Dane’s reminder gives Benitez a selection poser
ON an afternoon when Anfield remembered those who will never be forgotten, Daniel Agger gave his manager a reminder of why he shouldn’t continue to be overlooked in Liverpool’s push for honours.
The Dane has suffered a frustrating 18 months, failing to dislodge Martin Skrtel and Jamie Carragher as Rafael Benitez’s first choice centre backs after returning to fitness following a long-standing foot injury.
But on Saturday he was given the chance to stake his claim for a regular first-team place and a new contract.
It was an opportunity he seized with gusto, Agger crowning an assured performance with a stunning goal reminiscent of his first Liverpool strike against West Ham in front of the Kop in August 2006 and an effort only bettered by Fernando Torres’s beautiful opener.
Liverpool looked a better side against Blackburn for the presence of Agger, who has made just 20 appearances this term, as they always do with the 24-year-old in their ranks.
It is not just a goal threat that the Denmark International adds to Benitez’s side.
Agger provides a balance to the rearguard, his composure on the ball and magnificent left foot perfectly complementing the grittier qualities of Carragher. The Bootle-born defender, though, would undoubtedly point to his delightful assist for Torres’s first of the afternoon.
Agger’s ability to stride out of defence, as he did on numerous occasions against Sam Allardyce’s woeful strugglers, gives this Liverpool team a different dimension. Particularly when their playmaker Xabi Alonso is being closely watched by his marker, as is the approach of many opponents who recognise that by stopping the Spaniard they drastically limit the Anfield side’s forward options.
The best centre-back pairings always feature two very different defenders and while Skrtel is a fine stopper, he is too similar to the Carragher to form an effective partnership. That is if a union which has contributed the second best defensive record in the league can’t be considered effective.
It would be wrong, though, to ignore the rugged elements of Agger’s play.
