Steve Finnan

[Guest]

Good player but i think Rafa is gonna replace him with Alves some time in the future. Very solid defender and not bad going forward, but we probably need one world class flying right back to add another dimension to our play.

Discuss.

[Fagan]

He is getting on a bit, Expect a certain Blackburn player in january as cover.

[Guest]

He is getting on a bit, Expect a certain Blackburn player in january as cover.

Neil was a stop gap in my opinion. Alves is the one if Rafa can find the money.

[Fagan]

We have just received money for kirkland, That will cover Neil's fee. Alves is over priced.

[Morph]

Finnans not as attacking minded as Rafa would like, which is why I think Riise's place has never really been up for discussion.

However Rafa had more important positions to cover before he looks at the RB spot, which isn't a problem defensive wise.

However Finnans limitations are, he can't defend with his head full stop, he gets beaten for the header ever time. He can't play a weighted pass, he always seems to be intent on booting the ball at players, rather than passing. And he takes an absolute eternity for a throw in, and we loose some ground if it's not taken quickly.

However, he's good on the ground and is as good a right back as there is in the prem at the moment. He can bring the ball from the back when the mood takes him, and he can put in a nice cross. I just don't think he plays well with a very fast player on the right because he's not the speediest himself, so cant do the overlapping runs that Riise can.

But it's swings and roundabouts as with every player.

[Shaggy]

I like Finnan but as stupid as it may sound, he's a bit too "steady" IMO.

[Morph]

I like Finnan but as stupid as it may sound, he's a bit too "steady" IMO.

Nope that sounds right, he plays too carefully and sometimes it's to our disadvantage, because he'll play the ball backwards or dither a bit on the ball.

[JRG]

I like Finnan but as stupid as it may sound, he's a bit too "steady" IMO.

Yes,solid but lacking in enrteprise and flexibility. Still a great RB though

[Shaggy]

Nope that sounds right, he plays too carefully and sometimes it's to our disadvantage, because he'll play the ball backwards or dither a bit on the ball.

As good as his crossing can often be, he's too ponderous in possession/going forward. He's a very good defender though (his primary job, of course), albeit with a shocking weakness in the air.

[Dhav]

Man if we do get Alves I'll be drooling. He was amazing in that Super Cup match against Barca. We should have bitten the bullet, given Rafa that extra 4-5m and got him this summer instead of Pennant

[Shaggy]

Man if we do get Alves I'll be drooling. He was amazing in that Super Cup match against Barca. We should have bitten the bullet, given Rafa that extra 4-5m and got him this summer instead of Pennant

I've seen him play four or five times (not many, admittedly) but I think he's been MOM every time. He looks a right player.

[Morph]

I've seen him play four or five times (not many, admittedly) but I think he's been MOM every time. He looks a right player.

Let's hope it's not too late to go for him, I sense a transfer window bid for him, depending on how the Cisse deal goes, because 8mil for him, and the 3.5mil for kirky gives us 11.5 and we normally have about 6 mil to spare in the jan window would give us around 17mil looking at it in pleb terms. There obviously wont be that much available, but there will be some.

[kurtangle01]

Finnan is the best right back in the country IMHO and we'll struggle to find someone as reliable as him.

[Morph]

Finnan is the best right back in the country IMHO and we'll struggle to find someone as reliable as him.

It all depends on what Rafa want's from his RB though doesn't it, does he want the Riise attacking type player, or the defensive minded Finnan type player.

[Tee]

It is clear that Rafa wants dynamic attack minded full backs - Riise and Aurelio can provide this on teh left but at RB Finnan is not that type of player. He has been fantastic but the team will evolve without him IMO.

Whatever happened to Trabelsi from Ajax? Were'nt we meant to have been close to signing him in the summer?