Jamie Carragher

From that moment to this, Jamie has been stalwart for the team, he always gives his best and has saved Liverpool Football Club from many an embarrassing score line. One of the most memorable times I have heard him talk about the game was after the 2005 Champions League cup final. Jamie, said that he had run himself ragged and although he fell on the pitch towards the end of the game due to cramp, he picked himself up, found some energy and helped the team towards the penalty shootout. That in my eyes is true sportsmanship - a man who for love of his city and his team had no intention of giving up.

Questions though, are now being asked about his fitness level. Jamie has reached the age that a lot of footballers dread. He is now 31 and knows that his career will soon be drawing to a close. He has said that he would like to continue to 35 but obviously fitness levels and the amount of games are going to soon come into play. Jamie is someone who has looked after his body throughout his football and is I should imagine as fit as some of his counterparts. Unfortunately a lot of the supporters including myself have noticed that his reactions and his speed are not as good and as quick as it used to be.
Also Rafa has him playing out of position at the moment. For a man who for many years has basically not moved more than a couple of feet, this will take a lot of adapting too. He has the much younger Skrtel playing alongside him at the moment and I think that is also causing a few problems. Skrtel has a habit of barging into the play, without first looking to see if Jamie is going for the ball, hence the accident a few weeks ago. The result, Jamie had a cut head and Skrtel a fractured jaw. When Sami Hyppia was in the team, they had over the years developed a partnership where each one of them knew what the other one was doing. The other thing I think is causing problems is zonal marking. Jamie is from the old school of players and is used to man to man marking. I often wonder how he manages to hold his temper. It must be obvious to him that is one of the reasons why our defence leaks goals. There is nothing like good old man to man marking to ensure that the opposition do not have a change to shoot on goal.

We also heard from Rafa today that young Daniel Agger is now back in full training and will hopefully be taking part in the matches soon. This again is more competition for Jamie and my worry is that he will soon become a bit part player, something which he said in his biography, he did not want to be.

I honestly hope that this does not happen, Jamie is a man that can step up to the occasion and I believe will continue to be asset to the Liverpool team. What you have to remember is that Jamie gave up his England career so that he could continue to give his all to Liverpool. What also tells you something about his fitness is that it is rumoured that Capello is thinking about contacting him for a recall to the England Squad. Would the national coach do that, if he was failing for his club, I don't think so.
To all those doubters out there, I say please be patient, a couple of bad games does not mean he is finished. I am sure that the old Jamie will shine through soon.