Liverpool FC Forum

by **bigmick** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:47 am

I kind of agree with St Mike but not totally. I've said it many times that I think Gerrard is more effective on the right as he is harder to prevent from getting on the ball in the final third (and he is as St Mike says the best right midfielder in the World right now in my view). The problem with that system though is it does require the team to playing with a modicum of fluency to enable him to be brought into the game, and also for Alonso to be on his game to feed him the ball.

I think the relative failure of the Gerrard on the right policy last season was as much about a marked deterioration in the form of Xabi as it was about Gerrard being better in the middle. If Alonso gets back to his best, I would still play Gerrard on the right, with Alonso and of course Sissoko in the centre. If however Xabi isn't able to reach his previous heights, then it is my hunch that Masherano will displace him in the team during the first couple of months of the season. If you are going to play Gerrard in the centre, you might as well play him with a partner who is willing to be his water carrier, to allow him to come long and short. Masherano at that role is the man for me.

by **66-1112520797** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:49 am

Dundalk wrote:He is best suited to play in the middle of the park, not on the right or the left or in goals in the MIDDLE

As peewee said he is one of the best central midfielders in the world not wingers. If someone needs to be dropped then drop them

Yep no more f.ucking around with Gerrard and his positions. Play him in his best position (CM), for the better of the team I might add, not just him. The team should be built around him, a spine of the team that consists of Reina, Carra, Stevie and Torres is a pretty formidable spine to add too.

by **112-1077774096** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:54 am

bigmick and stmike can form a comedy double act

the two mickeys

by **Sabre** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 12:00 pm

Bamaga man wrote:
And once he play more in the middle I'll reopen the old "incompatibility with Alonso" discussion

Firstly I'd like to say Amen to that ... Rafa's statement.

Secondly Sabre you might not need to reopen "incompatibilty" discussions as much now as we have Mascha.

You and Bigmick have the hunch that he'll displace Alonso then?

Well, I wouldn't argue that too heavily, but I'd bet a couple of beers that won't happen. In fact I think that both players will get plenty of games.

Now it looks like Alonso's not only have played below his standards, don't go up enough, his passing was poor and is far too easily marked with the oppo striker, but he's also responsible of Gerrard not playing that well due to the deterioration of his game. Maybe next week he'll be the real killer of John Kennedy. IMHO Alonso didn't play that well, Gerrard wasn't a failure as such despite not scoring the abnormal amount of 23 goals, Mascherano and Alonso will play plenty, and Alonso and Gerrard will play together often aswell.

Ah well.

God, how much I want this season start to discuss the games.

by **bigmick** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 12:04 pm

peewee wrote:bigmick and stmike can form a comedy double act

the two mickeys

Fair play and there is always the chance, nay probability that I'm wrong. It just strikes me that the whole world (including of course Gerrard himself) has been screaming for our captain to play centrally and it may not quite be the panacea that some imagine.

Once he gets sucked into that Bermuda triangle in front of the back fours, and slips into the pockets of the holding midfileders a few times, people might not be so sure. Throw in a few bemused expressions as he's expected to play as a glorified striker as Kuyt tracks back in behind him and Alonso is within touching distance of the centre-halves and flatly refuses to cross the half-way line and you might just get a few hankering after the good old days when Arjen Robben was marking a marauding Gerrard in a largely free role.

Like I say, if we ust play him in the centre (where he is obviously a formiddable player) then it is my wish that we set the team up around him. On the question of compatibility, Alonso can play with him, just as long as he remembers that is what he is doing. If as we have seen in the past Gerrard is expected to adapt to Alonso, then it'll all end in tears in my view. Xabi needs to come out of the pocket much more often, move with longditude as well as Latitude, and generally oplay in a fashion which allows Gerrard to prosper. If not bring Masherano in because that's exactly what he will do. Alonso is the better of the two players in my opinion, but Masherano is more adaptable to Gerrard.

by **stmichael** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 12:09 pm

I'd be very surprised to see Gerrard start in the centre very often in a 'pure' 4-4-2. However if that's the premise then Pennant is clearly out in front at the moment based not on pre-season but last year's form. Nothing against Benayoun but I think time will tell where his best position is (I see him as a bit of a Zenden-like player).

On the left, Rafa said he signed Babel to play principally as a winger which comes as a bit of a surprise to me; he doesn't come across as a touchline-hugging player (another argument against the 'pure' 4-4-2). If Kewell doesn't hit form soon, then it could well be Aurelio as first choice LW once he's fit.

As I say, I suspect this is an academic discussion in many ways because Rafa will rotate the formation quite often - however I rather feel our left flank is weaker if anything than last season. Less options anyhow.

by **bigmick** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 12:09 pm

Sabre wrote:Now it looks like Alonso's not only have played below his standards, don't go up enough, his passing was poor and is far too easily marked with the oppo striker, but he's also responsible of Gerrard not playing that well due to the deterioration of his game. Maybe next week he'll be the real killer of John Kennedy.

Come on Sabes, he wasn't even born when Kennedy was shot. Was he

No seriously, I hope Xabi proves me wrong this season and returns to his very best. He is absolutley crucial to Lioverpool prospering, and if he were to regain his very top form, I'd have Gerrard back on the right in a shot with Sissoko restored back into the centre. Masherano in this instance wouldn't even get in the top three.

As for your comment about all the players getting plenty of games i sincerely hope this isn't true. Rafa needs to settle on his central pairing nice and early (and as we all know it'll be Xabi and Gerrard) and stick with it for a month or two to give the team time to bed down. None of this fecking around with it every week please.

by **stmichael** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:56 pm

bigmick wrote:As for your comment about all the players getting plenty of games i sincerely hope this isn't true. Rafa needs to settle on his central pairing nice and early (and as we all know it'll be Xabi and Gerrard) and stick with it for a month or two to give the team time to bed down. None of this fecking around with it every week please.

At the end of the day though Bigmick, Rafa doesn't do best 11s so they'll all get their fair share of games.

It sounds like it'll be Alonso or Mascherano beside Gerrard for most games. Rafa loves Sissoko but he doesn't see him as a holding midfielder so I doubt he'll play him and Gerrard in the middle too often. Infact the only times I see Sissoko playing is when Gerrard is rested or moved to the wing or behind the striker.

Having said that, Gerrard's been pretty gash in the advanced role behind the stiker any time I've seen him there. He spends far too much time with his back to goal and the fans who don't moan about him not chasing back moan about him chasing back too far and leaving the centre forward isolated.

by **scouser 'til I die** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:19 pm

The good thing about this article is, not only that Gerrard will be playing in his best position in the futute, but also it shows that Benitez has learned from his mistakes. This means we may see a changed Rafa and he could also correct some other issues that are at fault with his managing ie rotation policy. Shows he isn't as stubborn as we thought he was and he can change opinions. Hopefully he does exactly this with his rotation policy and not go overboard with shifting players all over the place. We could see us actually challenging for the Prem this year if this happens.

by **Bad Bob** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:23 pm

I'm happy to have Gerrard back in CM for most matches, as I think that a settled and satisfied Gerrard is absolutely vital to a meaningful title challenge. His ability to play wide right is a great weapon to have at our disposal, however, so I don't expect that Rafa will completely rule out that option...just use it much more sparingly.

by **roberto green** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:32 pm

yeah gerrard is crucial in midfield but this is the one area in the prem that liverpool are better than any other team with sissoko, alonso, gerrard,masch, liverpool are really spoilt for choice if the wingers dont perform tho dont be surprised to see gerrard ousted back over to the wing, saying that if the wingers do perform and gerrard is central i wouldnt be too surprissesd to see GERRARD,& ALONSO/MASCH every other game so i think it will really be a make or break season for Alonso:p

by **red37** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 6:10 pm

O Oh O Oh O Ohhh...we've got the best midfield in the world
we've got Xabi Alonso, Momo Sissoko, Gerrard & Mascherano Oh Ohh.

Fact :nod

by **metalhead** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 6:43 pm

Good news is that we will see Gerrard playing in center of midfield. However, the interesting part is who will pair with him. I guess it depends on games, maybe at home when we need some creativity, flair and vision, we can use an Alonso Gerrard central partnership who will add alot of intelligence to our play. Maybe in a game we need some extra steel, which I think Gerrard provides, but using mascherano or sissoko can add up a bit to that. Alonso is fantastic, I hope he can regain his first season at Liverpool form.

by **JoeTerp** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:08 pm

I think the solution is obvious. 3-6-1

Reina
Finnan Carra Agger
Mascherano/Momo Alonso
Pennant Riise
Gerrard Kewell/Yossi/Babel
Torres
If you can't decide on if Gerrard should be a CM, RM, or CAM, then he will just have to play RCAM

by **roberto green** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:26 pm

JoeTerp wrote:I think the solution is obvious. 3-6-1
Reina
Finnan Carra Agger
Mascherano/Momo Alonso
Pennant Riise
Gerrard Kewell/Yossi/Babel
Torres
If you can't decide on if Gerrard should be a CM, RM, or CAM, then he will just have to play RCAM

I TAKE IT RACM MEANS RIGHT ATTACKING CENTRAL MIDFIELD?Move over rafa i think some could do a better job! :idea

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