Following John Flanagan’s impressive debut on Monday night against Manchester City, Liverpool are going to have the luxury of picking between Glen Johnson, Martin Kelly and John Flanagan to be the first choice right-back next season. This is a very good headache for Kenny Dalglish to have as it gives him options to use depending on the formation or tactics he wants to play and as the same times it gives us much needed cover in-case of injuries and suspensions.
Going into the match on Monday night against City, Liverpool were very thing on defenders as Johnson, Kelly and Agger are out injured. I had predicted that Carragher would start at right-back but then Soto was not fit enough to play against City and Dalglish had no choice but to call upon Flanagan to play at right-back. The local lad did not disappoint at all as he put in an assured performance without putting a foot wrong. Flanagan can only grow from this performance and I am sure he will feature on Sunday against Arsenal as Johnson and Kelly are still out injured.
At the start of this season, Johnson struggled at right-back and then he continued to pick up injuries. This gave Martin Kelly the chance to slot in at right-back and he has without a shadow of a doubt been our best right-back this season. Dalglish found it hard to drop Kelly when Johnson returned from fitness and Johnson was now made to play left-back, a position which he excelled in.
But looking at next season, Liverpool should not look at having Glen Johnson as their first choice left-back as we will certainly go out into the transfer market and buy a left-back or two. Which means that Kelly and Johnson are going to battle it out to be the first choice right-back and now throw Flanagan into the equation and we have a pretty solid trio of right-backs to pick from.
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put johnson in the right wing, he has pace and dribbling ability, he can cross well and can also cut inside, he will provide support to kelly or flanagan going back. kuyt should play as an out and out striker even if he doesn’t play all the games.so no problems on the right side.
Kelly needs to move into center back with agger next year
Flanagan should start throughout the remainder of of this season to get used to first team football, then be Johnson’s understudy next season.
Kelly should get his rightful place at centreback – he could be a solid rightback or a great centreback. I know which one I’d rather he became…
Spot on Jay Wright in everything said,it has been mentioned before that Johnson go’s right midfield, that would provide Flanagan with extra cover at the back while he gets to know the team play a little better.
If that was so, why hasn’t Johnson been put there by the manager already, there seems to be an issue here, if leftback was taken by Kelly in the past he is automaticly moved over to the rightback.