McLaren on Carra

[abc]

Linky

 

'Jamie is one of those unsung heroes every team needs,' said McClaren after naming his squad for the Euro 2008 qualifier.

 

'He is very professional and very conscientious, someone who quietly gets on with his job and is probably only missed when he is not in the side.

 

'His performances against Manchester United and Barcelona were fantastic and I am really delighted with his form.'

 

I've read it over a few times and I'm pretty sure he means what I think he said; unsung hero? You've got to be f*ckin kidding me...

 

Even neutrals acknowledge that he is right up there in the top bracket of central defenders, and deservedly lauded his recent performances.

 

Will be hilarious to see England struggle to make it to the Euro's and this numpty sacked before the campaign is over...

[kacangpool]

Only now, he's saying it, with Terry not a 100% (or is he still out) and Rio injured. Carra's unsung cos you've not given enough first team chances, you @#$%^&* manc.

[Guest Scot]

McLaren's not qualified to comment

[anfield11]

Only now, he's saying it, with Terry not a 100% (or is he still out) and Rio injured. Carra's unsung cos you've not given enough first team chances, you @#$%^&* manc.

 

 

 

You mean the "Rio" that magically recovered for the Manc game today? Or the "Rio" that will be injured again for the England game?!?

[R A Softlad]

McLaren's not qualified to comment

 

Is the correct answer.

[kop205]

I think McClaren is a prick and couldn't give a s*** about England but even I'm struggling to see how he is getting slagged off here for effectively saying no more than that he thinks Carragher is a realy good player who is exceptional at doing the unglamorous stuff.

 

I argued for years with Liverpool fans who tried telling me that Carra wasn't good enough for us until people eventually realised his quality. He's never let us down, no mater where he played, and still some people slagged him off for not being Roberto Carlos when he played left back.

 

That being the case, Liverpool fans as a group possibly aren't best qualified either to demand that everyone now hail Carragher for the star that he is.

 

If he played in Italy, he'd be a legend and have 100 caps. As it is, people over here allow their heads to be turned by any defender who is decent on the ball and overlook those who just get on with the job of defending.

 

Carragher IS an 'unsung hero' in many ways (not literally of course - his song is one of the most popular now) as his style of play won't make it onto too many highlights reels. I, and probably he, are actually quite happy with that.

 

Maybe the original poster was one of the ones who always championed Carragher, in which case fair enough - there are plenty of others who have undervalued him over the years far more than McLaren does in those comments though.

[anfield11]

I think McClaren is a prick and couldn't give a s*** about England but even I'm struggling to see how he is getting slagged off here for effectively saying no more than that he thinks Carragher is a realy good player who is exceptional at doing the unglamorous stuff.

 

I argued for years with Liverpool fans who tried telling me that Carra wasn't good enough for us until people eventually realised his quality. He's never let us down, no mater where he played, and still some people slagged him off for not being Roberto Carlos when he played left back.

 

That being the case, Liverpool fans as a group possibly aren't best qualified either to demand that everyone now hail Carragher for the star that he is.

 

If he played in Italy, he'd be a legend and have 100 caps. As it is, people over here allow their heads to be turned by any defender who is decent on the ball and overlook those who just get on with the job of defending.

 

Carragher IS an 'unsung hero' in many ways (not literally of course - his song is one of the most popular now) as his style of play won't make it onto too many highlights reels. I, and probably he, are actually quite happy with that.

 

Maybe the original poster was one of the ones who always championed Carragher, in which case fair enough - there are plenty of others who have undervalued him over the years far more than McLaren does in those comments though.

 

 

 

You are correct sir!!! And I confess to being one of those.

 

When Carra played right back, he drove me nuts, constantly side footing the ball sideways or back. I actually think he's a better left back than right back. But where he has excelled is CB and has come on since moved there. He's not unsung, he is a hero, but you're right that many of us didn't see it for a while!!

 

Personally I don't care about England, it's all about LFC for me.

[Guz]

I dont care if no one appreciates him outside of Merseyside. He's our hero, used to be unsung but that's definitley not the case anymore. Anyone worth an opinion in football knows the lad is f***ing boss.

[Earl Hafler]

McLaren's not qualified to comment

 

Exactly. "...every team needs ". Then why isn't he playing for England, you second choice t**t ?

 

McLaren is capable of more spin than Jimmy White.

[abc]

Carragher IS an 'unsung hero' in many ways (not literally of course - his song is one of the most popular now) as his style of play won't make it onto too many highlights reels. I, and probably he, are actually quite happy with that.

 

Maybe the original poster was one of the ones who always championed Carragher, in which case fair enough - there are plenty of others who have undervalued him over the years far more than McLaren does in those comments though.

 

I've always thought Carra was average at fullback, and still do to be honest. Solid defensively, but rubbish with the ball at right back in a four man defence, slightly better at left back. But stick him in the center of defence and he's different class.

 

He has taken his game up a few levels since he was moved to the middle. Fair enough that you've always championed his cause, but it's nonsense to suggest his game was always this good. For the last two and a half seasons, he has been right up there with the best three or four defenders in the English game (probably Europe). Before that? Singled out by Henry as the weak link in our defence (very harsh, and I certainly didn't agree then - it was Riise/Traore!).

 

My point in the original post was that everyone apart from McLaren recognizes that Carra is not an unsung hero for Liverpool - he is a huge presence in the team. The classic unsung hero in our team would be Finnan. Carra on the other hand, is widely acknowledged as one of the stars of our Liverpool team. And a small part of my outrage is because of all people, the England manager should be more in touch with the English game.

Edited March 17, 2007 by abc

[Guest Scot]

I've always thought Carra was average at fullback, and still do to be honest. Solid defensively, but rubbish with the ball at right back in a four man defence, slightly better at left back. But stick him in the center of defence and he's different class.

 

He has taken his game up a few levels since he was moved to the middle.

 

 

All that's true.

 

It's also true that McClaren's an empty-suit, clueless technocrat who's not qualified to comment.

[Ste M]

Unlike many on here, I care a lot about the England side and I am fiercly patriotic.

 

I f***ing hope McClaren gets the sack though, he is s****.

 

And not just because of his inept clueless comments on Carra.

[nd]

For me, Carra has excelled in every defensive position he's played for us. Yeah, he's been skinned a few times - but the likes of Henry, when on song, could skin the likes of Maldini too. Every defender *needs* a few nightmare performances in his past.

 

First name on the teamsheet for me, and has been since Houllier.

 

And England's loss is our gain. Had Carra been born in London, or played for the Mancs, he'd have over 50 caps by now. The fact that McClaren sees Phil Neville as a possible better choice for the qualifiers tells you all you need to know about the stupidity of the England set-up. f*** 'em.

[dodgy1]

I think McClaren is a prick and couldn't give a s*** about England but even I'm struggling to see how he is getting slagged off here for effectively saying no more than that he thinks Carragher is a realy good player who is exceptional at doing the unglamorous stuff.

 

I argued for years with Liverpool fans who tried telling me that Carra wasn't good enough for us until people eventually realised his quality. He's never let us down, no mater where he played, and still some people slagged him off for not being Roberto Carlos when he played left back.

 

That being the case, Liverpool fans as a group possibly aren't best qualified either to demand that everyone now hail Carragher for the star that he is.

 

If he played in Italy, he'd be a legend and have 100 caps. As it is, people over here allow their heads to be turned by any defender who is decent on the ball and overlook those who just get on with the job of defending.

 

Carragher IS an 'unsung hero' in many ways (not literally of course - his song is one of the most popular now) as his style of play won't make it onto too many highlights reels. I, and probably he, are actually quite happy with that.

 

Maybe the original poster was one of the ones who always championed Carragher, in which case fair enough - there are plenty of others who have undervalued him over the years far more than McLaren does in those comments though.

 

 

try blowing your own trumpet a little bit more

[fyds]

McLaren's not qualified to comment

Nail - head- bladdered.

[KD07]

Second rate comments garnered from second hand accounts by the second choice.

[kop205]

f*** all to do with blowing my own trumpet lad, just think it is ironic given the vitriol that Carra had to put up with from some people (and it was vitriol at times - not just people saying 'He is ok but nothing special'. He was being singled out as THE biggest problem in our side for a while) that when someone actually makes what are essentially positive comments about him that he gets slaughtered for it. It took us as a set of fans long enough to appreciate Carra, and that is seeing him week in and week out.

 

Did I think Carra would turn out to be THIS good? No. Did I always rate him and see a place for him in the side? Yes. If that is blowing my own trumpet then fair enough.

 

Like I said, I don't give a f*** about England but I actually think that from the national perspective, there is a sense in which Carra is an unsung hero. Does he get the press coverage that Ferdinand, Terry, King etc get? Nowhere near. Does that mean he is any less of a true hero? Of course not, and I'd take Carra over any other defender in the country. But there is still a sense in which, on a wider level, he is 'unsung'. I couldn't care less as I know his value to my team.

[abc]

...He was being singled out as THE biggest problem in our side for a while) that when someone actually makes what are essentially positive comments about him that he gets slaughtered for it. It took us as a set of fans long enough to appreciate Carra, and that is seeing him week in and week out.

 

Long balls and poor use of the ball from right back, one of the positions where attacks are built, and an unwillingness to get forward made him average. And he WAS a big problem, don't know if he was the biggest, but certainly a big contributor to the bad football we played under Houllier. At least until the leg break at Blackburn, which saw him come back a better full back. Even he admitted he had to take it up a notch.

 

And then 04/05 happened. In short, colossus in the center of defence, average player across the rest of the park.

 

The question to be asked is this - would he still be playing even half the amount of games he does if he were still a fullback? I can tell you it is a resounding NO. Not under Rafa Benitez, and definitely not ahead of Steve Finnan.

 

Which points to why the poster said you were blowing your own trumpet, though I don't think you meant to come across as such.

Edited March 18, 2007 by abc

[kop205]

Long balls and poor use of the ball from right back, one of the positions where attacks are built, and an unwillingness to get forward made him average. And he WAS a big problem, don't know if he was the biggest, but certainly a big contributor to the bad football we played under Houllier. At least until the leg break at Blackburn, which saw him come back a better full back. Even he admitted he had to take it up a notch.

 

And then 04/05 happened. In short, colossus in the center of defence, average player across the rest of the park.

 

The question to be asked is this - would he still be playing even half the amount of games he does if he were still a fullback? I can tell you it is a resounding NO. Not under Rafa Benitez, and definitely not ahead of Steve Finnan.

 

Which points to why the poster said you were blowing your own trumpet, though I don't think you meant to come across as such.

 

Fair points mostly, and I certainly didn't mean to come across as blowing my own trumpet, but what I just don't agree with is the idea that he was 'a big contributor to the bad football we played under Houllier'.

 

Carragher was the least of the problems in those sides for me. He helped us to be very solid defensively and did his primary job to a very good standard. The 'bad football' was for me more down to the lumbering clown up front (ALL our players, not just Carra, were guilty of launching it to him), an overeliance on Owen's pace and a string of uninspired midfielders who contributed little or nothing for long periods at a time. If Houllier himself wasn't happy for us to play that way then maybe Carra could be criticised for it but as that was what the team was set up to do, I don't think he should be singled out.

 

Maybe it is oversimplifying it, but for me he always got his main job done in teams where others consipicously weren't doing theirs. I certainly don't think that it is anymore of an oversimplification than saying "And then 04/05 happened. In short, colossus in the center of defence, average player across the rest of the park."

 

Of course I take the point that nobody, even his biggest fan, could have expected him to turn out as good as he has done. I do still feel though that there were a lot of Liverpool fans who failed to appreciate his qualities (many of which I believe he has always shown) for a very long time.

 

Back to the original point I made, i think it is easy to read too much into McLaren's comments. I think he was just picking up on the fact for fans of most clubs, who don't see Carra week in week out, they don't appreciate how good he actually is. I thought it was fair comment really - and this from someone who thinks McLaren is a prick and in couldn't care less about Engalnd.

[John am Rhein]

Will be hilarious to see England struggle to make it to the Euro's and this numpty sacked before the campaign is over...

 

[lawrie]

Carra is an exceptional defender but his use of the ball going forward is absolutely appalling. How many times does he have to hold onto the ball too long or pass it backwards or sideways or punt the ball aimlessly forward in any one game (take Villa today as an example) before his obvious limitations are acknowledged by the Reds faithful as the main reason why he isnt an England regular first teamer?

[Guz]

I think his ball playing ability is his biggest weakness but I think calling it absolutely appaling is harsh. He plays far too many long balls but so does Hyypia, Riise, Finnan and to a lesser extent, Agger. It's shocking how static our movement can often be or how little our midfielders demand the ball from the back four.

[lawrie]

Maybe harsh, but I'm looking at it in the context of why Jamie probably doesnt start for England more often. Can't agree about Finnan, I think his distribution is OK particularly when he has Pennant in front of him

[Guz]

Maybe harsh, but I'm looking at it in the context of why Jamie probably doesnt start for England more often. Can't agree about Finnan, I think his distribution is OK particularly when he has Pennant in front of him

 

I don't think he's much different to the rest of the back four to be honest. Too many long diagonal balls. I think it's less of an issue when he plays with Gerrard as he gets room to move into. Certainly better than Riise on the other wing but still think he's a culprit for long balls.