Liverpool FC Forum

[metalhead]

Over on RAWK there's a big debate about whether Gerrard can play the Alonso role in the future considering that his legs are now going a bit. For me the answer to that is a resounding no, mainly because I dont see us playing with a system that involves the Alonso type deep playmaking role anymore. We are nothing like the 08/09 team and won't be in the future either imo.

Agreed, although Gerrard is a beast and an unstoppable player he isn't as intelligent as Alonso in the playmaker role with the same vision or passing range.

[stmichael]

Over on RAWK there's a big debate about whether Gerrard can play the Alonso role in the future considering that his legs are now going a bit. For me the answer to that is a resounding no, mainly because I dont see us playing with a system that involves the Alonso type deep playmaking role anymore. We are nothing like the 08/09 team and won't be in the future either imo.

What makes you say this?

Show me any other team who plays with a deep lying playmaker in this league nowadays? Chelsea don't, United don't (Carrick is hardly a first team regular) and Arsenal certainly don't. We were privileged to have Alonso for several years who was the best of his type in the world alongside maybe Pirlo or Schweinsteiger.  These kinds of player are really hard to find these days.

Steve can play deeper if he wants but more than likely with a proper holding midfileder alongside him and another passer in a 4-3-3. This means he can take the odd risk because he wouldnt be relied upon to set tempo or maintain defensive cover all the time. However as Metalhead says, he can't be relied upon to set the tempo of games. It wastes his main attributes. Whilst he may be declining physically, he still has a couple of seasons left as an explosive attacking midfielder imo.

[Greavesie]

Arsenal were linked with him today, £15m as well I thnk

Sounds about right. Id pay up to 20 million to get him hes gonna be a beast of a player for someone, might aswell be us.

he's physical, surely Wenger wouldn't want him 

all jokes aside its exactly what Arsenal need

rather than a defensive midfield conundrum I'd say its more our whole midfield thats subject to change. Like St Mick says, it all depends what kenny's thoughts are, do we want out and out wingers or wide players that tuck in?

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We could go for something like this again and get another Suarez type player on the right and stick Charlie Adam next to Meireles

Kenny might even want to play with wing backs again - he just doesnt have the players to do that atm. Very interesting noontheless. Our set up alone needs decided first

we might go for a 4-3-3/4-5-1 interchangable kind of formation like the Mancs do now

This decision will ultimately depend on how much Kenny has to spend

[Waldo]

Meant to post this earlier in week after watching Celtic game on Tuesday night. The lad Kayal looks a proper CM and happy to put the boot in. Reckon it would take £8M to tempt Celtic to sell and think he would do a good job in the EPL. Has been linked with Man U today.

The other one I would look at is Tieto but he has not long signed a 5-6 year contract at Newcastle...

[sully0182]

momo sissoko, 5 million

[Greavesie]

we need someone who can pass a ball as well

Sissoko was a beast til he had that eye injury, he was never the same after that

[maypaxvobiscum]

Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli has revealed that the club place a big emphasis on stats when indentifying transfer targets and highlighted the positive attributes of potential signing Blaise Matuidi.

Comolli has been at Anfield since Fenway Sports Group took control of the club in November and is responsible for the club's transfer policy.

The Frenchman was behind the sale of Fernando Torres and signings of Andrew Carroll and Luis Suarez in January and he insists that the players' respective stats were influential in the club's decision to allow the Spanish striker join Chelsea.

"When you find yourself handling three of the biggest transfers in English football history in the last days of the market, precise figures allow you not to do that blind," Comolli said. "You have to act quickly. For Luis, I asked scouts to make inquiries in Holland.

"I looked at his stats over the last three years - especially the number of matches played. We are going in the right direction of players who don't get injured. We are going to take more and more account of the health of a player in the future. It costs so much having players who don't play.

"With Luis, we took account of the number of decisive passes, his performances against the big teams, against the little ones, in Europe, the difference between his goals scored at home and away."

And Comolli revealed that the club are interested in St Etienne midfielder Matuidi after being impressed by his qualities, supported by statistical analysis.

LINK

[stmichael]

We blatantly still need a new defensive midfielder, even if somehow Aquilani comes back. The fact is Spearing isn't an out and out defensive midfielder either imo. In recent games he's been getting forward more than Lucas and having shots etc. In terms of playing that "holding role", Lucas is doing a fine job although that's not getting the best out of his attributes either.

It's all about options at the end of the day.

[PabloMedina28]

Yann M'Villa

[Greavesie]

Blaise Matuidi - who?

always dodgy about stats like - they can tell you anything

[dawson99]

I always thought Agger would become a defensive midfielder, that would have solved so many problems

[stmichael]

I always thought Agger would become a defensive midfielder, that would have solved so many problems

we tried it with aurelio with varying degree's of success. basically we'd get away with it against some teams because of his footballing brain and ability but against other teams he was severely exposed.

[Greavesie]

Agger would solve a few problems if he could stay fit

[dawson99]

Sideshow bob is gonna be a defensive midfielder for Cheatski, thats the way to go. To buy a ready made DM is gonna cost the big bucks, gotta make them yourselves nowadays for it to work

[Greavesie]

Sideshow bob is gonna be a defensive midfielder for Cheatski, thats the way to go. To buy a ready made DM is gonna cost the big bucks, gotta make them yourselves nowadays for it to work

I agree. when they were struggling to accomodate Torres I'd have stuck him in midfield, has an eye for a pass it was worth a shout