West Ham Build-up

[Pablo]

He did make a couple of great blocks against Marseille.

Earlier in the season he was steady without being spectacular, his last few performaces have been very poor though admitedly, I think you can see he has some talent, great techinique with his crosses, just severley lacking in condifence at the minute.

[dww]

I think he has done well in patches - but I'm not sure that is really a great thing - defending is all about consistency and the unit knowing what one another will do. I think he started well in the Tottenham league game and made good blocks in the Marseille games. I know he also ****ed things up but until the end of the season I think I am going to look at the positives in him and hope that he does too and develops into a good player.

Thats not to say that I think he has been good or even acceptable up to now.

[Craig_H]

He did make a couple of great blocks against Marseille.

Earlier in the season he was steady without being spectacular, his last few performaces have been very poor though admitedly, I think you can see he has some talent, great techinique with his crosses, just severley lacking in condifence at the minute.

That's the thing though - you say that, but i CANT see any real talent.

[Craig_H]

I think he has done well in patches - but I'm not sure that is really a great thing - defending is all about consistency and the unit knowing what one another will do. I think he started well in the Tottenham league game and made good blocks in the Marseille games. I know he also ****ed things up but until the end of the season I think I am going to look at the positives in him and hope that he does too and develops into a good player.

Thats not to say that I think he has been good or even acceptable up to now.

Nowt wrong with your viewpoint, but i'm just not sure we can afford to carry him. As you say, a good defence is a unit and he stands out like a sore thumb. That Carling Cup game was a good example of Agger and Hyypia being made to look ****, because they were regularly needed to cover for his ineptitude.

[Pablo]

That's the thing though - you say that, but i CANT see any real talent.

Fair enough, you're entitled to your opinion and I can see where you're coming from. Hes probably the worst player in our squad right now, but compare that to our equivalent worst player a couple of years ago and the difference is massive.

He and Lucas are probably the only two players I still currently feel a bit nervous about being on the team sheet now and they are both pretty decent players if truth be told.

[Craig_H]

I've not seen anything to suggest Dossena is even decent mate. His performances have stood out as very poor and in our situation, where every game is important, i dont think we can carry passengers.

[Matt]

Interesting post about Arbeloa. I'd much rather he stay at right back. A settled defense as far as we can manage would be nice and I always think is the best way to go. I can only think we want to put Hyypia in CB to combat Carlton Cole and/or Rafa has given up on Dossena for at least the near future if we move Carra to right back. I really can't imagine we will be giving Darby a game.

Darby wasn't in the squad listed on the Beeb.

[BigChief]

If we had played yesterday we would have dropped points, but it's the 1st of December, no November or Manager of the Month curse now

Good post, this point can never be overstated. Our bad month is finally over where we dropped needless points to Spurs and Fulham. Now to give someone a spankin' that's been a waitin'.

[BigChief]

If Dossena had been a Chelsea or Man Utd player and performed as he has done for us, we'd be pissing ourselves and acknowledging how ****e he's been. Now obviously i'm not saying we should be laughing or even calling him ****e, but i also dont see the necessity to convince ourselves that there's been glimpses of quality from him, because there certainly havent. Not defensively anyway.

I struggle to remember in which parts of which games he's shown defensive ability. Personally, i've seen practically none.

Thing is a talentless Dossena did play for manure, and we did p*ss ourselves laughing. But then all of a sudden he became Evra and we all wondered how.

I am still scared when I see him run out for us, but he does seem to have something about him which is waiting to manifest. I just hope he becomes our Evra, and soon. But he needs some games for that.

[dww]

Darby wasn't in the squad listed on the Beeb.

Insua and Dossena are though which would IMO seem to increase the chances of Arbeloa at right back.

Liverpool (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Hyypia, Dossena, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Babel, Kuyt, Keane, Ngog, Riera, Cavalieri, Lucas, Insua, El Zhar.

[meffin]

id be happy with a simply 5-0 victory tonight

[DannyMan2006]

Darby wasn't in the squad listed on the Beeb.

That's 'cos he is injured, which is a shame.

Personally I'd start Dossena and see how he goes. If he costs us the performance then I'd have to say that would be the end of him for me. I don't see how he could play without being under immense pressure all the time.

A good performane tonight could be the making of him.

[meffin]

That's 'cos he is injured, which is a shame.

Personally I'd start Dossena and see how he goes. If he costs us the performance then I'd have to say that would be the end of him for me. I don't see how he could play without being under immense pressure all the time.

A good performane tonight could be the making of him.

agree that dossena shold get a chance, and that it should be his last if he messes up royaly yet again

[Reece]

God in the Setanta studio for the game

[dww]

No Macca/Spacka combo then. Very disappointing.