EIGHT runners and riders to replace Mascherano
It’s been a long time coming, but it would appear that the menacing, destructive and ubiquitous force that is Javier Mascherano’s time at Liverpool is sadly drawing to a tumultuous close, after the player is said to have informed the Liverpool board of his intention to leave the club this summer after signalling that he sees his future best served away from Anfield, with a potential reunion with former manager Rafa Benitez at Inter Milan on the cards. So who could possibly replace the menacing pit-bull? Let’s look at the options.
Scott Parker – The rumour doing the rounds at the moment is that Roy Hodgson has earmarked West Ham‘s Scott Parker as his replacement. The fee would remain a sticking point, with the Hammers demanding £15 for the main man, and while this is obviously negotiable to an extent, the player will be 30 years old in October and his age and potential wages have to be accounted for. The only real concern should not be the player’s quality, but the fee involved and with West Ham placing a rather inflated, even by English standards, price tag on his head, the player may have to push for a change of scenery for any potential move to occur. Parker is a personal favourite of mine and I’d have had him starting in the England side at this summer’s World Cup over that old trollope Gareth Barry. Parker is a box-to-box midfielder and while that sound bite is normally reserved for energetic centre midfielders of little talent, in Parker’s case at least, the label is entirely true and he makes a mockery of the tag being attributed to the likes of Kevin Nolan, Lucas Leiva and Jermaine Jenas. His acquisition will also come in handy given his nationality in conforming to new UEFA and Premiership rules regarding quotas of home grown players allowed in your squad. He was a driving force in ensuring West Ham achieved Premiership survival last term, he’s fearless in the tackle, decent on the ball and has a Thunderbirds meets Cockney geezer side parting – what’s not to like?
Rating – 9/10
Tiago – The former Chelsea midfielder has been strongly linked with a move back to the Premiership this summer after being frozen out of Serie A giants Juventus’s plans. He was sent on loan to Atletico Madrid last January, where he was able to start 18 league games and compete in the Copa Del Rey final. He was also a rare bright spark in a faltering Portuguese campaign at this summer’s World Cup and he has an excellent range of passing. What may count against him are his former ties with bitter rivals Chelsea and a certain blatant handball. At 29 years of age, Tiago has had a long and pretty distinguished career but he’s not a commanding presence in the middle of the park, which is what is needed at this present time, and any move for Tiago is in all likelihood, is only destined to be a short-term switch.
Rating – 6/10
Gilberto Silva – Speaking of short-term switches, former Arsenal enforcer Gilberto Silva has been strongly linked with a return to our fair shores. At 33 years of age, 34 in October, Gilberto is no spring chicken, and if memory serves me correctly, he was truly awful in his final season at Arsenal, lacking the engine to get around the park anymore, as well as being poor in possession and constantly dragged out of position, so it’s no wonder he swapped the hustle and bustle of the Premiership for the sunnier climes of Panathanaikos in Greece, and with it, assured Champions League football and semi-retirement. Gilberto to his credit, did look decent at this summer’s World Cup, and would most definitely represent a cheaper option, but a move for him smacks of a lack of ambition, a regression and just the sort of signal the club doesn’t want to send out a week after clinching the signing of Joe Cole. Swapping Gilberto Silva for Masceherano is like swapping an Aston Martin for an Austin Allegro, and the thought of two clueless Brazilians operating in Liverpool’s engine room next term is enough to turn even the hardiest of stomachs.
Rating – 3/10
Continued on Page Two
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As fine as Montolivo was in the Champions League, Fiorentina finished a lowly 11th in Serie A last season, of which he’s a main part of the squad…so I probably got it from there actually Francis, the league never lies.
I’ve seen Parker play holding man, he’s much more natural to the job than Gareth Barry is, and is the closest thing the country has to Hargreaves when he’s injured so he could purely perform the ‘destructive’ role as you call it, which is a little harsh on Mascherano’s passing ability.
Melo has had a terrible year, appalling, and Gilberto plays in Greece, hardly the beacon of footballing prestige. What would be stupidly harsh Francis would be to say you’ve based your opinions at present of the 2 Brazilians entirely on what you say at the World Cup, where admittedly they both played well up until the Holland game, a full 4 games, over the course of a season though, I’d muh rather the energetic Parker in that role.
If you question Parker solely because he didn’t break into Capello’s plans for the World Cup, which is a laughable way of going about things anyway – would you suggest Wright-Phillips is better than Adam Johnson or Matthew Upson better than Michael Dawson. It’s been well documented by people like Tim Vickery that there has been a real dearth of talent in the Brazilian central midfield over the last few years which is why Gilberto still finds himself in with a starting place, as does Melo despite a poor season….your comment is rubbish, the article is pretty good in my eyes.
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People mentioning Banega and Montolivo as Mascherano replacements are clueless. Neither are defensive midfielders – Montolivo more obviously so. Banega would never survive in that role in the Premier League. He’s superb technically, but he wouldn’t sit and protect the defence and cover the full backs.
And because of the attacking nature of Johnson, Gerrard and Aquilani, we definitely need a commanding midfielder to give defensive protection.
I can’t believe somebody mentioned to bring back Sissoko. What’s the point in winning the ball back when you give it away with every other pass? He’s good in Serie A where the tempo is slow and he isn’t hurried on the ball.
If we get Reo-Coker it’ll be a disaster. Although, if we were to get Stylian Petrov relatively cheaply it wouldn’t be a bad idea. Of course most people would sneer at the idea because he’s a boring name but he’s been excellent for Villa and is one of their key players. He’s also their captain.
I’d probably look at Anthony Annan though, as the most similar replacement to Mascherano. And he’s young. Gokhan Inler wouldn’t be a bad alternative either as somebody mentioned.
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Scotty Parker please!Poulsen away from us!such a flop.
out Mascherano for 30 million and buy Scott Parker for 15-18 million and Bridge for 8-11 million and we are good.
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Bridge
Maxi Parker Gerrard Kuyt
J.Cole
Torres
Subs:Cavalieri,Skrtel,Luke Young,Lucas,Aquilani,Babel,Jovanovic
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Perhaps Nigel de Jong or Lee Cattermole would be a good option. Both are direct replacements for Masch. I still don’t understand why people are mentioning players like Montolivo and Banega, they aren’t even ‘defensive’ midfielders
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The comment I heard the most on the kop in the first half of last season was, ‘why are we playing two holding midfielders against this lot,’ usually when we were playing lowlier premiership sides. Our football was slowed down by lateral passing from two defensive minded midfielders who were not comfortable receiving the ball with opponents in close attendence and were unable to pick a forward pass. This season we need to play Aquilani alongside a holding midfielder with Gerard ranging ahead of them. the holding midfielder need not be a big name player as this role demands positional discipline and agression more than skill. Lucas can fill the holding slot for 25-30 games whilst Nigel Reo Coker would be an adequate second player covering that position. Any big money signings made from the Mascherano proceeds should go on attacking creative players like James Milner. The Benitez ‘machine’ was slow on the counterattack and lacked the guile to unlock well organised defensive units.
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No to Parker as my memorys not so short when he snubbed us last time, poulson was a good player 5 yrs ago milner will go to city and sit with his old m8 barry on the sidelines, new rules should minimise teams to 3 non english grown players and stop killing the english game. Ins no-one new owners please be huang but if its the syrian, arabic canadian hockey players I fear a portsmouth by crimbo.
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