Liverpool FC Forum

[Owzat]

Discussions are ongoing regards if we want Barry, for how much, do we need him etc BUT if we revert to 4-4-2 with a new striker, and Alonso stays, will we need him? Would it not then be a straight toss up between Gerrard and Barry. We spent plenty on Mascherano, Gerrard is fantastic so it is likely Barry would be displacing Alonso and you would only have Gerrard, Barry and Mascherano in a 4-4-2 if Barry were playing LM or LB OR Gerrard was playing RM. Do you feel Lucas and Plessis would be more than adequate cover in a 4-4-2 and do you also believe we're overstocking on CMs? We signed Lucas and Plessis, and what for if we're going to go out and buy yet another CM? If we're going to buy players and push them down the pecking order by buying more in the same positions/roles, then doesn't that raise serious issues over signings?

So if we were playing a standard 4-4-2, who would be your first choice pairing based on players currently at the club? I would have put Lucas & Plessis as option ten, but as I had only ten options I put "other" as the last option as you may have someone not in that list in mind in combination with someone else in or not in that list.

[The_Rock]

for 4-4-2....it will be gerrard and mascherano anytime of the day....

[nemolyk]

steven is our spritual mark,the leader of liverpool,so it is necessary
if rafa prefer 4-3-3 as what we play in recent matches,maschernano and alonso would be best choice,lucas needs more practice
while 4-2-2,there is no choice but G8 and maschernano,we need to strengthen defendency.

[metalhead]

I would either go with Mascha and Gerrard in the middle

or, if we don't get a right winger, I would stick gerrard on the right and put mascha and alonso in the middle.

[account deleted by request]

I have always thought that although Gerrard scores lots of goals when he plays attacking midfield, he is better as a box to box midfielder. Especially in the big games he tends to be a peripheral figure rather than the focus of our play when played further forward (wing or centre)and its more the lack of quality up front that has forced Rafa to use him in this way rather than because thats his best position.

With Masch behind him we should have the best of both worlds with Gerrards pace passing and tackling while still getting his share of goals.

If Alonso was playing at his best it would be a close thing between him and Masch, as it is, Masch is head and shoulders above the Spaniard.

[JoeTerp]

because this was brought up about Barry, I think the lineup of Gerrard Masch Alonso and Barry is as good as you are going to get across the board in a 4-4-2 as far as overall footballing talent and quality is concerned. Plessis to be the cover for Mascherano, Lucas for Alonso, Pennant for Gerrard, and unless we sign someone, I think that Bruna might be the next in line as far as left footed, attacking players on concerned, but I am sure Yossi would be Barry's cover for most of the season.  I think what is good about that set up is that there is a clear drop off between first team and their backups (unless Alonso is playing badly), in theory this should equal less roation. But at the same time, 3/4 1st choice pieces with one 2nd choice piece is still a strong midfield.


Also, everything gets thrown out the door if we also buy a right midfielder

*and this was in the context that we would somehow be forced to play a 4-4-2.

[Torres25]

4-4-2 isnt gonna happen 4 us now Rafas always preferred the formation hes playin now he just never had the players 2 do it

but 4 the sake of this thread id go 4 Gerrard & Mash.......it has 2 be surely

[maypaxvobiscum]

mash and alonso with gerrard on the right.

[Thingy]

Masch Barry itll be by the looks of things.

[stapo1000]

I'd hate to see alonso leave. when he's in the team instead of just booting it forward our defenders look for xabi everytime, he never gives the ball way and plays the ball either wide or finds gerrard. masch despite giving us a lot more defensively tends to give the ball away more and appears a little headless in posession. cant really see the need for barry unless its to play on the left for us.

[SundanceKid]

Masch works his off more than anyone on the team, [Besides Carra of course]. Give him a spot on the left of Gerrard and experience a new breed of football.

[Owzat]

Can people please read the thread, there is normally a comment in the initial post regards what the circumstances are for which you're voting and it quite clearly says

So if we were playing a standard 4-4-2, who would be your first choice pairing based on players currently at the club?

I even put it in red, with bold and underlines added for this post only. So Barry is not an option and it doesn't state Gerrard could be played in a 4-4-1-1 type formation. I'm talking in a standard 4-4-2 with two proper wingers and two proper strikers, if you want to say you want Barry or you think Gerrardis most effective up front then fine, but that should not come into the voting.

And Joe, while I did think about this from the ongoing debate about Barry, it isn't meant to be a continuation on that theme directly. I'm simply trying to establish who we think is our best midfield pairing in a 4-4-2  in the belief most will vote for Gerrard/Mascherano. If people then start changing it to vote for a midfield including Barry or Gerrard 'in the hole' then it defeats the whole point.

[Torres25]

well whats the point of this thread then u muppet coz theres only 1 game left of the season & we will bring in Barry next season u can put your morgage on it & we wont be playing a 4-4-2 formation next season u spanner have u not noticed r formation over the last 2-3 months

Jesus

[Big Niall]

I'd hate to see alonso leave. when he's in the team instead of just booting it forward our defenders look for xabi everytime, he never gives the ball way and plays the ball either wide or finds gerrard. masch despite giving us a lot more defensively tends to give the ball away more and appears a little headless in posession. cant really see the need for barry unless its to play on the left for us.

I thought Alonso was superb when he came here, I thought he was more important than SG, I don't know what happened him. I'd take Barry over him now    as would Rafa.

[Reg]

I have always thought that although Gerrard scores lots of goals when he plays attacking midfield, he is better as a box to box midfielder.

I agree with you mate.

What I´m really struggling to come to terms with is WHY folks think we should sacrifice a second striker to play Gerrard in a forward role. We NEED a second striker to increase the goal rate, ensure we win games as opposed to draw them and take some pressure off Torres. But Steevie is not a striker.

To that extent I would rather play a 4-3-3 formation and include a seasoned and skilleed striker with Gerrard a few yards behind them creating the chances.

If Torres hadnt scored 32 goals this season, we would have been in a bugger´s muddle.