Liverpool FC Forum

by **Smeg** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:11 pm

When theyre fit, it must be Gerrard and Alonso in the middle, against everyone at home, and the lesser clubs away.

Weve paid for playing sissoko against utd at home, and the :censored:

clubs who dont press as much, meaning momo has nothing to break up and so is basically useless.

by **peterc1992** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:03 pm

neil wrote:Thats my point, Xabi & Mascherano(holding) with Gerrard & Kewell goin forward, doesnt that sound superb?

We can't play Gerrard out the right,Simple,

If he played in the centre more this year we would be still in the title race,and the place he played yesterday was just perfect,We fit three of our four good centre midfielders into the team and Crouch did the job up front,would like to see this formation on tuesday.Gerrard out the right imo is not on,hes one of the best centre mids in the world,prob top three or the best and he plays out the right were he isnt as involved.We dont need gerrard making runs out the right and crosing balls in,we need hi in the centre making lethal runs and pounding chots at keepers.If he plays on the right we play to much of a defensive centre midfield.

by **peterc1992** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 4:07 pm

Edtited mistake......... :buttrock

by **Lando_Griffin** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 5:14 am

Bamaga man wrote:Reina

Finnan Carra Agger Riise

Mascha Alonso

Bellamy Gerrard Kewell
(new player)
Crouch

Swap Riise for Aurelio and you've got yourself a team there, mate. :nod

Arbeloa could yet stake a place for RB with Finnan's age in mind . (And let's be perfectly honest - Alvaro did himself no harm Saturday, did he? How long has it been since we last saw a right back bombing up the wing taking the p*ss out of the opposition?)
He has the pace our defence has been lacking, and also seems VERY capable on the ball and off it. For all Steve's solidity and reliability, he offers next to nothing going forward, which is his only real flaw.

I'm not suggesting we should drop Finnan - simply considering the fact that he won't go on forever, and we have a new boy displaying all the characteristics you'd want of a rightback. (Namely defensive solidity, aerial ability, good reading and awareness, anticipation, the ability to go forward and cross/attack, tactical awareness and lastly - pace.)

Let's all hope the lad is just warming up, rather than giving us a false dawn.

by **stmichael** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 1:00 pm

Maybe not all world class but I get your point.

Momo is the best defensive midfielder in the world at what he does. Nobody is better at breaking up the opposition play, unfortunately he is hopeless in possession-half a player.

Although I love him, Alonso can be sold for £20m if the papers are to be believed-at that price I'd sell, Mascherano can do his job.

Gerrard I presume was not one of the candidates to be sold, he is the best player in the world never mind best centre-midfielder.

In terms of can they all play together, the answer is clearly no. Playing a diamond in midfield as Chelsea do would sacrifice our width, especially as we can't rely on our fullbacks to provide it on a regular basis, aka ashley cole.

Everything at the moment points towards us playing a 4-2-3-1 in future games, with gerrard, garcia and someone else roaming all over the place as one of a three behind a main striker.

by **grayghost** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:48 pm

stmichael wrote:Everything at the moment points towards us playing a 4-2-3-1 in future games, with gerrard, garcia and someone else roaming all over the place as one of a three behind a main striker.

Tevez would be perfect for a roming forward in the mould of kuyts role but a lot better he is starting to show his class at this late stage in the season after a settling in period. And with the conections already in place with the deal from his pal masherino i think this is a possibilty.

by **JC_81** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:56 pm

stmichael wrote:Maybe not all world class but I get your point.

Momo is the best defensive midfielder in the world at what he does. Nobody is better at breaking up the opposition play, unfortunately he is hopeless in possession-half a player.

Although I love him, Alonso can be sold for £20m if the papers are to be believed-at that price I'd sell, Mascherano can do his job.

Gerrard I presume was not one of the candidates to be sold, he is the best player in the world never mind best centre-midfielder.

In terms of can they all play together, the answer is clearly no. Playing a diamond in midfield as Chelsea do would sacrifice our width, especially as we can't rely on our fullbacks to provide it on a regular basis, aka ashley cole.

Everything at the moment points towards us playing a 4-2-3-1 in future games, with gerrard, garcia and someone else roaming all over the place as one of a three behind a main striker.

Good post St Mike, I agree with most of that, apart from the last bit - about the 4-2-3-1.

Maybe Benitez does have that in the back of his mind, but imo we do not have the right players for that formation at the moment and we would have to restructure our squad to play this way.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with 4-2-3-1. France won the world cup with it in '98. Rafa himself had success with Valencia with that formation. Capello uses it a lot, and has done this season with Madrid. Rijkaard has used it to good effect with Barce.

However, you need certain types of player that we don't have - such as overlapping full backs. Arbeloa and Aurelio have the potential to do this role but I'm not convinced yet. Finnan wouldn't cut it and Riise, despite having a good shot in an attacking sense, isn't very good at taking men on and crossing. We don't have an effective player at playing 'in the hole'. Gerrard is wasted there, is too direct and doesn't have enough guile to play there regularly. We don't have a striker on our books that is a good 'lone striker' either. Crouch did well on Saturday but isn't mobile enough to fill that role regularly. Bellamy spends too much time out wide and would leave the centre neglected and Kuyt comes deep too often.

The one thing that points towards Rafa considering this formation more regularly is that we are collecting quality central midfielders and you could potentially play 3 of our 4 in that formation.

by **JC_81** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:57 pm

stmichael wrote:Maybe not all world class but I get your point.

Momo is the best defensive midfielder in the world at what he does. Nobody is better at breaking up the opposition play, unfortunately he is hopeless in possession-half a player.

Although I love him, Alonso can be sold for £20m if the papers are to be believed-at that price I'd sell, Mascherano can do his job.

Gerrard I presume was not one of the candidates to be sold, he is the best player in the world never mind best centre-midfielder.

In terms of can they all play together, the answer is clearly no. Playing a diamond in midfield as Chelsea do would sacrifice our width, especially as we can't rely on our fullbacks to provide it on a regular basis, aka ashley cole.

Everything at the moment points towards us playing a 4-2-3-1 in future games, with gerrard, garcia and someone else roaming all over the place as one of a three behind a main striker.

Good post St Mike, I agree with most of that, apart from the last bit - about the 4-2-3-1.

Maybe Benitez does have that in the back of his mind, but imo we do not have the right players for that formation at the moment and we would have to restructure our squad to play this way.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with 4-2-3-1. France won the world cup with it in '98. Rafa himself had success with Valencia with that formation. Capello uses it a lot, and has done this season with Madrid. Rijkaard has used it to good effect with Barce.

However, you need certain types of player that we don't have - such as overlapping full backs. Arbeloa and Aurelio have the potential to do this role but I'm not convinced yet. Finnan wouldn't cut it and Riise, despite having a good shot in an attacking sense, isn't very good at taking men on and crossing. We don't have an effective player at playing 'in the hole'. Gerrard is wasted there, is too direct and doesn't have enough guile to play there regularly. We don't have a striker on our books that is a good 'lone striker' either. Crouch did well on Saturday but isn't mobile enough to fill that role regularly. Bellamy spends too much time out wide and would leave the centre neglected and Kuyt comes deep too often.

The one thing that points towards Rafa considering this formation more regularly is that we are collecting quality central midfielders and you could potentially play 3 of our 4 in that formation.

by **Raoul** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 5:56 pm

Our midfield is too defensive? Not scoring goals? Lacks creativity?

I would have thought the answer was obvious...

Luis Garcia anyone?

I'd pick him on the left (with a winger on the right to keep some width) or behind the striker(s) in most of the games we play. 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1, 4-2-3-1, 2-3-1.5-2-1-1.5, whatever system you want to play, I think Garcia is the answer to a lot of the questions people have raised in this thread so far - isn't he?

by **wrighty (not mark!)** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 7:17 pm

Raoul wrote:Our midfield is too defensive? Not scoring goals? Lacks creativity?

I would have thought the answer was obvious...

Luis Garcia anyone?

I'd pick him on the left (with a winger on the right to keep some width) or behind the striker(s) in most of the games we play. 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1, 4-2-3-1, 2-3-1.5-2-1-1.5, whatever system you want to play, I think Garcia is the answer to a lot of the questions people have raised in this thread so far - isn't he?

In the hole in a free role I agree with you. On the left i feel he's too light weight and get easily get had off by the opposing full back, plus he's not exactly the most willing at tracking back either. Could be the answer with Gerrard there providing that he can go where he wants.

Better than sticking him out on the right anyway.

by **Raoul** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:11 am

wrighty (not mark!) wrote:
Raoul wrote:Our midfield is too defensive? Not scoring goals? Lacks creativity?

I would have thought the answer was obvious...

Luis Garcia anyone?

I'd pick him on the left (with a winger on the right to keep some width) or behind the striker(s) in most of the games we play. 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1, 4-2-3-1, 2-3-1.5-2-1-1.5, whatever system you want to play, I think Garcia is the answer to a lot of the questions people have raised in this thread so far - isn't he?

In the hole in a free role I agree with you. On the left i feel he's too light weight and get easily get had off by the opposing full back, plus he's not exactly the most willing at tracking back either. Could be the answer with Gerrard there providing that he can go where he wants.

Better than sticking him out on the right anyway.

I used to agree with you 100%, but seeing some of his performances this season on the left he has changed my mind. I remember him more than once coming in from the left and out-jumping someone four times his height to score a header from a right wing cross.

I not sure I'd want to play LB when he is playing LM

but I just think he offers so much in attack that I have to find room for him in the team somewhere. No complaints from me if that is on the left.

by **Bad Bob** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:47 pm

Raoul wrote:I remember him more than once coming in from the left and out-jumping someone four times his height to score a header from a right wing cross.

How short do you think Garcia is, mate? No wonder he goes missing in some games! :laugh:

Liverpool FC Forum

Midfield - Best in the world? read on...

Who is online