Is Carragher right, or wrong?
Former central defender Jamie Carragher was harsh in his analysis of young German defender Emre Can on Sky Sports last night, the Daily Mail records.
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Can conceded the penalty that put Chelsea in front, but in fairness, he didn’t do too much wrong apart from that – playing as part of a defence that restricted the best side in the country to just two shots on goal throughout the 90.
“He played really well in the last five or six games bringing the ball out,” Carragher said live on tele during the game.
“But against top-class players he’s been found wanting. He got beaten too easily and tried to rectify it and made two mistakes.
“He found it really difficult and looked like a midfielder playing at the back. People say he’s been doing well recently in relation to bringing the ball out, but it was clumsy and a penalty, no doubt about it.”
Liverpool fans retaliated on social media, but Carragher took to Kicca to defend his comments.
“My thoughts on Can at CB in a back 3 is that he gives control to the team on the ball and helps the team build from the back,” he wrote.
“In a back 3 he will also have less defending to do but, when I’ve seen him (and I watch every game) defend he’s struggled at times in the game against Leicester, Wimbledon & on the one occasion tonight it may seem harsh but Lfc had over 60% possession so didn’t have much defending to do and he was good as you’d expect with the ball & with Hazard defensively a couple of times second half.
“My point is tonight was the first time he’s come up against top class attackers as the teams previously Lfc would expect to dominate and win as they have done & he’s impressed.
“But if the opposition dominate he’ll have to do more defending, and CB’s in a back 3 think if you had to put them in a 2 in a back 4 would you want Can there probably not but why?
“Because his main strength is not the defending its bringing the ball out which he’d do less in a back 4!! hopefully that clears my thoughts up And yes I wasn’t quick & also made mistakes!!
Carragher’s defence of his comments is interesting, and he’s right that few Reds would be especially confident with Can playing at centre-back in a back-four…
However, his performance last night, bar the penalty, simply didn’t deserve stick. He made tackles, passed the ball well, and battled bravely with Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Willian.
If he can play like that aged 21, against world-class attackers, we have absolutely no worries about Can’s future. In fact, we’re pretty excited.