If Arbeloa wanted to stay, we wouldn't have gone in for Johnson, would we? We may have brought in another attacker. As was the plan once we had signed Johnson. Until the money ran out, that is.
Alvaro Arbeloa
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[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=38079.msg1019790#msg1019790 date=1261516215]
Arbeloa was competence personified, you were never going to get anything more, which was the problem, really.
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If only all our problems began and ended with players who were competence personified. What a weird thing to say.
I always liked Arbeloa and really can't understand why people decided they'd pitch the "he's shit" argument. He wasn't at all. In fact, he was a very good signing for us and I wish we had a few more players like him in the squad right now.
Arbeloa was competence personified, you were never going to get anything more, which was the problem, really.
[/quote]
If only all our problems began and ended with players who were competence personified. What a weird thing to say.
I always liked Arbeloa and really can't understand why people decided they'd pitch the "he's shit" argument. He wasn't at all. In fact, he was a very good signing for us and I wish we had a few more players like him in the squad right now.
I agree with that. He wasn't amazing or anything but he would improve our squad if he joined it tomorrow at the expense of most of our many dodgy fullbacks.
S
Squiggles
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Obviously, but then me and you look favourable to some of our current players.
Top clubs always aim for improvement and that's what we chose to do. Keeping hold of him for another year would have been preferable, but given he was desperate to leave, and was a decent pro when he was here, it would have harsh to deny him his dream move.
Top clubs always aim for improvement and that's what we chose to do. Keeping hold of him for another year would have been preferable, but given he was desperate to leave, and was a decent pro when he was here, it would have harsh to deny him his dream move.
Him wanting to leave and being in the last year of his contract is another matter. We were probably right to sell him given the fact that we're operating under tight financial constraints - I wonder though if Rafa would've been allowed to keep him had he wanted to.
As for aiming for improvement, sure, but that doesn't mean to say that what you have at present is shit or can be so easily cast aside. Utd have done well out of players like O'Shea, Brown and the like over the years who have kept them ticking over.
As for aiming for improvement, sure, but that doesn't mean to say that what you have at present is shit or can be so easily cast aside. Utd have done well out of players like O'Shea, Brown and the like over the years who have kept them ticking over.
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=38079.msg1019877#msg1019877 date=1261523944]
Obviously, but then me and you look favourable to some of our current players.
Top clubs always aim for improvement and that's what we chose to do. Keeping hold of him for another year would have been preferable, but given he was desperate to leave, and was a decent pro when he was here, it would have harsh to deny him his dream move.
[/quote]
It's funny how it's called his 'dream move'. Didn't he leave Madrid due to not getting a run only to return to play second fiddle to Ramos and will probably want to leave again in a years time.
Obviously, but then me and you look favourable to some of our current players.
Top clubs always aim for improvement and that's what we chose to do. Keeping hold of him for another year would have been preferable, but given he was desperate to leave, and was a decent pro when he was here, it would have harsh to deny him his dream move.
[/quote]
It's funny how it's called his 'dream move'. Didn't he leave Madrid due to not getting a run only to return to play second fiddle to Ramos and will probably want to leave again in a years time.
I liked and rated Arbeloa. As Keni said he was often a whipping boy for no reason at times. He was compact, tidy, efficient and always provided an outlet. He had a habit of winning the ball back high up the field and could play on either side of the pitch. His tendency to give away silly free kicks annoyed the shit out of me but still he would walk into our team and make the LB position his own. I was hoping he would stay and play there for us while providing cover for GlenJo when needed.
[quote author=ILD link=topic=38079.msg1019886#msg1019886 date=1261525166]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=38079.msg1019877#msg1019877 date=1261523944]
Obviously, but then me and you look favourable to some of our current players.
Top clubs always aim for improvement and that's what we chose to do. Keeping hold of him for another year would have been preferable, but given he was desperate to leave, and was a decent pro when he was here, it would have harsh to deny him his dream move.
[/quote]
It's funny how it's called his 'dream move'. Didn't he leave Madrid due to not getting a run only to return to play second fiddle to Ramos and will probably want to leave again in a years time.
[/quote]
I think he's playing fairly regularly isn't he?
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=38079.msg1019877#msg1019877 date=1261523944]
Obviously, but then me and you look favourable to some of our current players.
Top clubs always aim for improvement and that's what we chose to do. Keeping hold of him for another year would have been preferable, but given he was desperate to leave, and was a decent pro when he was here, it would have harsh to deny him his dream move.
[/quote]
It's funny how it's called his 'dream move'. Didn't he leave Madrid due to not getting a run only to return to play second fiddle to Ramos and will probably want to leave again in a years time.
[/quote]
I think he's playing fairly regularly isn't he?
[quote author=gene hughes link=topic=38079.msg1019921#msg1019921 date=1261528743]
[quote author=ILD link=topic=38079.msg1019886#msg1019886 date=1261525166]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=38079.msg1019877#msg1019877 date=1261523944]
Obviously, but then me and you look favourable to some of our current players.
Top clubs always aim for improvement and that's what we chose to do. Keeping hold of him for another year would have been preferable, but given he was desperate to leave, and was a decent pro when he was here, it would have harsh to deny him his dream move.
[/quote]
It's funny how it's called his 'dream move'. Didn't he leave Madrid due to not getting a run only to return to play second fiddle to Ramos and will probably want to leave again in a years time.
[/quote]
I think he's playing fairly regularly isn't he?
[/quote]
He is, at left back though.
[quote author=ILD link=topic=38079.msg1019886#msg1019886 date=1261525166]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=38079.msg1019877#msg1019877 date=1261523944]
Obviously, but then me and you look favourable to some of our current players.
Top clubs always aim for improvement and that's what we chose to do. Keeping hold of him for another year would have been preferable, but given he was desperate to leave, and was a decent pro when he was here, it would have harsh to deny him his dream move.
[/quote]
It's funny how it's called his 'dream move'. Didn't he leave Madrid due to not getting a run only to return to play second fiddle to Ramos and will probably want to leave again in a years time.
[/quote]
I think he's playing fairly regularly isn't he?
[/quote]
He is, at left back though.
dont give a fuckwhere he's playing now. He left cos he wanted to leave. just like xabi. He was ok as a rb. Nothing more. As a lb he cancelled out Messi once but was subbed at half time the next time he played there. Average player dont be fooled into thinking he was anything better
[quote author=Rafa4PM link=topic=38079.msg1019796#msg1019796 date=1261516804]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=38079.msg1019790#msg1019790 date=1261516215]
I'd like to still have him because it would allow us to experiment with Johnson in midfield.
He was a handy little player to have, but there were few tears shed when he left.
Arbeloa was competence personified, you were never going to get anything more, which was the problem, really.
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I think thats pretty much bang on Squiggs.
He'd of made a quality squad player.
[/quote]
I think he's just slightly above average.
But at the moment, thats like having Pele.
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=38079.msg1019790#msg1019790 date=1261516215]
I'd like to still have him because it would allow us to experiment with Johnson in midfield.
He was a handy little player to have, but there were few tears shed when he left.
Arbeloa was competence personified, you were never going to get anything more, which was the problem, really.
[/quote]
I think thats pretty much bang on Squiggs.
He'd of made a quality squad player.
[/quote]
I think he's just slightly above average.
But at the moment, thats like having Pele.
[quote author=SaintGeorge67 link=topic=38079.msg1019769#msg1019769 date=1261514786]
He was shit.
And that's all I have to say about that.
[/quote]
I know you never rated him, but that's well wide of the mark. He was unspectacular (like Finnan) but he knew when to cover and tuck inside with the centre backs. Neither fullback does that now and it's cost us big time.
Arbeloa was a much better defender than any of our current fullbacks.
People are mixing up 'Johnson is a good footballer' with 'Johnson is a good defender'. Despite injuries, he's always had issues, not just for us, for Chelsea, Pompey and England. He's really not a good defender and I really would be tempted to get him into midfield. Positionally he's suspect and decision wise even more so. Not good, and it HAS cost us.
He was shit.
And that's all I have to say about that.
[/quote]
I know you never rated him, but that's well wide of the mark. He was unspectacular (like Finnan) but he knew when to cover and tuck inside with the centre backs. Neither fullback does that now and it's cost us big time.
Arbeloa was a much better defender than any of our current fullbacks.
People are mixing up 'Johnson is a good footballer' with 'Johnson is a good defender'. Despite injuries, he's always had issues, not just for us, for Chelsea, Pompey and England. He's really not a good defender and I really would be tempted to get him into midfield. Positionally he's suspect and decision wise even more so. Not good, and it HAS cost us.
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=38079.msg1019817#msg1019817 date=1261517499]
I didn't think he was that good
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Surely you would agree that he's a better option at LB than Insua?
I didn't think he was that good
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Surely you would agree that he's a better option at LB than Insua?
I didn't have a problem with Alvaro, he wasn't a great player, as has been said he was steady, but he was no better at defending than Johnson is.
regards
regards
[quote author=Vlads Quiff link=topic=38079.msg1020093#msg1020093 date=1261564430]
I didn't have a problem with Alvaro, he wasn't a great player, as has been said he was steady, but he was no better at defending than Johnson is.
regards
[/quote]
Yep.
Johnson is undoubtedly an improvement.
Whether he is £13.5M worth of it is another matter.
I didn't have a problem with Alvaro, he wasn't a great player, as has been said he was steady, but he was no better at defending than Johnson is.
regards
[/quote]
Yep.
Johnson is undoubtedly an improvement.
Whether he is £13.5M worth of it is another matter.
*Anyone* would be an improvment over Insua at LB
Apart from maybe the other LB Benitez bought, Drossena
Apart from maybe the other LB Benitez bought, Drossena
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