Ricardo Quaresma

[Guest prudent]

I saw the highlights from Chelsi vs Porto yesterday. I tried to look particularly at Ricardo since some people here rate him, and since we are in need of a winger.

 

In the game he rotated quite much and I noticed he sometimes played as a singe striker, on the right hand side and maybe on the left hand side. He scored a nice goal after a terrific pass from the midle which he put below Cech. Other than that he does have the flare and technique but I wonder if he is consistent enough.

 

I believe he has the skills but after watching him in regards to tracking back, defensive abilities I don't think Rafa will rate him. He has a lot of trickery that up his sleeve, some nice backheels, turns, flips and I would compare him to Cronaldo 2 years ago.

 

But if you compare him to Ribery, I do believe Ribery has more endproducts to his trickeries and not to forget I believe Ribery has the attitude to wear the Red shirt!

 

Discuss!

[Buzz]

Dives a lot and seems to give up when ever anyone tries to challange him for the ball.

Edited March 7, 2007 by Buzz

[jfogarty]

I think hes quality and would be a good signing

[MickeyDocs]

Played well again last night... would he come to us, should we be in for him?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFmYhZW63qI

[Guest John Mal]

Decent player, but a little too lazy for Rafa's tastes I reckon.

 

Have a look at Kader Kieta for Lille tonight who Rafa was rumoured to interested in last summer, if not for his 15 million buyout clause. It wouldn't surprise me if we were back in for him in the summer along with a whole host of big clubs.

 

Compulsory youtube compilation (turn speakers down)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPZM_8eIXG0

[Sion]

no ta, don't like him.

[Leo No.8]

I've thought long and hard about left mid, and have come to the conclusion that Ribery is the best choice (depending on what Marseille want for him of course).

 

Quaresma has the quality, but it's Ribery's attitude I like. He's a ballsy little fella and it takes that as well as talent to make it in England...

[jimmylibel]

I've thought long and hard about left mid, and have come to the conclusion that Ribery is the best choice (depending on what Marseille want for him of course).

 

Quaresma has the quality, but it's Ribery's attitude I like. He's a ballsy little fella and it takes that as well as talent to make it in England...

 

What about Malouda at Lyon? Seems to be completely forgotten about in the great 'what are our left wing options' debate. Looks fairly good from the limited amount I've seen of him but haven't paid enough attention to talk about his work rate, tracking back, etc.

[Knox_Harrington]

If we can get Kewell towards something approaching fitness and get Alves in then do we want to rock the boat and have another player to bed in left side?

 

In addition would Gerrard wide left be a disaster?

[pipnasty]

If we can get Kewell towards something approaching fitness and get Alves in then do we want to rock the boat and have another player to bed in left side?

 

 

Peter McGovern would say that Kewell was a massive 'if'.

[jimmylibel]

If we can get Kewell towards something approaching fitness and get Alves in then do we want to rock the boat and have another player to bed in left side?

 

In addition would Gerrard wide left be a disaster?

 

The main problem I have with that is that I don't think we can rely on Kewell ever being fit again for any good length of time. He could possibly be fit but I just don't think we can really expect it from him.

 

I'm not sure we need a new left mid either to be honest but it would mean that we would almost certainly have to give Gerrard a run out there from time to time. Don't think that would be a disaster by any means but not sure I'm happy relying on that either.

[New York Red]

I think Ribery does have the right attitude for us. He's very combative.

[Taipan]

He was terrible against Chelsea IMO.

 

He did score a nice goal and do a few good things, but he was stupid in the way he kept turning the ball over trying flicks and backheels when a simple pass would have done. I think his teammates and the Porto fans would be pretty pissed at most of what he did in that game. I think the worst aspect of his game was his decisions as to when and where he tried these low percentage tricks. He was doing them in the middle of the park against a set defence - well away from the Chelsea goal. If they did work he wasn't really putting the defence under any pressure, and if they didn't he was creating big problems for his own team. Most of them didn't work and overall he put Porto under more pressure than he did Chelsea.

[Mad_Fer_It]

Thought Pepe was quite good... Big tall centreback, could be a good addition as we need more control in the air now that Hyypia isnt in the side more often than not.

 

Feel Quaresma is too much of a show off to fit in Rafa's side.

[Taipan]

Pepe did play well. He has already been linked with Madrid, Juventus and Chelsea: link

[Owen1978]

He was terrible against Chelsea IMO.

 

He did score a nice goal and do a few good things, but he was stupid in the way he kept turning the ball over trying flicks and backheels when a simple pass would have done. I think his teammates and the Porto fans would be pretty pissed at most of what he did in that game. I think the worst aspect of his game was his decisions as to when and where he tried these low percentage tricks. He was doing them in the middle of the park against a set defence - well away from the Chelsea goal. If they did work he wasn't really putting the defence under any pressure, and if they didn't he was creating big problems for his own team. Most of them didn't work and overall he put Porto under more pressure than he did Chelsea.

 

Sounds like he just need the right coaching, he's defo go the talent! I remember placcy being all tricks no end product when he first came here, and look where he is now. Like i said he can be coached and im sure rafa would be the perfect to get the best out of him.

[fred milne]

If we can get Kewell towards something approaching fitness and get Alves in then do we want to rock the boat and have another player to bed in left side?

 

In addition would Gerrard wide left be a disaster?

Isn't it more sensible to forget Alves, use Gerrard wide right and bring someone in for the left we don't think Kewell/Gonzalez are what we need?

[Knox_Harrington]

Isn't it more sensible to forget Alves, use Gerrard wide right and bring someone in for the left we don't think Kewell/Gonzalez are what we need?

I know what you're saying but I don't think we can because we need a ball carrier of genuine top, top ability. I think we just have to get the one we can get in and that still looks most likely to be Alves. That means we have to work around that.

 

If there was someone who's a clear contender on the left (and I'm not convinced by Ribery from the point of view he's right footed) then I'd be be more inclined to be with you but I can't see who that is.

 

I still think Kewell is what we need. Along with Leto, Gonzalez, Garcia, Riise, Aurelio and possibly Hammill and I'd add Gerrard we're pretty well stocked for options on the left of midfield as well. Our right sided options are still only really Gerrard, Garcia and Pennant and I think we need to be a bit more sparing in our use of Gerrard and Alonso echoing what you've said Toshack said at the start of the season. Bringing in another option for the right means we can chop and change in the centre a little more.

[Stevie H]

honestly cannot see kewell ever being any use to us again. even if he comes back fully fit, his pace is going to have been so affected by the constant injuries that he's not going to be this ball-carrying winger we need.

 

think you need to let him go knox.

[Knox_Harrington]

honestly cannot see kewell ever being any use to us again. even if he comes back fully fit, his pace is going to have been so affected by the constant injuries that he's not going to be this ball-carrying winger we need.

 

think you need to let him go knox.

He wasn't that player last season. It's totally naive to think he'll come back like that but he's an intelligent player who has it in his to hold a position, keep it simple, beat a man and score a few goals. Much like Giggs has done for United this season (though maybe not quite up to Giggs' standard). That was pretty much all he offered for us last season. He could also be effective in between the lines as well.

 

We need a ball carrying wide man but we also need an intelligent option wide left. If Kewell does come back to the standard of last season then I think we're pretty well stocked with left sided options.

[yellow jumper]

weren't kewell's various injuries and discomforts all biodynamic and down to an undetected problem in one of his feet? something like (but worse than) gerrard suffered with in his early career.

 

kewell was exceptional towards the end of last season and during the world cup. seems a little early to write off his career at the top level.

[The Hitman]

He wasn't that player last season. It's totally naive to think he'll come back like that but he's an intelligent player who has it in his to hold a position, keep it simple, beat a man and score a few goals. Much like Giggs has done for United this season (though maybe not quite up to Giggs' standard). That was pretty much all he offered for us last season. He could also be effective in between the lines as well.

 

We need a ball carrying wide man but we also need an intelligent option wide left. If Kewell does come back to the standard of last season then I think we're pretty well stocked with left sided options.

Giggs still has far more pace than Kewell.

[fred milne]

We need a ball carrier of genuine top, top ability.

The main priority is a top-class striker. After that, it comes down to where Rafa sees Gerrard playing most games.

 

If its RM, then we need better a goal-threat through the middle - the signing of Mascherano might help here by releasing Alonso further forward.

 

If its CM, then we need someone better than Pennant for RM.

[Knox_Harrington]

The main priority is a top-class striker. After that, it comes down to where Rafa sees Gerrard playing most games.

 

If its RM, then we need better a goal-threat through the middle - the signing of Mascherano might help here by releasing Alonso further forward.

 

If its CM, then we need someone better than Pennant for RM.

I disagree with that Fred. We haven't got a player who routinely commits men coming from deep. Every other European side of significance has at least one (although Chelsea choose not to use theirs - though Cole would have pushed hard for a place this season). Now while that player could perhaps play centrally he cannot play right up front meaning we either change the shape or pair him up in midfield. Only really Kaka could fit that bill. Possibly there's someone I don't know of though. People mention the lad at Werder Bremen. Anyway, these players more traditionally play in wide areas. Whoever we can get who offers that genuine attacking quality with the ball at his feet, regardless of which flank he plays on, would improve us immeasurably week in, week out.

 

That's not saying we don't need a top-class striker as well. We do. But we need both to really catapult us forward. We need a Barnes and an Aldridge.

[fred milne]

I disagree with that Fred. We haven't got a player who routinely commits men coming from deep. Every other European side of significance has at least one (although Chelsea choose not to use theirs - though Cole would have pushed hard for a place this season). Now while that player could perhaps play centrally he cannot play right up front meaning we either change the shape or pair him up in midfield.

If (and admittedly its a big if) Gonzalez and Mascherano live up to their billing once they've had this season to get used to English football, then a midfield of Gonzalez-Mascherano-Alonso-Gerrard would work for me, assuming we had somone clinical up front to play off Kuyt/Crouch/Bellamy.