Sheik Up

[IrishPaul]

Irish specs....

Nah mate, seriously I don't go along with that kinda ****e. If that was the case I'd be saying John O'Shea is a great player!!!



Stevie Finnan is most likely to be one of the first names on Rafa's team sheet on match days along with SG and JC

To say that he isn't good enough or a Rafa type of player is just ****in' ridiculous IMO especially considering that he's started just about every game since Rafa took over

[El Jefecito]

Nah mate, seriously I don't go along with that kinda ****e. If that was the case I'd be saying John O'Shea is a great player!!!



Stevie Finnan is most likely to be one of the first names on Rafa's team sheet on match days along with SG and JC

To say that he isn't good enough or a Rafa type of player is just ****in' ridiculous IMO especially considering that he's started just about every game since Rafa took over

Finnan is a great full back. Alves is a great wing back. I think Rafa wants a really good wing back, hence why I suggest Finnan may be marginalized.

Surely, you can't disagree that Alves is the better wing back?

[ElRobbie]

Hopefully, it will be the end of (players in and around the first team)....

Pennant, Gonzalez, Zenden & Crouch.

Kewell remains to be seen, at least we know he has quality and has shown it before.

Sami will be phased out but that's going to happen naturally regardless of a takeover. I think Finnan will be replaced with a more attacking full back.

If we can bring in two top quality wingers and a top quality striker to replace Fowler and Crouch then I think we can win the title.

[KK07]

Yer off yer head man

Finnan is exactly Rafa's type of player - Hard working, can defend and go forward. He can cross a ball ten times better than Pennant and is as solid as a rock.

[Jazzmaster]

Finnan
He just doesn't have the attacking flair for a rafa team. Bye Bye.

You're crazy dude. Certifiable. Another example of a low-profile player with huge value to the team being underestimated

:whatever:

[El Jefecito]

You're crazy dude. Certifiable. Another example of a low-profile player with huge value to the team being underestimated

:whatever:

You think he has the attacking flair of an alves for example? Clearly he does not.

Park mouth, engage brain.

[DeeGame]

Get rid of the Irish players

awaits KK07's reaction

[Mattshark]

Hopefully, it will be the end of (players in and around the first team)....

Pennant, Gonzalez, Zenden & Crouch.

Kewell remains to be seen, at least we know he has quality and has shown it before.

Sami will be phased out but that's going to happen naturally regardless of a takeover. I think Finnan will be replaced with a more attacking full back.

If we can bring in two top quality wingers and a top quality striker to replace Fowler and Crouch then I think we can win the title.

Yes don't give Gonzalez a chance to settle, or Pennant some time. Lets also get rid of high highest scorer and an epxerienced midfielder how has had to come back from a serious injury with out giving him time to get back to form (whichb does take time) and who never complains.

[CAD]

All of a sudden we may have some more money and some people want good players we have shipped out. Total bollocks. Three top quality players - two wide players and a striker is what we should be looking to get ideally. Say Alves was the RM player we wouldn't need to worry about Finnan having no cover, leaving the squad very well balanced IMO. It's all a bit pie in the sky atm anyway.

It all depends really. If you want a very active right side then Alves at RB is key. Finnan is very stale and old school at RB. Alves at RB would be a revolution. Just what we need, Imho.

Alves would also make it possible for Rafa to play a 3-5-2 against stronger teams. Currently RM is the weakest spot on the team in that formation. (If you want Gerrard at CM, which we all do )

[Redspin]

So we covered the usual angle "Who are going to buy?"

But I was thinking about who is this the end of? What players will be out? What players will be relegated to bit-part players?

Here's what I reckon:

Finnan
He just doesn't have the attacking flair for a rafa team. Bye Bye.

Crouch
He's a great mismatch but Kuyt looks like he can hold it up. And finish! Bit part player.

Sami
Already getting less and less games. Unless we start playing a lot of 352 he'll become a bit part player.

Kewell
I debated this as there are so few good wingers out there. Bye Bye.

Realistic?

A tad harsh on Finnan, who's always one of our better performers and who very rarely has a bad game.

My big hope is that we ditch the depressingly slow Fowler and get a top quality striker to share the load up front.

[Nicey]

Yer off yer head man

Finnan is exactly Rafa's type of player - Hard working, can defend and go forward. He can cross a ball ten times better than Pennant and is as solid as a rock.

Exactly mate !
Exactly !

[El Jefecito]

Exactly mate !
Exactly !

You don't think he could be improved upon in the attacking side of the game

[IrishPaul]

Finnan is a great full back. Alves is a great wing back. I think Rafa wants a really good wing back, hence why I suggest Finnan may be marginalized.

Surely, you can't disagree that Alves is the better wing back?

I wouldn't disagree with Alves being a better attacker but Finnan is a much better defender and IMO Rafa would use Alves (if we had him) as a winger not a wing back so Stevie F's place in the team would be safe IMO.

I'd rather have a defender who is decent going forward as well as being great at defending than a defender who is great going forward but only average at defending - Rafa isn't Ossie Ardiles ye know

[El Jefecito]

I wouldn't disagree with Alves being a better attacker but Finnan is a much better defender and IMO Rafa would use Alves (if we had him) as a winger not a wing back so Stevie F's place in the team would be safe IMO.

I'd rather have a defender who is decent going forward as well as being great at defending than a defender who is great going forward but only average at defending - Rafa isn't Ossie Ardiles ye know

Not sure I've seen enough of Alves to know whether or not he is defensively weaker than Finnan. Have you?

[IrishPaul]

Not sure I've seen enough of Alves to know whether or not he is defensively weaker than Finnan. Have you?

Yep I have seen him play a few times on tv and don't get me wrong he is an outstanding player going forward and decent at defending but IMO Finnan is a better 'defender'.

As I said though IMO if we had Alves, Rafa would use him as a winger with maybe him and SF over lapping each other. Don't forget also that SF is one of the best crossers of the ball in our squad