Well, They Won't Be As Entertaining

by SamFels on Jul 28, 2010 12:47 PM PDT Comment 4 comments

-The big news of the past couple days is that Diego Maradona won't be back as manager of Argentina, which brings the Albicete two steps closer to a trophy, at least. It kind of looks like the Federation didn't want to bring Maradona back, but didn't want to be seen to be axing him, so they gave him an offer they knew he wouldn't take. Maradona was always going to be beg for his staff, as it's loaded with friends of his. Ah well. As entertaining as he is, Argentina was an obstacle to Argentina's hopes of a World Cup, and as soon as they came up against a talented squad that had a coach with a clue, his plan of playing exactly one central midfielder came undone.

-Liverpool have signed Luke Young to cover at left back until he is outplayed by Martin Kelly or Stephen Darby.

-Javier Mascherano is leaving. I didn't know this, but Liverpool win a greater percentage of their matches that Masch doesn't play. There's no question Mascherano is one of the best players at what he does, i.e. midfield destroyer. But he's the type of player you don't always need. At Liverpool, did you need him to be breaking up the constant threat of Wolves and West Ham? Probably not. But Rafa Benitez thinks so, and we'll use him to help bore Inter supporters while they slog to a 1-0 win over Siena or whatever it is. If Liverpool can get a decent price for him and replace him with Scott Parker or Steven DeFour, that would add another good move to the free transfer of Joe Cole for Roy Hodgson. Sadly, it probably means even more Lucas in midfield. What Lucas does that Masch didn't is get into the box far more and theoretically provide more threat. But that theory goes out the window when the ball gets within ten feet of him. But it's nice that he tries.

-Barca want Fabregas, can't afford him. In other news, water is wet.

-11 strangers who don't play together play the Man United reserves tonight. ESPN tells me it's a big event. And they'll sweat a lot in Houston.

-Sol Campbell has signed for Newcastle. While Campbell actually was very decent for Arsenal last year, something about those magpie stripes turn defenders into puddles of goo. Campbell will just be an old, slow pile of goo.

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Lucas

He looks like an albino Craig Bellamy. He scares me.

Not mediocre. Right about average

by trza on Jul 29, 2010 8:35 AM PDT reply actions

Sol Campbell

Just when I thought Newcastle had learned to stop signing old slow over priced injury riddled players, they go and do this.

Dumb dumb dumb.

You can change your job, you can change your wife, you can even change your gender, but you can never change your club.
Win or lose, we will always be here for you.
Fear no foe, wherever we go.

by johnjahafanclub on Jul 29, 2010 11:30 AM PDT reply actions

Selection bias...

… Masch always played against the best competition, and got rested against the shit teams. It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison. If the team loses to Chelsea in the Prem with him in the line-up, but beats Coventry in a cup competition without him, that hardly reflects poorly on Masch. That doesn’t mean Inter can’t have him for 25 million quid, but it does mean that he’s a world-class defensive mid who will be missed at Anfield.

Last season Lucas was pretty underrated. His pass completion rate was strong, as was his tackling rate and work rate. It’s true that he doesn’t have the vision that Xabi had, for instance, but he’s still very young and made important strides last year. (Also, LFC had nearly no attack, which is why almost every pass from everyone was sideways or backwards.) He needs to improve his long passing and finishing, but he’s well on his way to being a very strong defensive mid.

Young is not transferred to LFC, and probably won’t be now that they’ve re-signed Aurelio and the Insua transfer has hit a snag.

Overall Liverpool is very underrated if they can keep Torres, Gerrard, and Cole fit. Quality was not the problem last year. Injuries were. For example, Liverpool sent 13 players to the World Cup this year — more than any other Prem team — and that doesn’t include past (and future?) internationals like Lucas, Insua, and Aquilani or new additions Jovanovic and Cole. So far they have not lost any of those players, and everyone appears to be near fully fit.

LFC is in a pretty good position to get back into the top 4 and maybe even contend for the title, barring another rash of major injuries and/or beach ball attacks.

by kindred on Jul 31, 2010 3:34 PM PDT reply actions