If we are still in the hunt come January...

[dww]

But would incorporating Beye into the team be less risky than relying on Arbeloa, Degen or even Darby for the rest of the season?

I’m not saying the RB position can’t be strengthened, but I’d be more inclined to go for a longer term solution.

I do agree about Finnan though, not sure what Rafa had against him.

Finnan was poor mostly when he played last year. He looked past it. I'd have said he was worse than Riise and very few people argue that his sale was unjustified.

[RedReet]

I wasn’t just talking about the sale. Even though Finnan was one of our most consistant performers since rafa joined, he always tried to replace him. Josemi, Kronkamp, Arbeloa all spring to mind.

[Woobus]

I wasn’t just talking about the sale. Even though Finnan was one of our most consistant performers since rafa joined, he always tried to replace him. Josemi, Kronkamp, Arbeloa all spring to mind.

Would that not be more having back up and competition for Finnans place?

[RedReet]

Well Josemi was bought to be first choice. Kronkamp is debatable, although if he has of settled I wouldn’t have been too surprised to see him displace him. Arbeloa now has his place.

[Resu]

Would that not be more having back up and competition for Finnans place?

I think Rafa rated Finnan enough to not wanting to replace him with a expensive player (unlike the Riise-Dossena deal). Josemi didn`t work out, neither did Kromkamp. Then Rafa spotted a good buy in Arbeloa (£2,6M). So the way I see Rafa thought that Finnan was good enough to not have to spend £5m+ for a replacement, but if a good player was available on the cheap Finnan was replaceable.

[Shaggy]

Off topic slightly but does anyone know how Finnan's getting on in Spain? Getting a regular game?

[RedReet]

Not sure recently, but know he's been injured most of the time.

[Woobus]

Well Josemi was bought to be first choice. Kronkamp is debatable, although if he has of settled I wouldn’t have been too surprised to see him displace him. Arbeloa now has his place.

Yup will agree with Josemi. I remember reading something about Rafa not rating him when he first became manager but after the first season he realised how good Finnan actually was.

[DannyMan2006]

I think Rafa rated Finnan enough to not wanting to replace him with a expensive player (unlike the Riise-Dossena deal). Josemi didn`t work out, neither did Kromkamp. Then Rafa spotted a good buy in Arbeloa (£2,6M). So the way I see Rafa thought that Finnan was good enough to not have to spend £5m+ for a replacement, but if a good player was available on the cheap Finnan was replaceable.

Arbeloa was played quite a bit at left back when brought in As he was a centre back in Spain you could argue he was brought in as a utility player. The season prior to Rafa taking over Finnan was very poor, hence Josemi was brought in as first choice.

The signing of Kronkamp was merely to get a saleable option for the summer and of course short term cover who by January was playing very well. Of course had Kronkamp been a smash hit, he would have been the first choice right back over Finnan, but I can't see why anyone would argue about that.

Fast Forward to last season and it was clear Finnan wasnot at the levels he once was. So this summer he was replaced by a very good RB in Degen, who arrived on a free whilst Finnan was sold for cash. Not a bad deal on the outset.

Of course Degen could now prove to be rubbish, but it's difficult to say judging by his excellent performances for the Swiss team. He could also prove to be injury prone, but as the one at Dortmond was his first long term injury, again that would be difficult to predict.

No doubt if Degen does not prove to be a hit he will be replaced, maybe we'd be back in for Rafinha. But that is for the summer. In the mean time lets see if Degen inproves. And there is always Darby. He was great in the Reserves and I for one am always moaning of class players in the reserves not getting a chance.

A yellow card for Arbeloa could be his chance.

[DannyMan2006]

Not sure recently, but know he's been injured most of the time.

This shows to me that maybe Rafa was right to release Finnan. Whether or not he brought in an adequate replacement or not is an answer we will know in the future.

Yup will agree with Josemi. I remember reading something about Rafa not rating him when he first became manager but after the first season he realised how good Finnan actually was.

Exactly how I remember it.

[Resu]

Arbeloa was played quite a bit at left back when brought in As he was a centre back in Spain you could argue he was brought in as a utility player. The season prior to Rafa taking over Finnan was very poor, hence Josemi was brought in as first choice.

The signing of Kronkamp was merely to get a saleable option for the summer and of course short term cover who by January was playing very well. Of course had Kronkamp been a smash hit, he would have been the first choice right back over Finnan, but I can't see why anyone would argue about that.

Fast Forward to last season and it was clear Finnan wasnot at the levels he once was. So this summer he was replaced by a very good RB in Degen, who arrived on a free whilst Finnan was sold for cash. Not a bad deal on the outset.

Of course Degen could now prove to be rubbish, but it's difficult to say judging by his excellent performances for the Swiss team. He could also prove to be injury prone, but as the one at Dortmond was his first long term injury, again that would be difficult to predict.

No doubt if Degen does not prove to be a hit he will be replaced, maybe we'd be back in for Rafinha. But that is for the summer. In the mean time lets see if Degen inproves. And there is always Darby. He was great in the Reserves and I for one am always moaning of class players in the reserves not getting a chance.

A yellow card for Arbeloa could be his chance.

Agree with what you say. Rafa thought that Josemi was equal to/better than Finnan, but he soon realized he wasn`t. At that point Rafa saw that Finnan was a good player, and getting someone clearly better than him would cost a lot. The Josemi/Kromkamp deals shows one of Rafas biggest strengths over Houllier. Rafa regonizes his maistakes and moves the player on. (like he did with Morientes and Bellamy).
Arbeloa was probably was probably bought as a cheap utility player, but have performed well as RB. This is probably why Rafa took the "gamble" on Degen and opted to spend big on Dossena. He was more comfortable with Arbeloa on the right than with Aurelio on the left.

[dww]

I wasn’t just talking about the sale. Even though Finnan was one of our most consistant performers since rafa joined, he always tried to replace him. Josemi, Kronkamp, Arbeloa all spring to mind.

I think that at first he just thought he was crap. Finnan proved himself but Rafa thought he was going to age and needed backup. No one complains when we bring in Agger and Skrtel to compete for the CB slots. I also think that Finnan while a solid player sometimes lacked what was needed at the highest level and for several seasons was targetted by teams with high diagonal balls to great effect by many opposition sides.

[billy_mac]

Off topic slightly but does anyone know how Finnan's getting on in Spain? Getting a regular game?

He got injured while playing left back in his first match. He should be due back around now.

[billy_mac]

Hopefully by Christmas Degen will have a few games under his belt and settled at the club. More or less every new player that joins the club mentions that they initially struggle with the strenuous training routine Rafa puts them through. Added to the fact Beye would have to get used to playing with new players and a new system (zonal marking etc.) I wouldn’t be any more confident that he could slot in right away and deputise comfortably any more than Degen or Darby. He could possibly be a better player, but the experience the other two have with working with Rafa and training with the rest of the team could prove more valuable.

I kind of half see what your saying, but I don't see a 31 year old right back having any problems adjusting to any team as long as he's played in position. Beye has looked a good right back since the first match I seen him play for the barcode battlers. The question was who if anybody would we buy, that's who I'd buy if anybody in a realistic sense.

[JohnDoe]

I think we need to invest in a traditional right winger who can offer us what Riera does on the left. An improvement on Pennant.