Raul Meireles made his Liverpool debut against Birmingham City on Sunday and, for me, during his 15 minute cameo role, played impressively and changed the tempo and style of Liverpool’s attacking play, of which was seriously lacking for the first 75 minutes at St. Andrews. Steaua Bucharest arrive at Anfield on Thursday for the commencing of the Europa League group stages. With Raul Meireles arriving from Europe in August, Thursday’s game is, in my opinion, the perfect platform to unleash the Portuguese midfield maestro and the fitting stage for him to make his Anfield debut.
Meireles’ cameo role in the drab 0-0 stalemate at St. Andrews proved what type of player the Liverpool fans should expect to see over the next few years. His bombarding runs from midfield to support the strikers are a major part of his game but he will also sit back and support the defence in order to allow the likes of Steven Gerrard to roam forward in search of goals. For me, Raul Meireles achieved more in his 15 minutes on the pitch than what our two starting central midfielders, Lucas and Christian Poulsen, did in the whole of the match, whilst enabling Liverpool’s play to avoid too much of the negativity that Lucas and Poulsen defensive style of play provides.
In my opinion, it won’t take long for Meireles to make the centre of Liverpool’s midfield his own alongside Steven Gerrard as his style of play and range of passing is reminiscent of the much-missed Xabi Alonso and with Gerrard and Alonso having forged such a successful partnership not so long ago, Liverpool fans will want to see this partnership given the chance to blossom, of which I think will happen. His European pedigree and previous successes in European football means he is the sort of household name that Liverpool fans and players alike would want to see on the teamsheet and all associated with Liverpool will be hoping he can live up to his reputation whilst performing in English football.
Tomorrow marks the start of our Europa League group stage and hopefully, if Raul Meireles starts as expected, kickstarts the Liverpool career of which will flourish and flirt with success on a constant basis as now more than ever Liverpool players need to give their all to rescue the reputation of the club as we go through one of the toughest periods in recent memory. If Raul Meireles gives 110% every game and shows the fans the type of football we know he is capable of, it will not take long before he becomes a fan favourite and a success story for Liverpool Football Club.
Follow us on twitter @live4Liverpool
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at editor@live4liverpool.com
Full trailer for ‘Buried’ the new thriller which hits cinemas Sept 29:
I still think we need one (not all) of Lucas/Poulsen/Spearing. None of those three DM’s bad but because of a critical need for offensive creativity.
Yeah, Gerrard-Meireles in front of our back four and behind Kuyt/Maxi (right), Jova/Pacheco/Babel (left), Cole (hole), FT9/N’gog/Babel/Kuyt.
That would be one formidable and unpredictable XI.
There’s no doubt at all that our team shape, movement and energy noticeably changed in the 77th/78th after the twin substitution of Agger-Meireles for Konchesky-Lucas.
I think that the hype machine that is building up around Meireles already should be toned down a few notches until he’s at least shown some justification for that hype to us
And household name?? Really?? 😮