steve finnan - key attacking weak link?

[Marky]

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

I'd love to see Shaun Wright Phillips join but i can't see them Chelsea *******s having any of it:whatever: Such a waste of talent

[thesilverfoxlfc]

I'd love to see Shaun Wright Phillips join but i can't see them Chelsea *******s having any of it:whatever: Such a waste of talent

Its his own fault say the money and now has gone back to years in terms of progress like Bridge as well. People go on about SWP as been a good young player buts he's 26-27 now i think. Good people may see him here yet if he has balls and asks to move us of Arseanl will get him

[Growler]

Finnan is the best RB and its bollox that he still doesn't get the recognition he deserves.

Not only is rarely injured or unfit, but he has had to play behind so many diferent players in his time and still performs. Now he is playing behind Gerrard who disappears wherever he likes and still covers him.

whoever plays LB, if the LM floats, then that side is exposed and we get attacked. how often does this happen on the right? thanks to finny not often.

[friedk]

Having 2 great CB's and 2 central midfielders who can defend is meaningless if you are exposed on the flanks.

When Aurelio and Gonzales played together on the left we were torn to shreds, that doesn't happen on the right.

I think we need a long term replacement for SF, but nothing more than that. He defends well, his overlapping runs with whoever plays in front of him are first rate, and he crosses well with both feet. The next match have a look at how he is always in a position to receive a pass out wide when we are attacking.

He's also going to be 31 by the end of the season, so it would be stupid not to look for someone to eventually take over.

[Morph]

A couple of points here:

Firstly it shows how much our team has improved that we're able to debate wether we should be trading Finnan in for a better model, rather than lamenting over positions that still need to be filled in the side.

Secondly, whatever way you look at we are going to bring in a RB in Jan, depending on who it is will determine if Finnan is still going to be a starter or not. Alves type player then it will be like the struggle between Agger and Hyypia, Neill type player and then I think his position is safe for now.

Thirdly, he is getting on in football terms and in his position I'd say he only has about 2 years max at his current game anyway, so we need to be looking for his replacement.

And to answer the first question, I agree that he isn't as attack minded as I'd like, and have picked up on this before, but people don't like to criticise Finnan because he doesn't do anything wrong, and you can't ask for more than that. It's just that his limitations are more visible now, because of the fotty we play. A Riise type on that wing would be excellent, and if we can cope on the left with Riise and Garcia (who can't track back for toffee) then I'm sure we can handle Gerrard and AN Other.

[Growler]

lets not forget that the wancs have still got dot cotton at right back, and how old is he?

[niallers1]

lets just all agree that we're happy to have him

[brikkis]

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.

My mate and I where talking about this yesterday saying how he gets to the half way line and does a U turn back into his right back slot.
Maybe the boss has given him strict instructions to not cross the line - who knows? I actually thought Finnan started off as a right midfielder and did pretty well at Fulham going forward?
Its the same story, player comes to Liverpool and the expectations on the player seem to be too much for them. Maybe he doesn't want to disappoint the fans being caught out of position?
Personnally i'm happy with Finnan and the job he's doing. He's the best we've had in that position for a long time.

[scubykuntz]

I actually think that going forward he has been ok this Season, as someone else pointed out he already has a few assists this season (Crouches goal last weekend and his overhead kick in the CL) I actually think that he defending has not been up to the usual standard. For a lot of goals recently a cross has come in far too easily from Finnans side. The first goals for the scum is a case in point. He let the cross come in tru his legs.
I have to say though that he has been a bit more solid since that game.

[Snigger]

Most importantly for any defender, finnan is consistant and consistantly good. I think he is the best right back in the Premier league.