Sakho

[Mystic]

I thought he played well yesterday, kept Sanchez and then Welbeck quiet all game and was generally solid. Despite the fact he looks like he's having an aneurysm every time he's about to pass the ball, the passes he produces are actually very good.

As for the goal, well the fingers were pointed at Sakho and Skrtel for not picking up Giroud as he strolled into the area, for me that's on Skrtel. If Sakho comes across all three of our centre backs would have been past the near post, leaving a massive space in the middle, which would have been awful. I imagine this situation occurred because Skrtel is used to attacking the ball and having his LCB covering that position, but unfortunately in this system where we don't have a left back in the area defending, Sakho has to cover the left backs position, so Skrtel has to stay more central and cover Giroud and leave Kolo to attack the ball.

Anyway back to Sakho, If we stick to three at the back, he must play, simple as that for me, it should be either Dejan or Martin playing in the middle, but Sakho should have the left side for the foreseeable future.

 

[jexykrodic]

He's not the most elegant looking defender but he's effective, particularly in possession. I like him I think he should be in the team.

 

[hmmmmm1]

His passing improved yesterday

 

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

Best defender we have. Yikes.

 

[Mystic]

Best defender we have. Yikes.

Considering how highly he's rated, that should be the case.

 

[rurikbird]

He is much better suited to playing LCB in the system with 3 CBs than Lovren. If Lovren comes back into the team within the current system, it should be in the middle:

RCB Skrtel (Kolo)----CB Lovren----LCB Sakho

 

[cloggypop]

The middle defender should be the best passer of a ball. Not sure that is Lovren.

 

[mark1975]

I still thought he went through stages where he looked like he was going to either trip over the ball or trip himself up. He's good at putting his foot on the ball and picking a pass, but less good when under pressure and asked to either play a pass out of trouble or to get out of a tight spot. He looks erratic then, like there's a major fuck up just around the corner.

 

[Mystic]

The middle defender should be the best passer of a ball. Not sure that is Lovren.

Not to sound like Modo, but the position is made for Agger, I'd have Lovren over Skrtel though.

 

[Mystic]

I still thought he went through stages where he looked like he was going to either trip over the ball or trip himself up. He's good at putting his foot on the ball and picking a pass, but less good when under pressure and asked to either play a pass out of trouble or to get out of a tight spot. He looks erratic then, like there's a major fuck up just around the corner.

He doesn't struggle any more than our other defenders in that regard.

 

[mark1975]

He doesn't struggle any more than our other defenders in that regard.

He looks like he does.

 

[cloggypop]

Not to sound like Modo, but the position is made for Agger, I'd have Lovren over Skrtel though.

Agger should have suited it yeah. We will never know.

*sniff*

 

[Hansern]

I couldn't care less if he "looks" like he will fuck up or has a "strange" passing style.
He's a good defender and strong in the tackle. Let him play and he'll improve.
Future first teamer and the potential to be a very good player for me.

 

[Silver Sean]

I couldn't care less if he "looks" like he will fuck up or has a "strange" passing style.
He's a good defender and strong in the tackle. Let him play and he'll improve.
Future first teamer and the potential to be a very good player for me.

This.

 

[nealmac]

No doubt, Sakho looks so fucking awkward every time he gets the ball. But usually he seems to get the job done. He's been more reliable than Lovern has been. He should be a definite starter for me.

 

[gkmacca]

I've been wondering if it's partly some kind of optical illusion that he seems so awkward. Maybe I just don't 'get' left-footed passers. It was the same with Plessis - he seemed to need to control the ball, move his body to one side, and then pass the ball like someone with a croquet mallet grafted to his waist. It looks horrible to me but Sakho's actually done okay since he's been back.

 

[tony]

His passing improved yesterday

Sorry but no it didn't, his passing has always been good - pacey and forward most of the time. I really don't get the stick he gets - one ten minute bad spell last season against city and people seem to made their minds up about him. He's ungainly for sure but I feel a lot less like pooping my pants when he is in the side.

 

[cloggypop]

Southpaw boxers always look awkward as well. Sinister gets.

 

[jexykrodic]

Southpaw boxers always look awkward as well. Sinister gets.

I could switch. Still got battered though.

 

[cloggypop]

I could switch. Still got battered though.

Some people like getting battered in the ring.

 

[mark1975]

No it didn't his passing has always been good - pacey and forward most of the time. I really don't get the stick he gets - one ten minute bad spell last season against city and people seem to made their minds up for him. He's ungainly for sure but I feel a lot less like pooping my pants when he is in the side.

I do think his passing is good and he's a good defender, I personally don't give a shit about how elegant he looks either, Agger had elegance and it led to exaggerations about his ability on the ball. I do think there's a bit of a stop/start nature with Sakho, in terms of him readjusting himself to play a pass, Carragher used to do that though and it never really did him any harm, but saying he doesn't look like he'll get himself in the occasional bother with it is wide of the mark, he struggled at one point yesterday with the ball on the line, and was only just able to clear his lines, we've seen it in other games where he hasn't got away with it and he's nearly been punished.

He's better than Lovren though, at the minute at least and he's aerially dominant, which is something we lack majorly.

 

[jexykrodic]

Some people like getting battered in the ring.

Ahahahaha burning ring of fire...

 

[leftpeg]

I still thought he went through stages where he looked like he was going to either trip over the ball or trip himself up. He's good at putting his foot on the ball and picking a pass, but less good when under pressure and asked to either play a pass out of trouble or to get out of a tight spot. He looks erratic then, like there's a major fuck up just around the corner.

Exactly this.

 

[Frogfish]

I still thought he went through stages where he looked like he was going to either trip over the ball or trip himself up. He's good at putting his foot on the ball and picking a pass, but less good when under pressure and asked to either play a pass out of trouble or to get out of a tight spot. He looks erratic then, like there's a major fuck up just around the corner.

People have been saying that since he started and yet he rarely has (every CB makes at least one or two at some time during a season). Fact is he is good on the ball, he is very good passer despite his very deliberate passing style, that offends some posters, he is a very good tackler, strong as an ox and decent in the air. Pace may be the major concern but with those long legs he's not exactly slow. I've been supporting him since he arrived and I'm delighted that maybe he has started to sort himself out (language improving, settling in, friends, has found a few French or African restaurants), I really think this guy is going to become a fixture in the team.

 

[Squiggles]

Sakho is unfortunate in that he looks a lot worse than he is. Technically he is all over the place and he doesn't look a coordinated, graceful man, but its only fair to judge him on the end result of what he's trying to achieve, and for the most part, he gets it right. He hasn't justified our money for him yet and I still think he has a lot to prove, but there's no denying that we've missed him through his latest injury.

 

[mark1975]

Sakho is unfortunate in that he looks a lot worse than he is. Technically he is all over the place and he doesn't look a coordinated, graceful man, but its only fair to judge him on the end result of what he's trying to achieve, and for the most part, he gets it right. He hasn't justified our money for him yet and I still think he has a lot to prove, but there's no denying that we've missed him through his latest injury.

I think that's fair enough, I'm not saying he's awful or slating him for something that hasn't happened, just that there are concerns, that's all.

 

[Judge Jules]

Not to sound like Modo, but the position is made for Agger, I'd have Lovren over Skrtel though.

Disagree in both respects. Agger's passing was overrated (I couldn't care less how swish a player looks kicking the ball if it doesn't get somewhere useful, and Agger's didn't too often for comfort) and there's no way Lovren's form this season earns him a place ahead of Skrtel if I'm picking the team.

 

[keniget]

I couldn't care less if he "looks" like he will fuck up or has a "strange" passing style.
He's a good defender and strong in the tackle. Let him play and he'll improve.
Future first teamer and the potential to be a very good player for me.

I want Sakho in the team also but we do need to care about how he is on the ball.

He needs time and space because he is awkward in possession. That much is surely not open to question.

If teams are pressing us hard in our own half, as they have been doing for the last however many months, Sakho is going to struggle under that pressure. That has implications.

Rodgers will need to relax this whole passing from the back strategy and / or work on the positioning of players to ensure better passing options. These are things we need to do regardless in my opinion but so far Rodgers has either been reluctant and / or unable.

Of course things will always be better when everyone is playing with confidence but a system or set of tactics can't rely on that.

 

[tony]

People have been saying that since he started and yet he rarely has (every CB makes at least one or two at some time during a season). Fact is he is good on the ball, he is very good passer despite his very deliberate passing style, that offends some posters, he is a very good tackler, strong as an ox and decent in the air. Pace may be the major concern but with those long legs he's not exactly slow. I've been supporting him since he arrived and I'm delighted that maybe he has started to sort himself out (language improving, settling in, friends, has found a few French or African restaurants), I really think this guy is going to become a fixture in the team.

Exactomundo ! and he's a fucking unit who doesn't get bullied or knocked off the ball unlike ALL our other defenders inc supposedly hard as nails Skittles!
I like him a lot and won't be calling him a cunt when he next makes a mistake as he inevitably will.

 

[Fabio]

Hang on, is this the Sakho who rode all the tackles and shielded the ball excellently when our cbs were under pressure?

Or is this another Sakho