When Antonio Valencia signed for Manchester United last summer, it was on the back of United selling the world’s best player at the time- a certain Cristiano Ronaldo. Before coming to appreciate just how well Valencia has done on his debut season, there was this inevitable comparison between Ronaldo and Valencia- but it is not supposed to prove who the better player is. The fact that the Portuguese man …
Saturday 30th January 2010
We’ve been working hard this morning on our final preparations for the game with Manchester United. I’ve told the team I want to play an attacking 4-3-3 formation after I read the scout report on Manchester United which said, as usual, “just play your usual game”. I think that is a wise move as doing what we have done in the last 200 games is precisely the thing …
The rules of this little game are very simple. You imagine you are a Premier League manager, in this instance Arsene Wenger. Now imagine the financial situation at your club, how much money do you think you have to spend? Now imagine you can only buy ONE player to add to the current squad at the managers current club. Furthermore, the player you buy must be ‘likely’ to come to you. For example, …
If Liverpool fans are looking for a transfer that can act as an effective comparison for this dreadful season, then the signing of Fernando Morientes could well be the perfect example. Before he played a game much was expected and great fanfare was given for what could be achieved and in the end, despite the occasional moment of class, it ended in bitter disappointment all around.
To be fair to Rafa Benitez, in January 2005, there were not many better strikers around available for £6.3m. This was a player who averaged nearly a goal a game for Spanish giants Real Madrid, despite being forced to play as a substitute in many games due to Real signing Brazilian striker Ronaldo. On loan at Monaco the previous season, the Spaniard had netted 10 goals in 28 games and had terrorised Chelsea’s defence in the semi final, scoring home and away to send Monaco through to the final (where they would eventually lose to Jose Mourinho’s FC Porto side). Very few people at the time thought that this deal could be anything less than a success and certainly everyone had high hopes of the transfer being one of the best of Benitez new reign at Anfield.
Sadly for Morientes and Benitez it never worked out that way. Although Liverpool fans were given glimpses of the quality that Morientes possessed, such as his brace against Middlesbrough at Anfield in a 2-0 victory, Morientes form at Anfield was never consistent. Too often he was on the fringes of game and seldom involved. His confidence seemed to be at a low ebb and he struggled to convince the Anfield crowd, so desperate for him to be a success, that he could take on the goalscoring mantle at the club. More worryingly, he was not convincing his manager either, despite being given plenty of playing time. 18 months after signign, Morientes had played a grand total of 61 games for Liverpool, but only scored 12 goals and his form was so poor that Rafa Benitez deemed him surplus to requirements, letting the striker leave the club for an undisclosed fee (believed to be less than half what the club paid for him) to go back to Spain and join up with Benitez’s former charges Valencia.
It is difficult to ascertain why Morientes wasn’t a success at Anfield. He certainly had all the attributes to be as much of a success at the club as any striker Liverpool have had in recent times, including Fernando Torres. His lack of pace is sometimes cited as a reason for his failure in England, but that is perhaps an unfair judgement as his lack of pace never influence his performances for Real Madrid or Monaco. Morientes seems to have been the victim of a clash of cultures more than anything else. His languid, loose, fluid style of play is perhaps more typical of someone like Dimitar Berbatov, another player who has had his struggles, and a player like that needs a team to play a certain way to bring the best out of them. Like United and Berbatov, Liverpool and Morientes didn’t quite suit each other and as the Spaniard’s confidence deserted him, the problem just compounded itself.
So don’t believe the hype, Morientes transfer wasn’t the worst in the world by any means. It made perfect sense at the time and he was a fantastic player. It just didn’t work out for a variety of reasons and factors which is a great shame as he could well have been the perfect predecessor before Liverpool signed Fernando Torres.
Rubin Kazan striker Alejandro Dominguez, who has scored Champions League goals against Inter Milan and Dynamo Kiev this season whilst also proving a thorn in the side of Barcelona with the assists for a match winning goal against them, is going to join Spanish club Valencia at the beginning of the January transfer window according to Spanish daily Marca.
The 28 year old, who has spent the last five years playing in Russia, …
Fresh from their 2-0 win over Barnsley after resting their weary heads overnight, Manchester United fans can wake up to the news this morning that, according to several ‘reliable’ sources, they are set to make a £50m double move for Valencia’s pair of David’s. Messrs Villa and Silva.
It isn’t the first time United have been linked with either player. Indeed only a few short weeks ago Ferguson’s name …
So rife has the speculation been surrounding one of Valencia and Spanish footballs most coveted stars, David Silva, that you could name almost any of the big clubs that dominate European football and discover that at some point over the past six months, they have been strongly linked with a move for the classy playmaking winger.
Silva’s effervescent midfield promptings and dazzling …
Getting busy in The Transfer Tavern as someone from the Daily Mail tells us, that Everton have “targeted” Vladimir Bystrov at Spartak Moscow following the obtaining of a work permit, for Ever Banega at La Liga side Valencia.
Sportsmail claiming Toffees manager David Moyes has his eye on the Russian International winger after securing the capture of Banega, despite concerns the Argentine midfielder’s …
Coming thick and fast into The Transfer Tavern, with The News of the World now telling us, that Everton are “to step up their interest” in Miguel at La Liga side Valencia.
The Sunday tabloid claiming, that the Los Che fullback would be available at around £5million due to the financial problems at the Mestalla.
Toffees boss David Moyes said to be the front-runner …
The punters are winding down their weekends here at The Transfer Tavern when Diego Pico from MARCA informs us of the latest twist in the race for the signature of David Silva.
The 23-year-old was on the verge of a move to Real Madrid earlier this summer which collapsed after Valencia team mate David Villa snubbed a move to the Bernabeu.
According to the Spanish daily tabloid, Manchester United are preparing to make …
The blog owner requires users to be logged in to be able to vote for this post.
Alternatively, if you do not have an account yet you can create one here.
Powered by Vote It Up
