Liverpool FC Forum

by **anfieldadorer** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:06 pm

Paul Grech, Date: 4/8/2004

The news that Spain's recently appointed national coach Luis Aragones was about to call up Josemi couldn't have had been timed any better. Already, the most demanding of Liverpool supporters were complaining about the logic of signing a player that, at 24, had yet to feature for his national team.

Putting aside the fact that caps for your country are hardly a guarantee of excellence - as Paul Stewart's example amply testifies - the Spanish media are extremely blinkered in their coverage of Real Madrid or Barcellona. Even Valencia and Deportivo La Coruna struggle to get some begrudged exposure. For a player from an un-fancied Malaga side to make it to the national team - thereby denying one of the galacticos - would have caused a major uproar.

So it is hardly surprising that Josemi has had to wait for so long, even if he has been an established regular at Malaga for the past two years.

Josemi is predominantly a right-back, which is where he is likely to play for Liverpool since he only plays in the centre in cases of emergency and largely because of his ability in the air.

He is also a tough player: a major positive since he will need that aggression in the English game.

Still, his thirteen bookings last year have to be viewed in the light of Spanish referees' penchant to book even the mildest of challenges. As with most other European referees, they are less inclined to let the game flow meaning a greater percentage of yellow and red cards.

But Josemi also has a secret talent, one that has hardly got a mention so far: he is a bit of a specialist in long throw-ins. Indeed, that is apparently what has particularly caught the attention of Aragones who wants to make Josemi's long throws an important set-piece play for his team.

by **banana** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:10 pm

With Riise on the left and Josemi on the right we must have the best long throws in the league.... I just can't remember us scoring from any long throws?

by **anfieldadorer** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:19 pm

banana wrote:With Riise on the left and Josemi on the right we must have the best long throws in the league.... I just can't remember us scoring from any long throws?

Of course you can't remember, there were many many of them, err ...oops, sorry i mixed with chicago bulls :kungfu:

by **woof woof !** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:26 pm

anfieldadorer wrote:Josemi is predominantly a right-back, which is where he is likely to play for Liverpool since he only plays in the centre in cases of emergency and largely because of his ability in the air.

This has my attention, if true what does Rafa plan to do with Finnan and Carra ? With two decent right backs I thought Josemi was bought to bolster our central defence. Now we have 3 rightbacks. Just what we needed

.

by **7_Kewell** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:30 pm

carra can play as cover or in the middle.

by **anfieldadorer** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:33 pm

Point taken, woof, if i am not mistaken, in the latest match he was put in the right back as well.

by **ivor_the_injun** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:38 pm

I've always had Carra down as a specialist centre-back that's been playing as a full back. I'd like to see Carra and Hyypia get an extended run together in the middle.

Riise's clearly in good touch judging by the pre-season footage I've seen, and if Josemi does turn out to be a regular, where does that leave Finnan?

Jesus, don't tell me he's the solution to our right midfield problems...

by **anfieldadorer** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:41 pm

Having seen on tv whitbread playing not badly, hopefully he's gonna be a reliable leftback in the near future.

by **taff** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:43 pm

As much as I admire Carra, with Hypia theres no pace at the back which means a deep style of play. Isn that what Valencia did??

by **banana** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:54 pm

Well said Taff. Slow defenders must defend deeper. If there is too much space between the defenders and the midfield we will get in trouble. If slow defenders leave too much space between them and the goalkeeper we will get in trouble. So that means counter attack and dead ball football. Exactly the same football as Houllier tried to play. Unless Rafael Benitez introduces some pace at the back....

And Carragher will probably never play right or left back in a Benitez team. Benitez likes quick, technically gifted players on the sides. Players that can both defend and attack. As much as I like Carragher for his attitude and determination, he is not the best player with the ball in his feet.

by **woof woof !** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:56 pm

ivor_the_injun wrote:I've always had Carra down as a specialist centre-back that's been playing as a full back. I'd like to see Carra and Hyypia get an extended run together in the middle.

Riise's clearly in good touch judging by the pre-season footage I've seen, and if Josemi does turn out to be a regular, where does that leave Finnan?

Jesus, don't tell me he's the solution to our right midfield problems...

I don't see Carra alongside Hypia as a permanent solution to our CD problem (still no pace) .
You might have hit upon something with your comment about Finnan at right mid !!!! He does seem comfortable pushing forward. Could Rafa really be considering that

by **Redtribe** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:59 pm

I think if he was considering that then he would have tried it out maybe in one of the friendlies!

by **taff** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 1:00 pm

Thats the dilemma I really respect Carra but its a pace thing and we need the left and right backs supporting the attack as much as possible giving Gerrard and whoever more passing options and enabling the front two to spread defences with their runs but you do need at least one central defender with pace

by **JBG** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 2:05 pm

Benitez will bring more players into the defence, but it looks like that won't happen in the short term.

He still has a few weeks before the CL transfer deadline and there's a reasonable chance a guy like Coloccini could still come in.

by **whylongball?** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 2:27 pm

i don't see finnan as our solution to right midfield prob. He's slow, can't beat defenders and not creative.

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