Liverpool FC Forum

[maguskwt]

on top of that this guy is very very consistent so far...

[Koppite_Tom]

on top of that this guy is very very consistent so far...

yep he hasn't really put a foot wrong all season.

[The Kid Torres]

What up guys.   

My very first post on here and I don't see a more fitting way for it to be based on Javier Mascherano.

This guy has been absolutely immense for us for the majority and although it was a huge amount of money to spend on a player in an area that I thought we were already strong enough in I was delighted when he signed on a permanent basis a few weeks ago.

We all know his qualities. He covers every inch of grass, makes so many tackles and breaks up the oppositons play, I think now that Claude Makelele is past his best Javier is the best holding player around at this moment at time, and will only get better and better.

He genuinely wants to play for the club and along with Reina, Carragher, Agger, Gerrard and Torres, forms one of the best spines of a team in Europe, or the world if you like.

[Toffeehater]

Why Javier Mascherano is the unsung hero of Liverpool FC

Mar 14 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

JAVIER MASCHERANO has been hailed as the unsung hero who can help inspire Liverpool to another European Cup final.

The Argentine midfielder was man of the match as Rafael Benitez’s side secured progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 1-0 win at Inter Milan on Tuesday night.

Mascherano has proven a huge success at Anfield since arriving on loan 14 months ago, a deal which was made permanent when an £17million transfer was finalised last month.

Compatriot Javier Zanetti was among several Inter players to have been outshone on the night by the man Diego Maradona described as a “monster”.

And the Inter captain reckons Mascherano is just as influential as Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard to the Anfield outfit.

“Mascherano does not get the credit he deserves,” said Zanetti. “Liverpool have some big players, they are very big players and they deserve their reputation.

“We know Torres is a killer. Gerrard is a fantastic player and I like him very much. Everyone would like him in their team, because he is one of the best in the world, no question. But are Liverpool a two-man team? No way. Mascherano is world class, I know that because I have seem him playing close up for Argentina and I can tell you how good he is. He gives Liverpool a lot of things.

“He keeps them together, and you could see how important he was over the two legs against Inter.

“I embraced him at the end of the tie and told him that he had won it for Liverpool, because he was a lion for them. He was everywhere. I think it is unfair to say that they are just Gerrard and Torres because they are Mascherano too. You need a player like him who is intelligent and can make the team work.”

Zanetti knows first-hand the quality of Mascherano having played alongside the 23-year-old for the Argentina national team for the last three years. And he added: “When we play for Argentina I can see what work he gets through, and how important he can be. Sometimes, in that position you do not get the credit you need, because it is not so attacking where all the glory is.

“With him in the side you are safe, and you can play. Argentina know that, and I think Liverpool do too. I think Torres and Gerrard can play because they are confident in Mascherano.

“They know he is there for them, to give them the ball and cover behind. He can play too, he can pass the ball to them, and make the runs for them.

“I knew when we drew Liverpool it would be a difficult game because they have Gerrard and Torres, but because their have Jav too. He is hard to get past, and he makes them strong.”

In winning through to the quarter-finals, Liverpool became the first foreign team to beat Inter both home and away in a European Cup campaign.

The result came as a surprise to many observers in England, but Zanetti reckons the Anfield outfit are packed with world class performers.

“People made us favourites to win, and we had the chances to beat Liverpool, but it is no shame losing to them,” added the Inter man. “I cannot understand why people are surprised that they do well.

“They have world class players in important posi-tions in their team. Their goalkeeper was very important against us, they have Carragher who Europe knows, and they have Torres and Gerrard. But they have Mascherano too, and he is just as important. With five players like that who are big players, Liverpool are a hard team to play against, and it is no surprise that they are the Champions League team.”

[66-1112520797]

We know Torres is a killer. Gerrard is a fantastic player and I like him very much. Everyone would like him in their team, because he is one of the best in the world, no question. But are Liverpool a two-man team? No way. Mascherano is world class, I know that because I have seem him playing close up for Argentina and I can tell you how good he is. He gives Liverpool a lot of things.

“He keeps them together, and you could see how important he was over the two legs against Inter.

“I embraced him at the end of the tie and told him that he had won it for Liverpool, because he was a lion for them. He was everywhere. I think it is unfair to say that they are just Gerrard and Torres because they are Mascherano too. You need a player like him who is intelligent and can make the team work.”

I agree Zan 

[bigmick]

Yes there's absolutely no question that many of us on here were way off the mark in our early assessments on Masherano, I know I was nowhere near. I suspected he was a good player and possibly capable of being a very good one, but the hieghts he has reached in such a relatively short time have been nothing short of astounding. As recently as three months ago I was posting that I felt the fee being bandied about for him could be better spent elsewhere, and here we are such a short time later with unquestionably the best defensive midfield player in the Premier League within our ranks. 

I think Makeleli was the best holding midfielder I've ever seen, but Masherano is beginning to close the gap on him (that is to where the Fenchman was at his best, he is obviously some way below that and inferior to the Argentine these days). The funny thing is, i think he's kind of surprised the manager as well. He was the right solution at the time we picked him up in that he was midfield cover with quality which was effectively free of charge in a transfer sense, and after picking him up it was some time before he became anything like a regular in the team. Even when he first broke through there was the feeling that he was only keeping Alonso's shirt warm for him, with many posters on here convinced that Xabi would simply brush him aside once he recovered form his foot injury. These days though we are playing 4-5-1, and one of the main reasons is that it enables us to get Alonso onto the pitch. Probably only his most ardent fans (and I know there are a couple which is fair enough) would argue in a straight 4-4-2 where one of the central midfielders is Gerrard, that Xabi would be worthy of a spot in front of Masherano.

[JC_81]

Yes there's absolutely no question that many of us on here were way off the mark in our early assessments on Masherano, I know I was nowhere near. I suspected he was a good player and possibly capable of being a very good one, but the hieghts he has reached in such a relatively short time have been nothing short of astounding. As recently as three months ago I was posting that I felt the fee being bandied about for him could be better spent elsewhere, and here we are such a short time later with unquestionably the best defensive midfield player in the Premier League within our ranks. 

I think Makeleli was the best holding midfielder I've ever seen, but Masherano is beginning to close the gap on him (that is to where the Fenchman was at his best, he is obviously some way below that and inferior to the Argentine these days). The funny thing is, i think he's kind of surprised the manager as well. He was the right solution at the time we picked him up in that he was midfield cover with quality which was effectively free of charge in a transfer sense, and after picking him up it was some time before he became anything like a regular in the team. Even when he first broke through there was the feeling that he was only keeping Alonso's shirt warm for him, with many posters on here convinced that Xabi would simply brush him aside once he recovered form his foot injury. These days though we are playing 4-5-1, and one of the main reasons is that it enables us to get Alonso onto the pitch. Probably only his most ardent fans (and I know there are a couple which is fair enough) would argue in a straight 4-4-2 where one of the central midfielders is Gerrard, that Xabi would be worthy of a spot in front of Masherano.

Spot on Mick, I was guilty of underrating him too, mainly on the basis that he wasn't worth the 17/18 million if he offered absolutely nothing going forward.

I'll hold my hands up though, because I certainly didn't think that defensively he was quite as good as he is.  I think he'll surpass Makelele - he has all the attributes Makelele had except for the experience.  But he has something that Makelele didn't have - he's very quick and can cover a lot more ground.

He's added to our core group of players who we cannot afford to drop for big games under any circumstances - Reina, Carra, Mascherano, Gerrard, Torres.

[66-1112520797]

Xabi would be worthy of a spot in front of Masherano.

Not in my book.

[Toffeehater]

that Xabi would be worthy of a spot in front of Masherano.

Never mate sorry have to disagree there

[bigmick]

Xabi would be worthy of a spot in front of Masherano.

Not in my book.

Misunderstanding here mate and a result of my too long sentences. I'm saying ONLY ALONSO'S MOST ARDENT FANS would argue that he is worthy of a place in front of Masherano. I certainly wouldn't.

Alonso is a good player with his own qualities, but Masherano in terms of being a holding midfileder is comfortably the best in the Premiership in my opinion.

[66-1112520797]

Xabi would be worthy of a spot in front of Masherano.

Not in my book.

Misunderstanding here mate and a result of my too long sentences. I'm saying ONLY ALONSO'S MOST ARDENT FANS would argue that he is worthy of a place in front of Masherano. I certainly wouldn't.

Alonso is a good player with his own qualities, but Masherano in terms of being a holding midfileder is comfortably the best in the Premiership in my opinion.

Yeah I know what you was saying, maybe I should of quoted the rest of your post.

Like Torres in the short amount of time Mascha has been here he has made the team a much stronger outfit. Instead of saying we have only two world class players in Gerrard and Fernando I'd condsider it three in Mascha.

I'm just glad we signed him on a permanent basis, and find it hard to believe I like an Argie. 

[zarababe]

Xabi would be worthy of a spot in front of Masherano.

Not in my book.

Misunderstanding here mate and a result of my too long sentences. I'm saying ONLY ALONSO'S MOST ARDENT FANS would argue that he is worthy of a place in front of Masherano. I certainly wouldn't.

Alonso is a good player with his own qualities, but Masherano in terms of being a holding midfileder is comfortably the best in the Premiership in my opinion.

Yeah I know what you was saying, maybe I should of quoted the rest of your post.

Like Torres in the short amount of time Mascha has been here he has made the team a much stronger outfit. Instead of saying we have only two world class players in Gerrard and Fernando I'd condsider it three in Mascha.

I'm just glad we signed him on a permanent basis, and find it hard to believe I like an Argie. 

Why what's wrong with the Argies ay 

[66-1112520797]

  Sorry I forgot about you, thats two I like then now.

[ivor_the_injun]

West Ham didn't have a clue who they had on their hands, did they? I still can't believe he couldn't get a game there.

[RedBlood]

Yes there's absolutely no question that many of us on here were way off the mark in our early assessments on Masherano, I know I was nowhere near. I suspected he was a good player and possibly capable of being a very good one, but the hieghts he has reached in such a relatively short time have been nothing short of astounding. As recently as three months ago I was posting that I felt the fee being bandied about for him could be better spent elsewhere, and here we are such a short time later with unquestionably the best defensive midfield player in the Premier League within our ranks. 

I think Makeleli was the best holding midfielder I've ever seen, but Masherano is beginning to close the gap on him (that is to where the Fenchman was at his best, he is obviously some way below that and inferior to the Argentine these days). The funny thing is, i think he's kind of surprised the manager as well. He was the right solution at the time we picked him up in that he was midfield cover with quality which was effectively free of charge in a transfer sense, and after picking him up it was some time before he became anything like a regular in the team. Even when he first broke through there was the feeling that he was only keeping Alonso's shirt warm for him, with many posters on here convinced that Xabi would simply brush him aside once he recovered form his foot injury. These days though we are playing 4-5-1, and one of the main reasons is that it enables us to get Alonso onto the pitch. Probably only his most ardent fans (and I know there are a couple which is fair enough) would argue in a straight 4-4-2 where one of the central midfielders is Gerrard, that Xabi would be worthy of a spot in front of Masherano.

i said he was top draw when we signed him..anyone who thought otherwise shouldnt be taken seriously...same with anyone that doubted torres