Weekend Football Thread. *spoilers* 3-5
- Thread starter Tummy
- Start date
Seems to be Rafa bashing day. Let them have their fun spoil sport
It grew from Liverpool not improving the team / squad this season.
When are you getting a new sig ?
every time you post! I wait to see if you've got a sig 
Soldato
You said "still". The only players there that have been bought recently are Cavalieri and Kyrgiakos. Cavalieri was bought as back up and has done a good job when needed, same for Kyrgiakos. The fact you mention Arbeloa is laughable as he was an excellent signing. So what's your point?
I actually said this last season and he's been worse this season, age is starting to show. Long term, Agger and Skrtel should be the pairing but Agger seems to be really struggling with injuries, which is worrying.
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Caporegime
Most would agree with you. I never thought he got the credit he deserved two or three years ago but his level has slowly dropped and he's becoming a liability. Doubt it'll be too long, maybe not this season but next, before Skrtel and Agger are our CB pairing.
Caporegime
Johnson's an improvement over Arbeloa but Alonso was a big loss and one that Rafa will find very hard to replace. Aquilani's meant to be a special player but whether he'll adapt to the Premiership, stay fit and have a big enough impact is anyone's guess until he starts playing regularly.
Dunno. Might change it one dayWhen are you getting a new sig ?
See, I guess we agree for once there. After those first two results, I was saying the same about how we were gifted easy results, but if anything, I thought yesterday's was much more deserved. Blackburn didn't really **** up defensively, we just worked our way through them brilliantly, much like we did with the midweek Greeks. Three of the 6 were scorchers from outside of the box, too.
We're definitely suspect defensively at the moment too. I honestly couldn't say whether its Gallas and Verm still getting to grips with one another, or both full backs' surprising loss of form, or that Song/Diaby just aren't defensive enough, but it does need to be addressed.
Johnson is good going forward, just poor in defense, I hope (for England's sake) he will improve under Rafa.
Alonso is a massive miss for you, Rafa's fault though.
Aqua man, well if he stays fit he could be effective part of the team, maybe allowing Saint Stevie G to play back in the middle of midfield alongside Mash.
I thought you needed another (good) striker which you haven't done.
That, dude with the pony tail is getting some games, but he's not good enough, and Kuyt is always played wide right.
Dunno. Might change it one day
doooo eeet (Y)
Dunno. Might change it one day
Don't, I like it, makes me notice you ¬.¬
Soldato
Tummy?
Caporegime
He had two amazing seasons followed by two poor seasons. Rafa looking elsewhere was the motivation Alonso needed to up his game again but unfortunately he ended up playing for a move away from the club.
Hope not. His most effective position is behind Torres so hopefully Aquilani playing alongside Mascherano will release him from his defensive duties and allow him to attack freely again.
We did and Rafa knew we did. The board chose to put most of the money we received from the sale of Alonso towards the debt.
I don't know about two poor seasons, poor in the sense he wasn't playing at his best, but still quite well. Rafa "forced" him out, flirting with a inferior player in Barry.
Maybe, Aqua man could be very good, could imagine him playing a more central attacking role. Gerrard has looked very quiet the last few games.
Bahh. I never like these situations, whatever the Manager makes from selling players he should be able to spend + whatever the board have given him.
I agree about him not being poor but seeing as he wasn't playing his best, he was beginning to lose his place in our starting 11 for around 18 months which was why Rafa was willing to let him go had we received a big enough offer. And as has been explained countless times, Rafa wasn't looking to sign Barry as an improvement on Alonso but because he believed he could make a huge profit on the deal and spend that improving else where.
Even if you believe that Rafa did force Alonso out (which had it been the case then he'd be playing for Juve now), I seriously doubt it would have made any difference to him joining Real. We've seen time and time again, no matter how illogical the move is, the lure of Real is far too big for players to turn down, let alone for a Spanish player. Add to that Alonso had been making comments in the press about how the exchange rate and increased tax has massively hit his wages and that how he wants to bring his family up in Spain, there was only going to be 1 outcome.
Another reason why I try to avoid RAWK.
Alonso was going to be sold to fund the Barry deal? I just didn't understand why you'd want to sell Alonso for Barry. Alonso is a far better player.
How would he of made profit? Barry would have been expensive? or am I having another dim moment?
I think Rafa had a big part to play, the whole "I want to sell you and buy a player who isn't as good as you" would have put any player out. It had the right effect on Alonso, who had a very good season. I'm sure that thought was still kicking around in the back of his head (coach doesn't want me), and when Real came knocking there was only ever going to be one out come.
Real, are a massive club, any player would jump at the chance to play there, as Alonso did, especially being Spanish.
Another reason why I try to avoid RAWK.
RAWK is the Liverpool fan forum isn't it?
Fergie could field a full team and subs of all the dismal failures he has bought in the past that wouldnt even survive in the Championship
(Im ignoring all the youth players who just didnt progress)
Fergie could field a full team and subs of all the dismal failures he has bought in the past that wouldnt even survive in the Championship
(Im ignoring all the youth players who just didnt progress)
Eric Djemba-Djemba
Soldato
Haha, love it. Cant answer the question, so just avoid it, nice.
Rafa is certainly the manager that people love to bash.
Just wanted to echo the Carragher thoughts, I always felt he never got the credit he deserved a few years ago, for me he was one of the absolute top english defenders a couple of years back.
However, to be honest he is looking really worn and tired of late. Though to be fair, its not surprising, what is it now...almost 600 games for his club and he usually gets played week in , week out without a break. I can see Carrager retiring comparatively early for a defender, he has given so much over the years that I am not sure he has much left to give. I tip my hat to him for everything he's done, theres not many players (especially nowadays) who notch up 600 games for 1 club.
Just wanted to echo the Carragher thoughts, I always felt he never got the credit he deserved a few years ago, for me he was one of the absolute top english defenders a couple of years back.
However, to be honest he is looking really worn and tired of late. Though to be fair, its not surprising, what is it now...almost 600 games for his club and he usually gets played week in , week out without a break. I can see Carrager retiring comparatively early for a defender, he has given so much over the years that I am not sure he has much left to give. I tip my hat to him for everything he's done, theres not many players (especially nowadays) who notch up 600 games for 1 club.
Alonso was going to be sold to fund the Barry deal? I just didn't understand why you'd want to sell Alonso for Barry. Alonso is a far better player.
How would he of made profit? Barry would have been expensive? or am I having another dim moment?
You are being dim. Reportedly we were told by Barry's agent that O'Neil had told Barry he would be allowed to leave the previous summer after turning down Pompey (?) to give Villa 1 more season and a figure of £10m was mentioned. We wanted considerably more for Alonso and even after it turned out that Barry was going to cost more, it still wasn't more than what we wanted for Alonso.
Another thing that people fail to realise is that any possible Alonso sale was ruled out well before the Barry deal fell through. Benitez wanted Barry regardless of Alonso leaving (because he was English for our CL squad and because of his versatility) and he wanted to sign him before Keane or anybody else. Had Alonso gone it would have been to fund another position not Barry.
So you do understand why no matter what his situation was like at Liverpool, it's incredibly likely that he'd have wanted to go anyway?
And yes RAWK is a Liverpool forum. It's full of Mancs and kids that come up with rubbish like Aqua Man.
edit: and some news on Aquilani. Benitez has said that he's recovering well and that he could be back in the next 2-3 weeks.