Liverpool FC Forum

by **andy_g** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 12:07 pm

i thought both arbeloa and aurelio had very decent games yesterday and deserve a lot of credit. the stand out moments were aurelio's ball for keane's second goal - pure quality, and arbeloa's goal. id didn't even know he had a left foot!! we know that they can both do it from time to time but its still a case of hoping they'll have a good game rather than knowing they will.

by **RedBen** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 12:48 pm

Leonmc0708 wrote:
DanAn wrote: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 ?

I think he means Taye Taiwo, the Nigerian LB from Marseille. I think he's decent with an extremely powerful left foot and he can hit the ball like Riise did but I haven't seen him play enough to say he would be an addition

by **Bam** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 1:09 pm

Leonmc0708 wrote: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 agree with you about Arbeloa, I've always thought him to be a useful player.

I also agree with you to an extent that we dont really have any "problems" at fullback at the moment. By that I mean, people earlier in this thread were worried about the fullbacks. As this thread has gone on some of the nerves have been calmed a little due to our teams results.

They havent been a problem yet, but could of so easily been had we not fought back to beat Citeh, and other teams. But I can see a potential problem in Aurelio, for me he is a liabilty and the weakest link in the team.

Overated imo by some of our own, I cannot see whats so good about him. Just like when many were making a fuss over Lucas again I must of missed something. I have watched many attacks break down through Aurelios, lack of short passing in tight areas, I've seen him throw needless long balls upfront for the by-line. I've seen RM's attack him for fun, and ghost past him, I've seen him pulling out of challenges, I've seen him take up some questionable positions, I've seen Agger and Carra come accross to cover his ar.se.I've seen a player who lacks confidence in himself, but I did see that one quality pass he made to Robbie the other night.

by **Scottbot** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 9:55 pm

Leonmc0708 wrote: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.

You only have to look at our league position to see that everyone in the side must be doing something right at the moment. It's a cliche to say you're only as 'good as your weakest player' but there is a lot of merit in it. I think both players have done well so far this season. They are both solid players for me, Arbeloa is a good defender, he's strong, fairly quick and is well suited to English football. He is quite limited (in my opinion) as an attacking player but he seems to have improved a little in this area this season. He offers support to the RM but he will always be a bit of a crab with the ball at his feet. Aurelio is less solid defensively but I like his passing which can be clever and his willingness to get forward. He's not particularly quick but he offers the most going forward of all the full-backs and it's no coincidence that we our best attacks come down the left hand side with him and Aurelio as opposed to Arbeloa and Kuyt.

Saying that, no matter how well they have been playing this season there is no doubt for me that this is the area where we are miles behind our rivals. There will be times this season when we desperately need some penetration from our full-backs. Our rivals have it, Clichy, Sagna, Cole, Bridge, Bosingwa, Evra. You'd snap up any of those players in the blink of an eye and our two lads would not get a look-in.

by **stmichael** » Tue Nov 11, 2008 2:14 pm

Be interesting to see who plays right back on Wednesday against Spurs.

by **Owzat** » Tue Nov 11, 2008 2:18 pm

stmichael wrote:Be interesting to see who plays right back on Wednesday against Spurs.

I'd keep a relatively experienced spine of CBs, CMs, and CFS and give fringe players/reserves a run out. Others would go for kids, if Rafa goes for kids then it may not be interesting at all.

I wonder how many of those saying they don't care about the cup in question will NOT watch the game, follow it etc

by **maypaxvobiscum** » Tue Nov 11, 2008 2:55 pm

Owzat wrote:
stmichael wrote:Be interesting to see who plays right back on Wednesday against Spurs.

I'd keep a relatively experienced spine of CBs, CMs, and CFS and give fringe players/reserves a run out. Others would go for kids, if Rafa goes for kids then it may not be interesting at all.

I wonder how many of those saying they don't care about the cup in question will NOT watch the game, follow it etc

why would the kids not be interesting at all? i dont care about the cup. but i will watch it cause i would like to see the next generation.

by **Rafa D** » Tue Nov 11, 2008 5:02 pm

That Stephen Darby's meant to be decent and I would like to think he would get his chance tomorrow.

by **Leonmc0708** » Tue Nov 11, 2008 5:46 pm

Rafa-Dodd wrote:That Stephen Darby's meant to be decent and I would like to think he would get his chance tomorrow.

Solid player, and definite one for the future.

by **dame** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:20 am

Before the West Brom match, i think Aurelio lack confidence. You can see from the poor quality of his freekicks (He should have the required techniques otherwise he will not be charged of freekick duty ahead of someone like Gerrard or Alonso). Hope that after his beautiful assist to th Keane goal, his confidence will be back and send in some quality freekick.

What do you guys think of Grosso (yes, another Italian)? He is too good for Lyon.

by **GYBS** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 9:46 am

Grosso is tool old now - over 30 i think

by **stmichael** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:41 pm

Rafa-Dodd wrote:That Stephen Darby's meant to be decent and I would like to think he would get his chance tomorrow.

Well he didn't play for the reseves the other day so unless he's injured that might tell us something. Insua and Plessis didn't figure either.

by **JamCar05** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:03 pm

stmichael wrote:
Rafa-Dodd wrote:That Stephen Darby's meant to be decent and I would like to think he would get his chance tomorrow.

Well he didn't play for the reseves the other day so unless he's injured that might tell us something. Insua and Plessis didn't figure either.

I hope we get to see Darby in action against Spurs in the CC, but with Degen desperate for some match practice, don't you guys think he will start on the right side of the defence?

by **maypaxvobiscum** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 7:31 pm

Rafa Benitez has hailed the form of Alvaro Arbeloa after his Kop end peach against West Brom.
The full-back's second Liverpool goal on Saturday came in his 18th appearance of the season.

Only Jamie Carragher and Robbie Keane have more games under their belts in 2008-09.

Asked if Arbeloa was an unsung hero in the Liverpool team, Benitez responded: "Yes. He is very consistent and you always like these kind of players as a manager.

"When you talk about playing a whole season, it's really important that you have these kind of players like Arbeloa."

Benitez added: "You don't expect him to score - normally he doesn't. I think it was his second for the club.

"But, because it was with his left foot, it was an amazing goal."

by **Rush Job** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:13 am

Sell Drossena in Jan, current international surely we`d get most of what we payed back from an Italian side, the longer we leave it the less we`ll get.
We have Aurelio as first choice and I`m happy with that and when you take into account Arbeloa plays well there too and we`ve got Insua who looks a player and I`m sure both Carra and Agger could do decent jobs there too so I think we could easly get by untill the summer if theres no one better to be had in Jan.
Or we could give the guy more time and watch our challenge slip away, like I say he`s got a good left foot on him but thats it, he cant defend, he`s like a overweight headless chicken, he was at fault in every goal, and have you noticed how he just doesnt seem to care wether the winger gets his cross in or not?
Drossena needs to go and I`m no knee jerker its just tonight was the final cut.

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