Liverpool FC Forum

[67-1161385641]

Anyone who thought we would win the League this season was living in cloud cuckoo land.

Topic: The league title - can we win it.....

according to the above topic, alot of respected posters did think we could win the league

Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing hey soft shi.te.

Who are you referring to?

Bit if a crazy idea this but I reckon it might the person I quoted.

You sarky shit. 

Ya big softy, you.

[woof woof !]

Personally, I think Gerrard really should be playing in the centre of midfield. We need his goal threat to come back.

playing him central in a 4-4-2 would reduce his goal threat imo, not improve it.

why move him from the position where he scored his most ever goals in one season?

Not being a "trainspotter" I'm not really up on all the stats but perhaps it's time to put this fallacy of Gerrards amazing success at RM to bed .

I heard on sky sports (sunday) that Gerrard spent 50% of his "amazing season at RM " playing in a CM position .   

Get a f'ucking grip people , Gerrard is wasted at RM.

[account deleted by request]

Personally, I think Gerrard really should be playing in the centre of midfield. We need his goal threat to come back.

playing him central in a 4-4-2 would reduce his goal threat imo, not improve it.

why move him from the position where he scored his most ever goals in one season?

Not being a "trainspotter" I'm not really up on all the stats but perhaps it's time to put this fallacy of Gerrards amazing success at RM to bed .

I heard on sky sports (sunday) that Gerrard spent 50% of his "amazing season at RM " playing in a CM position .   

Get a f'ucking grip people , Gerrard is wasted at RM.

If Pennant had come in this season and played out of his skin ripping defenses apart and becoming "undroppable" where would that have left Gerrard , on the bench? Rafa obviously doesnt think Gerrard is first choice central midfield so maybe Left Midfield until Kewell's fit then a benchwarmer?

[67-1161385641]

Why do people try and second guess Rafa? It's pretty silly if IMO. Where has the assumption that Rafa doesn't rate Gerrard in the middle? All because Rafa played Zenden there instead for one match? I'd hate to break it to some people, but Zenden has been one of our more hard working players this season and that speaks volumes for the team. Rafa decided not to change the squad too much, because I bet if he did and played Gerrard there and we still lost 3-0 a lot of people would be blaming the defeat on mass rotation, at the moment Rafa cannot seem to please the majority.

[stmichael]

Personally, I think Gerrard really should be playing in the centre of midfield. We need his goal threat to come back.

playing him central in a 4-4-2 would reduce his goal threat imo, not improve it.

why move him from the position where he scored his most ever goals in one season?

Not being a "trainspotter" I'm not really up on all the stats but perhaps it's time to put this fallacy of Gerrards amazing success at RM to bed .

I heard on sky sports (sunday) that Gerrard spent 50% of his "amazing season at RM " playing in a CM position .   

Get a f'ucking grip people , Gerrard is wasted at RM.

Never much to talk about when he comes to Gerrard is there Woof? We've been talking about this subject of Gerrard's best position for over a year now. I could argue the case for him playing CM or RM but in many ways it's irrelevant because Gerrard plays everywhere except where he's supposed to anyway.

Against villa at home he drifted into the middle and stayed there for the first 30 minutes or so. Result = clogged up midfield, loads of "control", no threat.

He then stayed wide for a bit. Result = full back trashed, space and chances created , our best performance for ages.

He's got to mix it up and make it unpredictable. I reckon Rafa's told him he's got a free role and he's taking it far too literally.

He not disciplined enough for CM to be his best position imo. When he and Alonso play together there it like water through a f#cking sieve. Arguably he could play there with Sissoko and leave Alonso out otherwise you'd have to change the system (which I've advocated in another thread). 

[Redman in wales]

Anyone who thought we would win the League this season was living in cloud cuckoo land.

Topic: The league title - can we win it.....

according to the above topic, alot of respected posters did think we could win the league

Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing hey soft shi.te.

yes hindsight is a wonderful thing. you are right there!

wow, didnt think about that one......

it was an answer to stmich's question of who thought we'd win the league.... nowt to do with laughing at anyone or pointing fingers or anything of the sort... so less of this 'soft-sh.ite' shi.te and more of the football discusion.....lets not get personal

[Bad Bob]

I reckon Bascombe has it spot on in his piece in the Echo today: focusing, after every loss, on where Gerrard plays lets a lot of other Liverpool players off the hook for shockingly sub-par performances.  Perhaps moving Gerrard back into the middle will help things but the skipper's position is not the only thing wrong with the side so moving him back central can't be the complete solution to the problem.

[account deleted by request]

Why do people try and second guess Rafa? It's pretty silly if IMO. Where has the assumption that Rafa doesn't rate Gerrard in the middle? All because Rafa played Zenden there instead for one match? I'd hate to break it to some people, but Zenden has been one of our more hard working players this season and that speaks volumes for the team. Rafa decided not to change the squad too much, because I bet if he did and played Gerrard there and we still lost 3-0 a lot of people would be blaming the defeat on mass rotation, at the moment Rafa cannot seem to please the majority.

The fact that Rafa has hardly played Gerrard in the Centre for over 12 months may be a clue.

[Fowler_E7]

Nearly all our hardest games of the season are out of the way, so i now predict us to go on a huge unbeaten run, starting very soon. Come the end of the season, we will easily finish in the top 4, and win a cup along the way, and everyone one will be saying how great Rafa is and that rotation is the best thing since sliced bread. If we finish outside of the top four ill eat my Liverpool shirt.

[stmichael]

What I think people are missing is why Gerrard doesn't play in the centre and why quite often in a game you actually see him in the middle - Rafa's tactics involve a very disciplined CM, you can argue Stevie can play it and he can but would we want Gerrard restricted like he often is by England and spending his time sitting in front of the defense or constantly chasing lost causes?

Xabi is a real talent at being an outlet and has fantastic vision and is more than happy to sit in the middle of the park, would Stevie be happy there and would we be happy to see Gerrard spending that much time in a defensive role?  Also would we like to see Gerrard running around chasing lost causes and breaking up opposition attacks like Momo, I know I wouldn't

With Gerrard being such a progressive player we can't afford to restrict his game by giving him a static role in the team like Momo and Xabi have to a degree - put Gerrard in the middle and the oppostion man mark him and play 3 CMs and ruin our game, play Gerrard on the right it alllows him to attack, swop wings, attack from behind our striker and break away like he so often does and most importantly allows Gerrard to attack weaknesses in the opposition

Thats my thoughts of Liverpool and Gerrard - why restrict our best player by making him play in the middle whilst its been clearly shown that players like Zidane and Nedved are/were never restricted to one position and allowed to play their game

[Bad Bob]

What I think people are missing is why Gerrard doesn't play in the centre and why quite often in a game you actually see him in the middle - Rafa's tactics involve a very disciplined CM, you can argue Stevie can play it and he can but would we want Gerrard restricted like he often is by England and spending his time sitting in front of the defense or constantly chasing lost causes?

Xabi is a real talent at being an outlet and has fantastic vision and is more than happy to sit in the middle of the park, would Stevie be happy there and would we be happy to see Gerrard spending that much time in a defensive role?  Also would we like to see Gerrard running around chasing lost causes and breaking up opposition attacks like Momo, I know I wouldn't

With Gerrard being such a progressive player we can't afford to restrict his game by giving him a static role in the team like Momo and Xabi have to a degree - put Gerrard in the middle and the oppostion man mark him and play 3 CMs and ruin our game, play Gerrard on the right it alllows him to attack, swop wings, attack from behind our striker and break away like he so often does and most importantly allows Gerrard to attack weaknesses in the opposition

Thats my thoughts of Liverpool and Gerrard - why restrict our best player by making him play in the middle whilst its been clearly shown that players like Zidane and Nedved are/were never restricted to one position and allowed to play their game

I agree to a point--a swashbuckling Gerrard is desirable to a 'sit back and shield the back four' Gerrard.  However, I think that Stevie is the type of player that needs touches of the ball often to get into the rhythm of the game.  At home or away to lesser clubs, he'll see plenty of the ball at RM and will be at his all-action best.  But, away to the big rivals we struggle to get Stevie the ball out wide and he drifts out of the game as a consequence.  That's why I'd like to see him partner Alonso in games like yesterday's: he'll get involved earlier and this will help him drive the team forward more effectively.  Bottom line, I'm still not convinced that the Alonso-Gerrard CM partnership has been truly tested and found wanting.  Let's give it a chance while Momo's out and reassess when he returns to fitness.

[67-1161385641]

Why do people try and second guess Rafa? It's pretty silly if IMO. Where has the assumption that Rafa doesn't rate Gerrard in the middle? All because Rafa played Zenden there instead for one match? I'd hate to break it to some people, but Zenden has been one of our more hard working players this season and that speaks volumes for the team. Rafa decided not to change the squad too much, because I bet if he did and played Gerrard there and we still lost 3-0 a lot of people would be blaming the defeat on mass rotation, at the moment Rafa cannot seem to please the majority.

The fact that Rafa has hardly played Gerrard in the Centre for over 12 months may be a clue.

Yes, that's very true, however no one mentioned it when we equalled our clean sheet record and went on two excellent runs, why has it become a problem this season? Also have you not thought that Rafa sees the partnership of Alonso and Sissoko as being more beneficial than Gerrard and Sissoko or Gerrard and Alonso? It might not be the fact that Rafa doesn't rate Gerrard as a CM, but Rafa is thinking about what's best for the team and he obviously thinks Gerrard is better out on the right.

[account deleted by request]

Why do people try and second guess Rafa? It's pretty silly if IMO. Where has the assumption that Rafa doesn't rate Gerrard in the middle? All because Rafa played Zenden there instead for one match? I'd hate to break it to some people, but Zenden has been one of our more hard working players this season and that speaks volumes for the team. Rafa decided not to change the squad too much, because I bet if he did and played Gerrard there and we still lost 3-0 a lot of people would be blaming the defeat on mass rotation, at the moment Rafa cannot seem to please the majority.

The fact that Rafa has hardly played Gerrard in the Centre for over 12 months may be a clue.

Yes, that's very true, however no one mentioned it when we equalled our clean sheet record and went on two excellent runs, why has it become a problem this season? Also have you not thought that Rafa sees the partnership of Alonso and Sissoko as being more beneficial than Gerrard and Sissoko or Gerrard and Alonso? It might not be the fact that Rafa doesn't rate Gerrard as a CM, but Rafa is thinking about what's best for the team and he obviously thinks Gerrard is better out on the right.

Sounds to me like your trying to second guess Rafa now 

[67-1161385641]

Why do people try and second guess Rafa? It's pretty silly if IMO. Where has the assumption that Rafa doesn't rate Gerrard in the middle? All because Rafa played Zenden there instead for one match? I'd hate to break it to some people, but Zenden has been one of our more hard working players this season and that speaks volumes for the team. Rafa decided not to change the squad too much, because I bet if he did and played Gerrard there and we still lost 3-0 a lot of people would be blaming the defeat on mass rotation, at the moment Rafa cannot seem to please the majority.

The fact that Rafa has hardly played Gerrard in the Centre for over 12 months may be a clue.

Yes, that's very true, however no one mentioned it when we equalled our clean sheet record and went on two excellent runs, why has it become a problem this season? Also have you not thought that Rafa sees the partnership of Alonso and Sissoko as being more beneficial than Gerrard and Sissoko or Gerrard and Alonso? It might not be the fact that Rafa doesn't rate Gerrard as a CM, but Rafa is thinking about what's best for the team and he obviously thinks Gerrard is better out on the right.

Sounds to me like your trying to second guess Rafa now 

Not at all, mate, I'm simply opening up all possible options, that's all. I've tried to guess Rafa and I can't, it's too difficult a challenge. 

[lfc-all-my-life]

i thought we would win the league,ciggy i seriously think u think u know everything about liverpool,and u are pcuting them down alot
they have the squad to win it but they have to get the form going and  only for rotation we would be near the top now but it would come back at us near the end of the season