peewee wrote:stmichael wrote:I just don't see why you would leave a player of the quality of either Gerrard, Mascherano or Alonso on the bench when they offer such different qualities and Gerrard is so much more than just a central midfielder.
he is more mate but why weaken him by playing him on the right just so we can get alonso and mash in the team, that doesnt make sense, of course i know some people say he is better on the right so to them this will work.
its all opinions mate
This is worse than rotation.
Okay, Mascha and Alonso in the middle, nah not for me too negative. Its been tried before and tbf it didnt work at all. That was also playing Gerrard wide, when Gerrard is played wide the team suffer, we lose shape balance and we often find it harder to get Gerrard into the game, ala Chelsea at the Bridge last seasons CL semi's.
On paper Gerrard Mascha Alonso Kewell, does look good, but in practise it doesnt work like that. Gerrard goes "roaming" so Steve Finnan loses a) cover and b) an outlet. The team have no width or shape, unless Gerrard stays right like Pennant does, but he doesnt. Playing a right mid IMO needs to be disciplined in running the line, in fact the only position in a football team that doesnt require discipline is the central attacking midfielder who sits behind the striker. He has the free license to roam. But you cannot ask Gerrard who's deployed RM to roam, the team lose balance, shape and width.
Then by having ALonso and Mascha in the middle, you have no forward drive, no creativity in the way of pushing on into the final third and making something happen from there. Both Alonso's game and Mascha's arent about the final third, there games about the defensive third and the midfield area, not the final third. Nothing effective enough comes from the center in an attacking threat when these two are paired together. Its awful to watch, its lame, devoid of ideas and for the want of a better word negative.
For me Gerrard has to play there, he's our only natural box to box midfield. Who can track back and yes he is disciplined to do so, in one moment. Then drive the team up the other end of the field in the next. When he ticks Liverpool ticks, he ticks in his customary role 9/10 when he's deployed through the middle. Hasnt he scored 11 goals now in 13 games through the middle ? Note aswell credit has to go to Mascha for this, IMO he gives Gerrard even more license to barn storm forward than Xabi does, didnt you see how deep Gerrard played against Derby ?
as a unit 
by