Liverpool FC Forum

[account deleted by request]

Yeah    more like a brain dead cripple I thought. The problem last night was rather than playing WITH Riera he seemed to be forcing Riera inside too much. When Riera went down the line he created some dangerous situations, when he came inside he just got in the way.

[NANNY RED]

Dossena admits to bad start with Liverpool

Neil Johnston guardian.co.uk, Friday November 7 2008

Andrea Dossena says he is facing a battle to save his Liverpool career, only four months after arriving at Anfield in a £7m deal. Rafael Benítez had hoped Dossena would be the answer to his problems at left-back when he signed the 27-year-old from Udinese in July, having allowed John Arne Riise to join Roma and with Fabio Aurelio struggling for consistency. But Dossena was an unused substitute during Tuesday's Champions League game against Atlético Madrid, with Aurelio preferred to the Italian international.

Dossena has started seven of Liverpool's 11 Premier League games but he has yet to make the position his own - although he concedes that he expected to experience a little more insecurity when he joined the club.

"I am not fully happy with my level and, with Fabio in my position, the manager has the option of a player more in tune with the tactics of the team right now," he said. "Eighteen months ago I would not have expected to be playing for one of the most famous clubs in the world. I do not have silverware in my collection in my career but signing for Liverpool I have a real chance to win medals in every competition we enter.

"There are new demands on me. At Udinese my place in the team was more secure than it ever will be at Liverpool, where there is so much ability in the squad. I must now get to a high level and maintain that, but first I have to battle to win selection. I am learning all the time. I knew that coming to Liverpool and a new league would improve me as a player. "

Benítez has backed Diego Maradona's desire to make Javier Mascherano the captain of Argentina. Although the midfielder has yet to discuss the captaincy with his newly appointed national coach, Mascherano is expected to lead his country for the first time when they face Scotland in a friendly at Hampden Park on November 19.

"If someone says to you that you can be captain of England, Argentina or Spain it is a massive honour because they are big countries," said Benítez. "Mascherano has the character and mentality to be a captain. It is an important situation for anyone to captain their country."

[Bam]

We need another LB just as much as a RB imo, I'd keep Dossena myself and flog off Aurelio. He is awful, infact I'm not so sure the two Brazilians at our club are from Brazil, more like Bognor.

[roberto green]

we were better at full back with riise and finan than we are now.. i feel rafa made a misktake getting rid of them. i quite think aurellio is quite good.. arbeloa is decent. dossena is wack..

I kind of agree with you about Riise and Finnan but i think the past 2 years they have only done the job and nothing extra.

The way football is now the Lb and Rb have to do more than just defend something Riise could never do anyway.They have to get forward and make things happen something Finnan would rarely do and Riise to be fair use to do well but lost it last year so i think Benitez had to try new things not that the ones are any better now.Although Arbeloa is nothing special he has done well of late.

Benitez probally knows this and he won't stick with a player for long if he knows they are sh*te i wouldn't be surprised if he goes for British players in those positions next time i.e Gareth Bale

[stmichael]

We need another LB just as much as a RB imo, I'd keep Dossena myself and flog off Aurelio. He is awful, infact I'm not so sure the two Brazilians at our club are from Brazil, more like Bognor.

Aurelio is a player who gets better with a run of games.
In fact whenever he has had a run of over 6 or 7 games he's started to show his real quality and has been very impressive. However, this is followed shortly afterwards by an injury which takes him back to square one.

[maypaxvobiscum]

aurelio gets injured before he can kickstart a run of games

[aCe']

07/11/2008 13:57

Dossena: I Need To Raise My Game
Liverpool defender Andrea Dossena admits that his performances for the club have not been up to scratch so far and that he needs to raise his game...

Dossena signed for the Reds from Udinese of Serie A over the summer in a deal worth around £7 million.

The left-back arrived with the tag of one of Europe's most promising defenders around his neck, as Rafa Benitez set about forging a new generation of players into his already formidable squad.

However, the Italian international has not had it all his own way so far at Anfield and has more often than not reliquished his place in the side to the Brazilian Fabio Aurelio.

Benitez has two players competing for almost every position on the field, and Dossena knows that in order to be first choice he has a lot of work to do.

He admits that life as an automatic choice ended when he departed the Friuli, and is looking to improve his standards during his maiden season in the English top-flight.

He told the Guardian: “I am not fully happy with my level and, with Fabio in my position, the manager has the option of a player more in tune with the tactics of the team right now.

"Eighteen months ago I would not have expected to be playing for one of the most famous clubs in the world. I do not have silverware in my collection in my career but signing for Liverpool I have a real chance to win medals in every competition we enter.

“There are new demands on me. At Udinese my place in the team was more secure than it ever will be at Liverpool, where there is so much ability in the squad.

"I must now get to a high level and maintain that, but first I have to battle to win selection. I am learning all the time. I knew that coming to Liverpool and a new league would improve me as a player."

Peter Staunton

[Leonmc0708]

Despite what many have said in here, I think Arbeloa has been excellent this season. Read ap iece byt Tony Barret in the echo on Aurelio being out of teh only two games that we have lost since MArch.

Like I said earlier - dont think we have a situation.

I think they could be better, but I think they are capable enough.

[tubby]

If he can just work on his crossing a bit more he would be quality. He does dally sometimes but for the most part Arbelo is solid. Good passer and can handle the big games.

[Owzat]

Yeah    more like a brain dead cripple I thought. The problem last night was rather than playing WITH Riera he seemed to be forcing Riera inside too much. When Riera went down the line he created some dangerous situations, when he came inside he just got in the way.

Do we really need the FBs pushing forward as much now we have Riera? Arguably so many pushing cost us the goal against Atletico, down the LB area and dragging Carra across. Maybe Kuyt needs a bit of support from Arbeloa, I think those two can work well together, but I'd certainly say the LB situation is less clear cut than RB - in terms of need to push forward and in terms of needing a new one.

Can we keep changing our LBs? How many have we had over the years? (last decade or so)

Aurelio
Dossena
Arbeloa
Traore
Matteo
Riise
Carragher
Vignal
Staunton
Ziege
Warnock

Hopefully that's covered the majority who played LB enough under Houllier and Rafa, it isn't meant to be 100% accurate or comprehensive, but to give some kind of idea how many have been tried at LB in a relatively short space of time (about a decade)

I'd favour Aurelio over Dossena, I'm not overly keen on chopping and changing them. Neither is ideal defensively or that great attacking wise.

[woof woof !]

Have never considered Arbeloa or Aurelio to be as poor as some seem to suggest. Sure we could do better but if we were to spend any money I'd rather see us sign another "Riera" at right mid. The full back situation is hardly our biggest problem.

Yesterday Aurelio looks up and strokes a beautiful 30 yard pass for Kean to score, Arbeloa at the death gets in the area a bends a lovely one in for a goal that any player would be proud of. Credit where credits due, good game from both our full backs yesterday.

[Toffeehater]

IS arbeloa suspended for the next league game? If i'm not wrong he has picked up 6 yellow cards so a one game suspension

[DanAn]

Should we look at Taiwo? He looks a very promising player and wants to move to EPL.

He's big, strong and very quick with a lethal left foot shot.

[Leonmc0708]

Should we look at Taiwo? He looks a very promising player and wants to move to EPL.

He's big, strong and very quick with a lethal left foot shot.

Who ?

[Sabre]

Despite what many have said in here, I think Arbeloa has been excellent this season. Read ap iece byt Tony Barret in the echo on Aurelio being out of teh only two games that we have lost since MArch.

Like I said earlier - dont think we have a situation.

I think they could be better, but I think they are capable enough.

I'm one of those who have said in the past that Arbeloa in not the ideal starting RB for me. I'd like him to be more aggressive and have less concentration faults.

That said, I think this season has been solid, he's performing at a better level than yesteryear. And I admit it happily needless to say!

He's well earned his place in the team.

On Aurelio, I've always been a fan of him. And I'm chuffed to see that I'm starting to see the player I was used to in Valencia during the last weeks. Deep crosses with quality, good left foot, range shots, and good long balls, that's what I want of him and what I'm starting to see.

What we still haven't seen is his good FK