Fo Dne wrote:Bam wrote:Stu I read your appreciation of Gerrards quality display at Goodison last weekend. Both him and Alonso were outstanding for us, but the way I read it now is ....... Gerrard can only be that player when paired up with Xabi ?
Talk about taking everything away from Peter to give to Paul.
Whatever you think about Gerrard as a player, and from where I sit your opinions change quite regularly about him. I.E one week he can be "disciplined" enough in his position to intelligently play in that position, making his lung busting runs at the right time. To the next week, where he lacks intelligence and discipline to play in the central role. Those werent your words, but thats the kind of stuff you spout week in week out.
I have no doubt that playing alongside Mascha Gerrard will still be that quality player, who can infact create, dictate and have the passing ability and vision to open up defences. He played a lovely weighted pass to Torres the other night against PSV down the right flank, and for me that was the best pass of the match. Pair him with Mascha and he suddenly doesnt lose that quality (their not siamese twins) for one to function you need the others brain.
What I do feel though at the moment is, Xabi is again hitting top form and by christ we've waited for it. But one swallow doesnt make a summer, if he can keep up his form and partnership with Gerrard than the two deserve to make a go of it. Simple really, that Mascha has to bust a gut to get back into the side on merit rather than mere rotation. I'm fine with that.
For all the accolades Alonso gets on here, I see him as player who sits deep breaks up play, albeit not quite as well as Mascha. Then spreads the ball around and dictates the tempo of the game, I wouldnt neccessarily call that creative, what Gerrard does next to him IMO is creative. Firstly by getting someway over the half way line, picking out Torres as regulary as he can to set him through clean on goal. Or it maybe another passage of play where Stevie is inventing creativity. Believe me, and I dont care how much you disagree with me, or tell me I'm wrong Gerrard is the most creative CM and player we have at our club. He'll still be that player with Mascha alongside him, granted Mascha will not have some of the attributes Alonso has but visa versa to.
Where as Xabi will ping passes around, and trying to pick the odd hollywood ball out every now and then, Mascha will break up play, and play it simple or even carry the ball out of defence and turn it into attack.
I think you are missing something Stu, and thats the sight of seeing Gerrard play equally well with Mascha and Alonso, and being able to give credit on a consistent basis where its due to him. Equally you say many here overate Mascha, I could say the same thing said about Alonso, people of stated he's this creative force in midfield that we cannot do without. He isnt, his quality is keeping possesion, dictating the passage of play with his passing, the creative stuff is in his partners locker and not his.
Ideally both Mascha and Alonso compliment Gerrard well in theory, except IMO Mascha has put that into practise alot more consistantly than Alonso has in the past. But now it seems Alonso is finally turning the corner Rafa has a headache in who to pick, which can only be good for the team.
Thought you'd left!
I did
and it coinceded with our good form, it had feck all to do with Xabi you know.Anyway I couldnt let you carry on making bias posts and converting everyone to your way of thinking.
lad, Gerrard always hurts sides with his passing, how the 
