CARRA DELIGHTED BY AGGER RETURN

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[tr][td=2,1,487] [/td][td=1,1,357]Jamie Carragher has expressed his delight at Daniel Agger's impressive return to fitness following his long battle with injury. [/td][/tr][tr][td=2,1,487]The Reds stalwart admits Liverpool missed the Danish centre back during the 2007-08 campaign and feels the defender will bolster Rafael Benitez's ranks as they look to bring an end to a two-year spell without a trophy.
  
He said: "It's been really tough for Daniel. He was a big miss for us last season and we're delighted to have him back.
  
"He's a great player but there are a lot of good players in a lot of different positions now fighting for a place now.
  
"We've got a big squad but we need to keep everyone fit."
  
Carragher has also been impressed by the way new signings Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena have performed, both in training and in the club's opening pre-season matches, and feels they have already begun to feel at home with the club.
  
He said: "I think the two new lads at full-back (Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena) have done very well.
  
"The pre-season has been a time for them to get to know everyone really, not just from a football point of view but off the pitch too.
  
"It's been a period in which we've been integrating the new players and they've settled in very well."
  
Liverpool followed up their two match tour of Switzerland with a 0-0 draw against Hertha Berlin on Tuesday night - a match Carra felt was more like a competitive encounter after leading the team out in front of a crowd of over 50,000 supporters at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
  
He said: "It was more like a proper game than a friendly to see the big crowd in a great stadium where the last World Cup final was played.
  
"It think that we did all right and we finished the tour well. After a few days back at Melwood we're going to be looking forward to the other games."
  
"Things have progressed over the past couple of weeks from a fitness point of view, that's always the way in pre-season. You build things up slowly and as we get fitter now towards the start of the season, the games are becoming more difficult.
  
"Our fitness will have to get better because we're playing better quality teams." [/td][/tr]