Our athens-team had 3 englishmen (never mind the irish and the welsh)
Milans athens-team had 7 italians in their starting 11..

For me - intelligent football consists of knowing when to keep possession, when to speed up, when to fall back - when to committ the "clever" foul in the midfield - when to do the 1-2 whackings you're allowed to do..

Apart from a general trend of being notorious bottlers, the Italians are for me the prime example of being an intelligent football nation. It runs in their blood - getting the 1-0 away in the tricky away game; crippling maradona and getting three draws to get out the WC group..

England are for the total opposite... Being brave, bold and lionhearts doesn't make you win anything when you're up against quality opposition. Could be the reason why rugby was invented, but football is a different matter..

Prime nations in Europe now being Spain and Germany - both intelligent footballing nations with skills and now also the ruthlessness to back it up..

Prime example of the modern footballer in the current squad is Agger - classy but ruthless when needed..  I guess we can add a few examples of the oppsite in the current squad.. "

So true. Out of all the modern centre-backs with this calm nature on the ball, not one of them is English. This is probably because they would get slated for trying to play football, especially given the current England manager. When it comes to being a great English centre-back, there is no need to be a great footballer.

Over the years there have been many great centre-backs and in modern times names such as Pique, Puyol, Ramos, Chiellini, Hummels and (Mascherano?) all come to mind. But the best I have ever seen and probably the father of the modern centre-back has to be Maldini, great on the ball and great off the ball, he had class in abundance and was Milan through and through.

For me when I watch Agger I can see so many similarities to Maldini. The composure, the courage and most of all the passion and loyalty. After all do you notice the how similar Maldini's goal in Istanbul was to Agger's against Chelsea?

[Crosby Nick]

Of course, his being there (after the first of many forays upfield in a red shirt) drew my attention - he looked like someone who could play while surrounded and under pressure.

I remember that. I think one of his first starts was away at Newcastle where we won 3-1 with gerrard and Crouch linking up well. I think we played 3 at the back that day and Agger strolled forward quite a few times, giving notice of how good he was with the ball at his feet.

I think I read last week that this is his longest spell of League games since he's been here which shows how often he's picked up niggly little injuries (and some long term ones too).

[joeyboswell]

great OP for a great player. nice one.

[jaffod]

Danny's goal against Chelsea in the 2007 semi is one of those that gives you goosebumps no matter how many times you see it.
 Great OP, really like the description of how Danny carries the ball forward, up there with Hansen in terms of pure footballing ability and I can't praise him any higher than that.

[Simon C]

Great OP.Thankyou.

[Jonjo Legend]

Absolutely loving these write-ups! Keep 'em coming please.

[rossipersempre]

Ah, and I was wondering who'd Yorky choose, my favourite (current) player too.

Perfect. An exemplary tribute to an exemplary footballer.

And only the one cursory reference to Jocky Hansen throughout it all. Impressive.

[Jason_King]

This summer was at least to me a most uncomfortable transfer season.

With King Kenny sacked, a young manager in place, no scouting system in place, do we finally see an exodus of the remaining world class players we've still got?

Rumours of Agger to Manchester City for an ridiculous amount of money were a big worry. To lose Agger would have been a disaster. Money would be utterly wasted again, to add to injury.

And the rumours went on. And went on. BR making ambiguous quotes about the situation.

Then we had the little girl tweeting as she was watching our players leaving Melwood.

Among them this tweet:

Hey Danny, are you leaving?

Never.

I think Ive just got a touch on.

[stevedo]

does he remind anyone else of Hansen? Lovely piece mate, will be a real treat tomorrow.

Absolutely. Hansen striding into the centre circle ready to feed Rush,  Agger's from the same mould.

Superb OP.   

[Neil D]

Top piece that, really well written. Found myself raising an eyebrow when I read "he's arguably our best player"... thinking to myself 'that's Suarez, surely', but then when I considered it Danny really is just as important at the opposite end of the pitch. And he does so much to initiate attacking play too.

He truly is a fantastic footballer - I think I'd have in my all time XI alongside big Sami.

[rossipersempre]

Nominations for next in series...Heighway and Hamman surely?

[The 5th Benitle]

Nominations for next in series...Heighway and Hamman surely?

Programme was decided a week or so ago mate - wait and see which treat pops out of the next window.

[rossipersempre]

.

Then we had the little girl tweeting as she was watching our players leaving Melwood.

Among them this tweet:

Hey Danny, are you leaving?

Never.

In the age of non-comittal never say never double speak from footballers, managers and agents, that one simple word right there, is the stuff of legend.

[Garstonite]

Superb. I could read yorky's descriptions on football all day. Well in mate

[rossipersempre]

Programme was decided a week or so ago mate - wait and see which treat pops out of the next window.

Aw c'mon, no little ?

[The 5th Benitle]

Aw c'mon, no little ?

Just for you

[Caffeine]

Brilliant piece about one of my favourite players, thanks.

[GlenJohnson2]

Great read once again, thank you!

Daniel is one of my favourite players, and a future captain for me. He genuinely seem to care about the club.

[bleedsred1978]

He really is fantastic isn't he?

And that Danny Agger can play a bit too.

[Conocinico]

Excellent stuff. Thanks.

[SmallwoodRed]

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