Scottbot wrote:stmichael wrote:As I've said many times, I don't like Gerrard as a second striker but it says more about Rafa's opinion of Keane that he still persists with playing Gerrard there every now and again, especially away from home against stronger sides.
Also down to the fact the manager struggles to leave out Alonso or Mascherano away from home. Rafa is a safety first coach (and alsways will be) who likes his two holding midfielders. I think he sometimes cannot bring himself to leave one of them out.
The trouble is we have so little creativity that we're more a functional team that won't creative lots of chances all that often. And it's not just about whether Gerrard is liked or effective as a 'second striker', not that I would term him as that but more an advanced attacking midfielder in the hole behind the striker, but also how the formation suits what we have best and the effect on Torres. Some think Torres is less effective because the defences have in some way worked him out. I think he is more effective alone up front and linking with Gerrard rather than partnered by Keane.
We don't need Alonso and Mascherano as much as Rafa uses them, if we are controlling a game or it is a game we need to win then it can be a luxury having Mascherano. At the moment it is a very hard call to make because Keane has been a disappointment and we don't know if the success at the end of last season can be repeated by playing Torres alone. I prefer 4-4-2 as a formation, but with what we have and what has gone before so far this season, I would favour reverting to Torres alone up front as that is where we were most effective last season. I am firm in my belief too many on here are distracted by the Keane situation, wanting to play him even if he goes another 10 goalless games and costs us. He might equally come good, but we can't base selections on what might happen over what has happened. Nothing would make me happier than if Keane were to score lots of goals, but he's not and he's even missing excellent chances. Any other striker who cost less than £20m would have been dropped by now.
