Raul Meireles

[dom9]

Liverpools problem under Rafa was the inability to sign the top players. And that's why we end up with gambles. Agreed in that every signing is a gamble, but when you ate competing for European Cups and Premier league titles then if you end up without the players you want sometimes you pay.

The players we missed out on reads back as a whose who of world class players, be they Malouda, Alves, Villa, Eto'o, Vidic or Evra. Soon we'll be in a position to attract them and what we need is a manager to recognise the top talent and mould them.

Alonso
Torres
Reina
Mascherano

[Imy]

Alonso
Torres
Reina
Mascherano

Yes we attracted some BUT look at the ones we missed out on due to the lack of funds:

Villa
Alves
Malouda
Evra
Vidic
Ronaldo

[danperkins]

Big difference between playing with wingers, and playing with width.

We do neither.

[danperkins]

Messi made his name in wide areas???

HMMMMMMMMMMM

Not convinced of that one

Fact is very few of those players are out and out wingers

In fact there are virtually no out and out wingers anywhere these days its an old fashioned term for a player that no longer exists

Well like i said whether it is out and out wingers, or players who are good in wide areas is irrelevant, we don't have any as Buzzo quite rightly pointed out.

Malouda: Left Wing
Nani: Right/Left wing
Iniesta: Left Wing
Giggs: Left Wing
Messi: Made his name at RM
Ronaldo: Made his name at RM

The one that cuts in all the time is Messi, and well sure he's Messi so we can excuse him. All the rest got down the line or do get down the line and get delivery in, Iniesta to a lesser extent but he's also world class so we can forgive him. Anyways whatever way you look at it we need option sin wide areas, whether they are out and out wingers or players that can get deliver in form the wings i don't really care.

[Arn]

Yes we attracted some BUT look at the ones we missed out on due to the lack of funds:

Villa
Alves
Malouda
Evra
Vidic
Ronaldo

Aguero
Pato
Walcott

[Buzzo]

Aguero
Pato
Walcott

Walcott would have been a great buy. Still raw but still has loads of potential. Lightening fast and can play wide or through the middle.

I'd settle for Aguero - I imagine that he has just been waiting at AM until we can afford him.

[Lecter]

Well like i said whether it is out and out wingers, or players who are good in wide areas is irrelevant, we don't have any as Buzzo quite rightly pointed out.

Malouda: Left Wing
Nani: Right/Left wing
Iniesta: Left Wing
Giggs: Left Wing
Messi: Made his name at RM
Ronaldo: Made his name at RM

The one that cuts in all the time is Messi, and well sure he's Messi so we can excuse him. All the rest got down the line or do get down the line and get delivery in, Iniesta to a lesser extent but he's also world class so we can forgive him. Anyways whatever way you look at it we need option sin wide areas, whether they are out and out wingers or players that can get deliver in form the wings i don't really care.

I think you are starting to dream stuff up

Messi never made his name as a right midfielder

All of those players you have listed have one thing in common more than anything

A willingness to come inside and join up with front men, more than anythng that is what they do, more than putting quality balls into the box as you have suggested it is the willingness to get up and support their front man

I've no doubt we need width in our side but I wouldnt go for a deadicated genuine out and out wide player

I'd be more concerned about getting midfielders who join up with the front man

All of this talk is kind of irrelevant anyway widemen wont make a difference to Roy's system and tactics and unless you have a crystal ball we dont know what any future managers tactics and systems are going to be

[Rich]

A star of Portugal's World Cup 2010 campaign, he's regarded by many as one of the finest all-round midfielders in Europe.

Not my words - those on the offal. Bit silly really. I bet if you asked most people to reel off 10 top class midfielders in Europe you wouldn't get many Meireles mentions.

[DannyMan2006]

Alonso
Torres
Reina
Mascherano

Top players now......

Who wanted Masch? Who'd take a gamble on Torres? Who'd heard of Barca reject Pepe? Real Madrid baulked at the £10m price tag for Alonso.

But tbh, they did cost big money and they are perfect proof of what Rafa could do with big money.

Keane was a flop, but Rafa didn't even want him signed. Aquilani never got a chance to show what he could do. I was looking forward to seeing him this year but it wasn't to be.

[cream]

Yes we attracted some BUT look at the ones we missed out on due to the lack of funds:

Villa
Alves
Malouda
Evra
Vidic
Ronaldo

I don't think it was a lack of money, more the unwillingness to pay what deemed to be a high fee young potential, and in some cases, unproven talent. NESV look to do the opposite, they'll be willing to invest heavily in potential.

[red g]

A star of Portugal's World Cup 2010 campaign, he's regarded by many as one of the finest all-round midfielders in Europe.

Not my words - those on the offal. Bit silly really. I bet if you asked most people to reel off 10 top class midfielders in Europe you wouldn't get many Meireles mentions.

actually if you type into google

"one of the finest all-round midfielders in Europe"

merieles comes top

[danperkins]

I think you are starting to dream stuff up

Messi never made his name as a right midfielder

All of those players you have listed have one thing in common more than anything

A willingness to come inside and join up with front men, more than anythng that is what they do, more than putting quality balls into the box as you have suggested it is the willingness to get up and support their front man

I've no doubt we need width in our side but I wouldnt go for a deadicated genuine out and out wide player

I'd be more concerned about getting midfielders who join up with the front man

All of this talk is kind of irrelevant anyway widemen wont make a difference to Roy's system and tactics and unless you have a crystal ball we dont know what any future managers tactics and systems are going to be

It would depend on who we get, like i said whether its an out and out wide player or someone that can provide service from wide areas i don't really care once it works! At the moment and for a long time we have had neither.

God only knows how much Roy will have to spend, who he will sell and more importantly who he will buy, if Poulsen and The Konch are anything to go by i'm very worried. The only thing without making excuses is that they were rushed buys in a dwindling market, with severe lack of funds, well thats what i'd like to believe. Mitigating circumstance can apply to alot of situations, anyways come January sure we'll find out just how good he is in the transfer market

[danperkins]

A star of Portugal's World Cup 2010 campaign, he's regarded by many as one of the finest all-round midfielders in Europe.

Not my words - those on the offal. Bit silly really. I bet if you asked most people to reel off 10 top class midfielders in Europe you wouldn't get many Meireles mentions.

Suppose they have to try and bum up the players they signed. But thats is a massive exaggeration alright

P.S. By them putting Meieles into the "all -rounder" midfielder bracket the market narrows, very few top all round midfielders Gerrard/Essien/Schweinstiger/Alonso etc but Meireles is nowhere near any of these guys

[JohnDoe]

Ancelotti changed his system to suit the players when he took charge. Diamond shape midfield now. He didn't use that at Milan.

So what was Kaka, Seedorf, Gattuso and Pirlo exactly?

[Mostar]

Gives away possession to much and doesn't impose himself on games. Much more space playing in Portugal and in many internationals, premier league different kettle of fish, higher tempo, no time to dwell on the ball and little space to go on.

I do like him and he hasn't been terrible or anything just ok, but IMO simply put he has to do more in games can't just make up the numbers.

Not sure how much more can you expect from the player that only played 10 games thus far and has been out of the position in pretty much every game. Yes I agree that his tackling needs more polishing and he needs to show little more aggression in challanges but he is a good quality player and I also think with a better manager he would be able to show himself in completely different light.

Everyone has judged Poulsen because he's ****ing ****, it's a no brainer. Everyone has judgded Hodgson because he's ****ing ****, he's got **** tactics and he's an arrogant prick. No brainer again.

As for Meireles, he's shown far more to suggest that he can be a success here, whilst not being overly impressive but it's less of a no brainer when you compare him to Poulsen and Hodgson, for example. That's why people should reserve judgement on him.

I personally think that he will be a good player. I'd also like to see Aquilani here with a better manager in charge and I'd equally like to see Poulsen and Konchesky being shipped out alongside their beloved Hodgson.

Sorry for ranting like this but I think you should try to think before talking mate. No offence, I'm just a little bit irritated.