Aurelio

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=39098.msg1062035#msg1062035 date=1267396582]
aurelio may as well no bother asking for a contract extention
[/quote]

I don't know about that, Rafa loves him.
I would not be surprised if we do not see him again though

regards

 

[Mike Hunt]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=39098.msg1062149#msg1062149 date=1267423051]
[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062144#msg1062144 date=1267420056]
aren't bad shouts? Lol.

The main problem with our club is that we tend to replace average players with.. More average players.

From Riise to Dossena to Insua.. While other top 4 teams had Evra, Cole and Clichy. 3 of the best left backs in the world. The one good fullback that we had in the last 5 years, we sold to Madrid at a loss.

And now Nadir Belhadj sounds good? Good grief.

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=39098.msg1061937#msg1061937 date=1267392236]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39098.msg1061902#msg1061902 date=1267390022]
[quote author=SummerOnions link=topic=39098.msg1061900#msg1061900 date=1267389825]
With their crippling debts, we could pick up Belhadj for a tasty fee.
[/quote]

That would be an ace idea as he is twice as good as Insua.

Talking of skint clubs, I also rate that West Ham lad Valon Behrami

We should buy both
[/quote]

Yeah, both aren't bad shouts.

I've havent seen too much of Behrami, but he's impressed on occasion. Technically he's very good and he knows where the goal is. Apparently United are interested in him though. He also has shit hair.

Belhadj - I'd take him as a winger but not as fullback. He's a bit like Johnson in that way. Decent player, though, who will be within our budget.

Remember this?

Nadir Belhadj scores a wonderfull goal: Porsmouth 2-0 Liverpool
[/quote]
[/quote]

You believe Riise was equal in terms of ability to Dossena, which renders your opinion on any player null and void.

We have to fill 4 positions this summer to remain competitive in the Premier League, and it will have to be done on a tight budget. You better get used to it.
[/quote]
I don't really care about what you think my opinion's worth. However, I found you putting words in my mouth a bit baffling.

Dossena was woeful, Riise was pretty shit, Insua is also pretty shit.. I don't wanna get drawn into arguments on which one is the least shit of them all, cos that's pretty pathetic, yet symptomatic of the problems that we have at the club.

 

[Mike Hunt]

[quote author=Jack D Rips link=topic=39098.msg1062198#msg1062198 date=1267435299]
[quote author=Assulin link=topic=39098.msg1061881#msg1061881 date=1267387597]
[quote author=SaintGeorge67 link=topic=39098.msg1061853#msg1061853 date=1267383008]
It's a shame he's fucked, and his contract won't be renewed in the summer, as I think he's a marvellous player when fit. not a universal opinion I know...
[/quote]

Do you not get why I love Arbeloa then?

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39098.msg1061867#msg1061867 date=1267386003]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=39098.msg1061861#msg1061861 date=1267384002]
I rate him, but it's a waste of time persisting with him any further.

New LB please.
[/quote]

Yup.

Thankfully, I have every confidence in Benitez identifying and buying the right full-back for us.
[/quote]

[tt]Ahh so some footballers that have player well against Liverpool recently?

Branislav Ivanovic
Stevan Jovetic
Zac Hines
Sebastien Bassong
Lucas
Martin Jorgensen
Andrei Arshavin

Wonder if any can be made into left backs with good work rate?[/tt]

It's very hard trying to go through Rafa's thought process with his recent success rate in the transfer market.

I had to leave Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Nadir Belhadj out because they actually play left back! :angel:

[/quote]

Two things about Arbeloa

1. He wanted to go
2. He is not a left back. Hes a right back who on a couple of occasions played left back, with mixed rates of success.

Stop talking about him!
[/quote]
Barry wanted to come to us, Gerrard wanted to leave for Chelsea.

We could've done more to keep him.

 

[Mike Hunt]

[quote author=Avmenon link=topic=39098.msg1062162#msg1062162 date=1267429353]

No, what's laughable is his contention that Arbeloa was better than Riise.

Anyway, both are gone and comments about Riise better end before it attracts Neil.

We need better than what we have, question is where do we find them?
[/quote]

Arbeloa was a better full back, definitely.

"But Riise was SUCH a great servantzzzzzz....."

 

[manwithnoname]

Barry wanted to come to us, Gerrard wanted to leave for Chelsea.

We could've done more to keep him.

Gerrard simply changed his mind. That's all there is to it.

 

[Jack D Rips]

[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062214#msg1062214 date=1267436504]
[quote author=Avmenon link=topic=39098.msg1062162#msg1062162 date=1267429353]

No, what's laughable is his contention that Arbeloa was better than Riise.

Anyway, both are gone and comments about Riise better end before it attracts Neil.

We need better than what we have, question is where do we find them?
[/quote]

Arbeloa was a better full back, definitely.

"But Riise was SUCH a great servantzzzzzz....."
[/quote]

Arbeloa is a RIGHT back
Riise is a LEFT back

It should be easy enough to understand. But just in case you dont, it means that they play on opposite sides of the pitch

 

[Mike Hunt]

[quote author=Jack D Rips link=topic=39098.msg1062250#msg1062250 date=1267440269]
[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062214#msg1062214 date=1267436504]
[quote author=Avmenon link=topic=39098.msg1062162#msg1062162 date=1267429353]

No, what's laughable is his contention that Arbeloa was better than Riise.

Anyway, both are gone and comments about Riise better end before it attracts Neil.

We need better than what we have, question is where do we find them?
[/quote]

Arbeloa was a better full back, definitely.

"But Riise was SUCH a great servantzzzzzz....."
[/quote]

Arbeloa is a RIGHT back
Riise is a LEFT back

It should be easy enough to understand. But just in case you dont, it means that they play on opposite sides of the pitch
[/quote]
zzzzzzzzzz....

 

[mark1975]

Why don't you just use the "my" part of your username and be done with it?

 

[Mike Hunt]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=39098.msg1062255#msg1062255 date=1267440651]
Why don't you just use the "my" part of your username and be done with it?
[/quote]
I don't have any come back for that.

Just too good a call Mark. ???

 

[manwithnoname]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=39098.msg1062255#msg1062255 date=1267440651]
Why don't you just use the "my" part of your username and be done with it?
[/quote]

He reminds me of ardja in many ways.

 

[Mike Hunt]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39098.msg1062260#msg1062260 date=1267440810]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=39098.msg1062255#msg1062255 date=1267440651]
Why don't you just use the "my" part of your username and be done with it?
[/quote]

He reminds me of ardja in many ways.
[/quote]
What are you talking about?

 

[Sunny]

Aurelio is the new Man of Steel

 

[Mike Hunt]

[quote author=Sunny link=topic=39098.msg1062278#msg1062278 date=1267443521]
Aurelio is the new Man of Steel
[/quote]
Shame as I think he is a good left back when fit.

He has a wand of a left foot and is quite decent defensively. He keeps the ball very well and gets involved in the build up play very nicely too.

 

[ILD]

[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062265#msg1062265 date=1267441422]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39098.msg1062260#msg1062260 date=1267440810]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=39098.msg1062255#msg1062255 date=1267440651]
Why don't you just use the "my" part of your username and be done with it?
[/quote]

He reminds me of ardja in many ways.
[/quote]
What are you talking about?
[/quote]

He said you remind him of ardja in many ways. The post was self explanatory to be fair.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=ILD link=topic=39098.msg1062282#msg1062282 date=1267443723]
[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062265#msg1062265 date=1267441422]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39098.msg1062260#msg1062260 date=1267440810]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=39098.msg1062255#msg1062255 date=1267440651]
Why don't you just use the "my" part of your username and be done with it?
[/quote]

He reminds me of ardja in many ways.
[/quote]
What are you talking about?
[/quote]

He said you remind him of ardja in many ways. The post was self explanatory to be fair.
[/quote]

lol

 

[ILD]

[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062280#msg1062280 date=1267443651]
[quote author=Sunny link=topic=39098.msg1062278#msg1062278 date=1267443521]
Aurelio is the new Man of Steel
[/quote]
Shame as I think he is a good left back when fit.

He has a wand of a left foot and is quite decent defensively. He keeps the ball very well and gets involved in the build up play very nicely too.
[/quote]

Aurelio certainly inspires a lot more confidence than Insua. Shame he is made of glass.

 

[Mike Hunt]

He is a lot better than Insua both going forward and at defending.

He is better than Riise was too, though not as good a servant.

Aurelio - Agger - Carra - Arbeloa

Was an excellent back four, with Sami filling in when required.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062280#msg1062280 date=1267443651]
[quote author=Sunny link=topic=39098.msg1062278#msg1062278 date=1267443521]
Aurelio is the new Man of Steel
[/quote]
Shame as I think he is a good left back when fit.

He has a wand of a left foot and is quite decent defensively. He keeps the ball very well and gets involved in the build up play very nicely too.
[/quote]

I think he has a wand as a right foot, he certainly can't do anything but stand on it, never have I seen a more one-footed player and JAR took some beating

regards

 

[ILD]

[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062287#msg1062287 date=1267443955]
He is a lot better than Insua both going forward and at defending.

He is better than Riise was too, though not as good a servant.

Aurelio - Agger - Carra - Arbeloa

Was an excellent back four, with Sami filling in when required.
[/quote]

Riise was far superior in attack and his goals and assists prove that.
What's with the Riise agenda? You seem to have one.

 

[Loch Ness Monster]

It did look like his groin, I have never seen him sprint before and we probably never will again. His legs were just a blur.

 

[Dave G]

I think he has a wand as a right foot, he certainly can't do anything but stand on it, never have I seen a more one-footed player and JAR took some beating

regards

Have you taken a look out on our right wing anytime lately?

 

[ILD]

[quote author=Dave G link=topic=39098.msg1062297#msg1062297 date=1267444867]

I think he has a wand as a right foot, he certainly can't do anything but stand on it, never have I seen a more one-footed player and JAR took some beating

regards

Have you taken a look out on our right wing anytime lately?
[/quote]

Riera is more one footed than Kuyt andthatsafact.

 

[Mike Hunt]

[quote author=ILD link=topic=39098.msg1062292#msg1062292 date=1267444287]
[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062287#msg1062287 date=1267443955]
He is a lot better than Insua both going forward and at defending.

He is better than Riise was too, though not as good a servant.

Aurelio - Agger - Carra - Arbeloa

Was an excellent back four, with Sami filling in when required.
[/quote]

Riise was far superior in attack and his goals and assists prove that.
What's with the Riise agenda? You seem to have one.
[/quote]
No agenda at all.

I just don't think he ever was a good enough player for us. I'm glad he's gone, but sad that his replacements are worse.

I want someone as good if not better than Evra, Clichy & Cole. An example would be Philip Lahm.

 

[ILD]

[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062301#msg1062301 date=1267444972]
[quote author=ILD link=topic=39098.msg1062292#msg1062292 date=1267444287]
[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062287#msg1062287 date=1267443955]
He is a lot better than Insua both going forward and at defending.

He is better than Riise was too, though not as good a servant.

Aurelio - Agger - Carra - Arbeloa

Was an excellent back four, with Sami filling in when required.
[/quote]

Riise was far superior in attack and his goals and assists prove that.
What's with the Riise agenda? You seem to have one.
[/quote]
No agenda at all.

I just don't think he ever was a good enough player for us. I'm glad he's gone, but sad that his replacements are worse.

I want someone as good if not better than Evra, Clichy & Cole. An example would be Philip Lahm.
[/quote]
Since Evra and Cole are the best in the world in their respective position it will be hard to top them. Cliche has pace to burn but has many defensive frailties. When Gibbs returns, Wenger will have a decision on his hands. A nice decision to have though.

 

[Mike Hunt]

[quote author=ILD link=topic=39098.msg1062303#msg1062303 date=1267445156]
[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062301#msg1062301 date=1267444972]
[quote author=ILD link=topic=39098.msg1062292#msg1062292 date=1267444287]
[quote author=Mike Hunt link=topic=39098.msg1062287#msg1062287 date=1267443955]
He is a lot better than Insua both going forward and at defending.

He is better than Riise was too, though not as good a servant.

Aurelio - Agger - Carra - Arbeloa

Was an excellent back four, with Sami filling in when required.
[/quote]

Riise was far superior in attack and his goals and assists prove that.
What's with the Riise agenda? You seem to have one.
[/quote]
No agenda at all.

I just don't think he ever was a good enough player for us. I'm glad he's gone, but sad that his replacements are worse.

I want someone as good if not better than Evra, Clichy & Cole. An example would be Philip Lahm.
[/quote]
Since Evra and Cole are the best in the world in their respective position it will be hard to top them. Cliche has pace to burn but has many defensive frailties. When Gibbs returns, Wenger will have a decision on his hands. A nice decision to have though.
[/quote]
I think people are overcomplicating things a bit.

A team is generally as good as the sum of its parts. I'm sure you could pick out examples of overachievers (us in 2005), but as a rule of thumb a team that has the better players will win the league.

As a team other than Torres, Gerrard, and Reina (Maybe Mascherano too), our players are worse than the other top 4 teams' by quite some.

I dislike Rafa's transfer policy cos he likes to spread the budget thin as he tries to solve too many problems in one transfer window.

We didn't need Johnson, I'm sure we could've kept Arbeloa if we tried harder, and our left back situation was a bit critical. We could've gone out and purchased Lahm for the kind of money we spent on Johnson.

Our left wing position is also one that Rafa has never quite resolved. Had he gone all out on Robben, he could've been ours.

 

[manwithnoname]

A team is generally as good as the sum of its parts. I'm sure you could pick out examples of overachievers (us in 2005), but as a rule of thumb a team that has the better players will win the league.

As a team other than Torres, Gerrard, and Reina (Maybe Mascherano too), our players are worse than the other top 4 teams' by quite some.

I dislike Rafa's transfer policy cos he likes to spread the budget thin as he tries to solve too many problems in one transfer window.

The above is all well and good, and I agree with much of it

We didn't need Johnson, I'm sure we could've kept Arbeloa if we tried harder, and our left back situation was a bit critical. We could've gone out and purchased Lahm for the kind of money we spent on Johnson.

Our left wing position is also one that Rafa has never quite resolved. Had he gone all out on Robben, he could've been ours.

The above, not so much, given that it is simply "what you reckon" and you have no actual idea of the viability of Robben coming here, or how likely it was that Arbeloa could have been persuaded to stay, or if Lahm would have come here had Bayern wished to sell him.

 

[ILD]

What am I over complicating? I stated Evra and Cole are the best in the world in their position. They are. It will be impossible to trump them.

On a side note, I can't recall many complaining about Johnson when he first arrived? I was sad to lose Arbeloa too but he was adamant he was leaving and had one year left on his contract. In a ideal scenario we would have kept him to solve our right back problems in the absence of a now injured Johnson. It also seems Rafa put mis guided faith in Insua coping and Fabio keeping fit.

As for Robben, should we have gone all out? He is a good player but is spends as much time injured as Aurelio.

 

[manwithnoname]

How come nobody remembers the dreadful displays that Arbeloa was capable of? The way 'Mike Hunt' quacks on about him, you'd think we had sold a cross between Zambrotta, Maldini and Maicon

 

[ILD]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39098.msg1062316#msg1062316 date=1267447032]

A team is generally as good as the sum of its parts. I'm sure you could pick out examples of overachievers (us in 2005), but as a rule of thumb a team that has the better players will win the league.

As a team other than Torres, Gerrard, and Reina (Maybe Mascherano too), our players are worse than the other top 4 teams' by quite some.

I dislike Rafa's transfer policy cos he likes to spread the budget thin as he tries to solve too many problems in one transfer window.

The above is all well and good, and I agree with much of it

We didn't need Johnson, I'm sure we could've kept Arbeloa if we tried harder, and our left back situation was a bit critical. We could've gone out and purchased Lahm for the kind of money we spent on Johnson.

Our left wing position is also one that Rafa has never quite resolved. Had he gone all out on Robben, he could've been ours.

The above, not so much, given that it is simply "what you reckon" and you have no actual idea of the viability of Robben coming here, or how likely it was that Arbeloa could have been persuaded to stay, or if Lahm would have come here had Bayern wished to sell him.
[/quote]

Yep, a lot of what if's.

Arbeloa showed no desire to sign a contract. Was he offered one? Can anyone recall the situation surrounding his contract? When he left, he was replaced by arguably the best RB in the country. We were crying out for a creative full back and since Arbeloa was leaving why not look for the best around. Perhaps if Rafa was aware of his limited funds for the rest of the transfer window we might have been a lot more conservative than lavishing 17 million on a RB.

 

[Mike Hunt]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39098.msg1062316#msg1062316 date=1267447032]

A team is generally as good as the sum of its parts. I'm sure you could pick out examples of overachievers (us in 2005), but as a rule of thumb a team that has the better players will win the league.

As a team other than Torres, Gerrard, and Reina (Maybe Mascherano too), our players are worse than the other top 4 teams' by quite some.

I dislike Rafa's transfer policy cos he likes to spread the budget thin as he tries to solve too many problems in one transfer window.

The above is all well and good, and I agree with much of it

We didn't need Johnson, I'm sure we could've kept Arbeloa if we tried harder, and our left back situation was a bit critical. We could've gone out and purchased Lahm for the kind of money we spent on Johnson.

Our left wing position is also one that Rafa has never quite resolved. Had he gone all out on Robben, he could've been ours.

The above, not so much, given that it is simply "what you reckon" and you have no actual idea of the viability of Robben coming here, or how likely it was that Arbeloa could have been persuaded to stay, or if Lahm would have come here had Bayern wished to sell him.
[/quote]
Robben was sold to Bayern for 26 million euro.

We spent 38 million pounds on a right back, when we have a perfectly capable one, and a center mid that Rafa does not think good enough to start a game against Everton, Arsenal, Stoke, Blackburn, etc.

I know that hindsight is 50-50, but say we spent 26 million pounds on Robben, and the still leaves us 12 million pounds to spend on a left back.

-----------------Torres-------Kuyt---------------------------
Robben-------Gerrard-------Mascherano------Benayoun
12m LB-------Agger---------Carragher----------Arbeloa
------------------------Reina------------------------------

That team would not struggle to get fourth.