With both Alonso and arbeloa leaving for Madrid in the same transfer window. I personally can see why Alonso would grace any team in the world but cant see why arbeloa get in the Madrid team. Johnson and Kelly are a lot better than arbeloa is think it was a smart move offloading him just not smart to let Alonso follow
Arbeloa was a really solid, reliable and versatile defender though. A back four of Johnson, Carragher, Agger/Skrtel & Arbeloa would've been much stronger than our back four that season that sometimes included Insua & Kyrgiakos. We got knocked out of the CL & FA cup partly because of Insua's lack of defending ability at left back. I know he was only young but we needed a player like Arbeloa who was reliable and always playing at a consistent 7/10 level (as Mourinho said about him).
Arbeloa the man who kept Messi quiet for us in the Nou Camp. Always liked him as a player put his all every game remember one game when we played Villa and won 5 nil I think Arbeloa was the furthest man forward for a lot the game he was ahead of Torres a lot of the times.
Was going to say the same thing, that game against Barca when he played left back and had Messi in his back pocket stands out for me. He was a solid 7/10 every week and could play either position. Probably better defensively than Johnson but not so good in attack.
Can't see where your coming from arbeloa was always reliable for us while Johnson is anything but. Good as he is going forward he's not a great defender. Arbeloa and even finnan were better right backs in my book.
