Poll Weakest links in our starting line up?

[Modo]

You have 4 votes. If you choose not to use 1 or 2 of your votes I've added options "less than four" and "less than 3".

I've also added an "another player" option if you disagree about a player in the starting line up. If so please post who you have in mind.

I have the 4-2-3-1 formation in mind, that is:

Reina

Johnson Carragher Skrtel Aurelio

Lucas Gerrard

Meireles

Kuyt Suarez

Carroll

 

[Modo]

I voted for Aurelio and Skrtel.

Replace them with Enrique/Baines and Cahill.

Somehow I'd like it if we could fit Aquilani or another attacking midfielder in there but I'm not sure if it's Lucas or Meireles that should be replaced.

If we do this I think we'll have one of the strongest line ups in the premiership.

 

[mark1975]

You forgot Agger, Modo.

 

[Modo]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=45718.msg1347949#msg1347949 date=1307900086]
You forgot Agger, Modo.
[/quote]

I'm well aware of that but there are strong rumours circling the net about him being sold and he hasn't really started a game since mid March I think. I don't need to tell you that Skrtel started every premier league game last season.

 

[mark1975]

I know, no worries I just thought you might have forgot. I wouldn't really agree that he or Aurelio are weak links anyway, you have to be playing and playing poorly or not to the right standard to be considered a weak link.

From our regular side you'd have to say there are a few that can be considered weak links for various reasons.

Johnson - poor defensively on the right, lapses in concentration.

Skrtel - Again, poor concentration at times and soft mistakes/fouls

Lucas - Steady and unspectacular. Might well have been our player of the season and vastly improved, but far from guaranteed to be a permanent fixture as he just doesn't have enough in his locker.

Spearing - Relative new comer to the side, had some very good games but needs to be seen over a longer period to be assessed properly, took a long time to break into the side so you'd have to assume that his quality wasn't THAT obvious.

Maxi - Anonymous for the most part and often poor away from home, came into his own for a spell at the end of the season but could well have been a flash in the pan and he's not getting any younger.

 

[Home and A Gay]

Who voted Reina and Suarez?
Fuck me

 

[The Slugmonster]

Right what dickhead voted for reina, suarez and gerrard :laugh:

 

[Modo]

So basically posters here think Aurelio, Skrtel and Lucas are our weakest links.

Lucas really? Our player of the season?

We haven't even been linked to a defensive midfielder, have we?

 

[Modo]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=45718.msg1347955#msg1347955 date=1307901655]
I know, no worries I just thought you might have forgot. I wouldn't really agree that he or Aurelio are weak links anyway, you have to be playing and playing poorly or not to the right standard to be considered a weak link.

From our regular side you'd have to say there are a few that can be considered weak links for various reasons.

Johnson - poor defensively on the right, lapses in concentration.

Skrtel - Again, poor concentration at times and soft mistakes/fouls

Lucas - Steady and unspectacular. Might well have been our player of the season and vastly improved, but far from guaranteed to be a permanent fixture as he just doesn't have enough in his locker.

Spearing - Relative new comer to the side, had some very good games but needs to be seen over a longer period to be assessed properly, took a long time to break into the side so you'd have to assume that his quality wasn't THAT obvious.

Maxi - Anonymous for the most part and often poor away from home, came into his own for a spell at the end of the season but could well have been a flash in the pan and he's not getting any younger.


[/quote]

To be fair Spearing and Maxi are squad players. With Henderson joining it's likely that Maxi or Jay might be spending most of the season on the stands.

I agree about Johnson and Skrtel. IMO Johnson is the best RB in the club. He might be a bit suspect defensively but he counters that with excellent attacking play.

If we buy Cahill or Dann, it's pretty much a given that Skrtel will have to move aside.

How about left fullback?

I think it's pretty imperative that we buy a left footed fullback this summer. Kelly is a good replacement but I think his real position is at CB.

 

[robinhood]

Skrtel - reasonable, but not great
Aurelio - made out of glass
Lucas - really not very good, despite the Emperor's New Clothes shit that seems to follow him around

Ideally I would improve on Kuyt too. I like the guy and he's done really well for us, but I'd want a technically better player for RW/RF. I didn't vote for him here though because he doesn't deserve that.

 

[Frogfish]

[quote author=The Slugmonster link=topic=45718.msg1347982#msg1347982 date=1307904153]
Right what dickhead voted for reina, suarez and gerrard :laugh:
[/quote]

Exactly my thoughts !

 

[RedStar]

[quote author=Modo link=topic=45718.msg1348095#msg1348095 date=1307920998]


If we buy Cahill or Dann, it's pretty much a given that Skrtel will have to move aside.
[/quote]

You think so? given that Skrtel is 26 and started every league game last year I think its probably Carra who will naturally make way for a new defender, whats the point in building a new CB partnership around a guy who is probably in his last season next year

 

[Modo]

[quote author=RedStar link=topic=45718.msg1348112#msg1348112 date=1307932446]
[quote author=Modo link=topic=45718.msg1348095#msg1348095 date=1307920998]


If we buy Cahill or Dann, it's pretty much a given that Skrtel will have to move aside.
[/quote]

You think so? given that Skrtel is 26 and started every league game last year I think its probably Carra who will naturally make way for a new defender, whats the point in building a new CB partnership around a guy who is probably in his last season next year
[/quote]

It would be the logical choice. But I still think Carra is better than Skrtel.

 

[keniget]

CB as Skrtel is dependant on Carra and Agger is made of glass.

LB as we don't actually have one. Not one that can be reliably counted upon anyways.

DM as we don't have an out and out defensive 'enforcer' type.

LW as we don't have one and end up with players 'doing a job' in that position.

 

[Jürgen4PM]

On the line up given i'd go for:

1. Aurelio - He's never fucking fit so whats the point really.
2. Lucas - Yeah he's improved but he remains average.


If at all possible i'd like to see quality players come in and challenge Kuyt and Skrtel, but i wouldn't class either of them as "weak links".

 

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=Kenny4PM link=topic=45718.msg1348162#msg1348162 date=1307956606]
On the line up given i'd go for:

1. Aurelio - He's never fucking fit so whats the point really.
2. Lucas - Yeah he's improved but he remains average.


If at all possible i'd like to see quality players come in and challenge Kuyt and Skrtel, but i wouldn't class either of them as "weak links".
[/quote]

Haha, even I have had to describe him as average to above average, but I know that is mainly from may training in the Diplomatic Corps.
How did we disagree so much over Rafa? 😉

regards

 

[Jürgen4PM]

Even the wise man of SCM's gets it wrong once in a while mate 😉

I think i will actually cry if Lucas plays in our first game next season.

 

[spider-Neil]

skrtel - positionally he is all over the place.

aurelio - love his technique but never fit

agger - love his techinque but never fit

lucas - much improved but not enough of a presence in midfield to allow us to dominate games

special mentions;
spearing - much improved but but ultimately we need better

maxi - very good when the team is very good but goes missing when we are under the cosh i.e. in most away games

 

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=45718.msg1348172#msg1348172 date=1307959831]
skrtel - positionally he is all over the place.

aurelio - love his technique but never fit

agger - love his techinque but never fit

lucas - much improved but not enough of a presence in midfield to allow us to dominate games

special mentions;
spearing - much improved but but ultimately we need better

maxi - very good when the team is very good but goes missing when we are under the cosh i.e. in most away games
[/quote]

Hmm I think that is fair Neil (nice to have you back by the way after the dummy spitting 😉 ) Maxi deserves a bit of a re-think by some peeps. When he is allowed to play inside and not stuffed away on the left, he is a much better player. The only problem Maxi like a number of more senior players needs extended games to get on a roll, and coming on and off the bench does not suit him. He should remain in the squad and see what happens next season.

regards

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=45718.msg1348175#msg1348175 date=1307960258]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=45718.msg1348172#msg1348172 date=1307959831]
skrtel - positionally he is all over the place.

aurelio - love his technique but never fit

agger - love his techinque but never fit

lucas - much improved but not enough of a presence in midfield to allow us to dominate games

special mentions;
spearing - much improved but but ultimately we need better

maxi - very good when the team is very good but goes missing when we are under the cosh i.e. in most away games
[/quote]

Hmm I think that is fair Neil (nice to have you back by the way after the dummy spitting 😉 ) Maxi deserves a bit of a re-think by some peeps. When he is allowed to play inside and not stuffed away on the left, he is a much better player. The only problem Maxi like a number of more senior players needs extended games to get on a roll, and coming on and off the bench does not suit him. He should remain in the squad and see what happens next season.

regards
[/quote]

the truth is I don't mind maxi that much as he is an intelligent player and uses the ball well when he has it. ultimately my rule of thumb is judge players when the shit is hitting the fan rather than when we are hitting a purple, how a player react when we are struggling rather than when we are in the final two months of the campaign and The Lying Rag is shining.

to go further, many people seem to be down on the likes of adam and downing (down on downing ha ha) but I suspect these players will massively help us during difficult periods becuase they come from teams that have struggled and therefore (hopefully) will have more fight in them when the shit hits the fan because they are used to it.