The Illusion of Mierles

[Lario]

He's a proper fucking player, an old skool midfielder with a footballing brain.

 

Top signing. No chance Roy had anything to do with him coming!

[AussieRed]

I hope Juve isn't able to come up with the cash for Aquilani. I would love to see both him and Meireles in the centre, as I believe their mobility and passing would fit brilliantly together

 

Too similar. We still need a player to hold his position and protect the back four. One or the other for me. I think Aquilani is a little bit more subtle in the final third. This means he could play in midfield or the Gerrard role.

[stringvest]

Sorted then just pay the same and watch half a game, probably a poet and I dont even know it.

 

Some sort of genius being applied there Sangria. I want to apply this principle across all aspects of life. The possibilities are endless.

[Red Nick]

Alonso and Meireles are totally different kind of players and really shouldn't be compared to one another.

 

I have yet to see a better player in world football then Alonso playing just infront of the back four dictating the play and his passing is sublime.

 

Meireles likes to play with a high tempo and likes to get the ball then pass it forward whilst getting himself into space to receive the ball back.

 

I actually think Alonso and Meireles could have formed a decent midfield partnership with the attributes they would bring to the team.

 

If i was to compare Meireles to anyone i would say it would be Aquilani but Meireles has more steel to his game then the Italian.

 

I think a that a Aquilani-Gerrard- Lucas trio would be better than one with Meireles in for Gerrard At anfield for sure.

[Benitaur]

It was close call to be honest.

 

Fair enough

 

With what we have now, I would go for Lucas-Meireles in the middle, Gerrard behind Torres, and Maxi and Kuyt on the wings.

 

Personally I have no idea where Cole would fit in on current form, or ever. I think I now rate Babel above him, as he has done more this season in his rare subs than Cole has in all the matches bar the early Euro game where Milan did well too.

[Torvald Utne]

Fair enough

 

With what we have now, I would go for Lucas-Meireles in the middle, Gerrard behind Torres, and Maxi and Kuyt on the wings.

Personally I have no idea where Cole would fit in on current form, or ever. I think I now rate Babel above him, as he has done more this season in his rare subs than Cole has in all the matches bar the early Euro game where Milan did well too.

 

The Illusion of Cole.

[Paul]

It never ceases to amaze me how some people have such strong views on Aquilani, a player with about 50 games to his name in five years. I saw every performance he had for Liverpool and yet I couldn't definitively say what his strengths are as he barely showed any. I can say that he was light-weight and seemed afraid to put his foot in though.

[Torvald Utne]

It never ceases to amaze me how some people have such strong views on Aquilani, a player with about 50 games to his name in five years. I saw every performance he had for Liverpool and yet I couldn't definitively say what his strengths are as he barely showed any. I can say that he was light-weight and seemed afraid to put his foot in though.

 

That's a bit of a strong view to have of a player that's only played about 50 games in 5 years. Amazing.

[Benitaur]

It never ceases to amaze me how some people have such strong views on Aquilani, a player with about 50 games to his name in five years. I saw every performance he had for Liverpool and yet I couldn't definitively say what his strengths are as he barely showed any. I can say that he was light-weight and seemed afraid to put his foot in though.

 

Well, perhaps judge him when he is fit eh? His passing and movement has been excellent this season, and I can see why he was bought as a replacement for Alonso.

 

Dfjsg8LA304

 

XUCNuyg9wAU

Edited November 23, 2010 by Benitaur

[ngogswilly]

Hansen: Raul role is key - Liverpool FC

 

Alan Hansen believes finding Raul Meireles's best position could be key to filling the void left by Steven Gerrard's absence.

 

The Portugal international has featured in a variety of positions for the Reds so far this season but produced arguably his finest display yet when he played in central midfield against West Ham.

 

Hansen feels the former Porto man has yet to show Kopites his true value and is eager for him to build upon his Hammers performance when Roy Hodgson's side visit Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.

 

"With Steven Gerrard missing for three or four weeks it's a great opportunity for Meireles to step up to the plate," Hansen told LFC Weekly.

 

"Jamie Carragher touched on it last week when he said the rest of the team have got to step up a level and prove they can play without Steven.

 

"If Meireles gets another chance to play in the middle on Sunday at Tottenham then it is imperative that he does well.

 

"He'll want to show Liverpool supporters what he is all about, as he did against West Ham."

 

He added: "Finding Meireles's best position in the team is perhaps something Roy Hodgson is still looking at. Against West Ham he was in the middle but he has also played on the right, left and behind the striker for Liverpool, and he played towards the left-hand-side for Portugal in the World Cup.

 

"Ultimately he will know what his best position is. An individual always knows what his best position is, the role in the team he feels most comfortable in, and it may be that he is better in a central area.

 

"He has the attributes to play in the middle but while we've seen snatches of Meireles at his best, he has yet to find the consistency levels we are looking for, particularly away from home."

 

Hansen feels the Reds' trip to White Hart Lane is one of the biggest tests of their season so far and reckons they will have to step up a level if they are to overcome a side buoyed by last weekend's comeback victory at Arsenal.

 

"The trip to Tottenham on Sunday won't be easy," he added.

 

"We all saw what they did at the Emirates after going 2-0 behind and last month they beat European champions Inter Milan at White Hart Lane.

 

"It will be a difficult game but if Liverpool are going to progress and if we've got aspirations of a top four finish then you've got to go to place like Tottenham and get a result."

[Guest LFD]

He has the next three or four weeks to make that position his own and he has started well against West Ham - being our best player, in my opinion.

 

Hopefully he can thrive in that role and it will allow us to play Gerrard higher up the field.

[WaltonRed]

He added: "Finding Meireles's best position in the team is perhaps something Roy Hodgson is still looking at"

 

He's a fucking CM. always has been always will be so play him as one.

[William_Ulsterman]

Well, perhaps judge him when he is fit eh? His passing and movement has been excellent this season, and I can see why he was bought as a replacement for Alonso.

 

his range of passing and tackling in the Genoa game was very impressive, he showed us nothing like that here. Maybe because of the speed of the italian game?

[TheHowieLama]

They have also decided to put the ball on his foot as the first option, and much of the time that space comes uncontested in Serie a, that was not going to be the case here, both as the first option and the fact that English teams close down so much faster in the middle third.

[billypilgrimnz]

He added: "Finding Meireles's best position in the team is perhaps something Roy Hodgson is still looking at"

 

He's a fucking CM. always has been always will be so play him as one.

 

Exactly. It's like buying fucking Casillas and then saying "We don't know where to play him yet"

[Wor Horse]

Well, perhaps judge him when he is fit eh? His passing and movement has been excellent this season, and I can see why he was bought as a replacement for Alonso.

 

Dfjsg8LA304

 

XUCNuyg9wAU

 

Very well.

 

But play him over here and he's fucking dogshit.

[Benitaur]

Exactly. It's like buying fucking Casillas and then saying "We don't know where to play him yet"

 

I hear this Spanish guy is good in defence. I reckon since we need a better left back.....

[Benitaur]

Very well.

 

But play him over here and he's fucking dogshit.

 

Oh come on. He was injured for years and only just started getting fit when he finally played for us

 

Even half fit he produced quite a number of assists for us.

 

And compare him with Maxi. He fell out and was benched for half a season or so before he came to us from Atletico. He was slow, unfit last season

 

This season expecially in the last few games he (Maxi) actually looks fast.

 

I have no doubts if we kept Aquilani, and he didn't get injured again, he would be playing well.

[Hazel Motes]

Stunning player. And soon to be Liverpools top scorer this season. Vomits and scores.

[Dicko]

Raul I like you, I really do.

But when you (and I use the term loosely) go in for a tackle where it's 90-10 in your favour and the West Ham player still comes away with the ball, then I think we may have a problem.

 

I'm not asking you to kick everything in sight and I know you are more of a cultured player but so was Xabi Alonso and it never stopped him putting his foot in.

 

So baby steps first please Raul, concentrate on those 90-10's and in no time we'll have you only shitting out of 70-30's in your favour.

[satmann]

When ever he goes to head a ball in the air, he is always looking at the other player rather than the ball.

[ThewaytoRome]

bit of a shithouse but he is an exceptional player nothing less

[Bobby Hundreds]

Top player he shits out of tackles which I find bizarre after watching him for Portugal he runs around and throws in tackles like Mascherano, maybe he doesnt trust the quality of the premierships oppositions defenders ability to tackle without breaking a leg.

 

No worries any way a caller just said on LFC interactive that Lucas is the future of LFC that he is as important to us as Busquets is to Barca and we should build a Liverpool team around him.