Liverpool FC Forum

aCe' wrote:do u trust Rafa to bring in the right players ? i.e the players we really need ?!

Owzat wrote:everyone knows Barry can play LB and some have even suggested, because he's left footed, he can play a left-sided midfield role.

Bad Bob wrote:

Owzat wrote:I'd also tell the manager that he can buy from his previous club(s), but only on approval. Must be pretty close as to whether more of Rafa's Spanish League signings have worked out or been sold. Nunez, Josemi, Morientes, Luis Garcia and Sissoko are just a few names spring to mind with a Spanish connection that aren't here anymore. Torres, Alonso, Reina, Arbeloa, Riera and Aurelio are a few that are (excluding any kids)

So, we're going to tell a Spanish manager how to shop in Spain?  Yeah, tell us another one.

Look, Rafa's made some poor transfer decisions but when it comes to shopping in Spain, I'd give him as much leeway as he wants because he's done brilliantly.  Let's take a look:

1) Torres, Reina and Alonso are top quality signings that have improved us no end and would not be here right now were it not for Rafa

2) Riera, Arbeloa and Aurelio are solid signings and have played their part in making us very good team (despite the doom and gloom, you don't sit second in the league at the end of February for being muck).   They're not world class but they play their roles.  I think must people would happily see them replaced if true world class players were brought in in their positions but they'd still be very handy lads to have in the squad.  Good signings all.

3) Garcia and Sissoko.  I see you make note of the fact that they're no longer here as a way of saying they weren't good signings but that's a very narrow view.  No way we would have won the Champions League in 05 without Garcia and no way we would have reached the final in 07 without Sissoko.  Both had their faults and both had dips in form towards the end of their time but let's not make out that they were rubbish because they certainly were not.  Good signings.

4) Morientes.  A unbridled flop to be sure but hindsight is well and truly 20/20 in his case.  I remember virtually everyone being excited when we signed him and with good reason: he was a striker with an excellent pedigree in Spain and in France.  He was a class player that looked like he would improve us to know end.  I simply refuse to take anyone seriously who claims they 'knew' he wouldn't cut it in England because you just can't know that kind of thing.  Berbatov looks a similar player in many ways and he's managed just fine, for instance.  A good signing at the time...it's too bad it never worked out but I would never criticize Rafa for going for him.

5) Josemi.  Not good enough clearly.  But, Rafa's first signing in a new league and he seemed to have a bit of the yard dog about him so Rafa probably thought he'd suit the English game.  He didn't but he did provide Finnan with some competition and, perhaps more crucially, provided important RB cover after Rafa converted Carragher back to his proper position (a move that has been so natural and successful that, ironically, Rafa never gets credit for it; but read Carra's bio to see how appreciative he is).  A poor signing in hindsight but not nearly as bad as people like to make out.

6) Nunez.  It always winds me up when Nunez is brought up as a way to criticize Rafa's signings.  He was part of the Owen deal.  We were losing our best striker for a value far below his true worth but Madrid decided to chuck in a fringe player to sweeten the pot.  Is it any wonder he was mediocre?  It's not like they were going to throw in Ramos was it?  Besides, we had no proper wide players on that flank so why not take the lad?  If he had pulled a Riera and provided balance it would have been a savvy bit of business.  As it was, he pulled up with a major injury in his first training session and never really found his feet as a result but it's ridiculously harsh to blame Rafa for all that.

So, when you really look at it, Rafa has done a fantastic job of shopping in Spain (as you would expect).  He's had the pull to bring in a top name like Torres, when the Mancs and Arsenal couldn't prise him away from AM.  And, he's had the savvy to seek out the hidden gems--the Alonsos, Reinas, Garcias and Sissokos--that have played such a big role in our recent successes.  No, where Rafa's struggled in the transfer market has been in England (Pennant, Bellamy, Keane,)...on the continent he's done pretty well and in Spain especially, he's been kwalitee.