Liverpool FC Forum

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

Maybe stamina level? I don't know

or maybe he hasn't settle down yet as we thought we did, or the system sometimes Rafa plays (the 4-5-1 system) doesn't get the best out of him.

by **Pig Catcher** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:28 am

He has proved to be a good signing so far and is starting to add goals to his good team play. He is starting to become one of the first names on the team sheet and has picked up again after being dropped.

by **Alex G.** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:28 am

It´s time to recognize his enormous contribution to the team this season. He´s being key in our current form. Do you think if babel was playin as starter we would be top of the league...?

Riera is a different player with a golden left-foot and got the experience that babel hasn´t. Albert we love you

by **Quadrophenia** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:14 am

Was inneffective, again, today apart from the goal, which was a peach.

by **Well Red** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:01 am

Quadrophenia wrote:Was inneffective, again, today apart from the goal, which was a peach.

I think labelling his performance as ineffective is a tad harsh, especially when you compare his input to that of Babel on the other wing! As you say, he made a peach of a goal out of almost nothing, gave Keane another on a plate - and forced the Preston right back and right mid to play very deep and track his runs, effectively preventing attacks down that side for much of the game. :lookaround

by **SupitsJonF** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:04 am

Riera sucked, Pennant definitely deserved his spot!

by **Quadrophenia** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:07 am

Well Red wrote:
Quadrophenia wrote:Was inneffective, again, today apart from the goal, which was a peach.

I think labelling his performance as ineffective is a tad harsh, especially when you compare his input to that of Babel on the other wing! As you say, he made a peach of a goal out of almost nothing, gave Keane another on a plate - and forced the Preston right back and right mid to play very deep and track his runs, effectively preventing attacks down that side for much of the game.

Two things pal. 1) I didn't and wasn't comparing him to Babel. 2) He played most of the game, certainly the whole second half down the right so to say he ran the Preston right back and right winger raggered for most of the game is a bit over the top.

Plus it wasn't harsh to call him innefective when he was.

by **Simari** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:12 am

It's the whole team thing ...

You see, when you have to remove bits of the puzzle (e.g: Alonso due to injury), it's difficult to get the machine going again like it was in the first half.

Riera isn't an Ashley Young or Arjen Robben.

He is a very different type of left sided player, almost a left midfielder. We missed Alonso's presence in the 2nd half. There weren't any outlets to the left or right sides as a result.

Yes, Riera wasn't visible in the 2nd half - but neither was the rest of our team ....

We won a very tricky affair at PNE and that is all that matters. Except for the small fact that he did score the friggin goal that mattered most ...

by **Well Red** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:20 am

Quadrophenia wrote:
Well Red wrote:
Quadrophenia wrote:Was inneffective, again, today apart from the goal, which was a peach.

I think labelling his performance as ineffective is a tad harsh, especially when you compare his input to that of Babel on the other wing! As you say, he made a peach of a goal out of almost nothing, gave Keane another on a plate - and forced the Preston right back and right mid to play very deep and track his runs, effectively preventing attacks down that side for much of the game.

Two things pal. 1) I didn't and wasn't comparing him to Babel. 2) He played most of the game, certainly the whole second half down the right so to say he ran the Preston right back and right winger raggered for most of the game is a bit over the top.

Plus it wasn't harsh to call him innefective when he was.

*sigh*
well if we're going to nitpick each other than I'd better point out that I didn't say you had compared Riera's performance to that of Babel — that was a point I was making. Furthermore I didn't say he ran the opposing midfielder and defender down his flank ragged, I merely stated that he prevented attacks on the side he was playing down (be that right or left, since he was switching) because Preston players were doubling up on him.

I think he had a decent game — but of course, that's just my opinion.

by **Quadrophenia** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:48 am

^^^^ your post says right back and right mid, that suggests he (Riera) was playing down the left wing for most of the match. he wasn't.

Why mention Babel then in any context? If you didn't want to start some sort of pointless debate about how bad Babel was. Well congratulations you've it mate, you've got a pointless deabte about Ryan Babel in a thread dedicated to Albert Riera. Congratulations, give yourself a pat on the back. Right lets get into a real good debate. I'm sitting on the side of the fence which suggests Ryan Babel was :censored:

tonight and that's actually insulting :censored:

. Now comparing that to Riera, which you obviously want, it makes our number 11 look like a world beater. Is that what you honestly wanted mate? Did you honestly want me to say Riera was good compared to Babel? For :censored:

sake, El Zhar played better than Babel and he didn't even make it onto the pitch. So whoopty do Riera played better than Babel, congratulations mate you were right. Compared to Ryan Babel, Albert Riera played well.

by **Number 9** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:56 am

Quadrophenia wrote:^^^^ your post says right back and right mid, that suggests he (Riera) was playing down the left wing for most of the match. he wasn't.

Why mention Babel then in any context? If you didn't want to start some sort of pointless debate about how bad Babel was. Well congratulations you've it mate, you've got a pointless deabte about Ryan Babel in a thread dedicated to Albert Riera. Congratulations, give yourself a pat on the back. Right lets get into a real good debate. I'm sitting on the side of the fence which suggests Ryan Babel was tonight and that's actually insulting . Now comparing that to Riera, which you obviously want, it makes our number 11 look like a world beater. Is that what you honestly wanted mate? Did you honestly want me to say Riera was good compared to Babel? For sake, El Zhar played better than Babel and he didn't even make it onto the pitch. So whoopty do Riera played better than Babel, congratulations mate you were right. Compared to Ryan Babel, Albert Riera played well.

Compared to Babel Riera gave out fish spun on his head made wine into water and said..."are you a footballer"...cause ya dont look like one!
Perhaps it was just the fanta!

by **Well Red** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 3:02 am

Quadrophenia wrote:
Why mention Babel then in any context? If you didn't want to start some sort of pointless debate about how bad Babel was. Well congratulations you've it mate, you've got a pointless deabte about Ryan Babel in a thread dedicated to Albert Riera. Congratulations, give yourself a pat on the back. Right lets get into a real good debate. I'm sitting on the side of the fence which suggests Ryan Babel was tonight and that's actually insulting . Now comparing that to Riera, which you obviously want, it makes our number 11 look like a world beater. Is that what you honestly wanted mate? Did you honestly want me to say Riera was good compared to Babel? For sake, El Zhar played better than Babel and he didn't even make it onto the pitch. So whoopty do Riera played better than Babel, congratulations mate you were right. Compared to Ryan Babel, Albert Riera played well.

I'm not your mate… :glare:

by **Number 9** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 3:14 am

Well Red wrote:
Quadrophenia wrote:
Why mention Babel then in any context? If you didn't want to start some sort of pointless debate about how bad Babel was. Well congratulations you've it mate, you've got a pointless deabte about Ryan Babel in a thread dedicated to Albert Riera. Congratulations, give yourself a pat on the back. Right lets get into a real good debate. I'm sitting on the side of the fence which suggests Ryan Babel was tonight and that's actually insulting . Now comparing that to Riera, which you obviously want, it makes our number 11 look like a world beater. Is that what you honestly wanted mate? Did you honestly want me to say Riera was good compared to Babel? For sake, El Zhar played better than Babel and he didn't even make it onto the pitch. So whoopty do Riera played better than Babel, congratulations mate you were right. Compared to Ryan Babel, Albert Riera played well.

I'm not your mate…

Oi Bills fullo shi'te but allright! :laugh:

Less of the bravado "mate"...We are hardly raiding Helmand here! :talktothehand

by **JC_81** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 11:03 am

Quadrophenia wrote:Was inneffective, again, today apart from the goal, which was a peach.

What the fu.ck are you on about lad?

Clearly you didn't watch the game.

by **Bad Bob** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:29 pm

I see a lot of comments about Riera drifting in and out of games but, IMO, that's what most wingers do. Much depends on the service he receives, the willingness of the fullback to overlap (which Insua and Carragher did little of yesterday) and the shape of the opponents. It's natural for wingers to drift in and out of games. The fact that Riera scored the winning goal is enough for me.

On another note, though, what did people make of him switching flanks with Babel repeatedly in the 2nd half? Obviously, he doesn't switch flanks with any of our other right midfielders when they play together so I have to think it was some tactic designed to make Babel more effective. Pity it had no effect.

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