Letter to Alvaro Arbeloa

Dear Alvaro,

I hope this letter finds you well in your new surroundings in Madrid. I would like to say thank you for the service you gave us during your time at Liverpool. You certainly improved during your time here, up to the stage when you became a regular Spanish International. You virtually made the right back position your own last season at Liverpool but Glen Johnson has arrived now, who I regard to be the best right back in the league right now, thus it would have been very difficult for you to remain as our first choice right back.

I would have been very happy if you had stayed and wanted to remain part of a squad which is going to with the league this season. You may not have gotten many starts but I am sure Rafa would have given you some game time as we have a lot of games to get through this season. But you made your choice, and you thought that going back to Real Madrid would be the best move for you. But I really wonder how much game time you are going to get at Madrid? You are in direct competition against Sergio Ramos who is one of the best in the business at right back. I will be keeping a close eye on you at Real to see how much you actually play as I think you would have played more games for us if you had committed to stay.

My greatest memory of you will have to be your debut for us against Barcelona at the Nou Camp. I had never heard of you before Rafa signed you from Deportivo during the January transfer window and he through you into the deep end! We heard you were a right back but I was shocked to see you starting the game for us as a left back and you were tasked to mark Messi! I thought, “Oh no! What is Rafa thinking?” But credit to Rafa for making the decision to start you there and have a right footed player to mark Messi and credit to you for keeping Messi quiet through out that game.

I would like to wish you all the best in your career and I am sure you will reserve a warm round of applause if you return to Anfield one day with Real.