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Alvaro arbeloa....
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:16 pmby stmichael
I like the guy. He's a good player. I bring him up because after a great start he suffered a dip in form towards the end of last season.
He's done an OK job at left back so far this season but I'm not totally convinced by him there. He has the habit of drifting too close to his centre half when the play is on the other flank which is what tends to happen when a full back plays on the wrong side. I also think he restricts our forward play as he always has to cut inside when he's on the left. I think he's played left back so far as a short term option.
An astute signing though. Mobile, lean, unpretentious and flexible, he's been a steal. Defensively, he is actually better than Riise. Expect to see him on the LB position more if Rafa doesn't manage to sign Heinze.
Plus, I noticed at the end of the Villa game, Rafa come onto the pitch to applaud and usher off the lads with polite handshakes and backslaps. But with Arbeloa, they left together at the back, deep in conversation, exchanging anecdotes; he is obviously commands Rafa's respect and appreciates his thoughts. Praise indeed.
I suppose the question is, do you eventually see him becoming a first team regular, and if so in what position? Would he be in your first eleven now?
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:40 pmby Ade
I like him as a very very good squad player, but not first choice at either LB or RB for the season ahead. Judging by SAF's slightly more conciliatory words in the press the past few days, I think he's less bullish now about keeping Heinze, so next week I could see us signing him and I'd see him as 1st choice LB.
Arbeloa would provide good cover for both FB positions, and would be even more valuable in tight European away games. Good squad player, good attitude, great buy. What players like him mean is that our strength in depth is better than it has been in years
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:47 pmby Thingy
Hes a great squad player. Still dont know if hes capable of being first choice left back. Plus Aurellio is still to come back. But Riise, Arbeloa, Aurellio, Possibly Heinze An Insua Coming Through all for left back is maybe too much? Like St Micheal Said Maybe Lb Isnt his favoured position. I See him an Finnan for the right side, Heinze, if he comes, battling with Sami, Carra And Agger For Cb, and JAR, Aurellio And Insua for the Lb Slot. 2 players for every position 
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:52 pmby Bad Bob
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 Aurelip were fit now, for instance, I doubt we'd have seen Arbeloa at all this season so far.
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 1:55 pmby KRobbo10
I think he was a great signing by rafa, as he is still young and a quality player. Who will get better over the coming seasons.
He reminds me of finnan, the way he just gets on with his job.
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 2:14 pmby 66-1112520797
I think he is very useful to have, when he first played for us last year I was impressed with him, he also looks a better defender than Riise TBH. Going forward I think he's pretty uesful too, he scored a great goal away to Reading last year. I think technically he's pretty good.
Whether or not he is a long term solution at LB I dont know, but he desrves the chance to prove himself, I think he's started the season well, so we'll take it from there.
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:34 pmby hello_red
Defensively solid! Thats all i give a 
about. I like him.
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:52 pmby RedRoots
I don't think he's anything special but he does the job.
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:18 pmby weringo
I hate seeing right footed players playing left back or vise-versa because it restricts our forward play a lot, other players can't simply lay the ball off to him for him to swing in a cross because he has to cut inside or hit a poor one on his left. I do think though that he's a very useful backup for Finnan but I don't think he'll ever be good enough to be a first team regular.
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:35 pmby woof woof !
weringo wrote:I hate seeing right footed players playing left back or vise-versa because it restricts our forward play a lot, other players can't simply lay the ball off to him for him to swing in a cross because he has to cut inside or hit a poor one on his left. I do think though that he's a very useful backup for Finnan but I don't think he'll ever be good enough to be a first team regular.
Disagree, for someone playing out of his natural position I think he's done a good job , I feel more at ease with him at LB instead of Riise (who I've always preffered at LM). He's not the perfect fit at LB but his appearance there is a measure of Rafa's confidence in him.
Unless Rafa goes out and buys a top of the shop RB Arbeloa will be the natural successor to Finnan who's 31 already .
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:37 pmby RedBlood
hes a great squad player
hes young and can play anywhere across the back and do a good job
i like him
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:47 pmby Igor Zidane
Well i like the lad , he's played mostly out of position on the left and he's done a good job so far, he likes to get forward aswell which i think is good for the team . His defending is sound and he is pretty good in possesion.
If he gets to play in his natural position on the right of the defense i personaly think he'll push Finnan this season for a first team place. Finnan we know is solid ,but a couple of times this season he's been skinned and that worries me a little , of course this could be put down to it being early in the season and steve's just getting his barings so to speak, but if it continues ,arbeloa will deserve a chance to show what he can do .
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:50 pmby JoeTerp
I like him, he fits in really well with Rafa's system, both him and Riise are useful in multiple positions at a high level. He is good at defending, likes getting forward and linking/overlapping with the midfield. I would like to think that our long term plans include Insua, but that might tight a while. I think he could work his way into the starting XI next season (or maybe sooner) in the same way that Agger did.
Posted:
Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:36 pmby Huck
Another brilliant business for Real Madrid, which let him go: in my opinion he is an excellent squad player, the typical player that a lot of big clubs which just want to fill the squad with stars (yes, just as Florentino's Real Madrid) lack.
I don't like seeing him play on the left as he has always played at the RB or central; i know that the center is perfectly covered but I would choose him if Carra or Agger miss a match, Alvaro showed his potential in the attack game last season(can you remember his goal??...class) so I think in that position he could reach his top.
Posted:
Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:19 amby Scottbot
Squad player for me, not a week-in-week-out starter. Not sure i see him as playing out of position though, he looks far more comfortable at left-back than right for me. Has been excellent in European games but gets caught out of position a bit too much for my liking in EPL games. He was pretty solid against Chelsea on sunday, he was strong in the tackle and used the ball well but he did get sucked inside and also too far upfield on a few occasions, particularly in the 2nd half when SWP was moved wide right.
I don't think the comparison to Finnan is valid.