Liverpool FC Forum

[stmichael]

when we first signed this guy i thought it was a great acquisition. from what i had seen of the guy he looked like a decent player who liked to get forward and could also defend. i have to say that the jury is still out on him for me. i don't think i can remember him putting a decent cross in all season. mind you he also seems to be quite injury prone which is a worry. how would you assess his first season and would you consider him to be a first team regular if fit next season?

[greenred]

Typically,Houllier waits five years to buy an Irishman and then he buys the wrong one.Steve Carr was the one to buy,different class to Finnan.

[Fowler_E7]

finnans ok and thats it ok, is that good enough for liverpool. Carragher is a much better option at right back for me

[stmichael]

carragher is a centre half for me. he doesn't get forward enough to be a full back.

[ICE-MAN]

since carragher came back from his injury u have to say he has been doing very well, he is actually crossing the half way line now with the ball at taking on the odd defender!
i think someone had a chat with him about him being too defensive, while he was out injured!
i like finnan think hes a good player he just needs to get a decent run of games into him cos he has had a lot of niggling injuries this season, id say he is looking forward to the start of next season though!

[Fowler_E7]

carragher has improved his attacking game a great deal since returning from injury and has been one of our good players this season. Finnan is decent attacking but is poor defensively, with risse on the left we cant afford to have to defensive liabilitys

[stmichael]

we've been linked with a tunisian guy called trabelsi fon ajax. i think he's only got one year left on his contract so will be relatively cheap. chelsea were after him so he must be pretty good.

[Scottbot]

I have not made up my opinion on Finnan yet. I thought he looked a good player when he first came into the team. He has some pace, looked confortable on the ball and liked to get forward. But since the 1st injury he hasn't looked the same player for me. He has been caught out of position for a couple of important goals + giving the ball away. He looks short of confidence.

I will reserve any judgement until he has a run of games free of injury. I do think Finnan would benefit from having a bonafide right winger/midfielder playing in front of him.

[JBG]

I have always thought that Finnan was over rated and we should have signed Steven Carr if we were looking for a right back playing in the Premiership.

[115-1073096938]

Technically he's superb.

He's got a fanastic first touch and is a good passer of the ball. His movement is very good as is his energy and his crossing is decent when he gets the right sort of space. Defensively he looks good, not brilliant but i expect all areas of his game to improve next season. He is also two footed.

For me he looks like he has the class and quality to reach another level. He reminds me alot of Rob Jones only without the pace and i think given the right time and SUPPORT he has the ability to become as good a player as Jones was over the next two seasons.

This season he's lacked confidence (the same as EVERY other player in the squad) and he's also lacked fitness which has hindered his settling in period. I expect we'll see a different and better player next season.

Hopefully himself and Riise can keep Carragher out of the team and offer us the balence we need but to do that we have to develope as a unit and both players have to be at there best.

Also the point on Carragher being a centre half. He isn't. He is more than capable of doing a job there and if i was the manager he'd be playing there at as soon as Finnan comes back but primarely he is a right back, excellent marking and tackling abilitys and positionally superb. Its a totally different style of defending playing in the middle. See Hasselbainks goal in the first game of the season, he didn't get close enough, he defended like a fullback would. Just because a player has a weakness (Jamies is going forward) doesn't mean you should disguise it by playing him out of position.

[woof woof !]

a workmate is a mad fulham fan (poor sod) reckons Finnan is one of the best in the premiership.Haven't seen it yet but maybe next season he will come good.
And like Stu I'd play Carragher alongside Hypia (assuming Henchoz is still out of favour).Some of his best performances have been at centre of defence, at right back he doesn't like to get forward.For once I would agree with Foolier playing someone outside of their natural position.

[SantaGiveHoullierTheSack]

For once I agree with Stu's comment. I think Finnan is decent enough player for us. Also on the same page as Wolf above ... play Carragher alongside Hyppia. We have sufficient cover for the right back slot.

[ICE-MAN]

give finnan time to settle and get over injury worries before our so called fans start to boo him!

dont blame a player getting worse on houllier, its confidence and encouragement which is a vital ingredient to a players progression, if the fans support and encourage as theyre supposed to do, finnan when over his niggling injuries will be the best right back in the country, he has all the attributes to be the best!

[Stan Laurel]

I agree with Stu's comment about Finnan, he is good player and I feel he has been unlucky this season with injuries problem and lack of confidence, but still a good player so I reckon he will get better and better next season than this season, just give him a chance to prove himself so he can prove everyone.

[DrLiverpool]

Finnan was class at Fulham but has disappointed (like many others in the team) same with Kewell but he is just settling in and he has been injured. Im sure he will be a better player next season just like Kewell will also be.

I agree that Carr is better than Finnan and would have been a better signing.

But give Finnan time and he will come good......