Alex Alejandro "A-Rod" Rodriguez Gorrin

He played a full game, and I do not remember when that happened last time.

He was unspectacular and early on struggled with pacy attackers (I think Riera picked up Lia's yellow).

Is a valuable experienced squad backup and is only 31, if OK with a reduced salary definitely a keeper.

Ernie reckoned Lia was our best player last night.

low bar.

Interesting call isn't it, a midfielder in a midfield that was completely overrun

I thought Lia was okay, and actually did better than both Roly/Riera.

Well, at a risk of starting another lengthy passionate exchange, I think there is a lot of room to improve regarding passing between Roly and WeeMac. I would argue that this was not limited to the last game, and that it was OK in some games but dire yesterday.

The mods refuse to allow a Finkler thread, but will happily talk about Roly and Finkler in the Rodriguez thread?

Hypocrites ... :-)

Sometimes the formation talk gets a bit silly, but what about Roly and Riera as a double pivot in the box midfield shape?

Krishna                     Kosta

    McGlinchey    Finkler

            Roly    Riera

Not enough defensive ability? Too narrow? Perhaps both, but it is a way to shoe-horn our best players into the eleven. Wouldn't surprise me if Ernie went for something like that. 

I'm sure that these will be the players who will be the starting midfielders and strikers next year with Arod on the bench.

I think the width is ok, with Kosta, Roy and Wee Mac able to get wide if needed.

Roly was signed as a defender and it was only after a training session we discovered he was one skilful dude and pushed him forward.

Think he could do a defensive job and more easy.

If we start with that lot and they stay injury free, with a sounder defence I think we can give it a good shake.

A very good right back would be the key to all this. I'm happy with Doyle's progress on the left, but if we could get a proper awesome attacking right back he would give us the width we need. Unfortunately they seem very hard to find at a-league level. 

Surely signed players deserve their own thread as soon as the signing is confirmed?

What I thought.

What I did.

Gone.....

Left to go play for Portuguese club Boavista FC. http://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/liga...

This Fudges me off!!

Really gutted he didn't stick around long enough to qualify for the AWs. Boavista is a good gig for him though and I really hope he does well and plays regularly. If Lia isn't getting his contract renewed either then we are going to have a very different looking midfield next season. Might open the door for more opportunities for Ridenton, Rufer and Singh, depending on who we sign

Big loss. Huge. Bigger than Roly and Kosta combined.

If he could just go out and be signed by a Premiera Liga team maybe he didn't want his contract renewed?

Kalezic would have OK'd this move? If so, then Alex is not the type of player he wants at #6?

Muchas gracias Alex! He was on the up and up with us, the best still to come. Now he's gone. Sad.

David Dome also said on the radio that none of the players who have left were offered a contract.

and... he was due to score...

Not sure if he has to score many. Kroos 28 games 3 goals. Modric 22 and 1 goal. By judging these stats we would not take them? He also does not need to beat a man as mentioned before. His job is recive the ball, hold it, drive into space or pass it as fast as possible to. I thought he did that like no one else in the team,

Shows that Dome knows fudge all about football probably.

3 years and he never controlled or dominated a game.  We can do better.  Good luck, will be interested to see whether he gets games for the first team

For me, his loss is my biggest disapointment. He was our best player at keeping possession and technically was very sound. I believe a top quality midfield combination could have been built around him.

i am going to miss his body feints to put opposition players off where he was really moving to, he did this so well, just a slight movement of the body and he was off with the ball and the defender is left looking at empty space.

Boavista used to be a solid club but have been on the ropes the last decade and are only now clawing their way back from ruin. 

Hence signing a player like A-Rod who would be average by Portuguese top flight standards., not being able to afford more decent players.

It's been a catalogue of woe, stumbling from one calamity to another for Boavista the last decade: in 2008 Boavista  was sentenced to relegation to the second tier for bribery and referee coercion.

They were subsequently relegated to the third tier in 2009 due to their financial debts.

Promoted back to the top flight only in 2014.

They continue to operate on a somewhat restricted budget and have finished 13th, 14th and 9th in their three seasons back in the Primeira Liga..