Liverpool FC Forum

[account deleted by request]

Rafa has supposedly bought "quite a few" players since he arrived at Liverpool,which would you put as his ten best buys and why ?

My choices

1/ Torres - bit of a no brainer this one. He was bought for a good price whether you believe he cost £21million or £27.5million. Good character, works hard, probably sells more shirts than anyone and btw is probably as good a striker as any in the world.

2/ Reina - Top class keeper who is probably as good as any in the prem at the moment. Bargain price and the only Rafa signing still at the club to have actually won something with us.   

3/ Masch - World class defensive midfielder who always seems to start the season badly , but just when you begin to doubt him comes good and starts to show his class. Not playing quite at the top of his game but still showing the passion that sets him apart from most.

4/ Alonso - Rafa's first "big money" signing and a bargain even at £10.5million. Seemed to drop his level for a couple of years but left us after what was probably is best season in a red shirt.

5/ Agger - bit more controversial this one , but only because he has been troubled with injuries throughout his time with us. Comfortable on the ball, good tackler and excellent at bringing the ball out of defence. Maybe not quite as strong or good in the air as we would like, but has class and skill to spare.

6/ Arbeloa - Almost as steady if not quite as good as Finnan, he was an absolute bargain at £2.5million, versatile and would have made a great squad player even now if he hadn't been homesick.

7/ Benayoun - I was skeptical when we bought him, unconvinced when he first played for us, but he has proved himself to be an excellent player and a good buy for £5million.

8/ Kuyt - Perhaps Rafa's most controversial "successful" buy. Defended by the many for his hard work and goals, derided by almost as many for his lack of control and breaking up our attacks. Bought as a striker, his move out wide has brought him a little more success and acceptance.

9/ Sissoko - I loved him as a player that just broke up play all over the field, but he fell out of favour after a couple of serious injuries and soon all people could talk about were his limitations and not his strengths. Big game player who excelled in the FA CUP FINAL and against Barcelona.

10/ Garcia - Annoying, frustrating and a scorer of sublime goals, loved and hated (usually in the same game) the little trickster and ball waster (nod to Judge) scored important goals in big games and we probably wouldn't have won either the CL or the FA CUP without his magic.

[shanklygates]

good post mate, and i have to say i agree with all of them bar one.

i just dont get how people rate benayoun, not good enough imo, but hey...freedom  of speech:D

[Toffeehater]

I always liked sissoko , brilliant player and want transfer we will surely regret in the coming years to come

[shanklygates]

toffee i think we sold him at the right time.

in his first season he was brilliant, very viera esque, but saint hit on his injuries and the one for me was the eye injury after that he just wasnt the same player.

it was like he had 1 eye or something because after that injury he couldnt pass the ball 5 yards, completely changed him as a player and rightly so he nearly lost that eye, didnt we get about 12 million for him?

[Toffeehater]

Yes but if you watch seria A , he's a monster for juventus , brilliant player . His confidence took a little hit when he got injured , if we stood by him he'd be the same player he was

[shanklygates]

fair enuff mate i havent seen him for juve so cant really comment, your right though we could have given him longer to recover and with all the sports psychologists about they certainly could have understood his confidence had took a battering.
saying that though maybe in the end he wasnt cut out for the pace and physical side of the prem.

[Toffeehater]

Maybe so , i guess we're find out to soon enough in a couple of years how he develops.

[shanklygates]

hind sight is a wonderful thing, you could say that about hundreds of players that have been released by clubs etc to become awesome players, and in some cases bought back by the clubs that released them.

did you know spurs missed out on becks because when he went in terry venables basically blanked the new kid, but when fergie came knocking fergie knew everything about him.

if terry venables had treated him how fergie did he wouldnt have been a united player at that stage of his career.

[Owzat]

Good idea for a topic S@int. Here's something that occurred to me in getting to about three or four, Robbie Fowler played under FOUR different LFC managers and therefore also every LFC manager ever in the Premiership - how many players have done that?

1. Torres £21m - most expensive LFC player, but if you think how much Villa would cost and look at other prices, I'd say that for over a goal every other game is a bargain in today's market.

2. Alonso £10.5m - don't look the same without him, maybe he didn't score enough goals for his ability, but he gave our midfield a control others don't/haven't

3. Reina £6m - I normally don't rate the keeper as influential in a side, there isn't much our Pepe has been able to do about the flood of goals going past him this season, but Pepe is one of the best around. I can only guess the Spanish and European giants don't care about keepers much either, those that don't have a Casillas type of keeper.

4. Kuyt £10m - could have made it here as a striker, was our top scorer in the league in his first season but had a disappointing 07/08 campaign and was then moved to a wider role. He's not everyone's idea of a wide player, he isn't a winger but contributes well and as much as most wingers do in terms of end products. His versatility, end product, work-rate and dedication make him a really good purchase even if some won't (readily) accept that.

5. Agger £5.8m - an excellent buy, if only he could stay fit enough and injury free to prove worth many times what was paid for him. He could be the best CB around if he were to keep in the side. If he can't stay fit we should be able to make a profit on him, I'd prefer him to get fit and remain injury free

6. Benayoun £5m - a rarity in being bought for a reasonable price come bargain and being a flair player. He isn't perfect, has plenty to attract criticism, but bucks the trend of Rafa signings.

7. Arbeloa £2.6m - maybe not the perfect RB, but for me still had merits enough that I wasn't convinced Johnson was a definite improvement (all-round)

8. Luis Garcia £6.5m - annoying little fecker as S@int said, but could win you games so worth his place in the squad. If things weren't happening, he could make them happen. If only he were more consistent and less frustrating, I guess Benayoun is a better version of him in many ways

9. N'Gog £1.5m - useful little striker for just £1.5m, in for his bargain value as much as his greatness.

10. Sissoko £5.8m - not my favourite player, but I have to acknowledge what he gave to the side. For me he was too limited like Mascherano is, why Sissoko gets in and not Mascherano is the massive gulf in cost compared to the difference in their abilities.


What is annoying is that most of Rafa's best buys are still here, yet we're playing sh 1te. 7/10 of S@int's list, 6/10 of mine. That said, it is only a top ten and doesn't mean the top ten of his signings would make even the top 50 or 100 of all Premiership signings during his reign. I could easily have stuck to just a top 5, 6 or 7 as for me they stand out more than the latter three or so - two were as much in for their excellent value as impact. I could have thrown in Crouch instead, again not one of my favourite players, but he did score some (important) goals in his time here and has probably contributed as much to the cause as any other striker perhaps, except of course Torres.

S@int, perhaps you could do a top ten of non-Rafa signings under Rafa, ie those who contributed a lot who Rafa didn't sign like Sinama-Pongolle, Hyypia, Gerrard, Cisse and Carragher. He may have cleared them out in quick time, but some only recently left and there's still two of our key players in Carra and Gerrard who are somewhat pivotal in how the side plays.

[account deleted by request]

I did look at doing a top ten best Houllier signings but it was really sad seeing so many "nearly great" players who because of injuries,  or other problems didn't quite make it, or didn't quite do it for long enough. The likes of  Kewell, Babbel, Smicer, McAllister, Litmenen and Anelka.

Houllier did buy some great players though, Hyypia, Hamann, Riise, Henchoz, Finnan, and at mainly bargain prices too.

[aCe']

1-Torres
2-Alonso
3-Benayoun
4-Reina
5-L.Garcia
6-Sissoko
7-Crouch
8-Riera
9-G.Johnson
10-Agger

[bigmick]

There's been many good buys in fairness. Sissoko was a player I liked a lot and I'm glad to hear he's doing well at Juventus. Obviously Alonso, Torres and Reina were all good purchases and good value, as was Arbeloa. Garcia was probably just about fair value at 6 million (although I personally really liked him), and Aurelio was stolen on a free. I think Johnson will turn out to be value for 17 million or whatever it is we paid for him, while if he could stay fit Agger was picked up very cheaply.

Skrtel was just about fair value, as were Riera and Kuyt and Lucas. I actually think Benayoun was too, although I'm well aware that probably puts me ina  significant minority. Voronin was probably overpriced, while N'Gog is currently worth more than 1.5 million.

Generally speaking though I think the manager has bought pretty well. We've had a team which has been plenty good enough to challenge for the title in each of the last three seasons, and for that he deserves all the credit going.

[Bad Bob]

Rafa has supposedly bought "quite a few" players since he arrived at Liverpool,which would you put as his ten best buys and why ?

My choices

1/ Torres - bit of a no brainer this one. He was bought for a good price whether you believe he cost £21million or £27.5million. Good character, works hard, probably sells more shirts than anyone and btw is probably as good a striker as any in the world.

2/ Reina - Top class keeper who is probably as good as any in the prem at the moment. Bargain price and the only Rafa signing still at the club to have actually won something with us.   

3/ Masch - World class defensive midfielder who always seems to start the season badly , but just when you begin to doubt him comes good and starts to show his class. Not playing quite at the top of his game but still showing the passion that sets him apart from most.

4/ Alonso - Rafa's first "big money" signing and a bargain even at £10.5million. Seemed to drop his level for a couple of years but left us after what was probably is best season in a red shirt.

5/ Agger - bit more controversial this one , but only because he has been troubled with injuries throughout his time with us. Comfortable on the ball, good tackler and excellent at bringing the ball out of defence. Maybe not quite as strong or good in the air as we would like, but has class and skill to spare.

6/ Arbeloa - Almost as steady if not quite as good as Finnan, he was an absolute bargain at £2.5million, versatile and would have made a great squad player even now if he hadn't been homesick.

7/ Benayoun - I was skeptical when we bought him, unconvinced when he first played for us, but he has proved himself to be an excellent player and a good buy for £5million.

8/ Kuyt - Perhaps Rafa's most controversial "successful" buy. Defended by the many for his hard work and goals, derided by almost as many for his lack of control and breaking up our attacks. Bought as a striker, his move out wide has brought him a little more success and acceptance.

9/ Sissoko - I loved him as a player that just broke up play all over the field, but he fell out of favour after a couple of serious injuries and soon all people could talk about were his limitations and not his strengths. Big game player who excelled in the FA CUP FINAL and against Barcelona.

10/ Garcia - Annoying, frustrating and a scorer of sublime goals, loved and hated (usually in the same game) the little trickster and ball waster (nod to Judge) scored important goals in big games and we probably wouldn't have won either the CL or the FA CUP without his magic.

I'd agree with virtually all of those but might switch the order around slightly:

1) Torres
2) Reina
3) Alonso
4) Masch
5) Garcia (his goals were so vital)
6) Agger
7) Benayoun
8) Kuyt
9) Johnson (who will move up the pecking order over time)
10) Crouch

Honourable Mentions: Aurelio, Arbeloa, Sissoko and Riera

[LFC2007]

1) Torres
2) Alonso
3) Reina
4) Masch
5) Garcia
6) Sissoko
7) Agger
8) Benayoun
9) Kuyt/Crouch
10) Johnson

[account deleted by request]

I think the argument for including Crouch is as strong as any, but I am surprised that Arbeloa hasn't had many mentions. For £2.5million I thought he was a decent steady player, who showed that you don't always have to pay top dollar. Good enough for the first team ....probably not..... good enough for the squad definitely.   

Johnson I didn't include because of his short time with us, as Bob said he will move up the pecking order as time goes on.

Riera ? I think while he has given us balance and good ball retention, his lack of threat in an attacking sense lets him down too often ........ I think Kewell even after his injuries was a far superior player.