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Simao - Thoughts on simao after benfica tie
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 2:49 pmby Rafalution
Just thought I'd see what people's impressions were of Simao after our matches against Benfica ?
I thought it might be a more interesting topic than most of the doom and gloom topics that have sprung up since our Euro exit.
Anyway, as we all know we came very close to signing Simao and he may still be a transfer target for us so I thought I'd guage people's opinions on whether they thought he would add anything else to the club if we signed him in the summer.
Personally, I am glad the deal fell through as I don't see what he would add to the team, certainly not for the reported £10mil + Benfica reportedly wanted for him. He is certainly not going to be the answer to the right hand midfield dilemma we currently had as he doesn't look much of a winger to me. He looks a very similar type of player to Garcia and I didn't think he offered anything more than Garcia already offers us. I certainly couldn't see him coping with the premiership.
He doesn't look a bad player, I just don't think he's worth the amount of money Benfica wanted for him, nor do I think he would offer any better options than we already have at the club.
I am already hoping Benitez has turned his attentions for a right sided player to Joaquin as he is the only right winger we have faced so far this season who has impressed against our full backs and I think he is the only traditional style right winger I have seen so far this season. Certainly a better bet for the balance of the side in my opinion than say Shaun Wright Phillips.
What does everyone else think ?
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 2:52 pmby dawson99
he played well and hes a good player, no doubt about that... but hes not outstanding and i think we could do better. mi not just saying that as im bitter, its honesty.
hes great where he is, but im happy with garcia
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:08 pmby badradio
I don't know if he is the player you're looking for...I can only tell you that he would make into the first eleven right on. He is a winger, there's no doubt about that. He had a more free role on the pitch last macht because we were playing in counter attack. If there's something that Simao isn't good, is playing as a number 10. It was often tried (because we lacked a player for that position) but it never worked out. He's totally diferent from Garcia. He gots lots of pace, crosses/shoots VERY well with both foot and has a lot of ability. You catch Simão in his worst phase ever in Benfica, be sure of that. He's an excelent assister and scores an average of 20 goals/season. Not bad for a winger;) Not to mention his free kicks...
If I sent you some plays/goals by him...you would be ecsatic. The goal he scored against you was barely in his top 10.
Anyway, in Portuguese press says that he already signed for Chelsea/Man Utd last December. I'm already prepared for his leaving, I would like him to join Liverpool. He would be a key player in Anfield if you started using more your wings (in my opinion Garcia is far from being a winger. He will never feint a player and cross by the touch line), don't have any doubt about that.
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:12 pmby 2520years
I don't think he's exactly like Garcia. He seems more suited to hugging the line than Garcia - who definitely isn't a right-sided midfielder (all his worst games have come out on the right side). Simao did come inside as he's a bit like Gerrard, playing on the right but trying to dominate and set up attacks for his team as captain.
I wouldn't pay over £10m for him, but I'd pay £5m, and I guess that's more like what Rafa had in mind. I'd even throw in an extra million just to make sure Garcia never has to play on the right side again.
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:18 pmby badradio
That's right, he likes to play on the left because of that. So that he can go to the center and shot with his right foot. He scores dozens of goals that way...all crackers.
In my opinion he only has a slight problem. Although he scores very often against big teams, he tends to hide himself in those games. He's not so confident...
I'm not saying this as a Benfica fan. He's really good. I always thought that Miguel (now in Valencia), Tiago (now in Lyon) and him could play in any team. Now we have a little kid full of potential...Manuel Fernandes, n.14. What do you think about him?
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:26 pmby XSD
I'd like him but not for over 9-10m.
Alonso cost 10.6m so to pay more for Simao would be criminal.
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:35 pmby JC_81
I don't think he's any better than Garcia.
Good shot, scores goals, lightweight, drifts in and out of games, gets into dangerous positions, poor defensively..... sounding familiar?
More importantly, has anyone seen Simao actually cross a ball yet? I haven't. He's not the answer to our problems. Massively overvalued by Benfica.
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:35 pmby badradio
XSD wrote:I'd like him but not for over 9-10m.
Alonso cost 10.6m so to pay more for Simao would be criminal.
I understand that, but don't forget that you probably started valueing Xabi Alonso so highly after his displays for Liverpool. Maybe Simão would worth that amount the moment he joins you. It could happen. Or it could turn out a flop...
Rick Parry said to the portuguese press that you made a attempt to sign our CB Luisão last summer. You made a swap offer, Baros for Luisão.
I like Baros, in fact, I never understood why you let him go..he's still young. Was there any disciplinary problem?
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:36 pmby JBG
It was a great goal but over the two games didn't do much else.
He would also fit in snugly in Stevie Gerrard's lunchbox, and I think that a player his size might struggle in England.
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:47 pmby badradio
...the portuguese league is far more agressive than the Premiership.
But I agree with you. He didn't played very well against you. Both matches. But as I said, he's on his worst form ever...
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 4:31 pmby XSD
badradio wrote:XSD wrote:I'd like him but not for over 9-10m.
Alonso cost 10.6m so to pay more for Simao would be criminal.
I understand that, but don't forget that you probably started valueing Xabi Alonso so highly after his displays for Liverpool. Maybe Simão would worth that amount the moment he joins you. It could happen. Or it could turn out a flop...
Rick Parry said to the portuguese press that you made a attempt to sign our CB Luisão last summer. You made a swap offer, Baros for Luisão.
I like Baros, in fact, I never understood why you let him go..he's still young. Was there any disciplinary problem?
I rated alonso at at least 10m before he joined us after seeing his impact at Sociedad and some time on the pitch in Euro 2004. I admit since he joined I see him worth at least 17-18m.
Simao is definetely below Alonso's bracket.
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 5:33 pmby Paul C
I don't think he's worth £12m which is what Benfica want, I'd prefer to put the extra few million towards a 'world class' player which I don't think Simao is.
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:25 pmby Gareth G
In my opinion Simao done f*ck all but score a wonder goal!
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:30 pmby Ciggy
Paul C wrote:I don't think he's worth £12m which is what Benfica want, I'd prefer to put the extra few million towards a 'world class' player which I don't think Simao is.
They wanted 16 million Paul and will probably get 20 million for him off Chelsea. 
Posted:
Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:58 pmby RichardLFC1
simao was awesome on the 2nd leg and we paid for not sigining him