Skrtel

[mathewbet1]

After a shaky start on his debut, seemed to play better today.

 

Much more composed, and proved he can pick a pass. Agger played in the reserves for a year when he first came here. Given time I think Skrtel can hopefully develop into a class defender, he has all the physical attributes and good pace too.

[Guest dKing]

""Given time I think Skrtel can hopefully develop into a class defender,"

hopefully.

 

But if every prem game was as handy for his as today we could all have a go me thinks.

[Maldini]

He looks surprisingly comfortable on the ball, that wasn't really in the product description.

[Guest Ant]

From being potentially a good signing to s***, back to being a good signing.

 

It's too early to say, either way he had a good game.

[Rimbeux]

Thought he was fine. If he's got the basics, mental, physical, technique, then it's mainly about learning our ways.

[Swipe]

He looks quite aggressive which i think we need.

 

It's important he makes the grade to go alongside Agger, cos as much as i love Carra, I think he's passed the amazing peak he's hit over the last few years

[growler]

perfect game to give him his debut, showed promise.

[allez les rouges]

  mathewbet1 said:

After a shaky start on his debut, seemed to play better today.

 

Much more composed, and proved he can pick a pass. Agger played in the reserves for a year when he first came here. Given time I think Skrtel can hopefully develop into a class defender, he has all the physical attributes and good pace too.

 

he was our best player in the first, and one of the best players over the 90 mins. well done lad

[Elisha_Scott]

  mathewbet1 said:

Agger played in the reserves for a year when he first came here.

 

No, he didn't

[SkippyjonJones]

  Elisha_Scott said:

No, he didn't

ffs - stop letting facts get in the way of a stupid post..

[Elisha_Scott]

  SkippyjonJones said:

ffs - stop letting facts get in the way of a stupid post..

 

Sorry, I do apologise

[Stevie H]

  mathewbet1 said:

After a shaky start on his debut, seemed to play better today.

jesus, for 6.5m you'd hope so.

 

lad looks a player, and hard too.

[mathewbet1]

[quote name='Elisha_Scott' date='Feb

[Lanus]

I heard before that skittle can play all across the backline. Why not play him on the left and leave Carra where he was? the pace would help etc.

 

mind, Carra did well out there himself so..

[allez les rouges]

  Lanus said:

I heard before that skittle can play all across the backline. Why not play him on the left and leave Carra where he was? the pace would help etc.

 

mind, Carra did well out there himself so..

 

with jamie at rightback and lucas left mid, the team lost all its balance and fluency. every time the ball went to jamie he either played it back or long (execpt the goal! ). its not his fault, he is a center back.

[Guest Prongsy]

  Steve H said:

lad looks a player, and hard too.

 

 

Aye, doesn't shirk a challenge and can play. I'm looking forward to Skrtel and Agger in defence, passing ability, solid defensively and pacey.

 

A new left back would be good.. Arbeloa--Skrtel--Agger--New. A faster, more attacking, more skillfull back line that can play higher than it can now.

[kop205]

Much better.

 

Keep it up. Needs a month or so of performances like that to erase a bad first impression.

[Rich Gobey]

  Steve H said:

jesus, for 6.5m you'd hope so.

 

lad looks a player, and hard too.

 

Carvallho & Ferdinand both cost 3 times that, Cahill cost Bolton £5m. Not sure £6.5m guarantees you a lot in the prem any more.

[Guest Prongsy]

  kop205 said:

Much better.

 

Keep it up. Needs a month or so of performances like that to erase a bad first impression.

 

Not for me he doesn't. He wasn't anywhere near as bad as people were making out. He lso did some very positive things in that game.

[kop205]

  Prongsy said:

Not for me he doesn't. He wasn't anywhere near as bad as people were making out. He lso did some very positive things in that game.

 

Fair enough, you're a better than me! And probably right that he wasn't as bad as people have made out - second half at least. I wouldn't say that he could have been described as a 'positive' though and on what was a pretty miserable day the frustrations were all amplified a bot I suppose.

 

That said, there do seem question marks over his ability in the air based on those who saw him for St Petersburg and the way we are defending set pieces at the moment we are crying out for another really dominant, agressive header of the ball.

[Guest Prongsy]

  kop205 said:

I wouldn't say that he could have been described as a 'positive' though

 

The positives were that he showed pace and rescued the situation on more than one occasion with blocks whilst covering other players poor positioning.

 

I'm really pleased with him. He's coming from a much weaker league, playing a new league and with new team mates. I think he's doing good.

[Whitey]

I just watched the whole game again over here, and for his 2nd (or is it 3rd?) game I'd say Skrtel looked solid. Bear in mind he hadn't trained in a while (winter break in Russia) and new team and team mates (and don't know how good his English is).

 

Bearing all that in mind - he puts his foot in, doesn't shirk, has a little pace (well a lot compared to Sami and Carra) and seems comfortable on the ball.

 

Very VERY early days yet - remember how long it took Vidic to bed in at ManU?? Even then, Bellamy made him look a total carthorse against us.

Edited February 3, 2008 by Whitey

[Guest Anders Honoré]

I wasn't impressed by his heading, but other than that he looked very good,

[Woodsyla]

  Anders Honoré said:

I wasn't impressed by his heading, but other than that he looked very good,

 

There was a lot of 50p heading going on though, even Sami was at it, I think the conditions played a part. One thing I noticed about Skrtel is that he is really quick over 5yds, eats up the ground. Very very useful quality acceleration like that.

[Guest Snorky]

Way to early to judge him, give him at least until Chelsea away.