Topic: captains....

[ouestlereferee]

I think the captain should be the luckiest player and nothing else. His main job should be to win the coin toss. If Liverpool players need another player to gee them up , then they shouldn't be playing professional football.

i think what gerrard did in istanbul was special.

the ONLY other player i have EVER seen with anything close to that level of leadership would be keane.

[jackh]

Alvaro Arbeloa - Consistent and clever.  Not scared to confront the referee or other players, but won't take it too far.  Clearly enjoying being a Liverpool player and seems to mix well with the lads - you can see this from his ability to be present in any goal celebration - he's always first there.

Edit: was he also Madrid's youth captain?

[ouestlereferee]

Alvaro Arbeloa - Consistent and clever.  Not scared to confront the referee or other players, but won't take it too far.  Clearly enjoying being a Liverpool player and seems to mix well with the lads - you can see this from his ability to be present in any goal celebration - he's always first there.

Edit: was he also Madrid's youth captain?

do you think he's inspirational enough tho?  or will he be playing as many games when we don't have the same injury problems?

[jackh]

do you think he's inspirational enough tho?  or will he be playing as many games when we don't have the same injury problems?

I think so, i'd imagine he'll be first choice right back within a year.

[ouestlereferee]

I think so, i'd imagine he'll be first choice right back within a year.

I'd agree but think Finn might be playing a fairly big "bit part" still

[Kess73]

i think what gerrard did in istanbul was special.

the ONLY other player i have EVER seen with anything close to that level of leadership would be keane.

Keane only come close to that level of leadership? Sorry but in my opinion our captain does not come close to the levels of leadership that Keane used to show. Much as I used to dislike Keane the player, he was one hell of a captain and was very consistent in the role, something our captain cannot claim to be.

Even in the Premier League now there are captains that marshall and lead their teams far better week in week out than Gerrard does on a regular basis. Sure he gives some amazing performances in some games, but he is not a consistently strong leader imho.

[MFletcher]

I think the captain should be the luckiest player and nothing else. His main job should be to win the coin toss. If Liverpool players need another player to gee them up , then they shouldn't be playing professional football.

Do you really think that players genuinely believe they could've come back from 3-0 down at half time to AC Milan? I'm not talking about thinking they have an outside chance - I'm talking about a full 100% confidence that they can get three goals back and go on to win?

What Gerrard did in Istanbul makes him a special player. He scored the goal to get us going, won the penalty for the third, was inspirational at right back to stop Serginho influencing the game when he came on. When you see your captain leading by example and clearly giving everything for the cause, it can only inspire you to do likewise - even when things don't appear to be going your way.

Hence we would need someone who is capable of rallying the troops and trying to do something himself. Mascherano may not have scored yet, but the way he acted at Spurs and against Man City demonstrated his clear potential to be captain. He was haring around the pitch, dribbling past players, getting huge tackles in when they had the ball to regain possession, yelling at Torres to stay up field whenever we were defending a corner.

He'd a great captain in the future.

[MFletcher]

Keane only come close to that level of leadership? Sorry but in my opinion our captain does not come close to the levels of leadership that Keane used to show. Much as I used to dislike Keane the player, he was one hell of a captain and was very consistent in the role, something our captain cannot claim to be.

Even in the Premier League now there are captains that marshall and lead their teams far better week in week out than Gerrard does on a regular basis. Sure he gives some amazing performances in some games, but he is not a consistently strong leader imho.

Keane's performance in Turin said it all really. He was already banned from the final, but still dragged United back from the brink of defeat - knowing full well that he wouldn't get the opportunity to play in the game anyway.

He was a fantastic captain.

[ouestlereferee]

Keane only come close to that level of leadership? Sorry but in my opinion our captain does not come close to the levels of leadership that Keane used to show. Much as I used to dislike Keane the player, he was one hell of a captain and was very consistent in the role, something our captain cannot claim to be.

Even in the Premier League now there are captains that marshall and lead their teams far better week in week out than Gerrard does on a regular basis. Sure he gives some amazing performances in some games, but he is not a consistently strong leader imho.

sorry, i didn't phrase it well.  i wasn't saying that keane was an inferior captain to gerrard - i was saying that i've not seen any other players who could ever impose themselves on a game like that when it was going against them and their team...

[Crazyhorse7778]

mascherano or agger will be our future captain imo.

[Djibriliant]

Agger will be future captain of this club without a doubt, quote me on this is a few years time

[Lady_brandybuck]

Alonso or Finnan in short term.

In the future it could be Mascherano, Agger or Leiva.

Leave Torres quiet, he can't work well under that kind of pressure

[sernandolove]

torres- dont know what his english is like but has exp.

Torres has stayed little time in England and he doesn't speak english practically. Moreover, he talked about taking out pression he had in Spain where he had to did everything, captain included being too young (19 year's old). He is too young yet, and moreover he hasn't been in Anfield for a season yet.

Kenny Dalglish and Fernando Torres interview
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fBd7Q9zjU_Q
Torres speaks and understands English pretty well.
He answered all the questions in the interview.
Check it out.

[Cruiser]

Gerrard will most likely be at the club longer than Alonso so I think Alonso's hope is taking the armband when Gerrard isn't playing. Nonetheless Xabi does have the credentials to make a good captain. Hes a special player, can change a game, calm and well respected, though not aggressive enough maybe.

For the future:- Mash would make an awesome captain. And Ezequiel Garay (if not Agger) as his vice 

[ouestlereferee]

Gerrard will most likely be at the club longer than Alonso so I think Alonso's hope is taking the armband when Gerrard isn't playing. Nonetheless Xabi does have the credentials to make a good captain. Hes a special player, can change a game, calm and well respected, though not aggressive enough maybe.

For the future:- Mash would make an awesome captain. And Ezequiel Garay (if not Agger) as his vice 

well the original question was who would be the best back-up captain!

on the point of gerrard being around longer than alonso - i'm not sure.  much as i don't like to think of the day stevie is no longer the force he is today, as he is a physical, pacey, direct, player he may call it a day as early as 31 or 32.  xabi is not a physical player, and could be able to play til at least 34 or 35.  then the next question is if they'll both still be around the club for that long!

[kkhaku]

Alonso. I think you need someone calm and mature that referees take a liking to. Masch is too animated - and the rest of the players simply aren't inspirational enough.

Torres would be great - he has this uncanny ability to defuse situations, and smile at everything - I've seen two occasions I think now where opposition players actually argue with the ref against Torres getting a yellow...but I don't think he's the type of guy that can lead senior players in a dressing room - I might be wrong though.

[phoenix wright]

Kenny Dalglish and Fernando Torres interview
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fBd7Q9zjU_Q
Torres speaks and understands English pretty well.
He answered all the questions in the interview.
Check it out.

My english sucks ( ) and I could have answered all that questions... it's not the same to answer a few questions with two-three words than understand Carragher shouting to you  . Moreover, the same Torres said that if a rival try to provocate him, he isn't going to be able to answer him because he would not understand him...

In that interview, he has problems yet to say what he wants in english. For exemple, he couldn't say "robbery" or "rip-off" and he said it in Spanish "Last derby, 1-1... robo, like every time". And he asks for help one time.

I couldn't have been captain with my english, but I could have answered all that questions with no problems.

[Surprise me.]

Kenny Dalglish and Fernando Torres interview
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fBd7Q9zjU_Q
Torres speaks and understands English pretty well.
He answered all the questions in the interview.
Check it out.

that interview was class

[sernandolove]

Kenny Dalglish and Fernando Torres interview
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fBd7Q9zjU_Q
Check it out.

that interview was class

03:08
"at what age did you first fell in love?"
"16"
"16! you mean with a woman?"

Haha, that's so funny!
Torres probably meant that he fell in love with sergio ramos before 16, before he fell in love with a woman. haha....

[ouestlereferee]

Torres probably meant that he fell in love with sergio ramos before 16

is that why we brought in leto?  because he's the player we could find who looks most like sergio ramos?

[sernandolove]

is that why we brought in leto?  because he's the player we could find who looks most like sergio ramos?

haha. I guess.
to prevent torres from being lovesick/homesick
but no one can compare to Fernando's Sergio. There are OTP (one true pair) 4ever!

[Jase]

As things stand now, I can see our future captain being either Agger or Mascherano. Either I think will be excellent captains, especially if they can pick up a Molbyesque Scouse accent in the next couple of years for the full effect.

[bigbear]

As things stand now, I can see our future captain being either Agger or Mascherano. Either I think will be excellent captains, especially if they can pick up a Molbyesque Scouse accent in the next couple of years for the full effect.

Agree with that. Both are competitive and show they hate losing.

[Ycuzz]

Hmm..

Mascherano is a 'worker', not a leader. I don't see him as captain material. He won't know when to keep his cool. He's the dog from the opening scenes of Gladiator; unleashed, crazy dog. Luv it.

Torres can and will be a good option. Only, not yet my friends, not yet.

Same goes for Agger. Legend in the making. Potential leader.

Last of those three. Lucas. But that will be, of course, years ahead. And, on behalf of one of the two allready mentioned. More and more I'm thinking that Lucas will stand out as one of the best buys, ever. That boys got potential!

So, who do I see captaining the ship without Stevie and Carra?

Alonso. No one close to him at the moment. Class player, class gent. I firmly believe he's a very respected player. Both in-house and by, well, whoever, (except by Lampard as ouestlereferee so rightfully put it ).

[MattLFC08]

I think JAR usually takes the armband if both Carra or Sami are off the field.

[Oingy Boingy]

short term if stevie etc arent playin  it would be xabi nailed on, long term agger will be fulltime club captain
masch would be captain caveman

[ouestlereferee]

Alonso. No one close to him at the moment. Class player, class gent. I firmly believe he's a very respected player. Both in-house and by, well, whoever, (except by Lampard as ouestlereferee so rightfully put it ).

lampard thinks he's the most intelligent player around - doesn't he?  probably why he's so jealous of xabi!

[ouestlereferee]

masch would be captain caveman

he looks nothing like sebastian chabal

[Oingy Boingy]

      but if not a caveman  at the very least he looks like a convict
captain convict
definitley would look at home on devils island/falkland islands 

[KF]

stevies the captain and carra is vice for the foseeable future so why is this a topic?

[kkhaku]

I think JAR usually takes the armband if both Carra or Sami are off the field.

Ya I was going to mention that. Despite his weaknesses on the pitch, just watching his interaction with the other players on the pitch and his mannerisms - seems he has a lot of influence.

[ouestlereferee]

stevies the captain and carra is vice for the foseeable future so why is this a topic?

for when neither of them is on the field.  the last couple of years we've had fowler & hyppia around.  but that prbably wont' be the case going forward, so i'm curious what people's thoughts are...

[KF]

jar

[ouestlereferee]

jar

even though he's likely to be sold, or in the event he's not, he won't be featuring in a lot of games...

[WorldChampions]

Masch, battles hard which lifts the team and shouts almost as much as carra

[jim.]

Javier Mascherano

[Macedonian_Red]

Agger

[ouestlereferee]

Masch, battles hard which lifts the team and shouts almost as much as carra

i suspect he's going to start chipping in with some goals pretty soon too so could prove to be quite inspirational too.....

[KF]

masch?

[ouestlereferee]

masch?

sami didn't look like much of a leader yesterday.  neither did xabi.  masch was a bit more so.