Liverpool FC Forum

by **Quadrophenia** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:33 am

Starts every game well then goes missing between 20 and 60 minutes then gets substituted. Another very predictable player, who is guilty of being overrated by our own fans. He's nowhere near a top class player, he's nowhere near a world beater and he's nowhere near a left winger who can cross with any sort of consistant accuracy.

Big let down in recent matches considering how he started.

by **ConnO'var** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:42 am

I thought he's doing ok..... definite improvement over last season. Rate him higher than Babel in the role. Does seem to have a problem with concentration and fitness though.

A good buy.

by **Fo Dne** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:08 am

JoeTerp wrote:left side is still a problem. Reira is getting stale quickly and Babel is even worse. At least when I see Insua's name on the teamsheet I get excited, but there are very few players that I can say that about. Kuyt, Babel, Bennayoun, etc. when I see these names I can't help but think, "what the heck are they going to do (well). . ." and then most of the time they coast or worse.

Unbelievable! :no

by **aCe'** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:56 am

Fo Dne wrote:
JoeTerp wrote:left side is still a problem. Reira is getting stale quickly and Babel is even worse. At least when I see Insua's name on the teamsheet I get excited, but there are very few players that I can say that about. Kuyt, Babel, Bennayoun, etc. when I see these names I can't help but think, "what the heck are they going to do (well). . ." and then most of the time they coast or worse.

Unbelievable!

i thought that post was pretty sensible... i mean sure benayoun has been performing to very high standards last few games and if he can maintain such form i guess theres no reason why that right wing slot shouldnt be his for now, but overall he isnt much of a longterm solution to that position now is he... kuyt is just kuyt.. and babel is just cack...

about Riera though, i think hes doing okay but still needs to have a little more of an impact higher up the pitch... i mean its all good and dandy him getting himself out of tight situations with his little dribbling, keeping posession and not giving the ball away as easily as others in our team are guilty of, but comeon he DOES drift out of games every now and then.. for now he's much appreciated for offering us width and balance, but i still think given his capabilities and dribbling and all he should be having a little more impact higher up the pitch than he currently is.. would like to see him take on fullbacks a little more towards the outside, look to attack the byline and cut more balls back or simply cross them...
having said that, i still think that if played with a good leftback, our left side is miles ahead of our right side...
id be looking at getting a righback and right winger before even considering that left wing role for now..

by **red_guy** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:37 am

Maybe riera does drift out of games once in a while, but dang....he's the best winger we had for a long time. I like him..a lot.

by **bigmick** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:08 am

Well I think he's actually a good advert for rotation. Since he was dropped/rotated/sat on his erse I think he's improved again since he's come back in. He's chipped in with a goal or two and I think his performances are getting back towards what he did when he first arrived. It's just a shame that whenever we bring him off and bring Babel on, the Dutchman looks like he's come fesh from his sleeping bag and has taken his I-pod off seconds before actually coming on. If Riera were to come off after an hour and his replacement to look credible, he might respond to the pressure and pull his finger out of his erse in the second half of games.

As it and it's most unfortunate, whenever he comes off it simply serves to re-enforce the point that we need him quite badly.

by **DanAn** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 7:32 am

bigmick wrote:Well I think he's actually a good advert for rotation. Since he was dropped/rotated/sat on his erse I think he's improved again since he's come back in. He's chipped in with a goal or two and I think his performances are getting back towards what he did when he first arrived. It's just a shame that whenever we bring him off and bring Babel on, the Dutchman looks like he's come fesh from his sleeping bag and has taken his I-pod off seconds before actually coming on. If Riera were to come off after an hour and his replacement to look credible, he might respond to the pressure and pull his finger out of his erse in the second half of games.

As it and it's most unfortunate, whenever he comes off it simply serves to re-enforce the point that we need him quite badly.

Completely agree he doesn't seem to have it in him to play a lot of game time and the scheduling is only going to get worse in the 2nd half of the year. I know it is consensus that we should sign a right winger but I actually think that if we are serious about winning the league this year we should be looking at signing another left winger.

Riera would be a fantastic supersub IMO, Playing 30 minutes a game most weeks would be almost perfect for him. But I wouldn't even consider starting Babel the way he's playing.

On the other hand I think we could get by with Benayoun, Kuyt and El Zhar on the right.

by **johnymarcu** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 12:11 pm

As far as I can see Riera is giving the same impression that had in Spain, a player of half an hour.

It's a very good player but I believe that it would be more useful playing only 35, 30 minutes or even a half, but not the whole match.

He should think about his physical preparetion, he 's a professional player, and not an amateur

by **GOAT_2.0** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:21 pm

Fo Dne wrote:
JoeTerp wrote:left side is still a problem. Reira is getting stale quickly and Babel is even worse. At least when I see Insua's name on the teamsheet I get excited, but there are very few players that I can say that about. Kuyt, Babel, Bennayoun, etc. when I see these names I can't help but think, "what the heck are they going to do (well). . ." and then most of the time they coast or worse.

Unbelievable!

Wow your actually pulling someone up for being negative about the team

by **metalhead** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:04 pm

Quadrophenia wrote:he's nowhere near a left winger who can cross with any sort of consistant accuracy.

Now I have to say something about this statement.

I disagree, he is a brilliant crosser and he does it consistently enough, However, we do not have someone to get the best out of his crosses, or the best out of him. The reason his crosses doesn't get to one of our players, because our strikers don't attack the ball in the penalty box enough.

Who said anything about him being a top class or world class player? I didn't read anyone saying he is, he is an excellent player who has intelligence, touch and passing.

by **metalhead** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:04 pm

GOAT_2.0 wrote:
Fo Dne wrote:
JoeTerp wrote:left side is still a problem. Reira is getting stale quickly and Babel is even worse. At least when I see Insua's name on the teamsheet I get excited, but there are very few players that I can say that about. Kuyt, Babel, Bennayoun, etc. when I see these names I can't help but think, "what the heck are they going to do (well). . ." and then most of the time they coast or worse.

Unbelievable!

Wow your actually pulling someone up for being negative about the team

Shocker, innit

by **account deleted by request** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:33 pm

I think he needs to do more, maybe if we had better on the right there wouldn't be the same need for more from him on the left. As we are limited on the right, I think with his touch and passing he could look to create more than he does.

Added balance, good ball control, passing and good first touch. Needs to add a little more attacking and creativity if he is to be a longer term solution. Seems to drift out of games as the intensity of the match increases .

by **metalhead** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:34 pm

s@int wrote:I think he needs to do more, maybe if we had better on the right there wouldn't be the same need for more from him on the left. As we are limited on the right, I think with his touch and passing he could look to create more than he does.

Added balance, good ball control, passing and good first touch. Needs to add a little more attacking and creativity if he is to be a longer term solution. Seems to drift out of games as the intensity of the match increases .

Needs to settle down mate, work on his fitness too. Though he is a really good left winger, had a very good game against Bolton last week.

by **account deleted by request** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:39 pm

I honestly don't believe its about fitness as much as the mental side of his game. I find it difficult to believe that a player playing and training every week can't last for 90mins.

by **Red Dotty** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:42 pm

I think the lad has had a great start to his Liverpool career. I remember reading some very negative posts about him and his last time in the EPL and was a little concerned, although there was also some posts saying he would be a steady left sided player.

I am pleased with him, he has added balance got a couple of good goals, does not give the ball away and most of all the team seems to have faith in him.

For once i think we bought well at the right price and for the good of the team.

Well done Rafa

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