Maxi Rodriguez

[George Costanza]

Something like this?

 

-----------------------------Reina------------------------------

 

Johnson--------Carragher----------------Skrtel------------Agger

 

Maxi-------------Diarra-------------------Gerrard-----------Silva

 

------------------Torres------------------Higuain----------------

 

 

That would never happen, as Kuyt would always play under Rafa.

 

Swap Silva for Robben and thats a title winning team.

[Lucky Pierre]

I think the 90k was inclusive of his signing bonus or the Atletí pay off

[Troubadour]

pretty sure someone else on here said 90k per week.

 

unless someone was taking the piss.

 

hope he has a good world cup.

 

I wouldn't take everything on here as gospel.

 

Pierre's right, I think - if you take the signing on fee, then it probably works out as something like that. That's a little bit disingenuous, though, seeing as nobody does that for other players. Not having a go, just saying.

[PaulMcC]

Swap Silva for Robben and thats a title winning team.

 

I reckon we'd need a top centre back who's class in the air in that team.

[Dracco]

For me Maxi is not better than Kuyt.

 

He indeed is Kuyt with better passing and worse heading but not an improvement.

[Ezekiel 25:17]

I thought he was given the combined wages of Voronin and Dossena, this wan't just hearsay either, 80-90k easily. I don't rate him either, he's ok, but he's not going to dramatically improve next season, just don't see that happening, more of the same from him next season.

[Pidge]

For me Maxi is not better than Kuyt.

 

He indeed is Kuyt with better passing and worse heading but not an improvement.

 

So what you're saying is that he's of the same quality as Kuyt but more suited to a... I don't know... midfield position? Maybe out wide...

 

meanwhile, Kuyt might be better suited to a role where flick-ons and attacking the ball in the air might be of more use than the ability to pick out an incisive ball... like a striker or something.

 

Who would've thought...

[Glen C]

So what you're saying is that he's of the same quality as Kuyt but more suited to a... I don't know... midfield position? Maybe out wide...

 

meanwhile, Kuyt might be better suited to a role where flick-ons and attacking the ball in the air might be of more use than the ability to pick out an incisive ball... like a striker or something.

 

Who would've thought...

 

Kuyt is suited to being on our bench IMO.

[WaltonRed]

I think he'll be good next season.

 

He's clever, with the Kid fully fit we'll see a different Maxi.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

What?

 

 

 

 

 

Damn, sorry Zeke. I'm a bit late but I got there.

[zigackly]

He's been a lot better than I expected and I hope to see more from him in the future. Whatever he's earning I reckon the total price of owning him is a lot less than Riera, and I'll take that.

[aws]

He's been a lot better than I expected and I hope to see more from him in the future. Whatever he's earning I reckon the total price of owning him is a lot less than Riera, and I'll take that.

 

Agree with that. Although I don't believe for one minute that he's earning anywhere near 90k a week.

[Welsh]

Great signing on the free.

 

Had we actually payed for him though I wouldn't be so sure.

[WrongIslander]

Regardless of whether he was free or not I just think he's a quality player. His movement off the ball and quality on it gives us far more creativity and we are a MUCH better side when he is in the team for the most part. Sure he is still adapting to the English game but his ability is beyond question for me, the same can be said of Aquilani as well.

 

We are going to need more clever signings in the Maxi Rodriguez role if we are going to bounce back from this hole we find ourselves in.

[The Dude Abides]

I thought he was given the combined wages of Voronin and Dossena, this wan't just hearsay either, 80-90k easily. I don't rate him either, he's ok, but he's not going to dramatically improve next season, just don't see that happening, more of the same from him next season.

 

 

Which wouldn't be a bad thing at all.

 

I love how you start out that post too, "i thought" turns into "not just hearsay" within the same sentence. That's a gift.

 

I think, as people have said, that just his ability to keep the ball and not give it away cheaply is vital to us seeing the very best from Johnson. Johnson needs to have the confidence and freedom to attack as often as possible and not have to worry about Kuyt tripping over it and giving it away cheaply leaving Johnson stranded high up the pitch having to break his balls getting back to cover. It helps too that Maxi is a wonderful passer of the ball, so he'll be able to feed Johnson the kind of pass Kuyt can't.

 

Like this for instance.

 

[YOUTUBE]srnYQdG98oA[/YOUTUBE]

Edited May 27, 2010 by The Dude Abides

[WrongIslander]

Link doesn't work sadly. :(

[me1]

Good signing. He's a good little player. How disappointed some on here must be.

[Royal Family]

I wonder what people make of him now - the original post seemed way off beam at the time, but i have to say that after nine months at the club, shouldn't he have shown just a little bit more than he has? I can't see anything to suggest he's good enough for a premiership club, let alone a mid-table one like ours. No pace, no movement, no goal threat, inability to pick an incisive pass, and no defensive abilities (which are essential when playing with the world's worst £18m defender behind him). Sadly, all too typical of the scraps we've been living off in the transfer market for the past 30 months, but as ever the hype about a signing isn't justified by a rational look at his performances.

 

Five years ago he was some player, but he's sadly been reduced by injuries and age.

[Red Mist]

I don't know what he offers, not at all suitable for this league.

[Carra_is_legend]

When we signed him, I said he will be Kuyt II and he is exactly that. Perhaps, with a little bit ball control.

 

No pace, no crossing, which is exactly what a winger needs in this league to be successful.

[Irishlad]

I really can't wait till Kuyt is fit again. Maxi is like playing with ten men, no wonder athletico were desperate to get him off the wage bill.

 

It's not like he's in a bad run of form either, he's contributed fuck all since he signed

[Pidge]

He's a good player, when positioned up on the edge of their area, sadly he can't quite hack it in the deeper areas.

[Guest TK-421]

He has his qualities but he's inconsistent and offers little if we're not dominating possession, Kuyt is a better option for today's kind of game.

[Royal Family]

I have to add to that this is the kind of signing that's killing our club - paying absolutely massive wages to someone well past his best, with no resell value, and who is simply 'bed-blocking' - ie blocking the way for a youngster to be given games. Could Pacheco - or even Babel in that position, which I still think is his best - really be worse?

[Carra_is_legend]

I have to add to that this is the kind of signing that's killing our club - paying absolutely massive wages to someone well past his best, with no resell value, and who is simply 'bed-blocking' - ie blocking the way for a youngster to be given games. Could Pacheco - or even Babel in that position, which I still think is his best - really be worse?

 

Absolutely spot on RF. I said here a while ago that Rafa had a nasty habit of spending to the last penny, on players who don't improve us by much.

 

While its a different case these days (we hardly have a penny to spend!), players like Maxi are there just to fill in the team sheet. They don't offer a lot, not a great improvement on what we have already (as you said Maxi v Pacheco or Babel).

 

There was absolutely no point in signing Maxi but we did. And we will most likely struggle to offload him.