Why does Rafa keep buying Argentinian players???

Discussion in 'Liverpool' started by cobraman2006, Jan 16, 2007.

  1. cobraman2006

    cobraman2006 New Member

    Aug 7, 2006
    So why does he insist on buying Argentinians. Firstly Paletta, and then Insua and Leto. Fair enough that he had success at Valencia with Pellegrino, Ayala and Aimar but these kind of players (South Americans) are not suited to the English game.

    The pace at which they are taught to play football is very slow and they are suited more to Serie A and La Liga than the Premiership.

    Incidentally, I have posted a piece about Leto on my blog (address in my sig), but I wouldn't be surprised to see all three heading off to Spain not too long from now. They will take too long to get accustomed to the Premiership.

    Buy English and if not English, then European please Rafa!
     
  2. ForeverRed

    ForeverRed Member+

    Aug 18, 2005
    NYC
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Well, its not just Argentines but also spaniards.

    In all fairness, its what he knows and is most familiar with. He brings them in because communication will be more efficient and most of them he's worked with before. Besides them, he has brought in Kuyt and Agger, two of his better signings.
     
  3. douba

    douba New Member

    Oct 19, 2006
    Perth
    yes it probably has more to do with the fact that most South Americans (Argentinians included) speak Spanish and so Rafa can get his tactics across to the players better.

    I agree though, Paletta has not come on as expected and neither has Gonzalez (Chile is also in South America) so why continue to pursue something that isn't working?
     
  4. luciusmagister

    luciusmagister New Member

    Feb 23, 2004
    7th Heaven
    It all depends on who the player is. I am sure there are many S. Americans that could wear the Red. I'll take a players from anywhere in the world so long as they are good and they know what wearing the Red is all about.
     
  5. liverbird

    liverbird BigSoccer Supporter

    Sep 29, 2000
    Mars
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Because they are talented and (relatively) cheap. With young ones you buy four and hope for one or two long-term first teamers. Whinger buys French and French-African. Both are attempting to use the language they know and sources of young, inexpensive talent to compete with Chelski and ManUres money. Whinger simply has a head start.
     
  6. Suss

    Suss Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 11, 2003
    New York
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Its going to take time for any players to adjust, especially if they are barely 20 and coming straight from Argentina. Paletta didn't even play for one of the big clubs in Argentina before he came to Anfield. Of all the players at Melwood, he speaks the least English. Its got to be a huge culture shock for him.

    His performances have been poor, but its too soon to say whether or not its a good signing. The kid has talent, but it might take a while.

    Same with Gonzalez. In the second half of last season he was one of the best attacking players in La Liga. Hopefully we eventually see that form for Liverpool.

    In the long term, both of these guys good turn out to be great signings. The problems come when we count on them to perform right away.
     
  7. ForeverRed

    ForeverRed Member+

    Aug 18, 2005
    NYC
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Signing them is a risk and has its pros and cons.

    On one hand they are talented and cheaper than big name players but on the other hand they are a gamble in the sense that they aren't guaranteed to adapt and produce properly in England. It's a risk Rafa is willing to take.
     
  8. CCSC_STRIKER20

    CCSC_STRIKER20 New Member

    May 14, 2005
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree with the risk comments. Remember, the players the Arse, Chelski, or Man U get could go good or bad just as ours do. This goes with young and veteran players...is anyone else glad we didn't try to go after Sheva?
     
  9. b.scheller

    b.scheller New Member

    Oct 24, 2006
    Hamilton ON
    Along with Paulletta and Gonzales, Aurelio has been feeble in most of the matches he has played, although we should give him time.

    Alas, I think most managers are unfairly drawn to players who are either their nationality or speak their language. Arsene Wenger will likely chose a French player over most others, even if they are feeble and haven't done a whole lot for Arsenal: Aliediere or Bullion.

    So Rafa, has taken on some Spanish players whether for reasons of nationality or because they spoke the same language or because they could be persuaded to come to live in England, because their manager spoke the same langauge.

    Some of Rafa's signs have been bad, but were good in the sense of the money spent on players that had been good at their respective clubs: Josemi, Morientes, Kromkamp. I guess somethings cannot be seen.

    He has brought in some successful players, Crouch, Kuyt, Sissoko, Agger, Xabi Alonso. Some of them have not proven to be as wonderful as earlier thought: Pennant, Bellamy (whose begun to play well, but was slow on the start), Aurelio, Gonzales, Palleuta.

    Hopefully he will try to diversify the club with not only Spaniards. The market is big for good players, and theirs lots of them. Africa is the hidden gem that so many clubs do not look towards, and I'd rather that Liverpool would try their hands their than Argentinian or Brazilian leagues, where the players do not have the pace nor the skill to perform in the EPL, they are too good for those South American teams but are not good enough for the fast pace.
     
  10. CCSC_STRIKER20

    CCSC_STRIKER20 New Member

    May 14, 2005
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They may not have the pace but some have the skill. I think that certain teams have certain amount of spots for these types of players. Rafa can't hope to make a team that could compete well in La Liga and the Premiership. These leagues are too different.

    I think Liverpool works well with one or two players with the skill/pace set, ie Alonso and Garcia. Too many of these players leaves us with two styles of soccer being played by one team during one game. In the 90s there is no way that Man U could have handled having two David Beckhams. Thats a bad example, I know, but he had a skill set that was limited and not that great. But it had its plusses just as players from South America, Spain, Portugal, etc have their plusses.
     
  11. Gandalf The Red

    Gandalf The Red BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Sep 23, 2006
    Argentine players are similar to spaniards, but they are generally cheaper due to continental economics
     
  12. Matt Clark

    Matt Clark Member

    Dec 19, 1999
    Liverpool
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    You can buy four unproven Argentinians for the price of one promising Englishman. Look at the Ashley Young situation - he's got three months' Premiership experience and he's about to move from Watford for £10m. That's what Xabi Alonso cost us.

    Palletta needs time to adjust before any judgement can be made. It's the Liverpool way - buy them young, stick them in the reserves for a season or two and then give them their run if they've earnt it. If it's good enough for Alan Hansen, it's good enough for Palletta.

    The only economical way to buy young British talent is to pick them up when they're barely able to tie their own shoelaces or go to the loo on their own. Which, with Hobbs, Anderson and Carson is precisely what Benitez has been doing.
     
  13. liverbird

    liverbird BigSoccer Supporter

    Sep 29, 2000
    Mars
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Again a perfect summation.
     
  14. revelationx

    revelationx Member+

    Jun 5, 2006
    London
    Argentina consistently produce some of the best players in the World. It would be stupid for our scouting system to not be trying to tap into that. If we can find and get the next Messi then how can this be a bad thing?
     
  15. el-capitano

    el-capitano Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 30, 2005
    Sydney
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    Correct- you cant say that you are wating your time with Argentinians- if he started scouting in Tibet or Yemen- then I'd start getting worried...... :)
     
  16. Ghostface

    Ghostface New Member

    Jul 18, 2006
    Detroit, MI
    Very well put. Personally I like the risk, gives us a chance to find the next (insert foreign player here), which is really the only way to compete with Chelsea, Man U, and Arsenal financially speaking. Just don't want to over do it.
     

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