Liverpool FC Forum

by **7_Kewell** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:27 am

Dragging things away from the Roy/Rafa debate, i’d like to discuss FOOTBALL...and in particular wingers because we’ve lacked width for a long, long time.

Over the last few years our managers have employed strikers and central midfielders to move out onto the flanks and they always make the same mistakes: come infield and run into an often crowded midfield. Hence play becomes narrow and dull.

What we need are genuine wide players who can beat their man and cross the ball. The last half decent winger we had was Reira and i didn’t rate him all that much. However, he was effective, because he could cross the ball, but I think his influence was more down to the fact that our team badly needs wide men than it was down to his talents.

So Newkiters (or those who’re left) which wingers would you bring in? Because our team badly needs width and creativity.

by **burjennio** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:32 am

Alexis Sanchez, but Udinese want stupid money for him so it aint gonna happen. Hes pacy, direct, runs at players and can chip in with goals from wide positions. I watched Lazio vs Udinese at the weekend and he nabbed a goal. the only good thing about all this snow is Ive got to watch a f*ckton of football. If not him i still rate Ashley Young but again hes probably going to be pricy, hes a tremendous crosser of a ball and can actually whip in a decent corner, something we havnt been able to do since about 1988

by **7_Kewell** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:36 am

burjennio wrote:Alexis Sanchez, but Udinese want stupid money for him so it aint gonna happen. Hes pacy, direct, runs at players and can chip in with goals from wide positions. I watched Lazio vs Udinese at the weekend and he nabbed a goal. the only good thing about all this snow is Ive got to watch a f*ckton of football. If not him i still rate Ashley Young but again hes probably going to be pricy, hes a tremendous crosser of a ball and can actually whip in a decent corner, something we havnt been able to do since about 1988

that's something we desperatly lack, someone who can CROSS THE BALL. OK, Gerrard can do it, but he doesn't want to play wide.

One of the reasons Man utd have won so many titles is because they've scrapped a 1-0 wins from nowehere. Usually because Giggs has dug out a cross in the 88th minute and someone's headed it in.

by **stmichael** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:41 am

7_Kewell wrote:Dragging things away from the Roy/Rafa debate, i’d like to discuss FOOTBALL

How dare you? :angry:

Personally I'd go for Keisuke Honda, not just because he's an excellent player, but also because he fits the criteria we're looking for now in that he's young and he'd fill the left hand sided birth nicely, even though he can essentially play anywhere in an attacking three. Oh and he'd also do wonders for our relations in the Far East through shirt sales.

Nzogia is a good talent who would probably be available for about £6m. There are serious question marks about his attitude and temperament though. The last thing we need right now is Babel mark 2. We were also linked with Ashley Young recently but I'm unsure about him. He's stagnated alarmingly in the last 18 months for me although he would obviously improve our home grown quota.

Personally I'd like to see us shift Gerrard out to the right to solve one of the problems but I just can't see that happening.

by **7_Kewell** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:43 am

Gerrard's best season for us was on the right wing. I'd love to see him out there again, but he's clearly got some agreement going on.

by **stmichael** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:44 am

7_Kewell wrote:that's something we desperatly lack, someone who can CROSS THE BALL. OK, Gerrard can do it, but he doesn't want to play wide.

Sums up another thing that's desperately wrong with the club and the senior player power. I don't care if he's Steven Gerrard. If Hodgson asks him to play wide right he should play there simple as that, especially as even if he doesn't like playing there he'd still be better than 99% of other right wingers in this league.

by **7_Kewell** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:46 am

stmichael wrote:
7_Kewell wrote:that's something we desperatly lack, someone who can CROSS THE BALL. OK, Gerrard can do it, but he doesn't want to play wide.

Sums up another thing that's desperately wrong with the club and the senior player power. I don't care if he's Steven Gerrard. If Hodgson asks him to play wide right he should play there simple as that, especially as even if he doesn't like playing there he'd still be better than 99% of other right wingers in this league.

ditto

by **metalhead** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 1:19 am

I don't think a winger who can only cross a ball will cut it with us. The reason why is because we don't have strikers who attack crosses in the 6 yard box, the only player I seem to remember doing that was Morientes. I say Johnson is our best crosser in the team, Maxi and Kuyt are ok too.

We need a winger whose intelligent, good on the ball, can cross and a dribbler. Not too many to pick from, but Sanchez is a good shout. Jesus Navas is another who I really rate (brilliant player).

by **metalhead** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 1:21 am

Its been a real while since we had a decent right winger!!!

by **stmichael** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 1:39 am

metalhead wrote:Its been a real while since we had a decent right winger!!!

i agree. infact our wings as a whole have been a joke for the past 10-15 years. even mcmanaman i wouldn't class as a winger even though he played wide a lot of the time. he was always better off in a free role where he could play wherever he wanted.

it says it all about our lack of options in the wide areas that a lot of fans were advocating playing glen johnson there with kelly at right bacl. just because johnson is decent going forward it doesn't make him a winger. it's a completely different set of skills required to being a fullback and just doesn't work. arsenal tried it with eboue it didn't work. coleman played a couple of games there for everton but he's clearly more suited to right back.

it makes you wonder about adam hammill though doesn't it? the kid is tearing down trees for barnsley this season and is linked with a move back to the premiership in january. he looks genuine class everytime i've seen him play and he's scored some absolute screamers. paul anderson showed a lot of promise aswell but was allowed to go for peanuts. i know there's no guarantees that they would have made it long term but they were never really given the chance.

what's mark gonzalez up to now anyway? is he still at betis?

by **red till i die!!** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 3:10 am

stmichael wrote:
metalhead wrote:Its been a real while since we had a decent right winger!!!

i agree. infact our wings as a whole have been a joke for the past 10-15 years. even mcmanaman i wouldn't class as a winger even though he played wide a lot of the time. he was always better off in a free role where he could play wherever he wanted.

it says it all about our lack of options in the wide areas that a lot of fans were advocating playing glen johnson there with kelly at right bacl. just because johnson is decent going forward it doesn't make him a winger. it's a completely different set of skills required to being a fullback and just doesn't work. arsenal tried it with eboue it didn't work. coleman played a couple of games there for everton but he's clearly more suited to right back.

it makes you wonder about adam hammill though doesn't it? the kid is tearing down trees for barnsley this season and is linked with a move back to the premiership in january. he looks genuine class everytime i've seen him play and he's scored some absolute screamers. paul anderson showed a lot of promise aswell but was allowed to go for peanuts. i know there's no guarantees that they would have made it long term but they were never really given the chance.

what's mark gonzalez up to now anyway? is he still at betis?

he now plays for cska.8 games and 3 goals..i would like to see ashley young here,it would be a great signing.
sign young and push gerrard out right or kelly at rb and johnson on the wing.could be just what johnson needs and could thrive with less defensive responsibility.

by **eds** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 4:43 am

burjennio wrote:Alexis Sanchez, but Udinese want stupid money for him so it aint gonna happen. Hes pacy, direct, runs at players and can chip in with goals from wide positions. I watched Lazio vs Udinese at the weekend and he nabbed a goal. the only good thing about all this snow is Ive got to watch a f*ckton of football. If not him i still rate Ashley Young but again hes probably going to be pricy, hes a tremendous crosser of a ball and can actually whip in a decent corner, something we havnt been able to do since about 1988

Mark my words Sanchez will be one of the best players in the world in a few years time.

He is incredibly fast, strong and skilful, his dribbling and one pass touch is amazing and is a true bread and butter winger, just runs at defenders all day long. He is everything that we need at the moment, I really don't want him to go to Manure and becoming the next Ronaldo. :veryangry

by **boodiddy1** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 5:13 am

metalhead wrote:I don't think a winger who can only cross a ball will cut it with us. The reason why is because we don't have strikers who attack crosses in the 6 yard box, the only player I seem to remember doing that was Morientes. I say Johnson is our best crosser in the team, Maxi and Kuyt are ok too.

We need a winger whose intelligent, good on the ball, can cross and a dribbler. Not too many to pick from, but Sanchez is a good shout. Jesus Navas is another who I really rate (brilliant player).

MH, i cant believe you said Maxi and Kuyt are quite good a t crosses. Kuyt is the poorest crosser of a football in many a year. He always hits the fullback because of his inability to beat the full back. Maxi always cuts in and never produces.

Wingers in theory are great, but ours never get high enough up the pitch because they are always helping out our fullbacks.

I would like to see at least one great winger. Similar to when Barnes was in our team. Our right side was more a workhorse side, with Johnston, Mcmahon, Houghton etc.

If you play with two orthodox wingers then you must get mobilty and strength in the centre. Petit,Viera like. Ground coverers with tactical nouse. Im afraid Lucas and Stevie or Raul and Stevie would leave us open.

If we are to take wingers into the squad then id take Nzogbia and Johnson.

They can also swap sides and are could be effective throught he middle also. Bale would be fanciful, but you gotta be able to dream.

by **Penguins** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 5:55 am

The only reason we haven't had a top class winger for a long time is cause when push comes to shove we have never been willing to spunk out the necessary money it cost simple as.

That is why we get cheap hard working Kuyt type style of players who can't dribble even if their life depended on it....

by **maypaxvobiscum** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 6:33 am

how about Gervinho? he's got pace and is strong on the ball.

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Wingers... - Something that needs to be addressed

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