13 Dec 2012

Disappointed Aldo warns: LFC star is "well off the pace". Cause for concern...?

Earlier this week, on-loan midfielder Nuri Sahin expressed slight dissatisfaction at being played out of position at Liverpool. His comments were not overtly critical but the fact he felt compelled to say something is arguably a slight cause for concern. Is Sahin unhappy at Anfield? Borussia Dortmund’s chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke seems to think so, and Reds legend John Aldridge believes the Turkish star is not living up to his billing.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Aldo expressed his disappointment with Sahin's performances, which he described as 'well off the pace' and argued that Suso is a better option for the team. He said:

"Sahin, for whatever reason, just hasn’t looked the player we were told he was when he signed. Suso is more direct and more positive than Sahin, and looks far more willing to take a few risks in attack, taking players on and looking for incisive passes in the final third"

By his own admission, Sahin prefers to play in a deeper role, which probably explains why he doesn't take risks in attack. Indeed, he admitted as much over the weekend in an interview with the official Liverpool FC website :

"I’ve played my whole career deeper – that’s my position, but I have played as a number ten here. If I could choose a position it would be holding, as I feel more comfortable playing deeper and can give my all.”

In an interview with Bild today, Dortmund supremo Watzke hinted that Sahin might not be that happy at Liverpool, and suggested that a return to Borussia Dortmund could be on the cards. He said:

“Which player who has left us is happier now - Kagawa? Sahin? Barrios? No one. If Nuri he comes to me and says he doesn't want anything else than playing in Dortmund, we will think about this issue. But it has to be feasible".

Sahin is a cultured player, but it wouldn't be a huge loss if he he didn't sign a permanent deal. Perhaps a return to Dortmund is the best thing for him at this stage of his career?

Whatever happens, I think it's doubtful that Sahin will still be at Liverpool next season. He's only been at the club for 4 months, and despite Lucas being injured for most of that time, he hasn't managed to command a regular first team place.

Additionally, with Lucas, Gerrard and Allen practically guaranteed to start most matches for the Reds, it's difficult to see where Sahin fits in.

Jaimie Kanwar


35 comments:

  1. It's "Well off the pace" not "well of"

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  2. Totally agree with Aldo's comments. Would much rather play Suso than Sahin. I would class him as a mediocre player, and that's being somewhat generous.

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  3. Yes, I know. It's a typo. Thanks.

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  4. Stevie G has been off the pace too,but very little is being said in this regard!

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  5. How does he expect to get a game when clearly Rodgers has his favourites. Allan and Gerrard have been poor all season and yet the guy can't even get a game. He scored a few decent goals and then was dropped straight after. Thats no way for any manager to run a club.

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  6. This is why signing players on loan for a big money is bad business. By the time, player is set in team and starts delivering fruits, his time to go back. It was a poor business to waste £4 million on Sahin's loan. I would sign Benat rather than Sahin.

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  7. Is it ok to call him 10 million flop?
    BR made his share of mistakes- in the market and on the piitch, now let's hope he won't be stuborn

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  8. to insist he made no mistakes and just learn from it.

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  9. I guess Henderson can do a better job than Sahin and I don't see him signing permanently for Liverpool. I would like to see a pure holding midfielder to challenge Lucas and a creative midfielder like Isco or Eriksen of Ajax.

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  10. Sahin's got a good football brain but in most games this season, he has been lacking that aggression required to be a solid player in England. To make matters worse, whenever he tried to be aggressive, eg. vs Newcastle, he ended up giving away needless fouls.

    It's clear that Sahin has got bags of talent, but right now, he looks lost and as Aldridge said, well off the pace. His best games at Dortmund and Real Madrid game when he played with an intensity similar to how Mascherano used to play for us in midfield. Despite, Sahin being what I consider to be a technically superior player to Mascherano, he is lacking that ingenuity and intensity which made Mascherano a very good and reliable player.

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  11. RAFASdaysWEREtheGLORYdays11:49 am, December 13, 2012

    Im watching Chelsea and im in awe of the effect Rafa has had in revitalising Torres.Watching Chelsea here now is like watching Brazil 1970.These so called fans who wanted Rafa out were gloating after Rafas first few results,were have they gone now Rafa and Torres are about to be crowned world champions.im just glad LFC had those great times with Rafa and those great memories.LFC will always be LFC and have their fans,as the game has gone global though i can see us maybe ending up like most other clubs who are not a global side anymore.I feel Rafa and Chelsea will maybe overtake LFC as a global force with global support as they gain more exposure winning the world cup.Anyway well done Rafa,great guy great personality great coach.

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  12. waste of money send him back asap

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  13. Are you playing the game on FIFA 13? Just like Brazil 1970?

    Bwahahahahahaha !!!

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  14. I remember when he scored two goals vs West Brom and people were already saying how we could not afford to let him go and that we must buy him at all costs.

    I watched him play for Borussia and he was impressive and he should not have gone to RM as the competition was too much for him.

    He is a good player, but at the moment, maybe due to his injury and adjusting to the PL, he is average. Would prefer Suso to play has the article states he is more direct.

    Let's get Mertens ;0P

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  15. 'watching Brazil 1970'

    hahahaha

    IRWT through and through eh

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  16. Considering he bought Allen, thought it was odd to bring in Sahin and even more odd when they didn't ship out Hendo, because none of them are great playing behind the front man and all like to play in similar positions. So bit of a overload in the two central midfield positions in front of the defence, especially when Lucas is probably regularly first XI. The position behind the front man is a concern for me. We got no one to really ready to challenge Gerrard's place behind the front man and although even if we had, most managers wouldn't have the balls to drop Gerrard. No surprise that Suso is more comfortable playing further forward than Sahin but I feel Suso is too raw. So bit of a concern for me, that position behind Suarez and the wing where Sterling doesn't play.

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  17. Aldo's comments are irrelevant because Sahin is being played out of position. It would be like saying that Skrtel isn't as good a striker as Suarez. In Lucas's position, Sahin would prosper more. To be honest, I think he'd actually be better there but I know it's not acceptable to do anything other than praise Lucas these days :-) All that said, Sahin would probably still need someone alongside him in a 4-2-3-1 rather than playing deeper in a 4-3-3 which is what Rodgers prefers.

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  18. We have a player called Jonjo Shelvey who is best suited for this role.

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  19. Still somewhat raw for me.

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  20. your sense of humour is drier than the sahara!! love it!!! the chelsea/brazil comparison was priceless, great sense of humour, fella!!!!!

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  21. sahin won't be missed by me. many players play out of position, don't like it, still give it a good go. report card: must do much,much better.

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  22. 3 goals and 3 assists from not many starts, whilst being played out of position, in a new league and after a year out through injury!!

    It's a joke in itself that he is being ridiculed, of course he's gonna be way off the pace! Yet he's still contributed more than any of the other midfielders.

    What's Gerrard's, Hendo's, Cole's etc excuse?!

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  23. Sahin hasn't done it for us yet. Perhaps he is out of position but doubt he will get what he wants.

    Doubt we will sign him come July

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  24. Might be his best position in the long run but doesn't necessarily mean he is 'ready' to challenge consistently for that position. Him and Shelvey are somewhat too raw. Just because Sterling has hit the ground running and putting in amazing consistency for a young player, doesn't mean Shelvey or Suso will. In nearly every game he starts, he gets subbed, as, imo, Suso fades badly in the second half of games. He barely does anything in the second half of games. He has also got a lot of work to do off-the-ball in terms of tactical awareness and defensively. Didn't do enough to help Wisdom in the Everton game, nowhere near enough but I wasn't surprised as he is a puppy still and still rather rough as well as it being a derby game so he has that excuse. Takes a while for a player of his style to get used to the PL and that is not even taking into his consideration his age. Very rarely you get a young player of his style that is ready. Very rare a player of that ilk is ready like Cesc was. I'd rather Shelvey play, instead of Suso. Their best position might be that role but doesn't mean they are ready to be playing in it consistently and doing it well consistently.

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  25. Correction.. Stevie G has also been WELL off the pace but lets not mention the elephant in the room !!



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  26. Someone take the drum off this guy !! All you ever bang on about is Rafa this Rafa that ..

    I've said it before and I'll say it again buy yourself a Chelsea jersey head down to the bridge then.. Especially now they're playing like Brazil circa 1970..only the greatest team to play the game..

    This is a LFC website to discuss a wide range of topics about LFC.. Your saying the same thing over and over again .. We get it already ..

    Now kindly change the record ..

    Anybody else wanna start a fund to buy RAFASdaysWEREtheGLORYdays a one way ticket to London ???

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  27. If Liverpool want to challenge for anything this season Sterling, Suso and Shelvey aren't good enough yet.

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  28. sahin to light weight, id rather play contracted players that are here to stay not ones just here for game time to impress else where

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  29. your having a laugh with your sterling comment.... over hyped performances. does very little in games.. pushed off the ball too easy and his passing is very poor... he might turn out to be a decent player but lately he has been very average at best

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  30. amen.. someone with a bit of sense... if they do challenge for 4th spot its down to rogers

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  31. If he thinks he is better deeper then he is competing with Lucas and let me state the obvious... No one is better than Lucas in that role! As Aldo said: he is off the pace and IMO way off the pace! His tackles are slow that he misses and gets penalized! Not to mention he always looks like he is in second gear! Very smart of BR not to jump the gym and buy him! Suso is also a better option moving forward too!
    Love to see Cuenco and or Tello!
    That would be great to see them partner Suarez!
    Cheap and young too!

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  32. Each to their own, I disagree.

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  33. sahin should get gerrard's spot. gerrard hasn't been good enough for a long time. the occasional incredible pass but not much else.

    get sahin in

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