Thank God we didn't sign...

[Reece]

He should have had two. Thought the first was going in but simao the keeper pushed it onto the post.

Shocking

[Matt]

Shocking

I hope that simao you'll find it in your heart to forgive me.

[rage]

He's done better than Benayoun, Lucas, Pennat. So I would rather have had Simao

gonzales, leto .....

simao is a class player

[Sarb]

Agree Rage

Just think, Pennant, Lucas, Benayoun, Gonzalez, Leto, Bellamy. All that wasted cash, we could have been well on the way to signing Aguero and Simao. Two class players or 6 mediocre ones

[Mono]

Simao was good last night.... and their biggest threat... gave Arbeloa a torrid evening!
What game were some of you watching!?!?!?!?

[Scratch]

I hope that simao you'll find it in your heart to forgive me.

Is that Sabrosa be funny?

[Parm]

That's bull****. Simao is a class act and is basically the only reason along with Kun and Forlan why Atleti made it into the champions league. He's one of the few Atleti players which aren't hyped through the roof and actually delivers the goods. Even though he has to play on his less favoured left wing to let **** like Maxi Rodriguez play on the right he does it. He scores goals, assists goals and is a top player. Simao has hardly been terrible for the Portuguese team, didn't have a great euro campaign but seriously he's been ****ed around so much by that team it's hardly surprising. At times they prefer Nani to him.

When we had the opportunity to sign him we should have. He has all the qualities we missed and still are missing. A bit of pace, great trickery, versatility to play on both wings, a fantastic goal threat and genuinely dangerous set pieces (if you see how precise some of his free kicks are it's amazing). All I can divulge from reading this is that you don't have a clue what Simao is about.

I'm a fan of Riera, I'm a fan of Simao. Always have been a big fan of both players. I think that Simao is a better player overall but I prefer some of the advantages that Riera brings to a team.

that's not fair on Rafa/the Club, we had agreed a price for him and had him waiting on a plane, but Benifica ****ed us about upon the price and we ended up having the deal fall through. We tried again for him but Benfica still wouldnt agree on a price. Strangley enough he seemed to go for about 14 mill which was more or less what we had offered for him.

[Cormack74]

Where'd you rather have him uptop or an attacking mid?

That's the thing with Simao, it's tricky to know where you would play him. Our weakness is (has been) out wide but he doesn't convince me there. Play him infield and you're running in to Gerrard which makes no sense.

If you consider the money which was spent on attackers like Bellamy, Kuyt, Pennant, Benayoun etc I really think forking out a bit extra for a player who at very least could score a few goals (we've always struggled with goals from attackers whom aren't strikers and aren't Gerrard) and a set piece threat. Also he has the ability to beat his man, something we were missing a lot until Babel and now Riera came. I can't imagine how many points we'd have racked up in the league if we had players that could score more goals from free kicks and take decent corners. That's one of my main concerns under the Rafa era, the corners being disastrous for the duration.

You'll hear no argument from me about dead ball situations.

The bottom line is the opportunity cost of Simao. ie if we had the kind of money needed to sign him a season or two back who else could we have had for the same money ?

Obviously players such as Alves were on the radar and IMO offered more out wide where we've been weak.

I'm not saying Simao is a bad player but I'm not so convinced that we missed out by not signing him to the extent that you possibly do.

[wiw]

I thought Benfica were playing silly buggars with the price anyway? If he was available for what Rafa thought he was worth I'm sure we'd have got him

[Nick77]

i thought he played ok tbh

But do u think he's worth 14 million pounds?
All I'm saying is I'm glad we never overpaid 2 get his services...

[Nick77]

He's done better than Benayoun, Lucas, Pennat. So I would rather have had Simao

Yes but their price tags combined is what Simao cost.

[Nick77]

At times they prefer Nani to him.

Nani is better than Simao imo...

[PTP]

i'd take simao - defintatley, he played pretty decent last nigh and i'd agree with what other have said that he is the kind of player we still lack - i am happy with rafa and his signings and he has done a good job - and at the time i agreed with why we didn't pay the £12m or whatever for him - iirc wasn't the deal going through for about £8m or so until we got messed around and the price was bumped at the last minute so we said **** off - fair enough - but right now i'd happily swap pennant and benayoun and say £5m for simao as imo that would improve our squad - he'd be a much better option than benayoun and losing pennant wouldn't effect us as it looks like el zhar is overtaking him in the pecking order anyway.

I'm not arguing that Simao is world beater, but he is a good player and he would improve our squad for sure and for i don't know if there is anyone better for say £14m or less - if there is I can't think at the mo

[DannyMan2006]

Agree Rage

Just think, Pennant, Lucas, Benayoun, Gonzalez, Leto, Bellamy. All that wasted cash, we could have been well on the way to signing Aguero and Simao. Two class players or 6 mediocre ones

Those in bold were sold at a profit. The others are still at the club. I'm not a big fan of the other palyers you mentioned but that's life.

[breffniboy]

Forget Simao, the real lucky transfer escape we've had under Rafa was not getting David Bentley. When he clambers down out of his own anointed arse he might get back to playing a bit of decent footy again but for now, Tottenham are welcome to him cos' he's just going through the motions. I always suspected he was a bit too fond of himself to be a Rafa player.

Phew!