The Beautiful Game Thread, 11/12

[Macca00]

Henderson is prototypical English player everyone is ragging on about, tough, hard working,with no skill or technique.

Really? If anything I think one of the problems is that Henderson ISN'T tough and doesn't get stuck in - when Dalglish tried putting him and Spearing as defensive midfielders that poor midget was doing all the work (or trying to) while Henderson watched. And I actually think he's a very technical player - some of his passing and ball control is excellent. I think he'll do very well under Brendan Rogers if we play like Swansea did last season. It's easy to forget because the English press went ape-s*** when he was named to the England squad but Henderson was captain of the England U21 side even before he came to Liverpool.

Now Downing on the other hand....Pound (sterling) for Pound, my nominee for the worst Liverpool signing ever. We've had worse players (amazing but true) but no one who's cost as much as he did. Absolutely garbage - zero goals (oh sorry, 1 FA Cup goal), zero assists (unless you count helping Kenny to get fired), never beat a man all season, NEVER TRACKED BACK to help out his fullback (see the WBA game at home - sure Johnson lost the ball but Downing should have been back helping) - utter sh!t. To think we could have got Cabaye and Cisse for the price of Downing...



RvP kills me - Arsenal go out and sign two great players in Podolski and Giroud and this guy wants out. Nice. Especially after Wenger stuck with him through years of injuries and also gave him the captain's armband. Him, Balotelli, Tevez and Aguero are going to be scary for City....

I believe Theo Walcott also only has 1 year left on his contract.



AvB at Tottenham should be interesting. I know PK and Jimmy never rated him but I still think he's a very good young manager who was hijacked by player power at Chelsea. Everyone pointed at the fact he didn't play Lampard enough but at the time AvB was fired Fat Frank had played more games for Chelsea last season than Giggs had for United. Should be interesting to see what he does with that Tottenham squad.

[Jimmydeicide]

I never said i didnt rate AVB did i? just didnt agree with the way he was handling the players, lets see how he does at Spurs
See if he learned anything or if he goes for the same approach.
Good move for spurs i think.

[pk500]

AVB has fewer entrenched players at Tottenham than at Chelsea, so he could be more successful there. The old English guard at Chelsea, such as Lampard and Terry, never were going to accept AVB or his methods. Plus I think Tottenham's speed will fit AVB's system better than the slower, older team at Chelsea.

My biggest beef with AVB is his inflexibility. He tries to mold players to his system rather than morphing his system to the available talent. You can't take long-ballers and turn them into free-flowing tiki-takas.

[Macca00]

I never said i didnt rate AVB did i?

NO! You distinctly called him a dirty, smelly, Portuguese granny shagger! I remember!

You can't take long-ballers and turn them into free-flowing tiki-takas.

It sounds like you're talking about fruity mixed drinks! Or something dirty. I can't decide.

Anyway, with the appointment of Brendan Rodgers Liverpool are hoping you can (look at Swansea last year). Whether that can happen remains to be seen. It isn't going to happen with Jamie 'Hoof It' Carragher in the team that's for sure!

[Jimmydeicide]

While that sounds like me i never new he was Portuguese
Im hoping Carragher is a back up now i was really happy with Skirtel and Agger last season thought they where great.