Liverpool FC Forum

[Liverpool_In_My_Blood]

I think Momo Sissoko was probably our 2nd best signing last year (behind Reina). Wherever the ball was you knew Momo wouldn't be to far away. He got into your face, he won the ball and he played simple passers. My view on Momo is a Didi Hamann with pace. I think the amount of formations we play will be crucial this season. If we go 4-4-2 then Momo may miss out because I can't see Rafa leaving out Pennant after just forking out 7 mill and Stevie and Xabi is the best central midfield pairing in the world I think. But if Rafa changes it to 5 in midfield then Momo will again play a big part in our season.

I would leave Pennant out, 7 mill or not. Xabi and Momo work so well together and Stevie was the best right winger in the league last time out, so why change things. If it's pace then when Stevie gets going there's not that many quicker than him. Maybe we are looking for goals this year from our centre mids and Xabi doesn't score a great deal and Momo was firing blanks last year. But I would stick with Momo because of the job he does. If you ask Gerrard to do that job, then he is not at his best and if you ask Xabi to he doesn't have the pace to. So Momo starts for me and Pennant is on the bench.

[weringo]

I would be absolutely staggered if he doesn't play almost every game when fit. For me Pennant is the fella who has the displacing to do. To get a game he has to get past the man who was head and shoulders the best wide-right midfielder in the Premiership last season. Sissoko plays every game he is fit for if you ask me.

Pennant has to do the displacing. I can see your point of view and I agree Gerrard was the best right winger in the Prem last year. But why spend 7mill on someone to warm up the bench. Even when Stevie was playing on the right last year Rafa was still saying we need a right-winger, now we have one does he play? I think he will and that means Momo or our 4-4-2 formation gets scrapped.

I heard something, not long ago, that I thought could work and it allows Pennant and Momo to play. Play like Chelsea do. 4-5-1 when defending and 4-3-3 when attacking. Pennant on the right and Gonzalez on the left, with Bellamy through the middle, all have pace. Momo, Xabi and Stevie in the middle.

What do you think of that formation people?

The reason we needed a right winger was for backup. If Gerrard had got injured we had no replacement for him on the right and if Xabi/Momo had got injured Gerrard would of had to return back to centre again with no one to replace him on the right.

I do not think Pennant will be a "bench warmer" next season as he will be used in a 5-in-midfield situation and also when someone needs a rest or has a injury. I do not think 6 million is much for a 2nd choice player especially for a club of Liverpool size, look at Chelsea FFS, they spent 21 million on Wright-Phillips!

[Liverpool_In_My_Blood]

Momo was brilliant last year. He has to start no matter which way we play.

[Billy_5_Times]

After what I've seen in pre season Pennant will start. He and Bellamy have been our best players in pre season along with God. Fowler and Bellamy will be our forward line with Pennant on the right. I think it will all depend on the formation Rafa plays. But after installing the solid back 4 and keeper we have I don't see him changing the formation a great deal.

[JC_81]

My only worry for Momo this year is will he play?

I would be absolutely staggered if he doesn't play almost every game when fit. For me Pennant is the fella who has the displacing to do. To get a game he has to get past the man who was head and shoulders the best wide-right midfielder in the Premiership last season. Sissoko plays every game he is fit for if you ask me.

Agree with that Mick.

I remember Benitez saying that it is unbelievable how quickly Sissoko recovers physically after a game.  He's not the type of player who will ever suffer from fatigue due to 2 games per week anyway at this stage of his career and therefore will rarely, if ever, need rested.

Bar that freak injury to his eye last year, I don't remember him having any injury problems.  Suspensions were another matter!

I'll actually put my cards on the table now and say that out of all the midfielders and attackers in our squad, Sissoko will make the most starts in all competitions over the whole season.  I think only Reina, Finnan, Carra and possibly Hyypia will start more games.

[Billy_5_Times]

My only worry for Momo this year is will he play?

I would be absolutely staggered if he doesn't play almost every game when fit. For me Pennant is the fella who has the displacing to do. To get a game he has to get past the man who was head and shoulders the best wide-right midfielder in the Premiership last season. Sissoko plays every game he is fit for if you ask me.

Agree with that Mick.

I remember Benitez saying that it is unbelievable how quickly Sissoko recovers physically after a game.  He's not the type of player who will ever suffer from fatigue due to 2 games per week anyway at this stage of his career and therefore will rarely, if ever, need rested.

Bar that freak injury to his eye last year, I don't remember him having any injury problems.  Suspensions were another matter!

I'll actually put my cards on the table now and say that out of all the midfielders and attackers in our squad, Sissoko will make the most starts in all competitions over the whole season.  I think only Reina, Finnan, Carra and possibly Hyypia will start more games.

I think Momo SHOULD play. The lad was one of best players last year and I agree he can easily play twice in a week. But the form Pennant has shown up to no in pre-season it looks as if he is going to the new season firing. So does that leave Momo as a man on the bench? If it does I think Momo is one of these players who is more than willing to fight for his place back.

[aCe']

I really cant see sissoko not starting any game next season unless he is not fit... Xabi is a good midfielder, but can never make it on his own in that centre role unless gerrard is deployed in a defensive midfield role, which i again dont see happening ! Sissoko is probably the second best defensive midfielder in the league (makelele) and his presence was vital for our defensive record last season ! I cant see XabiAlonso being dropped, but if i was to choose between Alonso and Sissoko to play alongside gerrard with two wide wingers... sissoko, would be the logical pick ! However, Sissoko, Alonso and Gerrard should all start if fit with Pennant,Gonzales, Kewell fighting it for that forth slot in our midfield we play 4 ! cant see momo out of the squad tho !

[Espionage]

I really cant see sissoko not starting any game next season unless he is not fit... Xabi is a good midfielder, but can never make it on his own in that centre role unless gerrard is deployed in a defensive midfield role, which i again dont see happening ! Sissoko is probably the second best defensive midfielder in the league (makelele) and his presence was vital for our defensive record last season ! I cant see XabiAlonso being dropped, but if i was to choose between Alonso and Sissoko to play alongside gerrard with two wide wingers... sissoko, would be the logical pick ! However, Sissoko, Alonso and Gerrard should all start if fit with Pennant,Gonzales, Kewell fighting it for that forth slot in our midfield we play 4 ! cant see momo out of the squad tho !

Makelele and Sissoko do not play the same position.  If you watch Liverpool, then you would see clearly that Alonso has been playing the holding role for quite sometime now and been excelling in it.  Sissoko plays box-to-box and Makelele sits in front of the back 4.
Alonso and Makelele play the same positition except Alonso plays it better!!!!

[aCe']

emmmm...no they dont ! Makelele Tackles for the ball all around just like Sissoko does, but now that Essien is in there with him at chelsea, he stays back and does it in Chelsea's half of the field ! if you watch Makelele with Real Madrid and with Chelsea before Essien was here, u'd realize that Makelele gets the ball back, chasing it all around the field ! Essien has better physical attributes than does makelele, so he is the one doing it for chelsea. Xabi's role is different...he gets the ball from the back four and plays it to other midfielder of forwards....his defensive game lags his attacking one by some margin ! Unlike Sissoko, unlike makelele ! I guess you can say... more like pirlo is to milan...except with better defensive qualities ! or xavi is to barcelona....donno which foreign league you watch but....thats close to what we have ! with gattuso more like sissoko and ThiagoMotta more like sissoko !

[ivor_the_injun]

I can definitely see value in us going to 5 in the middle, and have either Crouch or Bellamy up top.

Two genuine wingers, Gerrard blazing forward at will, Alonso spraying passes for fun and Sissoko getting the ball back when the opposition have the audacity to intercept. So long as we commit numbers going forward, there are definitely goals for us in a side set up that way.

[aCe']

better yet...we sign a forward who can play as a single striker and can actually score goals (crouch doesnt and bellamy cant hold the ball up)  . Kuyt is one option !
I agree with the 5 in midfield tho... Sissoko/Xabi and gerrard with 2 winger or a winger and luis garcia !
Everyone seems to dislike garcia and dismiss his chances of first team fottball next season...but i think he's one of our best players if he is played in position and can get a decent form goin for him !

[Billy_5_Times]

better yet...we sign a forward who can play as a single striker and can actually score goals (crouch doesnt and bellamy cant hold the ball up)  . Kuyt is one option !
I agree with the 5 in midfield tho... Sissoko/Xabi and gerrard with 2 winger or a winger and luis garcia !
Everyone seems to dislike garcia and dismiss his chances of first team fottball next season...but i think he's one of our best players if he is played in position and can get a decent form goin for him !

I believe what you said was all wrong.

Kuyt isn't the answer. Crouch can hold the ball up and easily play it through for the on going Gerrard, Pennant, Speedy or even Momo hiself who gets from box to box. Or if Crouch isn't played Fowler can hold the ball up and is clever enough to turn and shoot or link up.

Garcia is just a waste of space anywhere on the field.

[aCe']

better yet...we sign a forward who can play as a single striker and can actually score goals (crouch doesnt and bellamy cant hold the ball up)  . Kuyt is one option !
I agree with the 5 in midfield tho... Sissoko/Xabi and gerrard with 2 winger or a winger and luis garcia !
Everyone seems to dislike garcia and dismiss his chances of first team fottball next season...but i think he's one of our best players if he is played in position and can get a decent form goin for him !

I believe what you said was all wrong.

Kuyt isn't the answer. Crouch can hold the ball up and easily play it through for the on going Gerrard, Pennant, Speedy or even Momo hiself who gets from box to box. Or if Crouch isn't played Fowler can hold the ball up and is clever enough to turn and shoot or link up.

Garcia is just a waste of space anywhere on the field.

I believe what you said was all wrong.


and i dont mean that post...i mean EVERY SINGLE WORD you said since day 1 ... not dday1 posting... DAY1 !

[Espionage]

emmmm...no they dont ! Makelele Tackles for the ball all around just like Sissoko does, but now that Essien is in there with him at chelsea, he stays back and does it in Chelsea's half of the field ! if you watch Makelele with Real Madrid and with Chelsea before Essien was here, u'd realize that Makelele gets the ball back, chasing it all around the field ! Essien has better physical attributes than does makelele, so he is the one doing it for chelsea. Xabi's role is different...he gets the ball from the back four and plays it to other midfielder of forwards....his defensive game lags his attacking one by some margin ! Unlike Sissoko, unlike makelele ! I guess you can say... more like pirlo is to milan...except with better defensive qualities ! or xavi is to barcelona....donno which foreign league you watch but....thats close to what we have ! with gattuso more like sissoko and ThiagoMotta more like sissoko !

What exactly are you saying?
Sissoko has a lot of defensive duties but these are not done in the Makelele/Hamann style.  What I said was Sissoko plays box-to-box and Makelele plays just in front of his back four, how often do you see Makelele in an attacking position?

Alonso's defensive game has been improving greatly, and I think that if you watch the way he plays, he plays a very similiar position to Makelele. Alonso is still behiend Makelele in reading the game but he more than makes up for it in his brilliant distribution.

[stmichael]

I think this season, away from home, in Champions League games, and in important Cup ties - he's an absolute necessity, especially now Hamann's gone.

As brilliant as he is, at home against the likes of Aston Villa, Man City, Fulham and the rest of the 'not-good-enough-to-pass-through-us-&-not-strong-enough-to-frighten-us' sides he isn't really that much of an importance. We could go with Stevie, Chabby and two attacking wingers and still win the games quite comfortably.

That's why Rafa's the manager. He gets paid to make these decisions.