Riera

[BFG]

He's not playing well at the moment but that doesn't make him a bad player. Don't you love forums when we don't win.

[red g]

dossena must of had a leg implant cos he looked quite quick last night

think he has lost a few pounds as well

[memzey]

To be fair to him he's always been quite fast for a fat bloke

[Roboklopp]

Who let this cunt back in the forum??

[Subby]

If Dossena can control the ball a bit better, he could be a real over-lapping threat for us down the wing.

control the ball...pass the ball....run with the ball...cross the ball...collect the ball....the list goes on...he's pants. God only knows how he's in the Italian team

[Reece]

I like him don't get me wrong, but has anyone ever seen Riera use his right foot?

[Subby]

Riera keeps drifting infield :angry: I feel like getting Mascher to kick his arse to the sidelines

[BFG]

I like him don't get me wrong, but has anyone ever seen Riera use his right foot?

It's a rarity though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOyc8hZS2pc

[memzey]

Riera keeps drifting infield :angry: I feel like getting Mascher to kick his arse to the sidelines

Agreed. This really annoys me too. I want him stay out wide and stretch the opposition as much as possible.

[saj]

Bollix he has had 3 off par games .. the lad was prossibly is knackered .. he has had more time on the pitch than any other player up until recently .. he is a qaulity and if you can see that then your opinion is not one which I will give any credence what so ever

OK, if you want credence, name 3 teams he's played well against in the last 2 months? And stats don't lie - 1 assist for a winger is very Pennant like. At least Pennant could beat his man and put a half decent cross in.

[Tee]

Riera needs to raise his game because his position is starting to look vulnerable.

Dossena is a classic example of the right player in the wrong league syndrome. He is just not a PL player IMO. That does not make him a bad player, but it seems clear to me the slower pace in Serie A would actually make him look a very good player whereas the PL makes him look laboured and pretty average at best.

[Kenneth]

Riera keeps drifting infield :angry: I feel like getting Mascher to kick his arse to the sidelines

His choice, or Rafa's?

[wiw]

We're not getting him the ball high enough up the pitch for me. He doesn't lose it often, but he lacks pace so he doesn't get very far when he's deep. We don't get nearly enough people in the box either so this can't help his assist stats

[Cormack74]

We're not getting him the ball high enough up the pitch for me. He doesn't lose it often, but he lacks pace so he doesn't get very far when he's deep. We don't get nearly enough people in the box either so this can't help his assist stats

[saj]

Riera needs to raise his game because his position is starting to look vulnerable.

Dossena is a classic example of the right player in the wrong league syndrome. He is just not a PL player IMO. That does not make him a bad player, but it seems clear to me the slower pace in Serie A would actually make him look a very good player whereas the PL makes him look laboured and pretty average at best.

I'm not a Riera fan and never have been and never will be. The player we signed is the player we got - it's as simple as that. We paid £5-7m, and we ended up with a £5-7m player. Signing Riera and hoping he would turn into a world class winger is just plain deluded. He's a steady winger who holds his position well. But lately (last 3 months) he's been drifting in field - why? Cos he's just not good enough to go around the outside and if he comes infield then he has more space to move into. What he has offered us great cover for the full backs - but what's the primary job of a winger? Answer: Beat men and create opportunities. He does neither. He's got 1 assist I think and that came against Blackburn. That's shocking for a person many believed turned water into wine on his debut against Man United (scum). People slate Aaron Lennon and say he has no end product - these are people who have probably only seen him play 3 times. He frequently beats his man, creates opportunities and actually gets to the byline. I think you'll find that has a lot more assists than Riera too - I'd take him over Riera any day.

Gutiearrez of Newcastle is another winger that makes Riera look like an amateur and really is a player who Rafa should consider using that big bulk of money that he recouped on Robbie Keane. He works as hard as Kuyt and can actually beat his man and cross the ball like a winger.