steve finnan - key attacking weak link?

[Fowler_god1984]

Thoughts on this?

Great defender, solid as a rock, but to me so many times i see our attack lose its urgency & direction when finnan gets the ball. He will often carry the ball forward at pace, then check back, think about a pass and then eventually pass it back to carragher.

Contrast this with other top full backs who are often the source of attacks, especially while it pains me to say it, gary neville.

Or is it the support finnan has on the right? Neville has got ronaldo to give and go & overlap with, ashley cole now has robben & previously henry/ljunberg/pires.

I can't help but think what the addition of alves might of had on the potency of our attacking play & how much more incisive our play would be. Then again what would the implications have been on the defence?

Contrast this again, and man utd, chelsea & arsenal all manage to cope with attacking full backs & command strong defensive units.

[lfc4ever]

Fully agree with that, we have 2 d/m, and some top class CBs, so defensively we should be ok, and can you imagine us with a right sided version of Riise?

Rock steady eddie Finnan shouldn't be forgot for what he has given us though, and should we replace him with an Alves type RB, then it should be his choice whether he stays as backup or for them times we need to play a straight back four, or he decides to leave etc, however, the spanner is Neill, and what is Rafa's thinking there, backup to Finnan or replacement for Finnan with a.n.other coming in as well?

[Shaggy]

It's a perfectly valid point. I've often said Finnan's ponderous nature going forward is a bit of an achilles heel for us.

That said, he performs his primary duty (defending) very well and I'd rather a right back like him than one who is good going forward but can't defend for toffee.

I don't actually think Finnan is much different to Neville, however. Neville probably "goes for it" a tad more and gets on the overlap more often, but ability wise there's little in it.

Chelsea play with Boulahrouz or Ferreira at right back, and neither of those are attack-minded.

Arsenal have Eboue, who of course is a different kettle of fish.

Valid points though, and I for one would've liked to have seen Alves at the club.

[kopdan]

bollocks

didnt Finnan have an assist at the weekend?

The only reason why nobody notices him getting forward is that he has to defend on the right alone half the time.

He's fine at right back

[Shaggy]

bollocks

didnt Finnan have an assist at the weekend?

The only reason why nobody notices him getting forward is that he has to defend on the right alone half the time.

He's fine at right back

I'm not disputing his crossing. His crossing, with both feet, is excellent. It's just his lack of pace, dribbling ability and dynamism that concerns people, I think. He can often be indecisive.

[kopdan]

was replying in general, not aimed at you.

[Shaggy]

was replying in general, not aimed at you.

I know mate, just sayin' like.

[Parm]

Thoughts on this?

Great defender, solid as a rock, but to me so many times i see our attack lose its urgency & direction when finnan gets the ball. He will often carry the ball forward at pace, then check back, think about a pass and then eventually pass it back to carragher.

Contrast this with other top full backs who are often the source of attacks, especially while it pains me to say it, gary neville.

Or is it the support finnan has on the right? Neville has got ronaldo to give and go & overlap with, ashley cole now has robben & previously henry/ljunberg/pires.

I can't help but think what the addition of alves might of had on the potency of our attacking play & how much more incisive our play would be. Then again what would the implications have been on the defence?

Contrast this again, and man utd, chelsea & arsenal all manage to cope with attacking full backs & command strong defensive units.

I think sometimes people think a full back needs to be a Roberto Carls type player, when infact the carols type player is the exception rather than the rule.

You mention Neville, a perfect example. He's a solid defender, not amazingly pacey, not a goal threat, not that dynamic getting forward but is very consistent. However he has always had a a quality outlet (Beckham/Ronaldo0 ahead of him and he always has the option of getting the ball to one of them and putting them into great positions.

i think Finnan is a solid rb who gets up and helps when he can, puts in crosses when he is the position and is generally solid at his job.
I dont know if Alves is the ideal, esp given the horrible gaps Aureilo laves when he plays LB.

At the end of the day, it's just a RB!

[Farside]

Finnan doesn't need to do that much attacking when Gerrard is in front off him because Gerrard drifts a lot and Finnan sits. When he does overlap he seem to do ok. He seems to get caught out when Pennant or an/other is in front off him.

[ronan]

im sorry but whats wrong with a full back who can actually defend?
he was second in the assists last yr to gerrard btw

[cinco tazas]

Watching the agme last night he had plenty of chances in the first half to take on the Bordeaux left back. I don't think the opposition were any great shakes last night but Stevie didn't seem to want to take him on. I think Finnan is an excellent right back, but sometimes his forward play does seem to let him down a touch.

[michelmas]

He likes time to weigh up his options alright. Sometimes it seems to slow down our attacking play. His throw ins are also slower than they could be but again he is thinking about his options. Some of the game this season though (and towrds the end of last season) he gets himself into great positions on the inside right channel and tears into defenders and looks like a real problem for them. Shame this assertive side doesn't show more often. Can't blame him though as he's not sure who will be playing in front of him from week to week.

[WILF]

One other point, how much is he just following Rafa's instructions?
With SG drifting across the pitch and Pennant not the greatest defensively maybe he has been told to hold back a bit, especially if Riise is bombing forward

[Marky]

Finnan is the perfect full-back in my mind - comfortable on the ball, two footed, good passer, good defensively, can support the attck when needed, can add width to the play, good crosser of the ball, quickish etc.
He's had a few assists this season already and would have alot more to his name if our forwards had been more clinical.

I honestly don't see what the problem is, he's a great player imo, always rated his even when he was with Fulham and also playing for ROI.

I'd like to see us go for Micah Richards in a year or two but for now i think we already have a world class right back in Steve Finnan.

[thesilverfoxlfc]

This is why we must buy a world class winger no more saving lets break the bank, pity we didnt get jaoquin last summer now theres a proper winger