POLL – Jose Antonio Reyes: Yay or Nay?
By: Inara | July 26th, 2007
Now that Jerome Rothen has signed a contract extension with PSG (who didn’t see that coming a mile away?), Lyon’s remaining LW track is Jose Antonio Reyes (aka the Spanish Crybaby).
Lyon have been proclaiming their interest in Reyes far and wide, and for the first time in a long time, Aulas, Perrin, and Lacombe actually agree on a player.
Owned by Arsenal, the former Sevilla superstar didn’t like London and was loaned to Real Madrid last year. He capped off a so-so season with a spectacular finish, which finally prompted Real Madrid to buy him.
Except they haven’t really tried. Arsenal want €15m for him but Real have offered only €6m in their initial bid (that’s even worse than Barcelona’s first Abidal bid!). Keep in mind that Real paid €30m for Pepe.
Anyway, Reyes knows he has no future at Arsenal and is letting the world know how much he loves Spain. Atletico were interested in Reyes but they just signed Simao Sabrosa. Since neither Sevilla, Barcelona, nor Valenica want him, if Reyes wants to stay in Spain (he’s like Jesus Navas, a homesick freak), he would have to downgrade to a smaller club.
In come Lyon, promising Champions League football and a better reputation than Atletico Bilbao. At first many people thought Lyon’s interest in Reyes wasn’t serious, but with the club’s bigwigs confirming it, it looks like Real Madrid may have some competition.
Coupet and Reyes during one of last season’s CL games.
Arsenal already rejected two of Madrid’s bids and instead, have agreed to a €12m deal with Lyon.
Reyes has stated his preference is to stay in Spain, so Aulas compensated by offering a very nice contract and a starting spot, just like what he did to lure over Fabio Grosso. Reyes’s agent said that while signing for Real Madrid remains the priority, should that fall through, Lyon are the second choice. (I would get offended, but I’m too used to seeing Lyon get hand-me-downs from the bigger clubs). Reyes has 48 hours to agree to the deal.
While I expect Reyes to refuse the Lyon deal, here is my question for all of you: should Lyon even be after Reyes? He plays on the left but can also play as a striker, and it is this versatility that is attracting Perrin. He is a talented player, and when on song, can do a lot of damage. But let’s be honest – Reyes has yet to display the form he did while at Sevilla. His arrival would also spell doom for Hatem Ben Arfa and Anthony Mounier, who both need significant time to play if they want to improve. And let’s not forget that Reyes’s wage bill would be pretty high as well.
Here is a poll I created (I stole the idea from Chris at the Roma Offside).
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Tags: Arsenal, Jose Antonio Reyes, Lyon, Player News and Rumors, Real Madrid, Team News and Rumors, TransfersSubscribe
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Comments
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I voted yes. I think that we need a player with such profile (striker and lw). Ben Arfa needs some competition, and with this add, our left wing will be more competitive than ever (Belhadj/Grosso, Ben Arfa/Reyes), even if I think Reyes should play as a striker first. This would send Keita on the right wing (finally) and 3 players to fight for the 2 strikers spots, at least until Fred comes back.
Maybe having Reyes in the squad will enable us to play a real 4-2-3-1, with this team:
———–Coupet———-
-RvR-Squillacci-Cris-Grosso
—–Toulalan-Juninho——
–Keita—Ben Arfa—-Reyes
————Fred———–With Vercoutre, Clerc, Paillot, Muller, Belhadj, Bodmer, Kallstrom, Mounier, Benzema, Govou and Baros as possible replacements (pick 7 of the non-injured players here).
Who said our team would be weaker this year?
Posted from
United States
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Yes. By the way, I’m also stealing Chris’ idea to do a Goal of the Week segment on my blog this season. What do you think of that idea?
Posted from
Canada -
Everybody’s copying my polls. Go me. I wish I had chosen a better looking poll, but they are damn easy, aren’t they? Less than a minute to make one.
And I voted yes, so hopefully we won’t have to hear JAR open his fuckin mouth in the English press. I can’t stand him.
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United States -
Hey, to my credit, I had the idea to do my thing before you started your Mini-poll embed things Chris, so I’m only PARTIALLY copying you.
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Canada -
Salieri: Lyon have also reached a verbal agreement for the transfer of Willian from Corinthians. That is two LWs. Unless Lyon loans Willian, that spot will be awfully crowded.
I like the idea of a 4-3-1-2 a lot though I wonder when we’ll see it. Perrin seems rather fixated on the 4-4-2, with the 4-3-3 as backup. Hatem would be best as a secondary striker, but I have yet to see him in that position outside of the Espoirs.
As for a weaker team – I think we lost a lot defensively. Our offensive capabilities are pretty much the same, but Abidal, Malouda, Tiago, and Diarra gave us more defensive solidarity. Especially Abidal and Malouda, who could be trusted to keep that left wing safe. Whereas now, our left side is rather light weight.
Sam: I think that would be great. There are some spectacular goals in L1, and having post dedicated to that would show people that people in France do know how to score.
Chris: The polls are a brilliant idea. Don’t no where you found them but thanks. I can only set up polls the old fashioned html way, which isn’t allowed on this site.
BTW, the feeling is mutual on Reyes. But Lyon are short of options, though I would rather just keep Ben Arfa and Mounier. Reyes won’t help us win anything.
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United States -
I voted No.
I think Reyes would be trouble in the locker room. I think the main quality of the Lyon Team is that their is a good atmosphere (excluding the last 6 months).
Reyes prefers to play in Madrid, so he is not really looking forward to play for Lyon.On the other hand, Reyes is kind of a big name, and the supporters will be happy about that. The fact he comes may lead to other big names next year (especially if Reyes does well). I want to see Ben Arfa play though on the left. I hope they would use Reyes (if they get him) more like a striker and only as a left winger in second option.
Actually he would have the advantage to be able to change position during the game.Or I would like to see Ben Arfa as a 9 1/2. But let him play.
So not a big No, but still…
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Voted no.
Lyon can get better strikers for 12M€.
Elmander is probably going to go to Tottenham for 3M£ + Carlton Cole, Savidan proved to be effective, as did Pauleta, and could be taken on board for less than 5M€, Bianchi moved to Man City for 13M€, Quagliarella was linked with various CL clubs for 5 to 8M€…
Hell, Reyes might be more versatile than some of these players, but he sure isn’t more effective.
Lyon have enough money to buy two players if they want to have a winger and a striker.
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Shazback, I think that buying one player who can play as striker and LW is more interesting than buying two, since there are already many players in the pro squad. And it would be a pain to see Ben Arfa, Kallstrom or Baros playing in CFA.
In JMA we trust!
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I dont think Reyes is what we want or need. He is not known for scoring boatloads as a striker, he probably scores more from the wing. He was played on the right last year at Madrid because Robinho was on the left. So his ability on the left may be questionable, he is versatile but i really dont think he willproduce much, he wants to stay in Spain.
As for signing someone else other then Reyes, i think that would be acceptable, a FW/LW type player that can transition well and is patient because he wont playall the time. I really dont have a suggestion, i believe in Ben Arfa and mounier for Ligue 1 but the CL not so much, but then again i dont see us doin well in the CL this year, so i dont know.
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I just find that 12M€ for a player who will bitch all over the place is a lot. Lyon don’t have many players in their pro squad (26) compared to other european sides : Man Utd (44), Real Madrid (37), Barcelona (37), AC Milan (36)…
If Lyon buy two more players they will not have “too many players”. On the contrary, they’ll be able to rest players without too much risk, and maintain their level through injuries to the squad.If Reyes comes, then he’ll be almost un-movable from the first team, either as a winger (no competition) or a striker (Benzema, Fred, Baros for 2 places). Reyes’ playing would lead the team to drop Ben Arfa definately, and probably diminish Benzema’s match ratio (from 2nd choice striker he’d be 3rd).
Since Perrin likes 4-4-2 :
Coupet – Clerc/Reveillere, Squillaci, Cris, Grosso/Belhadj – Keita/Govou, Toulalan/Bodmer, Juninho/Kallstrom, Reyes/Belhadj/Ben Arfa – Reyes/Fred/Baros/Benzema, Reyes/Fred/Baros/BenzemaThis seems like a possible line-up.
Reyes would become a setback to Ben Arfa and Benzema’s development, as he would push them out of the first team (and the bench), and is arrogant, refusing to help less able players in training (also, I doubt Ben Arfa and Benzema have forgotten Aragones’ comments to Reyes about “beating that nigger [Henry]” that Reyes didn’t oppose).
Lyon could buy 2 players who would help the team more, I think, or go for another versatile player who would be less tempramental and less expensive. Lyon didn’t seem to want Tuncay, who is even more versatile, who moved on a free transfer to Middlesbrough. Gudjohnsen might leave Barcelona for 6M£ (9M€) and he’s also more versatile, and IMO better. Park is unfit until December or January, but he’d probably be able to be lured to Lyon for less than 6M£, since he’s 6th or 7th choice winger for Man Utd now. Valerei Bojinov is availible for 4M£, Willhelmsson was availible for 3M€, Martens (from AZ) could be availible for little over 3M€…
I think Lyon could buy two players of better level : Alfonso Alves from Heerenveen, and Albert Riera from Espanyol. Alves was bought for 4M€ last season, and could be availible for 7 or 8M€ (he scored 34 goals in 31 games last season and has the record of a perfect professional), Riera was UEFA cup finalist, and scored in the final, dazzling his way through the compeition. He could be availible from 4M€, since last season he was loaned to Man City with a buy-on option of 3M€…
See? I think that buying 2 players who aren’t household names, who can support competition for places and will accept not being picked will be better for the side. Reira is 24, so he won’t mind not being a 1st team regular, and Alves is 25, but has shown he’s a professional, who knows where he comes from, so he wouldn’t mind being partnered with Benzema, or benched in favour of Baros.
See, I think that Reyes would damage the team on more than just the “team unity” level. If he’s automatically on the first-team sheet, then he’s a real danger for squad balance, and if he’s injured or underperforms, he’d probably not take kindly to being dropped or asked to play in the CFAs.
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I agree, but having more than three professional players per spot on the pitch is not an option. Those clubs you mentioned have financial capabilities Lyon does not have. Lyon can not offer big wages to all the substitutes, and can not keep players who are not happy with their playing time on the field (A.Diarra is the perfect example here).
We also have some young players who need to play more (Ben Arfa, Benzema, Mounier, Remy, Paillot, Beynie, etc.). This is why in my opinion we do not need too many extra players. Let’s trust our cheap young players instead of buying ’stars’ like Silvestre to have some famous names on the bench.Concerning Reyes’ versatility and price, it seems that it is one of the only serious players -almost- willing to come to Lyon. All those other players you mentioned do not have much CL experience, which seems to be one of the main criteria for Aulas and Lacombe.
Then the team needs to be very strict, in order to avoid disturbing behaviors like Fred’s. Then maybe Reyes could bring some good experience to the team, as well as some competition to Ben Arfa ; if Perrin sticks to his 4-4-2.Posted from
United States -
I have to agree with Shazback here. While Reyes would be a semi-big name, his vices number more than his virtues. At Arsenal, he contributed to a bad atmosphere and would complain when benched. He might be a great option in terms of versatility, but having even the best players in the world would suck if the atmosphere was ruined.
He’s very demanding, wants perfect weather and perfect food, demands to be treated in a certain way. No doubt he would come to Lyon wanting to be treated like a diva since he “deigned” to come to poor little L1 and doing us a favor. Also, he doesn’t know French OR English. I’m sure some players know a bit of Spanish, but he might feel excluded at first because of the language barrier (like Baros was at first).
No thanks. I’d rather have a happy team that won’t win the Champions League than a team that is unhappy and might win it.
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United States -
You’ll be happy
Marca announced that Reyes signed a 4 year contract with Real, for 9,2 millions euros.Posted from
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I voted no, i fed up with mercenaries.
Posted from
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Jose is now officially an Atletico player. Can’t say I’m too sad about that. I hate that Lyon is refused, but now that Wiltord is staying at the club, Reyes would be too expensive in terms of wages.
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United States -
That’s maybe a good thing… Wiltord can be our best transfer. He seems to be cool with the team, now, he’s laughing at training, do very spectacular things… Maybe the problems with him belongs to… past ?
Hope so.Posted from
France -
[...] POLL – Jose Antonio Reyes: Yay or Nay? – Transfers – The Offside …Luis Aragones tries racism to motivate Jose Antonio Reyes … El racismo strikes again Spanish football see no evil Under the skin of Spanish soccer racism … [...]
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[...] POLL – Jose Antonio Reyes: Yay or Nay? – Transfers – The Offside …Lyon?s remaining LW track is Jose Antonio Reyes (aka the Spanish Crybaby). … In come Lyon, promising Champions League football and a better reputation … [...]
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