ona.. i disagree with you there.

i was one of the very few who recognised how versatile the lad is. if you recall, even early on the anfield faithful didnt have much regard for carra.. but i loved the lad's attitude right from day 1. he'll give you 100% in each and every game. and in ANY position that you put him in.

under houllier he was leftback the entire season we won the treble.. with babbel operating on the right. UEFA CUP, FA CUP, WORTHINGTON CUP, 3rd place in the EPL.. so how good was he really then??

or

the next season when marcus had that serious illness carra was rightback for the entire season with Riise as leftback after joining us . 2nd in the EPL and CL qualification. well?

carra is incredibly versatile BUT Rafa realised that his best position would be central defender and put him there..
The results as a CENTRAL DEFENDER are there for all to see.. in three years, 2 trophies, 2 CL finals, performances of grit , determination and class against the best attacks in england and europe.

it's a pity england and some fans don't see the need to use him and hence, i'd really wish he'd retire and concentrate the rest of his career on LFC.


KD

I didn't say there wasn't a need for him in the England setup, and neither would most fans - I just don't see that he's much better than many of the other options, of course Liverpool fans will disagree, and some will say he's the best defender in Europe, etc. that's football, it's all about opinions, isn't it?

oh i'm not pointing any fingers.....

oh no... we wouldn't do that kind of thing on here, we're a friendly bunch...

I whole heartedly agree.

Based on form over a long period of time I could make an argument for Carragher to be included infront of Ferdinand. I can see no situation where a player who has spent the whole season injured should play in the england side before a player who has spent the entire season at the top of his game.

Just another one of McClarens inexplicable decisions.

Maybe he was just dropped for this game because he is on a yellow and McLaren wants him to be free for Israel?



Vicky

when Houlier took over Carragher had just come up as a central midfielder. He filled in for the most part covering for various injuired players but he was never first choice in his best possition CB until Rafa came in. Also Riise came in as a Left Midfielder and played there his first season if I recall correctly. The Treble winning season was the season Babel fell ill as well, still I may be mistaken as my brain plays tricks.

your brain is playing tricks my old friend..

Riise onlyjoined us in 2002 summer... the season before ( treble winning season) it was carra as leftback and babbel as rightback.. or are you forgetting babbels great goal in the UEFA CUP final?

Babbel was our best rightback in recent times... got his fair share of goals too.. pity about the illness it really robbed us of at least another 2 years of great service from Marcus


KD

I remember we had Ziege on the left and Babbel on the right but i feel Babbel fell ill at the end of the 2001 season and was out the entire next season. so many memories jammed into one pod is not going to help me.

wasn't Ziege mostly injured? or was that only in his time at Spurs?

sweet left foot, mind you. very classy, if the mood struck him (it often didn't, at Spurs at least!)

Ziege was a good player in red.