I love Mascherano

[sean]

by everyone else except him.

He's a proper little b*****d on the pitch.

[Stevie H]

he's old school argie. cynical, committed and a wee bit mental.

[Swipe]

Been chuffing brilliant in the last few months.

 

Nice to have a mental b*****d on our side. Could use a few more.

[Conrad]

He's great, I hope he stays. He means it when he's on the pitch...

 

BUT I do think he is a mercenary, and if Barca come in this summer I think he'll angle to leave.

[D.Boon]

He is a c*** but he's our c***.

[sean]

He plays on the edge of the law at all times, often crossing that line to be utterly horrible. I'd hate him with a passion if he played against us.

[slapnuts]

He plays on the edge of the law at all times, often crossing that line to be utterly horrible. I'd hate him with a passion if he played against us.

 

My mate who doesnt support us hates him for that reason.

[Leo No.8]

Was one of my favourite players until the Barca thing, fell out of love with him after that and with his ensuing poor form at the start of the season. However he has been absolutely brilliant since Christmas, our best outfield player by a distance and his commitment to the cause and passion have been extremely evident.

 

Really hope he stays here long term, I think he is pretty much irreplaceable. If he leaves, even for £35m our first team will definitely be worse.

[muleskinner]

Like me, Rafa loves the Argies.

[Coyler]

Like me, Rafa loves the Argies.

You, Rafa, me, the UN, and now Obama...

[fred milne]

I think he is pretty much irreplaceable.

Although there are plenty of positives to his game (his competitiveness, his pace, his tackling), I do think he is slow in releasing the ball. That wasn't so much of an issue last year as the lad next to him was as quick upstairs as they come but its been a real problem this year when he's been asked to shoulder more of the burden of making us play.

Edited February 26, 2010 by fred milne

[anfield11]

Although there are plenty of positives to his game (his competitiveness, his pace, his tackling), I do think he is slow in releasing the ball. That wasn't so much of an issue last year as the lad next to him was as quick upstairs as they come but its been a real problem this year when he's been asked to shoulder more of the burden of making us play.

 

 

 

And that's one thing I like about him. He has a composure on the ball and rarely loses it. Lucas, and this isn't meant to be slagging Lucas, treats the ball like a hot potato, often passing to a red shirt that he puts into trouble because they are in a bad spot, especially when Lucas has the time to look around and do better.

[fred milne]

And that's one thing I like about him. He has a composure on the ball and rarely loses it. Lucas, and this isn't meant to be slagging Lucas, treats the ball like a hot potato, often passing to a red shirt that he puts into trouble because they are in a bad spot, especially when Lucas has the time to look around and do better.

Being able to quickly turn defence into attack is key. Often you'll see Masch win the ball, look up, run a bit, look up again then pass. By that time, the opposition have got themselves organised and opportunity for a swift counterattack has gone.

[anfield11]

Being able to quickly turn defence into attack is key. Often you'll see Masch win the ball, look up, run a bit, look up again then pass. By that time, the opposition have got themselves organised and opportunity for a swift counterattack has gone.

 

 

 

I guess the thing that frustrates me with our play lately is the constant pin pong [pinball if you likely] pointless passing we do and then on the law of averages, one is bad or too tight and we lose it. Also way too many are sideways or back. Masch for some time now as been hitting long diagonal balls right on the money....if it was Xabi, people would be raving.

[richwilks]

Our play is slow, losing Alonso has had a major affect on this, plus the fact our team has so little pace.

 

We've no chance of doing a team on the counter.

[Frosty Jack]

And that's one thing I like about him. He has a composure on the ball and rarely loses it. Lucas, and this isn't meant to be slagging Lucas, treats the ball like a hot potato, often passing to a red shirt that he puts into trouble because they are in a bad spot, especially when Lucas has the time to look around and do better.

 

 

Lucas played a couple of great defence splitting passes last night that I haven't seen mentioned anywhere. One to Gerrard, one to Benny I think.

 

 

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Love him, every successful team needs one. In the past we had Souey & McMahon - we loved them, everyone else hated them.

 

He's more than just a spoiler, he can play. He knows it's his job to go out there & get booked. He's a master at tactical fouling - we're caught on the hop, someone's out of position etc....he steps in, freekick, we're back behind the ball

[fred milne]

Love him, every successful team needs one. In the past we had Souey & McMahon - we loved them, everyone else hated them.

 

He's more than just a spoiler, he can play. He knows it's his job to go out there & get booked. He's a master at tactical fouling - we're caught on the hop, someone's out of position etc....he steps in, freekick, we're back behind the ball

In fairness, both Souness and McMahon had more to their game than Masch has shown so far.

[JRC]

In fairness, both Souness and McMahon had more to their game than Masch has shown so far.

Can't disagree about Souness, but not McMahon. Different, for sure - McMahon offered more going forward, Masch is in a different league defensively; but even if such comparisons are otiose, Masch is a better player than McMahon ever was or could hope to be. Imho, of course.

[yellow jumper]

In fairness, both Souness and McMahon had more to their game than Masch has shown so far.

 

certainly souness.

 

think with the game becoming so quick, and many of the top sides playing three central midfielders, you're almost seeing less rounded players in there in some ways. or more specialized.

 

there aren't many who play like a steve mcmahon nowadays. if there are, they're being neutered in some ways.

 

fair to say that both of those players also had more talent around them.

[fred milne]

McMahon offered more going forward.

That's what I meant.

 

think with the game becoming so quick, and many of the top sides playing three central midfielders, you're almost seeing less rounded players in there in some ways. or more specialized.

Perhaps but I do think that others who've played a similar role - for instance Ronnie Whelan - were much quicker at releasing the ball when they won it.

[Rory Fitzgerald]

I have always professed my love for the Mascher lad !

 

 

 

 

 

And one of my personal favourites ..........................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Raj]

his celebration against Reading, when he scored his first goal for us was ace

[Falconhoof]

No slight on Mascherano but if forced to compare with McMahon i'd go for Steve McMahon. I think he's been significantly underrated as the years have rolled on. He could really play and was tough tackling. If he'd been a contemporary of Roy Keane I think there'd have been little to choose between them.

 

Mascherano is a very clever player though and maybe McMahon wouldn't have quite the cynical wit to his game.

[Damian_de]

No slight on Mascherano but if forced to compare with McMahon i'd go for Steve McMahon. I think he's been significantly underrated as the years have rolled on. He could really play and was tough tackling. If he'd been a contemporary of Roy Keane I think there'd have been little to choose between them.

 

Mascherano is a very clever player though and maybe McMahon wouldn't have quite the cynical wit to his game.

Mascherano with goals, basically. Not bad for a bluenose who couldn't get picked for England...