Well, from our perspective, we need excellent back-up. What are we supposed to do with injuries?

But i disagree Carragher has 5/6 more seasons in him (well, not in the first-team anyway). He looked dodgy last season and although has been much better this year, i think there's every chance that rather than him declining as such Agger and Skrtel could succeed his ability and oust him. I even think they could be paired together as soon as next season.

Agger was bought to replace Hyypia. Skrtel was bought to replace Skrtel. The two were bought to replace our two aging centre-backs. They both are vital to our future.

And as i said, there's been 6 league games so its hardly as though you can suggest Agger is rotting away and not getting any chance.

Why do you think leaving Liverpool to join Real Madrid would be better for his career anyway, with the amount of centre-backs they have? He'd be guaranteed less time and a more uncertain future in my opinion.

I don't necesarily think joining Real is the best move for him, i just think at this stage in his career he needs to be at a club who will play him every week. being at a side like Liverpool isn't doing his ability or reputation any justice.

I'm surprised you think Carragher doesn't have much left in him. Sure, he's never really had the pace, but he posesses a leadership quality which is so rare in defenders these days, and vital to any success Liverpool aim to achieve. Having him and Gerrard in the spine is SO important for you boys.

If i was you, i'd be happy with the partnership Carragher and Skrtel are forming and let Agger move on to a team where he'll be regarded as a key member of the first team instead of being 'back-up'.

I see how you are keen to hold onto him, i'm merely looking at it from a neutral perspective. The lad needs to be playing week in/week out and that just isn't going to happen with the importance of Carragher and the form and potential of Skrtel.

There is no need for Agger to leave the club. No one would win from this. Agger is at a club where he will soon be the number one pick centre half. He has a huge career ahead of him at Liverpool. Carragher is coming to the end of his career. I will echo Ben91's point here. Last season I thought I was seeing the demise of Carragher in a red shirt after a poor season by his standards. THis season he has been performing well, but I honestly think this might be his last full season as a regular for us. It will be sooner rather than later when we will see a partnership of Agger and Skirtel and I am very excited by this prospect. Benitez is as well, so would not dream of letting Agger go.

Everyone knows that if you play for a big club, there is going to be competition. As Ben said, at the start of this campaign he was starting games, yet poor performanes has seen him drop back to the bench. That is nothing to be to cut up about. He was injured for the entirity of last season. It will take him time to get back to what he was before the injury. He will also get games when Rafa believes he is ready. Attackers have to get used to working hard for their spot. It should be the same for defenders.

He is happy. Rafa is happy. He will not be leaving.

Great post Ben.

I'm still bemused as to why neither of you think Carragher still has at least a few seasons of quality left though. Players like him are so hard to come by and i'm sure Gerrard would say the same if you asked him. They're probably the 2 first names on the team sheet. He might not have the technical ability of Skrtel or Agger and he certainly doesn't have the legs, but if theres one thing Liverpool will need if they're to realistically challenge for the title in coming seasons (which i personally think they can) then it's having players of his experience in the side.

Experience sure is a big factor in a title challenge Fratboy. However, Carragher is the wrong age of 30 now. Not many players can sustain a high level of consistancy at that age. From going on last seasons form I thought this would be his final year of consistant first team football. He has suprosed me with how well he has done this season. I dont think we will sell him. I dont think he would want to leave. What I think will happen next season is that Rafa will slowly but surely start to blend together a new centre half partnership of Agger and Skirtel. Common sense tells us that as players reach the ripe old age of 31 they are going to start to be on their way out. Players such as Agger on te other hand have the best years ahead of them. Carragher will be used in the transition period. His experience will be huge in the two starting a new area in that position for us. Carragher will still get plenty of games I am sure. But will start to feature less when Agger has got his act together, and his own performance level starts to drop.

To be honest, let's see what all 3 offer:

Skrtel:
- best one-on-one
- best in the air
- strongest

Agger:
- best technique
- best passing
- best shooting
- quickest

Carra:
- best tackler
- best organiser
- most determination
- "heart and soul" of the team


In my opinion Agger and Skrtel will very quickly succeed Carragher as player's, with Carra's attitude and experience the focus of what he offers the team. It would be a little odd having two 23-year-olds at the heart of our defence, i must admit, especially considering a few seasons ago (and last season for a part) we had Carragher and Hyypia in those two positions. But if one of the younger pair steps up as a leader (something i'd tip Agger to do) it's a partnership that should work on face-value ... they compliment each other perfectly.

I think Carragher and Skrtel offer a really solid combination because, defensively, they are both very good and this is the strength of their respective games. They are both rugged, aggressive in the challenge and do not shy away from an aerial battle. They are your "stopper" types. This in contrast with Agger's style.

But what Agger, your "libero" if you will, does offer is the bonus of having a classy defender in the side - someone who can bring the ball forward, is as comfortable as an attacking player with the ball at his feet and can pick a pass or even a shot from range. This shouldn't be underestimated to the team's attacking fluidity and variation, and in many ways puts Agger in a strong position as he has something that none of our other three centre-backs can offer. And he's by no means weak defensively either, let's not forget. Its been a nice surprise that Skrtel has taken this mantel on a bit and is looking very confident with the ball and going forward; but he's no Agger still.

Skrtel and Agger for me are better moulds of centre-backs: they're both quick, strong, tall (6ft 3", 6ft 4") and technically good. Experience will aid them immensely. Their potential partnership is one of the brightest things our club harbours and i'll be damned if it's going to be sabotaged - to think that by the time they reach their peak they could have been playing alongside each other for 5 years makes you wonder what sort of understanding they could develop. I'd rather Carragher was sacrificed now he's post-30.

Oh and i heard Benitez say on SSN that Real have faxed the club saying the rumours are untrue and that they are not interested in signing Agger.

Apparently Darijo Srna's agent has said that we put a bid in for him in August and Shaktar Donetsk's owner refused to sell.

You forgot one thing about Carra which the other two still lack severely which is reading of the game. Its all about timing as to when is the correct time to put in the tackle. Players like Carra and Hyypia make up for their lack of pace with their immaculate timing.

I think he will be around longer than some have given him credit for. When you've hardly relied on your pace in almost your entire career, you can play much longer than players who rely on it.

I feel that would of been a good move for Srna And Liverpool
ive long been an admirer of Srna's skills, play and potential to play at a higher level

How has Riera been since the stoke game?

Was decent early on versus Everton and gave Hibbert a hard time.

Quiet against PSV i thought but then because we scored so early we sort of passed the ball around loads in midfield and just controlled things, so we didn't have much going forward.

I thought he had his best game against Man City to be honest and was very bright down the left in the first-half even though we didn't play that well. His touch was again excellent as he continued to show how he can beat his man for fun, and "man" can include big bruising centre-backs too, and he put in some good crosses - it was more that there was no-one getting on the end of them in the box. He's an intelligent and extremely composed player which are sorely needed traits in our side. He petered out in the second half though i thought which has been a bit of a theme, but i'm continually impressed by him and i'm sure there's more to come. I've felt sorry for him to be honest that he hasn't had an assist yet (to my knowledge) as his play often deserves a finish.

It is clear we have a problem at full back. I was wondering what people feel about young Insua? I like the lad. Think he has a lot of potential however a big problem I think he has is his lack of pace. From what I have seen of him he will probably match Aurellio for pace, and because of this I dont think will ever match the heights of the club he is at.

I have seen a fair bit of Insua on LFCTV when the reserves have been on. He is a good player, nice passer of the ball, gets up and down quite well but you are right I dunno if his lack of pace would show him up if he was playing in the first team.

Still not sure about Aurelio, dont know if he is tenacious enough to be a top Premier League defender. I just remember Walcott flying past him on the way to goal when we played the Gooners in the CL last season when he was just begging to be kicked!

Don't think you can write off Dossena completely yet, although the early signs don't look that encouraging. And am I the only one who thinks Arbeloa is well underrated? I reckon he does more good things than bad.

As for Carragher being finished......come on fellas! He is still one of the top Centre backs in the country if not Europe and one of the only real leaders (along with Stevie and Pepe Reina) in the squad. Plus playing with him for the next few of years will teach the other two how to marshall a back four properly. Agger and Skrtel are definately the future but they could both still learn alot from JC.

Thats what we have all been saying. His experience will be invaluable. Skirtel and Agger will of course learn plenty from Carragher. On last seasons form I thought this would be his last full season, however his form this season has been top notch once again and has lead me to believe we might well be able to get another campaign of regular first team football out of him again next year. However, if Skirtel and Agger step up to the plate and deserve a spot in the starting line up for me Carragher gets relegated to the bench. You can not afford to be sentimental, something Rafa has never really been anyway, so I am sure the two best centre backs at the time will get the nod.

Arbeloa is certainly a very very good squad player to have. He can play in numerous positions and play them to a very good standard. He is hit and miss. One week will be fantastic and then a bid dodgy. For me is the best full back we have at the moment. Again, his pace lets him down as does his final delvery. Finnan in his prime was excellent for us, and we havnt replaced him. A quality right back is essential in my opinion if Kuyt is to play on the right of midfield. Kuyt will obviously drift infield to add numbers in and around the box, which means the full back has to be willing to get up and down that flank and act as that right winger when we are attacking.

I've been thinking about that and actually wondered if in the long-term maybe we could use Arbeloa on the left and try and buy a more gung-ho type right-back. Arbeloa is after all very comfortable on both sides.

Arbeloa likes to overlap and cut inside anyway which may work better with Riera, and they could form a really good partnership if they play frequently together. I remember Alvaro started to get something going with Pennant at the beginning of last season and for me he really needs someone to help him out and link up with down the flank. Dossena and Aurelio both tend to like to stay wide and try and cross, but Riera can do that, so maybe they're not the best together.

I think Arbeloa is a very good player on his day but doesn't offer us enough if we've effectively got no right-winger to link up with. So it's just a thought.

In all honesty, I like Arbeloa but would love it if he couldnt make the team. I dont think he is strong enough and the fact he is our best full back is worrying.

That is quite a good idea though about trying Arbeloa on the left and have a more offensive minded full back on the right. Either way, we need one really really strong full back at least.

What do people think about the Gareth Bale rumour? Got a feeling its probably just paper talk but if the Spurs debacle continues you never know.......

From what I have seen he looks a quality player, especially going forward.

Nah it aint just paper talk mate. My mate's family got told by Gareth Bale's mum and dad that they were contacted by one of Liverpool's main scouts before we signed him, and he said to them Liverpool were interested. Recently my friends family got invited up to watch the Hull game in Gareth Bale's own box, they got to meet him and brought me back a signed mimi flag thing by Gareth Bale, so I was happy. Well Gareth's parents told him and his parent's that Liverpool were interested in Gareth but also very suprisingly there is even some interest from AC Milan although they doubt anything will happen with that.

I know this sounds like a complete and utter farce, but I am just passing on the info my mate told me. I know he aint making all of it up as he has met Gareth many times since he has been a proffesional footballer. We also did go to the same shool as Bale so that's how their families are close as they live pretty near.

Nice one, good to know someone on the inside!

So as a Spurs fan what do you think of him? Do you think you would sell? I imagine he would cost a few bob.

Well i know a bit more than most about Gareth Bale but thats all, any of footballer and I am as baffled as the rest of you.

He is a very talented footballer, he's got Pace, strength good left foot and to be honest I think we would sell as he is ambitious and we are doing very poor at the moment so think if the right offer came in we'd accpet it. It would have to be a pretty high bid though as he is very good and still very young.