Carra has now reached the age of 34, an age where few footballers still compete at the top level of the game. And perhaps now, as the era of Brendan Rodgers begins, Carragher becomes even further away from being good enough to play for the club he loves. How ironic that a man who has represented Liverpool more times than most will struggle more than ever to find his place in a side expected to play the Liverpool way. The game we know as football has changed since a young Jamie Carragher first pulled on a baggy Liverpool jersey. Strikers have become more adept at finding space, more physically fit. Stronger. Faster. Better. Meanwhile full backs became tools of the attack, overlapping wingers and linking up with strikers and midfielders to add a potent new dimension to attacking play. When Rafael Benitez took over at Liverpool, Carragher was something of a utility man. Defensive midfield, left back, centre half, right back. The scouser could do it all, flitting between positions whenever needed and thus winning plaudits for his commitment to the cause. The Jamie Carragher style of full back play often involved sprinting as far as possible down the touchline before running into an opposition player and passing it back to the centre half. It was adept of Benitez then, to see Carraghers strengths and how to use them. At first the Bootle-born defender was mocked for losing his place at right back to Steve Finnan, but it soon became apparent that Carragher had found his home-within-home at the heart of a Liverpool defence, alongside the equally sturdy Sami Hyppia. Carragher made 56 starts in a season that brought him the highlight of his career Istanbul. One of the heroes of that fateful night that took the most precious of trophies to Anfield, Carragher went on to be a key part of Liverpools battle to restore success on a domestic front. As surely as the sun will rise, it will set. It appears we are witnessing the latest hours of Jamie Carraghers career as a football player for Liverpool. For being a centre half is no longer just about being able to defend. The modern centre-back must have the ability and intelligence to play with the ball at his feet, exchanging passes, initiating attacks and occasionally venturing into the opposition half. In that respect, Jamie Carragher is a grandfather clock in a digital age. Carraghers strengths have never led with his ball-playing abilities. In the past his tendency to play the long ball was acceptable in a league where such tactics were commonly used. Now his aimless balls forward lead to groans from the crowd and frustrated team-mates. Rodgers wants Liverpool to have the ball all the time, and with Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger adept at passing and control, Carragher sticks out like a sore thumb on a cultured footballing hand. Early appearances under Brendan Rodgers have confirmed what we knew about Carragher. When options are not obvious, when time is not plentiful, the defender will go long. And with a front three of Borini, Suarez and Downing, averaging in height at around 5ft 11, going up against man mountains like Vincent Kompany, the result will always be the same; losing the ball. Carraghers other failings come as part of father times cruel spell. Never gifted with blistering pace, Carragher now relies purely on reading the game and getting a few yards headstart. In a one-on-one situation with one of the vast array of pacey forwards that now occupies the premier league, it will often be a one-sided contest. Whats more, Liverpools defensive line is forced to drop deeper to accommodate this lack of pace, often leaving space between themselves and the midfield. At this point his name on the teamsheet incites dread amongst some, where once it provided confidence. With a manager not afraid to make changes and in possession of a philosophy, vision and system so unsuited to Jamies strengths, it truly seems that 2011/12 may be the legendary defenders last, in a footballing capacity at least. With over 700 appearances at the top level, spanning 16 years, and 11 trophies lifted, Carraghers time has come.
