Liverpool FC Forum

[66-1112520797]

think its time to get back to the original post and try to have a sensible discussion rather than people waving their willies in the air .

PMSL

[bigmick]

On Saints last point about Gerrard I think the sensible option is to put Gerrard back out right and leave him there!Of course a lot of this depends on Riera bringing quality to the left,if he can IMO this is the most balanced MF we have

             Gerrard  Alonso Masch  Riera

Of course a lot depends if as I said Riera can perform and also Alonso regaining his form of old!If they can I reckon that should be our MF in most games!

Assuming Riera isn't garbage (it maybe a dangerous assumption but you'd hope he's at the very least, better than anything else we have on the left of midfield), that's exactly the four I'd go with as well.

[account deleted by request]

Personally I think we should bite the bullet and either buy a creative midfielder who would compliment Masch or a genuine creative second striker/attacking midfielder, especially if like most seem to want, we play Gerrard on the right. Alonso and Masch while certainly adding to our defensive strength are as a pair never going to be the creative force we need. Their strengths lie in our half of the pitch, we need someone who's strengths lie further forward.

Keane isn't and never will be what I was hoping for as a creative second striker and should be considered as a out and out striker in my view.

[66-1112520797]

On Saints last point about Gerrard I think the sensible option is to put Gerrard back out right and leave him there!Of course a lot of this depends on Riera bringing quality to the left,if he can IMO this is the most balanced MF we have

             Gerrard  Alonso Masch  Riera

Of course a lot depends if as I said Riera can perform and also Alonso regaining his form of old!If they can I reckon that should be our MF in most games!

Mark my words the same people advocating playing that midfield quartet now, will be screaming blue murder three months down the track.

Great idea lets play two defensive players in front of two center halves.

What happens further up the the field attacking wise will be something similar to what we saw at Villa park. NOTHING !

[Number 9]

On Saints last point about Gerrard I think the sensible option is to put Gerrard back out right and leave him there!Of course a lot of this depends on Riera bringing quality to the left,if he can IMO this is the most balanced MF we have

             Gerrard  Alonso Masch  Riera

Of course a lot depends if as I said Riera can perform and also Alonso regaining his form of old!If they can I reckon that should be our MF in most games!

Mark my words the same people advocating playing that midfield quartet now, will be screaming blue murder three months down the track.

Great idea lets play two defensive players in front of two center halves.

What happens further up the the field attacking wise will be something similar to what we saw at Villa park. NOTHING !

Its the best option we have mate!
Of course a lot depends on Alonso regaining his form,you could hardly say he was "defencive" when at his best for us.He can get forward and make things happen as he has shown before.Also some of his recent performances for Spain he has been attacking more.The problem is though Rafa seems to put too much emphasis on defending and containing teams!If he lets Alonso express himself and maybe cross the half way line when he feels like it he may be able to be the player he used to be.
Also Riera will need to be at least decent on the left of course!
Which remains to be seen!

[Gerrard30391]

Personally I think we should bite the bullet and either buy a creative midfielder who would compliment Masch or a genuine creative second striker/attacking midfielder, especially if like most seem to want, we play Gerrard on the right. Alonso and Masch while certainly adding to our defensive strength are as a pair never going to be the creative force we need. Their strengths lie in our half of the pitch, we need someone who's strengths lie further forward.

Keane isn't and never will be what I was hoping for as a creative second striker and should be considered as a out and out striker in my view.

I could see babel playing that role in behind the striker. I think if we could get him running at defenders it's only going to benefit Torres, because if defenders are worried about Babel running at them, which i would be, Torres is going to be forgotten momentarily which allows him to find space and score goals Happy Days....

Where as ATM  balls are being played to Torres either way to far over the top which means all the emphasis is on Torres to make it a good ball where as we could get balls lsid in for him if he has more space.

I don't know, when he was signed in Holland he was touted as the next Henry. We havn't seen any of that as yet though because he hasn't been played in areas he can show that. To play a right footed player on the left is never going to get 100% out of the player. So, after that, with Torres and Gerrard fit (not going to happen) i would play this....

                                    Reina

Arbeloa           Agger                    Carra           Dossena
('cause there's nobody else)


Gerrard           Masch                   Xabi              Riera
[Pennant/Kuyt]
                                                  Babel
                      Torres
                      [Keane]

[Players considered if Torres and Gerrard aren't fit]

[66-1112520797]

Of course a lot depends on Alonso regaining his form

How long are we going to keep saying that, christ thats right up there with the 'this is our year' cliche.

He can get forward and make things happen as he has shown before

The only inclination of attacking threat he offers is his vision and passing. Thats it, when the pass isnt on he doesnt do much else attacking wise. I.e take a man on, play a one two, frequent the box as much as Gerrard does.

I dont want this thread ending up as another Alonso one, but Mascha and Gerrard are my number one pairing all day long. But central position isnt the problem really, its right mid, but I still wouldnt sacrifice Gerrard for the "graveyard" shift, hes better through the middle for numerous and previously explained reasons before.

Rafa should have brought Scweinsteiger. 

[Number 9]

Of course a lot depends on Alonso regaining his form

How long are we going to keep saying that, christ thats right up there with the 'this is our year' cliche.

He can get forward and make things happen as he has shown before

The only inclination of attacking threat he offers is his vision and passing. Thats it, when the pass isnt on he doesnt do much else attacking wise. I.e take a man on, play a one two, frequent the box as much as Gerrard does.

True I guess!
But he has the ability to get better and back to what he used to be!Nothing wrong with hoping is there?Call it praying if ya like!lol

[account deleted by request]

Of course a lot depends on Alonso regaining his form

How long are we going to keep saying that, christ thats right up there with the 'this is our year' cliche.

He can get forward and make things happen as he has shown before

The only inclination of attacking threat he offers is his vision and passing. Thats it, when the pass isnt on he doesnt do much else attacking wise. I.e take a man on, play a one two, frequent the box as much as Gerrard does.

True I guess!
But he has the ability to get better and back to what he used to be!Nothing wrong with hoping is there?Call it praying if ya like!lol

I think while Masch just needs a creative more attacking partner, Alonso is better in a midfield three, with an attacking midfielder and a defensive midfielder. Mainly because he is similar to Pirlo in my opinion....... neither fish nor fowl.

[Fo Dne]

completely agree with the opening statement. He may have been wrong on many occasions but this time hes spot on .

We're going backwards, we're the little train that can't in the megabucks premier league now and we are becoming a laughing stock already. The thing si, half the people see unbeaten and sitting pretty in the league and 'only 3 games in, nothing to worry about'
the other half of us, however, see the deep uderlying disturbing fact that we aint doing things right. the management of the team is always the same - bizarre. the substitions are ones even christian gross wouldnt be caught making and something HAS to change. At the moment we are just a cup team, and thats just nowhere near good enough for us.

Was I wrong about Sissoko? Fowler? Carragher? Hyypia? Finnan? Baros? Babel? Kuyt and all the rest.

Christ even Bullard and Ashton are recieving call ups for england. (Not that I really rate Capello's ability to pick the best players).

[GYBS]

completely agree with the opening statement. He may have been wrong on many occasions but this time hes spot on .

We're going backwards, we're the little train that can't in the megabucks premier league now and we are becoming a laughing stock already. The thing si, half the people see unbeaten and sitting pretty in the league and 'only 3 games in, nothing to worry about'
the other half of us, however, see the deep uderlying disturbing fact that we aint doing things right. the management of the team is always the same - bizarre. the substitions are ones even christian gross wouldnt be caught making and something HAS to change. At the moment we are just a cup team, and thats just nowhere near good enough for us.

Was I wrong about Sissoko? Fowler? Carragher? Hyypia? Finnan? Baros? Babel? Kuyt and all the rest.

Christ even Bullard and Ashton are recieving call ups for england. (Not that I really rate Capello's ability to pick the best players).

Dont know what did you say about those players ?

[Gerrard30391]

Christ even Bullard and Ashton are recieving call ups for england. (Not that I really rate Capello's ability to pick the best players).

Not being funny, i'd take them any day. There class back up. Only if they were fully fit though. Couldn't risk them sidelined for 3/4 season.

[Fo Dne]

On Saints last point about Gerrard I think the sensible option is to put Gerrard back out right and leave him there!Of course a lot of this depends on Riera bringing quality to the left,if he can IMO this is the most balanced MF we have

             Gerrard  Alonso Masch  Riera

Of course a lot depends if as I said Riera can perform and also Alonso regaining his form of old!If they can I reckon that should be our MF in most games!

Mark my words the same people advocating playing that midfield quartet now, will be screaming blue murder three months down the track.

Great idea lets play two defensive players in front of two center halves.

What happens further up the the field attacking wise will be something similar to what we saw at Villa park. NOTHING !

Oh yeah, thats rediculous isn't it because we only have 4 attacking players infront of them...

Its ok if you have a 4-2-3-1 though with them to in there because... oh wait, we'll still have 4 players infront of them.



Funny how our biggest win last season came when Gerrard didn't play, we had width and Alonso and Mascherno played centrally.

[Fo Dne]

Personally I think we should bite the bullet and either buy a creative midfielder who would compliment Masch or a genuine creative second striker/attacking midfielder, especially if like most seem to want, we play Gerrard on the right. Alonso and Masch while certainly adding to our defensive strength are as a pair never going to be the creative force we need. Their strengths lie in our half of the pitch, we need someone who's strengths lie further forward.

Keane isn't and never will be what I was hoping for as a creative second striker and should be considered as a out and out striker in my view.

I could see babel playing that role in behind the striker. I think if we could get him running at defenders it's only going to benefit Torres, because if defenders are worried about Babel running at them, which i would be, Torres is going to be forgotten momentarily which allows him to find space and score goals Happy Days....

Where as ATM  balls are being played to Torres either way to far over the top which means all the emphasis is on Torres to make it a good ball where as we could get balls lsid in for him if he has more space.

I don't know, when he was signed in Holland he was touted as the next Henry. We havn't seen any of that as yet though because he hasn't been played in areas he can show that. To play a right footed player on the left is never going to get 100% out of the player. So, after that, with Torres and Gerrard fit (not going to happen) i would play this....

                                    Reina

Arbeloa           Agger                    Carra           Dossena
('cause there's nobody else)


Gerrard           Masch                   Xabi              Riera
[Pennant/Kuyt]
                                                  Babel
                      Torres
                      [Keane]

[Players considered if Torres and Gerrard aren't fit]

Babel doesn't run at players, he runs into them.

[Gerrard30391]

On Saints last point about Gerrard I think the sensible option is to put Gerrard back out right and leave him there!Of course a lot of this depends on Riera bringing quality to the left,if he can IMO this is the most balanced MF we have

             Gerrard  Alonso Masch  Riera

Of course a lot depends if as I said Riera can perform and also Alonso regaining his form of old!If they can I reckon that should be our MF in most games!

Mark my words the same people advocating playing that midfield quartet now, will be screaming blue murder three months down the track.

Great idea lets play two defensive players in front of two center halves.

What happens further up the the field attacking wise will be something similar to what we saw at Villa park. NOTHING !

Oh yeah, thats rediculous isn't it because we only have 4 attacking players infront of them...

Its ok if you have a 4-2-3-1 though with them to in there because... oh wait, we'll still have 4 players infront of them.



Funny how our biggest win last season came when Gerrard didn't play, we had width and Alonso and Mascherno played centrally.

Fo Dne is on a right rampage anything gets in his way he knocks them down! We got a new Rafa, he always knows best