Liverpool FC Forum

[MaccaLFC]

I'd like the look of him as a left winger if he had a bit more pace, and if we didn't have Gonzales/Kewell. But he hasn't, and we do, plus he can defend better than Riise from what I've saw from him in Spain, so I'd imagine before long he'll establish himself as our #1 LB.

[alessandromagno]

Well, Rafa obviously rates him as we was part of his all-conquering Valencia that never used to show the ball to anyone!

[Scottbot]

Can we make a judgement on him based on a couple of appearances? Is it possible that we can call him so early? I reckon it is so here goes...

I think he's a really good player. He tucks in and pushes out at the right time, is sensible and robust in the tackle and has a sweet left-foot which can distribute both long and short. His free-kick yesterday was excellent and given the opportunity, will probably score quite a few times from set-pieces this season.

Obviously it's very early doors but i agree he has the look of a decent player. The free-kick yesterday was a yard or two shy of being an absolute classic and the ball he put in for Bellamy's header was sublime. He's looks like a very tidy player and i was happy to see he enjoys the physical battle that the EPL brings. As for their goal, i do believe that some of the blame lies at his feet but he was not the only Liverpool to simply watch that ball float past him.

He looks a snip at £0.00

[Kopite-Jud]

Andy Gray is a bias . There is no point listening to him if you want to learn about the technical side of the game when watching liverpool, when another team scores its not a good goal, its all liverpool's fault.

it was our fault we conceded , some very bad marking .

[Kopite-Jud]

attacking wise ? yes
defensive wise ? erm bit dodgy at times
but its very early days yet

[Rafa D]

Good post. I think he has a future but we need to decide on Riise's future. I dont think it is fair just to drop JAR to the bench (assuming Gonzo is our regular LW).

About the goal yeaterday, i dont think anyone is really to blame as it was a high class example of set-pieces. However Aurelio could have tracked Hulse and at least challenged the ball. If he wasn't marking Hulse than i would like to know who was......  If we were zonal marking then i think the team made a wrong decision (both doing zonal marking and putting Aurelio next to the substancially taller Hulse)

Aurelio's future will be decided by how hhis next few performances are and how JAR and Gonzo fit into the squad.

I think your being rather harsh there coddy mate. JAR will not get dropped and just forgot about. He is another option for Rafa on the wing or the left back.

  And I really hope Rafa doesn't decide on players futures after a few games... Aurelio has at least a year to settle down IMO.

[JC_81]

Interesting post Bigmick, even if I don't agree 100% this time.

I'm with you all the way with Andy Gray's total bias and lack of technical knowledge at times (highlighted by his dislike of the zonal marking system that proved very successful for us last season), and I'm also with you on the fact that Aurelio will turn out to be our first choice left back this season.

However I also think it will take him a while to get used to English football, and the majority of his performances this side of Christmas will be as a left sided midfielder in front of Riise predominantly in away games.  By the end of the season once he is properly adapted I think he'll have claimed the left back position as his own.  He's a more technically gifted player than Riise and once he gets used to the team and the style of football he'll be a quality player for us.

However despite the zonal marking system and your analysis of the goal we conceded yesterday, I still think Aurelio was the one caught flat for the goal.  Hulse's run was made in front of Aurelio but behind our other player (who I think was Agger), so for me it was Aurelio's responsibility to track him as he knew he must have known he would be the only one to have spotted the attacker's run.  There are grey areas as far as zonal marking is concerned, and Hulse exploited one (although probably not deliberately) in which his run should have forced Aurelio out of his zone to defend.

I do agree however that our defensive line wasn't deep enough and if we'd been a few yards further back we'd have avoided the whole situation.

[weringo]

Andy Gray is a bias . There is no point listening to him if you want to learn about the technical side of the game when watching liverpool, when another team scores its not a good goal, its all liverpool's fault.

it was our fault we conceded , some very bad marking .

Im just saying, whenever we conceed a goal from a set piece he always goes on about zonal marking or something and blames us

[Kopite-Jud]

Andy Gray is a bias . There is no point listening to him if you want to learn about the technical side of the game when watching liverpool, when another team scores its not a good goal, its all liverpool's fault.

it was our fault we conceded , some very bad marking .

Im just saying, whenever we conceed a goal from a set piece he always goes on about zonal marking or something and blames us

yea but he is right 

[stmichael]

It's generally far too early to judge, but from an attacking point-of-view, i have been impressed with him so far. Granted, he should have done more for the goal, and I'd imagine Rafa let him know in no uncertain terms that it can't happen again. However, take out that goal, and I dont think anyone would be having too many problems with his displays so far.

[neil]

He was definately singled out by Neil Warnock, they concentrated on lifting high balls in his direction, I sensed this very early on. Regardless of any blame related issues Mick has, Sheff Utd will be quite please with this tactic. This juror is still out, plus a little worried.

[Anfield rapper]

Its too early to judge him. I personally thought he had a poor game on saturday. I felt his passing let him down. I would have prefered to have seen him brought on for the last half hour or so. I just think playing him away from home in the first match of the season was a bit of a risk. Sheff were obviously up for the match and were going to put pressure on him.  Then again it might have been a different story if Riise had't got injured.

[lilopajo]

let us not make judgements too soon,he looks like he will take time to settle to the pace of the best league in the world..at freekicks it looks like he may give us options,his passing ok but looks shaky defending..rafa obviously knows him and what he can do so lets hold the jury out until a time when he does not improve..

[Redbilly1960]

A little to early to judge the lad, all the new boys in fact.
The ones new to the premiership, I will reserve judgement till January when its brass monkeys and Pi55ing down and they are away on a wednesday night to Hull City in the FA cup 3rd round replay then lets see if they are up for the fight. Rafa should get rid of any of them wearing gloves or girlie tights.

NO Ryan Giggs here please

[bigmick]

The last three posters have made the point that it's too early to judge. Well we've been here before so here goes.

This is a discussion forum, so it's not too early for ME to judge. You may want to wait until he's played 6 or 66 games before you put your opinion on the line, but I don't. I'm happy to put my opinion on the line and say he's a good player, after two games. Don't please tell me it's too early to judge, what you mean is it's too early for you to judge. When you've judged, put up your opinion. Or try a "based on what I have seen sofar I have/haven't been that impressed. Having said that, my suspicion is that he will improve/deteriorate over the course of a season. We had all this "it's too early to judge" nonsense with Morientes last season. Be brave, nobody's going to shoot you if you call it wrong.