Liverpool FC Forum

by **ConnO'var** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:19 pm

Bad Bob wrote:
Bad Bob wrote:First team regular? Not in my books, TBH. He's a very useful utility player but I doubt we'll ever see him as a consistent fixture in our starting 11 when other defenders are fit. If Aurelio were fit now, for instance, I doubt we'd have seen Arbeloa at all this season so far.

Time to hold my hand up, I reckon, and admit I've called this one wrong. Arbeloa has demonstrated that he has got what it takes to be a consistent first team performer for us. He's been a revelation this season at LB, which is the position he is least comfortable with in the back line. He's generally sound defensively (can get drawn out of position on occasion but he's young and he's learning fast) and he offers quite a bit going forward (his great run onto the through ball, a deft switch of feet to elude a defender and a perfect ball to pick out Babel for our second against Derby, for instance). My initial doubts were based on his end-of-season dip in form last season but since: a) he was not alone in that (how bad were a number of our players in the last few league games?) and b) it probably had a lot to do with playing next to the likes of Palletta, I think he can be forgiven. I still have great hopes that Aurelio will show us his true colours this season but, whether he does or not, I think Arbeloa has earned his place in the first team and will take some ousting.

You're not the only one who had doubts bout him. If you look at the 1st XI thread, many here (myself included) didn't have him down as a 1st teamer. As you said, this was largely due to the performances at the tail end of last season.

This season, he's been very, very good... whether deployed on the left or the right. Haven't seen too much of him at CB but understand that he can fill in there as well. If he's half as good in that position, then we can truly say that we have an excellent utility defender who can play ANYWHERE across the backline.

Still too early to say.... Barring Chelsea, we've faced relatively weak opponents to date (Aston Villa, Sunderland, Derby and Tolouse) with weak attacks and this has allowed him to be more adventurous in supporting our attackers. Still he HAS performed admirably and I for one, am well pleased with the lad. Hopefully, the confidence garnered from these early games will allow him to push on from there.

As you say, on current form, Aurelio and Riise will need to do something special to shift Arbeloa from the starting line-up.

:nod

by **LFC2007** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:27 pm

ConnO'var wrote:Still too early to say.... Barring Chelsea, we've faced relatively weak opponents to date (Aston Villa, Sunderland, Derby and Tolouse)

Villa beat Chelsea, they're a good side - although Chelsea have made a stuttering start in terms of performance.

Villa away is the type of game where players show what they're made of, definitely not an easy opposition.

Arbeloa has done a solid job so far, many ridiculed him for the dip he had towards the end of last season - esp. Stu who went ape sh!t. He's shown he's capable and consistent over a few games now, he needs to continue to do so. Ultimately I would expect Aurelio to play at left back once fully fit, given that is his natural position. We shall see, although IMO I think he needs to bulk up a bit.

by **woof woof !** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:30 pm

Arbeloa has done a solid job so far, many ridiculed him for the dip he had towards the end of last season - esp. Stu who went ape sh!t. He's shown he's capable and consistent over a few games now, he needs to continue to do so. Ultimately I would expect Aurelio to play at left back once fully fit, given that is his natural position. We shall see, although IMO I think he needs to bulk up a bit.

It's not inconceivable that at some point Rafa could play Arbeloa at LB and Aurellio at LM.

by **LFC2007** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:32 pm

woof woof ! wrote:It's not inconceivable that at some point Rafa could play Arbeloa at LB and Aurellio at LM.

For sure, no?

We have many possibilities.

by **muzodziwa** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:46 pm

i am a big fan of Fabio Aurelio, talented and a natural when it comes to overlapping, but this young man Arbeloa has proved a pragmatic defensive solution to our problematic LB position.

many may be tempted to say that he is not a natural left footer, that can only be valid when it affects his performance as a defender. when teams are attacking using width,a right sided LB has the tendency to drop as it is difficult to put in a tackle without conceding a free kick and this leaves the winger with the temptation to cut in which then plays to his tactical ability ie his strength and ability with the right foot. I have also noticed that when he drops, masch, alonso or sissoko move in the hole in the center of the 18 yard box, which gives us a greater chance of winning the second ball in the event that the winger crosses the ball (concedering we play zonal defence during open play).

An attacking threat can be from the wings or from the middle; wing attack leaves you prone to a quick counter attack if you do not win the second ball and such teams as AC Milan, Barcelona, Man U normally attack from the middle and such wingers as Ronaldinho and Messi cut in most of the time to provide a four prong attack down the middle which makes it easier to break down teams. Now in Arbeloa we have a defender who can defend against top class winger-cum striker like Messi; and we will fare a lot better when playing sides like Arsenal who narrow their play in the final third when attacking.

by **Espionage** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:01 am

muzodziwa wrote:i am a big fan of Fabio Aurelio, talented and a natural when it comes to overlapping, but this young man Arbeloa has proved a pragmatic defensive solution to our problematic LB position.

many may be tempted to say that he is not a natural left footer, that can only be valid when it affects his performance as a defender. when teams are attacking using width,a right sided LB has the tendency to drop as it is difficult to put in a tackle without conceding a free kick and this leaves the winger with the temptation to cut in which then plays to his tactical ability ie his strength and ability with the right foot. I have also noticed that when he drops, masch, alonso or sissoko move in the hole in the center of the 18 yard box, which gives us a greater chance of winning the second ball in the event that the winger crosses the ball (concedering we play zonal defence during open play).

An attacking threat can be from the wings or from the middle; wing attack leaves you prone to a quick counter attack if you do not win the second ball and such teams as AC Milan, Barcelona, Man U normally attack from the middle and such wingers as Ronaldinho and Messi cut in most of the time to provide a four prong attack down the middle which makes it easier to break down teams. Now in Arbeloa we have a defender who can defend against top class winger-cum striker like Messi; and we will fare a lot better when playing sides like Arsenal who narrow their play in the final third when attacking.

You seem to make points, but there is no structure to your arguement and hence I have no idea what you are talking about.

by **bigmick** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:22 am

LFC2007 wrote:Arbeloa has done a solid job so far, many ridiculed him for the dip he had towards the end of last season - esp. Stu who went ape sh!t.

I must confess I don't recall Stu the red being any less convinced about Arbeloa than anybody else. He looked like he was in above his head towards the end of last season and I reckon most would have had him down as a squad player at best.

There is no question though that this season he has started much better. He looks to have been a really good spot by Rafa, and has that "thinking mans defender" look about him to me. He tucks in and pushes out at just about the right times and is beginning to find his feet going forward as well.

I am very much in the pro-Aurelio camp (and after some doubts initially it appears most are now) and like LFC I suspect he will feature when fit. Arbeloa won't be easy to dislodge though, and it may be ultimately Finnan who feels the warmth of the Spaniard breathing down his neck from a selectorial point of view. That said, after seemingly playing about 378 games in an unbroken run Finnan is probably justified in wondering when rotation is coming his way to give him a rest (and I say this in jest as I think he was rotated earlier this season).

by **bunglemark2** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:32 pm

I reckon Finnan might just get a very well-earned but probably unwelcome break right now. The man's allegedly out of the Slovakia v. Ireland tie on Saturday due to injury....Pity really....Any game I've seen him play in Lansdowne Rd. or Croke Park, he hasn't put a foot wrong.
I said all along up to the end of last season, behind Carra, Finnan was my player of the season for LFC....Hope he stays there for years to come....

by **LFC2007** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:24 pm

bigmick wrote:
LFC2007 wrote:Arbeloa has done a solid job so far, many ridiculed him for the dip he had towards the end of last season - esp. Stu who went ape sh!t.

I must confess I don't recall Stu the red being any less convinced about Arbeloa than anybody else. He looked like he was in above his head towards the end of last season and I reckon most would have had him down as a squad player at best.

He called him 'p!ss poor'.

It was clear that towards the end of last season we were focussed solely on the UCL. Arbeloa was included in a team of young inexperienced players e.g. Paletta and Insua and the like. Having not played together and going away to places like Fulham and Portsmouth when these teams are still playing for places, I think making a premature judgement on the lad was obviously misplaced.

by **maguskwt** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:55 am

Arbeloa's coming back soon... played 45 mins with the reserves and almost scored a goal with a freekick...

by **woof woof !** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:38 am

maguskwt wrote:Arbeloa's coming back soon...

Whadya mean coming back soon ? Where's he been ?

by **mungi** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:13 am

i think he ment aurlio ....

by **maguskwt** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:30 am

mungi wrote:i think he ment aurlio ....

argh... sorry... aurelio... posted in the wrong thread...

by **Wilhelmsson** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 3:50 pm

LFC2007 wrote:
bigmick wrote:
LFC2007 wrote:Arbeloa has done a solid job so far, many ridiculed him for the dip he had towards the end of last season - esp. Stu who went ape sh!t.

I must confess I don't recall Stu the red being any less convinced about Arbeloa than anybody else. He looked like he was in above his head towards the end of last season and I reckon most would have had him down as a squad player at best.

He called him 'p!ss poor'.

It was clear that towards the end of last season we were focussed solely on the UCL. Arbeloa was included in a team of young inexperienced players e.g. Paletta and Insua and the like. Having not played together and going away to places like Fulham and Portsmouth when these teams are still playing for places, I think making a premature judgement on the lad was obviously misplaced.

This is correct, but I think some people (myself included) wanted Rafa to sign a top class defender in the summer transfer window. Little did some us know Arbeloa would be capable of producing such quality displays.

I only saw him a squad player, despite only watching him in a Liverpool jersey. So it was rather premature on my part. The lad seems to be a top drawer player and a player who is doing enough to cement his name in the first team.

by **LFC2007** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:32 pm

Yes, it's still early days though.

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