Liverpool FC Forum

by **Igor Zidane** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 6:58 pm

The reason that Gerrard has not been playing to his level this season is purley to do with his personal problems, which i wont talk about on this forum. He doesn't want to leave and he is happy playing where ever rafa puts him , FOR THE GOOD OF THE TEAM. It's got feck all to do with the papers or Rafa or LFC . It's purley personal IMO.

by **account deleted by request** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:17 pm

Rafa Benitez insists Steven Gerrard is poised to turn the corner and recapture the form that helped fire The Reds through last season.

Speaking ahead of his side's UEFA Champions League clash with Bordeaux on Tuesday - where victory could conceivably guarantee The Reds' passage to the next stage - Benitez talked up his influential captain, who has been some way below his best so far this season.

Saturday's 3-1 win over Aston Villa provided a timely boost to morale on Merseyside.

And Benitez saw reasons for optimism, particularly in the performance of England international Gerrard, who the Spaniard denies has become encumbered by his role in the side.

"It was clear last season that Steven scored 23 goals and made many assists, and he did it from the role we are now playing him in," said Benitez.

"He is nominally starting on the right, but he is mobile and can attack from various positions, left or right, and that worries teams because they do not know what to expect.

"Steven is a player who can produce his talents from all around the pitch, and that is the essence of what he should be doing.

"If he is on his game and working like this he can be frightening for opponents, he has such drive and strength to get forward.

"He is unstoppable. I like that word, it is a good way to describe Steven when he plays well, and we are now seeing this more often."

I am happy to see Benitez giving Gerrard a boost.

by **sundy** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:47 pm

STEVIE SLAMS RAFA ROTATION:

Following yet another defeat away from home, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has criticized his manager’s heavy handed approach to player rotation.
Speaking after a crushing 7-3 loss in a game of table football with Benitez, Gerrard stated: "He doesn’t know the rules!! You can’t spin the back four around like he does."

Benitez defended his strategy by exclaiming: "A win is a win. Yes, maybe my goalkeeper was rooted to his line and there was no width up front but we were both playing 2-5-3 and Stevey is very competitive – he doesn’t like to lose."

One witness to the game, Sharon Brick, said: "Gerrard was the red team and Rafa blue. There was a heated argument as to whether player rotation was allowed but things really came to head when the ball got stuck near the corner flag and Gerrard lifted the whole table onto two legs."

Meanwhile, over the far corner of ‘The Parrot and Sling’ (in the Wavertree area of Liverpool) another row was brewing over a game of darts with Peter Crouch simply leaning over the oche to place his ‘arrows’ in the treble twent.

by **MaccaLFC** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:57 pm

sundy wrote:Meanwhile, over the far corner of ‘The Parrot and Sling’ (in the Wavertree area of Liverpool) another row was brewing over a game of darts with Peter Crouch simply leaning over the oche to place his ‘arrows’ in the treble twent.

Stevie will soon be back to his best, don't worry.

by **vlady16.1** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:02 pm

lol excellent

by **Ahmad** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:41 pm

i see that Gerrard can play any where in the middle

and i think he well play excellent if he play behind kuyt

by **HacksawJimDuggin** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:43 pm

sundy wrote:STEVIE SLAMS RAFA ROTATION:

Following yet another defeat away from home, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has criticized his manager’s heavy handed approach to player rotation.
Speaking after a crushing 7-3 loss in a game of table football with Benitez, Gerrard stated: "He doesn’t know the rules!! You can’t spin the back four around like he does."

Benitez defended his strategy by exclaiming: "A win is a win. Yes, maybe my goalkeeper was rooted to his line and there was no width up front but we were both playing 2-5-3 and Stevey is very competitive – he doesn’t like to lose."

One witness to the game, Sharon Brick, said: "Gerrard was the red team and Rafa blue. There was a heated argument as to whether player rotation was allowed but things really came to head when the ball got stuck near the corner flag and Gerrard lifted the whole table onto two legs."

Meanwhile, over the far corner of ‘The Parrot and Sling’ (in the Wavertree area of Liverpool) another row was brewing over a game of darts with Peter Crouch simply leaning over the oche to place his ‘arrows’ in the treble twent.

Absolute class Sundy, absolute class! :laugh:

by **Red H** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:02 pm

Well what would be the possiblity of playing 3-5-2 with Gerrard at the heart of things, and alternate Finnan, Aurilio, and Risse , with more attacking players like Pennant, and Gonzales, maybe even Peltier at wing-back depending on the situation. I think something similae was tinkered with by the national side (hopefully we would be mre adept)

by **Rush Job** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:39 pm

sundy wrote:STEVIE SLAMS RAFA ROTATION:

Following yet another defeat away from home, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has criticized his manager’s heavy handed approach to player rotation.
Speaking after a crushing 7-3 loss in a game of table football with Benitez, Gerrard stated: "He doesn’t know the rules!! You can’t spin the back four around like he does."

Benitez defended his strategy by exclaiming: "A win is a win. Yes, maybe my goalkeeper was rooted to his line and there was no width up front but we were both playing 2-5-3 and Stevey is very competitive – he doesn’t like to lose."

One witness to the game, Sharon Brick, said: "Gerrard was the red team and Rafa blue. There was a heated argument as to whether player rotation was allowed but things really came to head when the ball got stuck near the corner flag and Gerrard lifted the whole table onto two legs."

Meanwhile, over the far corner of ‘The Parrot and Sling’ (in the Wavertree area of Liverpool) another row was brewing over a game of darts with Peter Crouch simply leaning over the oche to place his ‘arrows’ in the treble twent.

Nice one thats just what it is a joke.
Noel White resigns, good but he should have been sacked

by **AwiLas** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 5:13 am

That's an interesting move.. The General is back on his track.. But, we will be worrying soon on who to put on the RM.. Pennant can't play all the games.. If Rafa is willing to play the 4-3-3 formation, it will be invincible.. Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko, Kuyt, Bellamy and Crouch as the lone striker..
Power pack..
Cheers..

by **66-1112520797** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:34 am

This debate over whether Gerrard should be in the middle is a catch 22 IMO, although I'd still prefer him in the middle. When Sissoko and Alonso play together they offer the best defensive and destructive combo possibly in the Prem. Thats all well and good when playing the top teams in the league, but when we need to break down teams home & away of the likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Middlesborough and so on, I think we need that creativity through the middle. The likes of those mediocre teams will find it much easier to stiffle Gerrards game when he's out wide, making sure his supply is cut off and isolating him out there is much easier than doing that in the middle. People will say, " Gerrard can roam " then goes out the balance, cover and width on the right hand side if he does this regulary.

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Gerrard back in the middle?

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