Several weeks ago I suggested Frank Lampard should be dropped from the England team. The Chelsea star is now a veteran at 32 years old, and so to is the player at the forefront of this week's article - Jamie Carrager.
Unlike his Chelsea contemporary, Carrager's international career is officially over, but he remains an integral part of his club side. However, I feel he is living off past reputation rather than being in the team due to his current form.
The Bootle born star has been a magnificant servant at Anfield for well over a decade, and his performance when up against Didier Drogba in the second leg of the Champions League semi final in 2007 was one of the best I've ever seen from a defender.
The Chelsea star barely got a kick during both the 90 minutes and extra time and Carrager was fair but firm throughout. Even Drogba acknowledged this during the game and the lack of play acting we have become accustomed to from the Ivory Coast star during that game demonstrated the high regard he gave to Carrager's performance.
Carrager has never been a quick player, and although he is no slouch (recent games aside) his determination and anticipation are his key assets.
His ability to quickly recover from mistakes has also been a key element of his game down the years, but this trait has also appeared to have dwindled rapidly in the last year or so.
Early last season, the little known youngster, Zavon Hines, destroyed Carrager while playing for West Ham at Upton Park. It was a sign of things to come, and although Carrager's form improved as the season went on, his performances early on, most notably away to Fulham where he was sent off, contributed emphatically to Liverpool's awful season and their eventual, dismal 7th place finish.
Carrager though, has always had a habit of rising to the occasion. Last season, despite under-par performances at some of the teams in the lower echelons of the Premier League, he was superb in fixtures such as the two Merseyside derbies, at home to Manchester United and Tottenham and the away game at Arsenal.
But even this seems to no longer be the case. During last week's game at Old Trafford he was beaten to a header by Dimitar Berbatov for the winning goal - hardly a player remowned for his heading abiilty - and generally looked shaky throughout.
In additon, both last season and this, not to mention during the World Cup finals, Carrager has developed an annoying and quite obvious habit of shirt pulling and fouling players who do him for pace.
In years gone by he would probably haver either sheparded the opposing player away from goal or not have been so badly positioned in the first place. Either way, it is a clear sign of his ageing legs. In South Africa the Liverpool star was booked for bad fouls in both group games that he played. Not many players can say that can they? And on both occasions it was down to him being beaten for pace.
There was a time when Carrager should have been in the England team as first choice centre back. Between 2004 and 2008 he was superb for Liverpool and was arguably the most consistent defender in the top flight.
Despite being a virtually ever present member of the squad during this period, he was very rarely handed the opportunity to play in his preferred positon of centre half. He felt this was unjust and this consequently contributed to his decision to retire from international football at 29 in 2007.
At that time, it was perhaps a fair assessment. During the Champions League campaigns of 2005, 2007 and 2008 he was able to hold off and combat some of the world's finest centre forwards, and was twice voted one of the best defenders' in the competition.
He was at the peak of his powers back then, but this is no longer 2008. These days, Carrager is a far cry from the world class defender we knew back then and the question really has to be asked, is he really any better than the other central defenders at Anfield?
He should, in most people's view, still be well ahead of Sotirios Kyrgiakos in the pecking order. But in my opinion, he should now be only third in line.
At this point under Roy Hodgson, and usually under Benitez, Carrager and Martin Skrtel are or were the first choice centre back pairing. But under Benitez, you may argue, this was mainly down to Daniel Agger, in many people's eyes, the most gifted of all the options, having his progress stalled by seemingly endless injury problems during his stint at Anfield.
Now, however, they appear to be behind him and perhaps now is the time for the Dane and Skrtel to be given the chance to develop a partnership together at the back. Both players
are 26 years old. Both, Agger in particular, are class acts and approaching their peak. While both, especially Skrtel, are seasoned internationals and integral parts of their countries' make up.
They appear to also be the perfect combination. One is left footed and one is right footed. And while Skrtel is a brute of a centre half - strong, hard but fair in the tackle and good in the air, Agger complements him superbly. A player in the Franz Beckenbauer mold with a superb long range strike and a supreme ability to dribble the ball out of the defence or spray 50 yard passes.
One thing is for sure, he is not a left back (he has been played there more than once under Hodgson and was roasted by Adam Johnson at Eastlands) as he lacks the pace and crossing abilty, but he is wonderful option at cente half. The fact the AC Milan, Inter Milan and Real Madrid have all shown an interest in recent years reinforces that argument.
Most importantly, Agger can also defend brilliantly and offers more options than an ageing Carrager, who is more similar to Skrtel in stature.
While you can never compensate for the lion hearted, win at all costs, local boy - done good approach of Carrager, if the legs are not up to it, what can you do? It is definely time for a change.
I have heard some fans suggesting the same in recent weeks. But is it the majority of fans at Anfield or are they still so keen to have a local lad orchestrating matters in defence?
The Liverpool fans are not stupid and they will be aware of Carrager's faults and limitations. But he is such a popular figure (demonstrated by the massive crowd who recently attented his testimonial) they will just hope it is just rusty early season form.
It has to be remembered that 32 is not really that old for a defender in this day and age and players such as Tony Adams, Sami Hyppia and Martin Keown demonstrate this.
Roy Hodgson is under pressure, and perhaps the safe option for now would be to keep Carrager in the side. He is expected to be handed a new contract very soon, which suggests he is bound to stay in the first eleven and is still a first choice player for a while yet. However, a boss of Hodgson's experience will surely begin to see the gaps in Carrager's armour appearing and you would think at his age he will not be afraid of making big decisions.
But Carrager is such a legend at Anfield and is one of the all time greats. It is a difficult call. But in Liverpool's current situation, is there really any room for senitment?
The fact he wasn't in the side during the mid-week League Cup defeat to Northampton will surely aid his case to stay in the side. But the Scouser is a great professional, and if he is dropped from the side in the coming weeks, I am sure he will accept it with grace and continue to fight for his place.
There are some big decisions for Hodgson to make, and I this is probably the biggest and most sensitive of the lot. Dropping Carrager from Liverpool, unthinkable surely?? But in my view, it has been coming for a while. And it's about time that a wonderful player, virually ever present since 1998 is given an extended break. If not just to see how he reacts.
Unlike other areas of the pitch, Liverpool are not short of options at centre back. It's important that Hodgson acknowledges this and does what he is paid to do, make big decisions for the better of the club. Because as we know one player is never bigger than the club, even Jamie Carrager (although he comes damn close).
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