Liverpool FC Forum

[neil]

Yeah , gerrard's equilizer in injury time at cardiffs was textbook right wing play.....hey wait a minuite... 

[Bad Bob]

It is however my belief that he's only operating at 80% when playing out wide .Yes he can whip in some wicked crosses but he has been most effective when he has excercised his "licence to drift around the final third " and not stuck out on the touchline .

Bllody hell Woof! If that was Stevie operating at 80% what's he gonna come up with this season!

The point about Stevie playing wide right is that he only starts the game there and has some defensive responsibilities down that flank when we lose the ball. When we're in possession he pretty much has a free role. He can go walkabouts so often because Sissoko covers so much ground behind him and when Finnan gets forward (as he often did this past year) he tucks in ahead of Xabi and Momo. If Kewell is on the opposite flank stevie just gives a shout and they swap flanks. Look back at all of Stevie's goals this season and you will notice the majority of his shots have come from central positions on the pitch so he still does plenty of good work in more central areas but now when he gets the ball it is in far more advanced positions than when he plays centre-mid. There were a few occasions this season where he wasn't seeing much of the ball on the right (as can happen to wide players) but they were rare.

I agree he can do a good job playing behind the main striker but see a couple of problems with this. 1- We don't really have anyone to play the lone striker position effectively (Van Horse anyone?) & 2- Gerrard is a lot easier to pick up from a defensive point of view when he plays that second striker role, you can have a defensive midfielder shadow (try to!) him or ask one of the centre-backs to step out. He's a nightmare for defenders playing on the right because it's virtually impossible to ask someone to follow him because he spends half the game on the flank and the rest of it wherever he wants to go. Plus his runs are so much more effective when he starts from a deeper position, you would lose this playing him at 2nd striker.

I wouldn't change it. The position is perfect for him. I think Rafa probably thinks the same, hopefully Steve Mclaren will figure it when he gets the England job and maybe Stevie himself maybe coming around to the idea.

Good shout Scott...

Gerrard is very hard to defend against when he starts on the right because he's unpredictable: just when you think he's going to cut into the middle of the park, he'll take on the fullback and whip in a cross.  Giving him the license to swap wings also allows him to lose his marker in the congestion of the middle of the park, at precisely the range where he's most dangerous.

Starting Gerrard on the right also gives us a very good defensive shape because his pace and determination can help neutralize the work of the opponents' LW or the overlapping runs of the LB--a vital thing when playing the likes of Robben, Heinze, Ash Cole etc.

In the games where he isn't getting much of the ball out wide Rafa would have the option of altering the tactics and moving him more central, which is why buying someone like Pennant is a must--someone who can replace Cisse out wide.

What I'd also love to see is a quality striker with pace bought who can run the right channel.  This would give more balance out wide on the right and make Stevie's angled runs into the box even more effective by having someone to run onto balls down the channel and pick Gerrard out for the cut back.

Bottom line, playing Gerrard a fair bit on the right next season will not hurt our team one bit and so that's something very important to keep in mind when shopping for the problem positions this summer.

[woof woof !]

Bllody hell Woof! If that was Stevie operating at 80% what's he gonna come up with this season! ...........

All you points are fairly valid Scott , but for me Gerrard does most damage when he's in the centre lurking 5yds outside the D  This is when he's most dangerous hence my wish to see him spending more time in that area . As for the assertion that it's easier for defenders to pick him up there ,    , try tellin' that to West Ham .   

[stmichael]

Anyone who thinks that Pennant wouldn't flourish at a bigger club with a better manager need only look at Aaron Lennon. Lennon, like Carrick, has flourished under a top manager. I believe Pennant could do the same. If you watched him last season, he was far and away Birmingham's best player. He made more crosses than any other player in the League and I don't see how £3m is a gamble.

[woof woof !]

Aaron Lennon turned 19 just a month ago . Pennant has wasted the four years since he was 19 . As for thinking he wouldn't "flourish under a top manager " ,are we to assume that you dont consider Arsene Wenger a top manager ? Wenger took Pennant at the age of 15 (what a vote of confidence for the lad) obviously seeing something . That something however obviously wasn't good enough for Arsenals 1st team .Pennant then went on loan to a Leeds team that got relegated and then eventually to a Birmingham team that also got relegated .
Not only does he have insufficient talent for the very top flight teams I'm also beginning to think he's a f'ucking jinx 

[A.B.]

Anyone who thinks that Pennant wouldn't flourish at a bigger club with a better manager need only look at Aaron Lennon. Lennon, like Carrick, has flourished under a top manager. I believe Pennant could do the same. If you watched him last season, he was far and away Birmingham's best player. He made more crosses than any other player in the League and I don't see how £3m is a gamble.

Neither Carrick or Lennon have been getting drunk and thrown in jail in their spare time. That is the difference. You want a player with the right mentality, not just quality alone. Does Pennant have that? It's down to Benitez to decide but I doubt that he will go for a player with his kind of background.

[david wayne]

pennant will join and be played on the right, in big games stevie g will be used in a free role. rafa likes an attacking 4-2-3-1 system and with pennant, stevie g and gonzalez feeding a new striker it will be a very attacking dangerous team freeing stevie g to impact on the game as he can. also with two new offensive minded full backs in arulio and alves it is not a negative approach to games. remember rafa main attacker at valencia did not score double for the season.

[HacksawJimDuggin]

pennant will join and be played on the right, in big games stevie g will be used in a free role. rafa likes an attacking 4-2-3-1 system and with pennant, stevie g and gonzalez feeding a new striker it will be a very attacking dangerous team freeing stevie g to impact on the game as he can. also with two new offensive minded full backs in arulio and alves it is not a negative approach to games. remember rafa main attacker at valencia did not score double for the season.

David

You talk a lot of sense mate. I would be happy with Pennant, Gonzo, Aurelio + 1 striker for our summers activities on the transfer market...

[Gaunt]

pennant will join and be played on the right, in big games stevie g will be used in a free role. rafa likes an attacking 4-2-3-1 system and with pennant, stevie g and gonzalez feeding a new striker it will be a very attacking dangerous team freeing stevie g to impact on the game as he can. also with two new offensive minded full backs in arulio and alves it is not a negative approach to games. remember rafa main attacker at valencia did not score double for the season.

David

You talk a lot of sense mate. I would be happy with Pennant, Gonzo, Aurelio + 1 striker for our summers activities on the transfer market...

Add in Alves to that list too and we're sorted.

[RedorDead]

Aaron Lennon turned 19 just a month ago . Pennant has wasted the four years since he was 19 . As for thinking he wouldn't "flourish under a top manager " ,are we to assume that you dont consider Arsene Wenger a top manager ? Wenger took Pennant at the age of 15 (what a vote of confidence for the lad) obviously seeing something . That something however obviously wasn't good enough for Arsenals 1st team .Pennant then went on loan to a Leeds team that got relegated and then eventually to a Birmingham team that also got relegated .
Not only does he have insufficient talent for the very top flight teams I'm also beginning to think he's a f'ucking jinx

I'm with Woof here....I have been coming onto this forum for a while now and I cannot remember more debate over a player who isn't ours than the debate over Jermaine Pennant. I am not of an extreme opinion either way. I mean he is a good player and has improved BUT I just don't think he is right for Liverpool. My main concern is his attitude, I just cannot stand players who pi$$ away their talent by getting involved in the things that he does. I also do not believe that he is really good enough. Like Woof said, he wasn't good enough for Arsenal and hasn't done a lot to help Leeds or Brum stay up so i would pass.
Gerrard can play there, but a suspect a new signing is the way to go....would just love to see Joaquim but we'll see what Rafa thinks soon enough

[HacksawJimDuggin]

pennant will join and be played on the right, in big games stevie g will be used in a free role. rafa likes an attacking 4-2-3-1 system and with pennant, stevie g and gonzalez feeding a new striker it will be a very attacking dangerous team freeing stevie g to impact on the game as he can. also with two new offensive minded full backs in arulio and alves it is not a negative approach to games. remember rafa main attacker at valencia did not score double for the season.

David

You talk a lot of sense mate. I would be happy with Pennant, Gonzo, Aurelio + 1 striker for our summers activities on the transfer market...

Add in Alves to that list too and we're sorted.

Sorry. Forgot about Alves.

Kuyt could fill the missing place and wrap up our transfer activity pre: World Cup thus allowing us to enjoy the summer!!

[deejay-cgt]

pennant would be a great signing he got the pace he got the crossing not bad finishing also he be reasonable price compared to other right mids he would fit in well.

[48-1119859832]

pennant would be a great signing he got the pace he got the crossing not bad finishing also he be reasonable price compared to other right mids he would fit in well.

Yeah he would but would his behaviour? I really do rate Pennant, he's young, he's quick, he can dribble, take on defenders and cross the ball but it's his attitude to life off the pitch and his antics that could well stop him coming here.

I couldn't careless about his off the pitch life, that's his business, as long as he puts the effort and performances in of a high standard each week then that's good enough for me. And whilst his off the pitch life style maybe troublesome, he's shown that he does care about performing and has the right approach to football (when he's on the pitch). He must of been one of the most hard working players in Steve Bruce's squad this season, so the lad's not all bad.

[Good Bob]

Why is he even being discussed? He plays for Bimingham so can't be any good. The fact they got relegated says everything about Pennant's ability.

[Kukilon]

Why is he even being discussed? He plays for Bimingham so can't be any good. The fact they got relegated says everything about Pennant's ability.

Go and troll on some other board sweetie.