Hasta la Vista Javier
Well, it finally looks like football’s worse kept secret is out of the bag with confirmation today that Liverpool’s tenacious midfielder Javier Mascherano is demanding a move away from the club. As Liverpool fans we can hardly be surprised it’s come to this – the Barcelona affair from this time last year has been well documented. Surprised we are not, so should we be upset about this latest development?
I for one have now got off the fence and am of the opinion that, no matter how well some may have perceived the little Argentinian has played for us over the years, the team as a whole would probably be better off with Mascherano some place else. Why do I say this?
For a start, it’s pretty obvious the player hasn’t wanted to play with us since last summer’s debacle with Barcelona. Right up until Christmas time he acted like a spoilt brat throwing a tantrum, sulking his way through matches and contributing precisely nothing to the cause. When he did finally awake from hibernation after Christmas, well, it was too bloody late then! For someone who has enjoyed raucous support from the Kop over the years, this in itself was unforgivable.
But it’s not just about his attitude. His general play, in my opinion, was detrimental to the type of football Liverpool should have been playing. Obviously that’s not his fault because that’s the position he plays in; his job, after all, is to kill or stifle the opposition as they attack and, well… nothing else really. Let’s face it, he couldn’t hit a decent pass because he had no flair or vision, therefore our attacks broke down before they even started when he had the ball. He couldn’t shoot, and the one goal that I remember him scoring hit the back of the net thanks to a not-so-subtle deflection. And following on from this – did he actually score any more goals than that goal scoring machine Jamie Carragher? I don’t think he did, did he? Compare this, for example, to a great player that graced the same position in the team, Didi Hamman. Actually, you can’t compare the two because it would be like trying to compare chalk and cheese. Hamman could not only break up an opposition attack, he had the guile and vision to find a defence-splitting pass, he had a cannonball of a shot on him, and of course, he scored some cracking goals for the Reds over the years.
Here’s the punchline though – according to Opta Stats, Liverpool are actually unbeaten in the last twenty Premier League games that Javier Mascherano didn’t play in. Food for thought?
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Matching much of my own thoughts but one detail I must bring up; Masch scored two goals and I don’t remember either being deflected. One in the league (v Reading perhaps?) and one away in the early rounds of the Europa. Both from distance.
However I do agree we should benefit by having a less limited, albeit effective, destroyer.
That’s funny. The one I remember was in the Premier League against Everton (last season?). I’m sure that was a deflected goal. I can’t remember the other two though, which I think goes to prove my point about the player not scoring too many goals
Added to my favourites. :-9 http://myrubber-soul.blogspot.com/
YNWA
I would add that if he doesn’t want to be with us then the only thing left is to get as much for him as we can. On his style of play, he reflects what Benitez wanted, defend a scoreless draw, and will do the same at Inter if he goes there.