Reports this afternoon suggest that Liverpool and Espanyol have a agreed a deal for Spanish winger, Albert Riera to join Liverpool for a fee believed to be around £10m. Now as you may know, I have not been a fan of the potential arrival for Riera. I would have much rather seen us go for Downing or Quaresma but I guess Rafa had other plans. It may be a bit harsh for me to judge Riera right now, after all, I do not remember seeing him play for Manchester City when he was on loan there two years ago and I certainly never heard about him making waves in La Liga.
Two positives though I will take out of this signing: Firstly, Rafa has addressed the need to get in a left sided player in midfield which Riera is. I hope Riera has pace and skills to beat men on the outside and whip in a telling close. That is all I ask from him. I do not expect him to score 15 goals a season but just to be able to unlock the opposition from out wide. Secondly, the fact that Everton wanted to sign Riera but Riera opted to join us is a damn good feeling. Just goes to show that we better than Everton not only on the field but off it. I remember this was the similar situation with Momo Sissoko, that Everton wanted him but he opted to join us.
I guess we now just have to wait for this deal to be official and see Riera in a Liverpool shirt in time for the weekends game. “Is this the final piece to for our team?” I do not think so, we still need one more player and do not ask me who. I just feel we still have something missing even with Riera. I just hope Riera proves me wrong and he turns out to be the best winger in the Premiership.
Lets give the guy a chance. Rafa surely believes he can add value to the team. I just hope he does not turn out to be another Gonzalez.
Ok so he is a left side midfielder – I thought out problem was down the rught more than the left – anybody any idea what Babel is goin to be doing or is this going to be a rotation policy between the two?
The problem was down the left Dave since Riise and Kewell left. Benayoun is not a winger and Babel is better suited to playing a central role. On the right we have Kuyt, who is not a winger but then again there is Pennant if need be and if push comes to shove Stevie G can play on the right. I see Babel playing a more central role this term and maybe still see him pop up down the left.
The problem with the left is we never go down it.