Insua

[BillobShaisley]

..... defensively sound players like Hyppia, Finnan and Riise and replaces them with the likes of Dossena, Johnson, Degen et al who can't defend for toffee.
Maybe I'm blaming the wrong man, but **** it, I've enough things to blame Rafa for already.

Has Finnan played 2 games in a row since he left us? I don't think most fans realise how old and injured he is.

Riise's 'defensive solidity' seems to have improved in correlation with how our memories blurred. Arbeloa has been a big loss this year, but again the lure of Real Madrid was too much and we're not in a position to throw away the cash and let him go for free. The big greek has covered adequately for Hyypia this year.

[Exiled_red]

Has Finnan played 2 games in a row since he left us? I don't think most fans realise how old and injured he is.

Riise's 'defensive solidity' seems to have improved in correlation with how our memories blurred. Arbeloa has been a big loss this year, but again the lure of Real Madrid was too much and we're not in a position to throw away the cash and let him go for free. The big greek has covered adequately for Hyypia this year.

I do think we've missed Sami this year, Kyriakos has done well but he's not the old calm composed experienced head that Sami was. Kyriakos is a bit more gung ho, diving in and well nuts. Carragher is a shouter, and Agger and Skrtel aren't really leaders, I think Sami is the type of player who could quietly encourage the likes of Insua, and I'm not sure the current squad has that.

[dww]

I do think we've missed Sami this year, Kyriakos has done well but he's not the old calm composed experienced head that Sami was. Kyriakos is a bit more gung ho, diving in and well nuts. Carragher is a shouter, and Agger and Skrtel aren't really leaders, I think Sami is the type of player who could quietly encourage the likes of Insua, and I'm not sure the current squad has that.

I also think it's his influence around the squad in general we miss. Experienced players help the group sometimes even if they don't play.

I think Kyrgiakos has performed well enough but as you say he doesn't bring the leadership characteristics of Sami to the table. Although that may be slightly unfair as Rafa said that he was surprised by how little English he spoke when he arrived. That last point (along with the comments attributed to Alex Miller in a recent thread) do make you wonder about some of our scouting.

[lickedlollipop]

/.../ do make you wonder about some of our scouting.

it s00x.