Do we still need another centre-half?

[The Hitman]

I was listening to TAW earlier,and the part where they were discussing Skrtel & Agger got me thinking about centre-half.

At the moment we currently have Agger,Skrtel, Carra, Coates. As well as Kelly and Wisdom as promising youngsters in that position.

 

At the beginning of the season this was a position I thought we were light in, and there were a number of people saying that we desperately needed a boss centre-half. One that would play consistently well week-in,week-out, good in the air, fast enough and decent on the ground.

 

Ideally, for me that's Agger - bar the week-in,week-out bit.

Skrtel's looked very good to me over the season so far.

 

The point is, do we trust our current centre-halves enough? Do we wait until the end of the season and see where we're placed? Or is this definitely an area that needs improvement?

At what stage with Agger do we concede defeat and say enoughs,enough,he just can't stay fit?

 

One option I thought about was Alex at Chelsea. He can't get a game for some bizarre reason. He's decent on the ball,great in the air,a good strong presence too.

[Epic Swindle]

You can always improve but in terms of numbers I don't think we do.

[Owen1978]

yes

[anfield11]

  On 25/11/2011 at 15:25, Epic Swindle said:

You can always improve but in terms of numbers I don't think we do.

 

 

Groan

[Swipe]

I think we could do with one. Agger will get injured, Carra is... well we don't need to go over that, and Skrtel has improved but we could probably do better.

 

Not sure who though. Cahill isn't that much of an improvement. Shawcross maybe?

 

He'd need to be ready for first team though. We already have Coates and he's barely getting a game.

[johngibo YPC]

I would imagine we'll wait until the end of the season regardless

But I think the wider question depends on how the coaching staff view Carra and Coates. I think we pretty much know where we are with the other two

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

  On 25/11/2011 at 15:35, johngibo YPC said:

I would imagine we'll wait until the end of the season regardless

But I think the wider question depends on how the coaching staff view Carra and Coates. I think we pretty much know where we are with the other two

 

and Kelly.

I know Clarke has said "not yet", but that might mean next season.

[Beardsley]

  On 25/11/2011 at 15:29, Swipe said:

I think we could do with one. Agger will get injured, Carra is... well we don't need to go over that, and Skrtel has improved but we could probably do better.

 

Not sure who though. Cahill isn't that much of an improvement. Shawcross maybe?

 

He'd need to be ready for first team though. We already have Coates and he's barely getting a game.

 

 

Don't rate Shawcross at all. He's a grunt and a cardmagnet. Alex is decent and has a hell of a shot, but think we can do better. High hopes for Wisdom and Kelly, but probably a bit too early (more so for Wisdom than Kelly).

[Woodsyla]

We need to replace Carra, if that is with Kelly then the answer is no, a four of Coates, Agger, Skrtel and Kelly is plenty good enough.

[mrjunk]

Thing will Kelly is he's a hell of a footy player. Would he almost be wasted at CB?

[Sion]

we need a younger, quicker, better version of the greek

[Gilps]

  On 25/11/2011 at 15:59, Woodsyla said:

We need to replace Carra, if that is with Kelly then the answer is no, a four of Coates, Agger, Skrtel and Kelly is plenty good enough.

 

We'd need more than those four, given the injury record of two of them.

[Epic Swindle]

  On 25/11/2011 at 16:07, Sion said:

we need a younger, quicker, better version of the greek

 

Should be plenty down the local park.

[David Hodgson]

  On 25/11/2011 at 15:37, John said:

and Kelly.

I know Clarke has said "not yet", but that might mean next season.

 

I think we are at a bit of a risk of being caught between stools with our centre backs. We have plenty of decent ones with something to offer, but all present differing problems.

 

Carra - Not getting quicker with age. Still a lot to contribute but not an ever present for the next 5 years.

Skrtel - hugely improved, but his B game is utter sh*t.

Coates - great prospect but only alongside a top top central defender

Kelly - exactly the same

Agger - a top top central defender, who could be 'out for the season' any game soon.

 

We need a main man at the back. A Terry , a Hyypia, a Ferdinand, a fit Agger. Only Agger (obviously) fits the bill, but he's just a bonus for us.

 

I can't help but feel that there's a case for cashing in on Skrtel's renaissance and swapping him for a top notch stopper. I dunno who. Shawcross ? Too injury prone ?

[badtodabone]

  On 25/11/2011 at 15:25, The Hitman said:

I was listening to TAW earlier,and the part where they were discussing Skrtel & Agger got me thinking about centre-half.

At the moment we currently have Agger,Skrtel, Carra, Coates. As well as Kelly and Wisdom as promising youngsters in that position.

 

At the beginning of the season this was a position I thought we were light in, and there were a number of people saying that we desperately needed a boss centre-half. One that would play consistently well week-in,week-out, good in the air, fast enough and decent on the ground.

 

Ideally, for me that's Agger - bar the week-in,week-out bit.

Skrtel's looked very good to me over the season so far.

 

The point is, do we trust our current centre-halves enough? Do we wait until the end of the season and see where we're placed? Or is this definitely an area that needs improvement?

At what stage with Agger do we concede defeat and say enoughs,enough,he just can't stay fit?

 

One option I thought about was Alex at Chelsea. He can't get a game for some bizarre reason. He's decent on the ball,great in the air,a good strong presence too.

 

 

Danny Wilson ?

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

  On 25/11/2011 at 17:02, David Hodgson said:

I can't help but feel that there's a case for cashing in on Skrtel's renaissance and swapping him for a top notch stopper. I dunno who. Shawcross ? Too injury prone ?

 

That's not a bad idea.

What's his market value though? Won't others see the risk, and therefore prevent us truly 'cashing in'?

[David Hodgson]

  On 25/11/2011 at 17:17, John said:

That's not a bad idea.

What's his market value though? Won't others see the risk, and therefore prevent us truly 'cashing in'?

 

I don't what we'd get. £7m maybe ? It's a downpayment on one of those proper good ones.

[Swipe]

  On 25/11/2011 at 16:07, mrjunk said:

Thing will Kelly is he's a hell of a footy player. Would he almost be wasted at CB?

 

Thinks that's a reasonable argument. He's so strong and quick getting up the line at RB. It's giving up a considerable weapon.

[Gambit]

No. Agger, Skrtel, Carra, Kelly and Coates are enough.

[Epic Swindle]

Not a CB but there's talk on twitter about Jelavic at Rangers.

[Swipe]

  On 25/11/2011 at 17:41, Epic Swindle said:

Not a CB but there's talk on twitter about Jelavic at Rangers.

 

Think we were linked with him before.

 

Is he any good? Worst Old Firm in years in all honesty.

[Epic Swindle]

Never heard of him but from my youtube scouting reports he looks like a bit of a poacher. Big lad too.

[Swipe]

Leicester after him it seems. I'm sure we can do better.

 

That Jeremy lad off twitter - pinch of salt and all that - claims we had scouts at the Napoli v City game and made contact with lavezzi's agent.

[Metro]

  On 25/11/2011 at 17:18, David Hodgson said:

I don't what we'd get. £7m maybe ? It's a downpayment on one of those proper good ones.

 

 

Cahill would cost £8m.

[fred milne]

  On 25/11/2011 at 17:02, David Hodgson said:

I think we are at a bit of a risk of being caught between stools with our centre backs. We have plenty of decent ones with something to offer, but all present differing problems.

 

Carra - Not getting quicker with age. Still a lot to contribute but not an ever present for the next 5 years.

Skrtel - hugely improved, but his B game is utter sh*t.

Coates - great prospect but only alongside a top top central defender

Kelly - exactly the same

Agger - a top top central defender, who could be 'out for the season' any game soon.

 

We need a main man at the back. A Terry , a Hyypia, a Ferdinand, a fit Agger. Only Agger (obviously) fits the bill, but he's just a bonus for us.

 

I can't help but feel that there's a case for cashing in on Skrtel's renaissance and swapping him for a top notch stopper. I dunno who. Shawcross ? Too injury prone ?

Its worth thinking about the CB pairing. The classic pairing is to have one aggressive, physically dominant centre-back who competes against the opposition centre-forward and one who covers, with Vidic and Ferdinand being the most obvious current example.

 

I'd say we only have one CB who clearly fits the first description in Skrtel and, although his form has improved greatly since Kenny/Clarke arrived, he doesn't always convince in the air. Agger is clearly a CB who covers and I suspect Coates is as well judging by the descriptions of his CB pairing for the Uruguay national team. I'd say Carra prefers to be the covering defender too as, although he is as determined as they come, he doesn't stand out in terms of physical strength.

 

I'd say the last classic pairing we had was Henchoz and Hyypia. That Carra and Hyypia worked was down to them being individually good defenders rather than them being a perfect foil for each other.