Utd - Liverpool post match

[Fernandinho]

Probably because half of them haven't/weren't replaced with a player as good or better then them...

[Craig_H]

This seems like such a pointless debate. And i know, i've seen (started ) a few.

Poulsen is never going to be a patch on Judas. Full stop.

[dww]

Very underrated on the ball if you ask me. Obviously he's no Alonso but by the same token he's also no Sissoko. Seems to be a fair bit of revisionism going on here. Now he's gone Mascherano is suddenly a black hole for the ball. I think that's garbage.

It is very odd. Mascherano was a good quick passer short and he could sing the ball to switch play. His longer balls were often harder to control than those of someone like Alonso but they were usually safe from interception and played as soon as the opportunity arose. Poulsen dithers, makes average decisions with the ball and to my mind doesn't appear any more accurate than Mascher.

The sole advantages Konchesky and Poulsen have over Insua and Mascherano is that they are taller.

[Reece]

Everytime a good player leaves us some seem to elevate him to legendary, world class, irreplaceable status.

In the case of Mascherano, whilst he may not have been irreplaceable, he was certainly world class in his position.

[Craig_H]

In the case of Mascherano, whilst he may not have been irreplaceable, he was certainly world class in his position.

Without a shadow of a doubt. Him and Essien are the best in the world in that role.

[Pablo]

It took Lucas over 50 games to go from poor to average can we at least give Poulsen half a season before we make such rash judgments on him?

No

[dww]

Everytime a good player leaves us some seem to elevate him to legendary, world class, irreplaceable status.

The thing is that most people would suggest that Mascherano and Alonso were in the top one or two players of their style in the world. There is an argument that their styles of play are not the optimal one to have, particularly in the PL, but they are more or less irreplaceable, especially if you consider our financial situation. We haven't been replacing top level players with equivalent ability but differing styles we have simply been downgrading.

[The Birdman]

No one was saying he's class just that he's comfortable in possession, I don't think anyone can deny that. He accelerated quite well with the ball too for someone of his position.

Well, the thing is none of those players you mentioned, apart from Song are DM's. Yes, the others do, or sometimes sit deep, but none of them are defensive midfielders, so the comparisons are void.

Zap mate did you see the ' around 'defensive'??
I said all of those players play as the 'defensive' midfielder in their teams which makes the comparison spot on because Mascherano played as the 'defensive' midfielder in out teams or maybe I missed him playing wide or off Torres???

The point I am making is all those teams are better than us currently and they use 'deeper' or 'defensive' midfielders who are all more comfortable in possession and less manic or franetic than Mascherano is.

Time will tell how well Poulson does but for me he is two footed, experienced and uses the ball well.

It's very, very easy for people to have pre conceived ideas about players because they replace x or y in the team when no 2 players are alike in style or impact.

[Fredo]

So you didn't see Poulson get his head up, move the ball out of his feet and see the run then practically place an inch perfect pass onto Meriles head from around 60 yards???

You saw a hopeful punt?? What Carra does every other ****ing minute is a hopeful punt, that pass (and I'm only talking about that one not his passing in general) was brilliant and if Alonso had done that onto the head of Ronaldo you'd all be wanking over it on here crying over spilt milk.


I haven't once said in any post that Poulson is better than Mascherano but Mascherano has left so it pisses me off that we have fans crying over someone who blatently refused to play away to Man City to manovere a move.

Everytime a good player leaves us some seem to elevate him to legendary, world class, irreplaceable status.

Yes he got his head up and punted it forward, it was nowhere an 'inch perfect' pass. If it had been, Meireles would have probably scored (or got it on target at least) as he was in a good position and as you said, he 'peeled off' Evra.

Mascherano isn't 'irreplaceable' and I've not said he was 'legendary' either, but Poulsen is a downgrade, of that I'm certain.

I'm not calling Poulsen a failure yet, he's only played a handful of games for us so it's too early to judge but he's not a newcomer and I've seen him play a fair bit to state with some accuracy, that he's not someone you'll marvel at his passing game.

[The Birdman]

The thing is that most people would suggest that Mascherano and Alonso were in the top one or two players of their style in the world. There is an argument that their styles of play are not the optimal one to have, particularly in the PL, but they are more or less irreplaceable, especially if you consider our financial situation. We haven't been replacing top level players with equivalent ability but differing styles we have simply been downgrading.

Yes we have but that isn't Poulson's fault, it annoys the **** out of me that fans compare current players who want to play for the club against past players who wanted to leave (for whatever reasons)

There isn't another player in the style of Mascherano in world football (that I can think of) and currently around 6-8 teams in the PL are better than us without having a player of his 'style' or perceived class in their sides.

Maybe Poulson's style will be more effective in the PL (after he has settled in) maybe it won't be but one things for sure Mascherano played all last season and we were terrible.
Sometimes a 'worse' player with a better attitude is worth 10 times the performances of a 'better' player with a bad attitude

[The Birdman]

Yes he got his head up and punted it forward, it was nowhere an 'inch perfect' pass. If it had been, Meireles would have probably scored (or got it on target at least) as he was in a good position and as you said, he 'peeled off' Evra.

Mascherano isn't 'irreplaceable' and I've not said he was 'legendary' either, but Poulsen is a downgrade, of that I'm certain.

I'm not calling Poulsen a failure yet, he's only played a handful of games for us so it's too early to judge but he's not a newcomer and I've seen him play a fair bit to state with some accuracy, that he's not someone you'll marvel at his passing game.

Mate if you think that was a hopeful ball downfield or a punt that that speaks volumes about your knowledge of football.
Because of that I respectfully withdraw from this discussion with you before I cause you some offence

[Fredo]

Sometimes a 'worse' player with a better attitude is worth 10 times the performances of a 'better' player with a bad attitude

I'd criticise Mascher's attitude only for the first few matches when he started last year, when his head wasn't right, it was fairly noticeable that he hadn't shaken off the disillusionment of his move to Barca falling off.

Apart from that I thought he did really well. The team's performances on the whole cannot be attributed to one individual only. I thought his attitude was spot on for most times, same can be said for his one and only match this season, against Arsenal, where he was arguably our best player.

[Fredo]

Mate if you think that was a hopeful ball downfield or a punt that that speaks volumes about your knowledge of football.
Because of that I respectfully withdraw from this discussion with you before I cause you some offence

Click on this link, go to the 10:25 mark approx. and you'll see it again. Two players were asking for the ball, Ngog and Meireles. Poulsen hoofed it in the hope one of them would get it. If that was a clear pass to Meireles, then I don't know what to add.

http://www.timesoccer.com/video/03/14-manchester-united-vs-liverpool-live-highlights.html

[little dave hedgehog]

i think it was a little hopeful, but he was clearly looking for meireles there.

[Neil Young]

It took Lucas over 50 games to go from poor to average can we at least give Poulsen half a season before we make such rash judgments on him?

That's a fair point - he might well look more assured as he adapts to new team-mates and a new league.

Also though I think it's important to remember that Lucas joined as a young lad and, at 23, almost certainly will improve. We've seen Poulsen (intermittently) for years and at 30 he's only going to decline from the uninspiring standards he's set elsewhere.

That's not a rash judgement.