Post match v Reading

[Howard_lfc]

I think hes a good squad player les mate, youre not alone!

Wether people rate him or not, I still believe the service he has given us down the years warrants better treatment from our fans. Some of the abuse he gets is disgraceful

Nice one lid!

Free the John Arne Riise two !!!!!

[tomasjj]

Anyone said Riise?

[Alpha]

I'm not the sole Riise flame carrier on here. There others who also stated that he's a useful squad member and has been of good service to us since 2001. Maybe I've carried that arguement on too long now as people are now tarring me with that particular brush.

So £17m is the going rate for a holding midfielder? I seem to remember the laughter on here when Carrick went to ManU for that ridiculous amount. All of a sudden it's become the going rate!
I'll believe Masher is a monster when I see monster performances. This season he's been average. Nothing more.

It comes down to whether you want to base your decision on a few below-par performances or the class he has displayed during his career so far for both club and country.

As for Riise, I think a move would do him good as well as us. He doesn't seem to have the same zest he once did.

[Howard_lfc]

It comes down to whether you want to base your decision on a few below-par performances or the class he has displayed during his career so far for both club and country.

As for Riise, I think a move would do him good as well as us. He doesn't seem to have the same zest he once did.

Not interested one iota what Masher's done before. That's gone. History. I'm more interested in what I'm seeing now - and to be honest it's nowhere as good as what a lot of people are making out. You mention he's below-par but other people say he was very good against Reading. Just shows that we all have opinions I suppose.

Maybe a move for Riise would do him good. I certainly wouldn't be against selling him for a profit after getting 6 seasons out of him, if we had a replacement. However, he'd go with my blessing and not a 'thank god he's ****e anyway'.

[AFII]

Not interested one iota what Masher's done before. That's gone. History. I'm more interested in what I'm seeing now - and to be honest it's nowhere as good as what a lot of people are making out. You mention he's below-par but other people say he was very good against Reading. Just shows that we all have opinions I suppose.

Maybe a move for Riise would do him good. I certainly wouldn't be against selling him for a profit after getting 6 seasons out of him, if we had a replacement. However, he'd go with my blessing and not a 'thank god he's ****e anyway'.

You can't judge anyone of our central midfielders who play with Sissoko because he can't play his normal game. The reason is that you know what you will get from Gerrard, Alonso or Lucas but Sissoko can lose the ball when you least expect him to do it or miss a five yard pass.

Mascherano is excellent when he plays with Gerrard or Alonso.

[Alpha]

Not interested one iota what Masher's done before. That's gone. History. I'm more interested in what I'm seeing now - and to be honest it's nowhere as good as what a lot of people are making out. You mention he's below-par but other people say he was very good against Reading. Just shows that we all have opinions I suppose.

Maybe a move for Riise would do him good. I certainly wouldn't be against selling him for a profit after getting 6 seasons out of him, if we had a replacement. However, he'd go with my blessing and not a 'thank god he's ****e anyway'.

Fair enough. It's worth remembering the reason why Mascherano is valued at £17 million though. It isn't just Joorabchian trying it on. Personally, I believe Masher is the best in the business at what he does, even if he hasn't been showing it as much lately. We are lucky to have him and lucky he wants to stay. I actually think the asking price is reasonable.

And Riise definately deserves some respect for what he has done for us.

[The Glove]

I'm not the sole Riise flame carrier on here. There others who also stated that he's a useful squad member and has been of good service to us since 2001.

Not interested one iota what Masher's done before. That's gone. History. I'm more interested in what I'm seeing now - and to be honest it's nowhere as good as what a lot of people are making out.

So then, it applies to Riise but not Mascherano?

Granted Riise has served a purpose but since Mascherano cant live on past glories, why should Riise?

[Alpha]

So then, it applies to Riise but not Mascherano?

Granted Riise has served a purpose but since Mascherano cant live on past glories, why should Riise?

[peekay]

It comes down to whether you want to base your decision on a few below-par performances or the class he has displayed during his career so far for both club and country.

As for Riise, I think a move would do him good as well as us. He doesn't seem to have the same zest he once did.

He has always had alternate good and bad seasons. He has continued the same trend with Rafa.
I think now he knows that the chances of him remaining at liverpool is very slim. Everybody was offered a contract extension,including Crouch, and he was not.

[kopash]

So then, it applies to Riise but not Mascherano?

Granted Riise has served a purpose but since Mascherano cant live on past glories, why should Riise?

agreeing a lot with you today.

He's done a good job for us but is no longer of the standard required for the system and style of football we play under Rafa. We move on.

I think Crouch has done his bit for us too - I think it may be time for him to move on too. Only my opinion of course.

[redblood]

I like Mascherano but hes a pure holding player, he sits wins possession then gives the ball simply, he cant knock 40 or 50 yard killer passes thats not his game. Thats not to say hes a poor player on the contrary hes exceptional at what he does

So alongside him you need footballers who can effect the game. Saturday we had Gerrard (yes he can do this) and Sissoko (who cant).

Sissoko is a shadow of the player he was first season, since the eye injury his passing has degraded, it wasnt his strongpoint initially but it was better than it is currently.

Against Newcastle we had Sissoko, Lucas & Gerrard in the midfield, both Lucas and Gerrard effect your forward play so really that masks Momo's deficiencies. when Mascherano is there it highlights them

Mascherano is fine provided in 4-4-2 if hes got one of Gerrard, Alonso or Lucas alongside him, he will be ok in a 4-3-3 with two of those players in it, but the moment you add Sissoko into that its an accident waiting to happen and affects the general play of your whole side

Very much agree with what you've said there mate and playing a combination of any 3 of those 4 will work IMO, Momo is not going to be considered unless we have serious injuries, he is not good enough and disrupts our passing rythm when he plays.
Lucas playing on Saturday would've made it a completely different game just that change no one else.

[AFII]

Sell Riise, Sissoko and Carson.

We need the £20m-£25m we would get for them but we don't need anyone of them. We have other better options, like Insua for example.

[The Glove]

agreeing a lot with you today.

He's done a good job for us but is no longer of the standard required for the system and style of football we play under Rafa. We move on.

I think Crouch has done his bit for us too - I think it may be time for him to move on too. Only my opinion of course.

As for Crouchie, you may well be right and I can see the thinking but I still think he has his uses. Not as first choice mind but there isnt much choice other wise just now.

[kopash]

As for Crouchie, you may well be right and I can see the thinking but I still think he has his uses. Not as first choice mind but there isnt much choice other wise just now.

totally agree. I would not sell Crouchie till we have a decent partner for Torres sorted. Be it Aguero as a few have suggested or whoever. That said his contract is running low and if Rafa needs to balance the books I would back his sale in Jan knowing he would fetch more than Kuyt.

Voronin I would keep as 4th choice as he seems happy enough with it and you need players like that. Also not had enough time to judge him properly yet...

[Howard_lfc]

So then, it applies to Riise but not Mascherano?

Granted Riise has served a purpose but since Mascherano cant live on past glories, why should Riise?

Coz I'm looking at a player who's supposed to be a monster, and I'm not seeing it. People are now even suggesting he needs to play alongside a certain type of player to get the best out of him. This is a £17m player who some people claim can be the best in the world. Doesn't sound like it to me. give me a young Didi Hamman any day.