Is Raul Meireles....

[Rudo]

I'm still not keen on Meireles playing off Torres. Put Gerrard there, and Raul alongside Lucas.

I don't know about that one tbh but i'm actually starting to worry about Gerrard - he's looking quite slow and lacking that spark he once had.

When he was playing off Torres throughout the 08-09 season, he was at the peak of his powers
- Power and pace in abundance but now he's just missing something and i can't put my finger on what is...
don't believe it's his age as he's only 30.
It it a bit worrying though.

[red g]

I'm still not keen on Meireles playing off Torres. Put Gerrard there, and Raul alongside Lucas.

not sure Kenny sees it that way though.

[el matador]

aquilani has a better range of passing and will create more goals. Like meireles, aquilani cant handle the rough stuff and despite alberto being 6 3' or something he's not great going for headers either.

In that position behind torres of the two i'd have aquilani.

coincidentally, i was speaking to a massive porto fan and he said that meireles was a decent midfield player but by no means world class. But then he did go on to say that they did miss him.

[Rudo]

everything wrong with that after 15 games for a foreigner coming to a new league

I really don't think it is. having your doubts about a player, and writing them off as a flop are two entirely different things.

[Craig_H]

No problem with doubting him. I never doubted him because i've seen him play enough to know he's a very good player. And i would disagree about him only producing the goods in the last few games - i will admit he had a couple of poorer games around the time of the cup tie at United, but generally, i think he's been good - and that includes during the Hodgson era, when most were ****, individually and collectively.

He's what i call a 'proper footballer', fully established international with lots of caps, he's played enough and at a high enough level to just be so assured, comfortable and not easily fazed.

[Craig_H]

everything wrong with that after 15 games for a foreigner coming to a new league

A little too rash and slightly kneejerk, IMO.

It's the environment now, everything has to be 'now, now, now' or, as SSN would put it, "First, Fast, Now"

[Craig_H]

I don't know about that one tbh but i'm actually starting to worry about Gerrard - he's looking quite slow and lacking that spark he once had.

When he was playing off Torres throughout the 08-09 season, he was at the peak of his powers
- Power and pace in abundance but now he's just missing something and i can't put my finger on what is...
don't believe it's his age as he's only 30.
It it a bit worrying though.

Bear in mind, again, the Hodgson effect. Unfortunately, we cant just turn it on and off like a switch, it'll take time. And plus he hadnt played for 3 games.

Overall though, it's fair to say his game will change a little due to his age. I still think he has enough to play off Torres for another 18 months or two years.

[GraciousGooner]

Did Hodgson sign Mereiles?

[Rudo]

Did Hodgson sign Mereiles?

Yes but keep that one quiet

[Craig_H]

I dont think he did at all.

He even said himself that he didnt know what was Meireles' best position.

Which manager spends £11m on a player who he doesnt know where to play?

No way was he a Hodgson signing. I bet Hodgson hadnt even heard of him.

[Rudo]

Who signed him then, Carra/Gerrard?

[Craig_H]

Maybe some believe that.

Nah, the club signed him, not the manager. It happens a lot at european clubs. I dont think it'll be the way we do things going forward, but i'm sure it happened with Raul.

And it happened with Joe Cole too.

[saj]

To add a bit of twist to this thread...

Is Xabi Alonso...

The player that Bodgeson was hoping Christian Poulsen might be?

Feel free to discuss this but I wouldn't bother

[Exiled_red]

Maybe some believe that.

Nah, the club signed him, not the manager. It happens a lot at european clubs. I dont think it'll be the way we do things going forward, but i'm sure it happened with Raul.

And it happened with Joe Cole too.

We can give Hodgson credit for that one at the moment, then change our minds when his form picks up

[saj]

Maybe some believe that.

Nah, the club signed him, not the manager. It happens a lot at european clubs. I dont think it'll be the way we do things going forward, but i'm sure it happened with Raul.

And it happened with Joe Cole too.

You are spot on with that. Bodgeson said exactly that in a very recent interview... it was the one where he was saying that not all the signings this summer weren't his. He said that he can only account for PFK and Poulsen and also partly Meireles as he was suggested to him by the board. He also said the board had signed Cole - I can't be ****ed to dig out the interview but just quote me on quoting Hodgsons quote if you're writing a thesis on how **** a manager Dodge was. Thanks. I'm tired.