Liverpool FC Forum

[112-1077774096]

i know this will please the people who say he should play on the right so i put it here for you.


Time for Benítez to give Gerrard a wide berth

The root cause of Liverpool's poor form isn't Rafa Benítez's tinkering; it's playing Steven Gerrard in central midfield.

Scott Murray

October 11, 2007 12:04 PM
The received wisdom regarding Liverpool Football Club's current malaise, in a nutshell, for you, now, right here on Guardian Unlimited: Rafael Benítez simply can't stop tinkering with that team!

So there you have it. Pithy and precise, and everyone's saying it. Problem is, like so many handed-down truisms - eating up your crusts puts hair on your chest, carrots make you see better at night, whipping it out just before showtime is a foolproof method of contraception - it doesn't actually have that much basis in fact. Here's a different suggestion: rotation isn't Liverpool's problem at all. In fact, almost the opposite is the case, because the root cause of their patchy form is Benítez's dogged persistence with playing one particular player in one particular position all the time.

Steven Gerrard should not, under any circumstances, be playing in central midfield.

To clarify, Gerrard is a fine player. His strengths are manifold: goalscoring ability, pace, power, desire, determination, beginning, to, sound, like, Hansen, on, autopilot, now. But tactical discipline? An ability to dictate the play? An eye for the clever pass - and that means consistently, not just the occasional delivery to feet of a Hollywood ball? No. Nope. Yes - but no. In other words, for all Gerrard's world-class talent, he's simply not a player to place at the heart of a team.

When Manchester United built a side around a central midfielder, they did so around the ultra-dependable Roy Keane. A talented right-sided midfielder harboured ambitions to play there too, but was told by Sir Alex Ferguson in no uncertain terms to stay out of harm's way on the right, where his many talents would be utilised as and when - but never, ever depended upon to keep the team ticking over.

David Beckham's high-water mark of achievement - the seasons between 1998 and 2001 - were spent out on the wing. Yet amazingly, his signature performance is considered by many to be his 13,447km rampage around the middle of Old Trafford in an England shirt against Greece. Nice free-kick and all, but the main reason that dramatic last-minute intervention was required was because the scoring hero spent the majority of the match haring hither and yon in spectacularly undisciplined fashion, gaps appearing all over the pitch as team-mates attempted to cover. So he really wanted to play there? Tough. A decision from which Ferguson never wavered - and who, given Beckham's post-United meanderings, would argue with that assessment now?

It's an instructive comparison. Gerrard's appearance in the centre of Liverpool's midfield has had an undeniably unbalancing effect. Consider the club's recent run of form. Against Sunderland, Toulouse and Derby, without Gerrard in the team and two central midfielders in the centre of midfield, Liverpool scored 12 goals in three games. The 203 minutes after Gerrard's return to the middle? Three matches, one goal, no wins. So Sunderland, Toulouse and Derby aren't any great shakes? Well, neither are Portsmouth, Porto or Birmingham, teams Liverpool failed to put to the sword (unlike Reading, who were tonked for four, with guess who on the bench). Marseille and Tottenham are better sides - barely better, but better none the less - and look what happened there. Gerrard flailing helplessly, 40-yard passes sailing serenely into the dark of the stands, 11 men without drive.

If Beckham's signature performance snaps everything into focus, so does Gerrard's. With the player in the middle, Liverpool were stripped naked during that first half in Istanbul; it was only when Didi Hamann came on to wrest control of the midfield, and Gerrard was shunted into a less responsible role, that he had the astounding effect we know he can.

In fairness, Gerrard can show tactical discipline - once Liverpool drew level against Milan, he wasn't half bad for the last hour at right-back against Serginho - but then again he wasn't being afforded the responsibility of dictating the entire game. To be a top-level central midfielder at a major club, it's got to be the whole package at once, or nothing.

Liverpool have a perfectly serviceable central midfield partnership in Javier Mascherano, who scarcely has a peer in world football when it comes to harrying and tackling, and Xabi Alonso, who when even woefully out-of-form as he is, shames Gerrard with his range of passing. This isn't to say Gerrard doesn't have a vital role to play for his side: out right, or perhaps just behind the front man, positions from where he has posed - and can continue to pose - immeasurable danger. Just not in the centre. So he really, really, really wants to play there? Tough.

Gerrard has always argued his best - and most desired - position is in the middle. It's impossible to know what behind-the-scenes promises have been made to keep him happy at Liverpool - though if any deals have been brokered to ensure his continued presence at the club, they shouldn't have been. Benítez needs to give over his centre midfield to players who have the ability to dictate, prompt, playmake and pass. Being an incredibly talented and driven attacking midfielder doesn't necessarily mean a player can do this. Gerrard should be happy enough to play for - and captain - the club he supported as a boy on the right, or off the front man, or... well, wherever, really. Just so long as he's well away from the heat of the engine room.

But if that doesn't make him happy, Liverpool should consider what to many might seem unthinkable: they should cash in, and get rid.

[Red Dotty]

Sorry don't like to tone of this article, the lad has a dip in form and the press are even out to tell raffa where he should play and what he can and cannot do

I fecking hate the press.

I have more respect, faith and believe, debating stuff and listening to fellow supporters on here than that scum that is the media

And to put at the end we could cash in on him if he isn't happy off

Pompus paper anyway

Oh dear gone off on one know

[kazza]

Last year they were saying the problem was that Gerrard was playing on the right.


If you pay a guy to give you his opinion he will.

[redtrader74]

I think Gerrard as right midfield is a viable option, it allows us to also have a midfield of Xabi and Masher and whoever you like on the left, it looks a pretty awesome midfield. Especially in big EPL games, the mancs and blues for example. He has performed on the right as we all know.

The recent problems he cited, are more down to missing a player like Xabi, who can control a game and the tempo, the issue is that we do not have a replacement for him, and Gerrard trying to do Xabi's job takes a lot of his strengths away.

The silly part of the article is that we could play SG behind the striker, no chance, he does not have a trick, nor the required vision and touch to play there. He actually said that earlier in the article!

Cash in on Gerrard.....poor journalism, sadly trying to look contraversial

[112-1077774096]

The recent problems he cited, are more down to missing a player like Xabi, who can control a game and the tempo, the issue is that we do not have a replacement for him, and Gerrard trying to do Xabi's job takes a lot of his strengths away.

this i agree with, when alonso is on song but too many times the last few seasons he has also been below par, but yes a fully functioning alonso can control the game and the tempo while gerrard can be a battering ram so to speak

[Leonmc0708]

Gerrard scored 23 goals from right midfield the season he played mostly there.

Mascherano, Xabi and Momo can handle the middle.

Makes sense to me.

[Red Dotty]

Gerrard scored 23 goals from right midfield the season he played mostly there.

Mascherano, Xabi and Momo can handle the middle.

Makes sense to me.

Yes to true

Just don't like the press

[RichardLFC1]

Gerrard is best in the centre midfeild he is just having a dip in form. When we play everton if gerrard is in the centre we will see the great Steven Gerrard back to his best believe me.

[kazza]

Actually I too agree with Gerrard on the right and Xabi  and Masch in the middle. In a five man midfield I like Gerrard mid-right with Xabi mid-left and Masch (or momo) in the middle. Well balanced!

[Leonmc0708]

Gerrard is best in the centre midfeild he is just having a dip in form. When we play everton if gerrard is in the centre we will see the great Steven Gerrard back to his best believe me.

Gerrards having a blip but Rafa needs to go ?

[Owzat]

Gerrard scored 23 goals from right midfield the season he played mostly there.

Mascherano, Xabi and Momo can handle the middle.

Makes sense to me.

If the other options on the right aren't as good as Gerrard and the alternatives to Gerrard in the middle are, then it makes sense to accomodate three good players rather than two good players and someone just because they specialise in playing on the right. He's plenty good enough to play there, he'll drift anyway so I don't see why people were so adamant he should play in the middle

[Sabre]

That article talks 5% of sense, and 95% of Bóllocks. Opportunist article that takes 3 games in a career and jumps into a conclussion, "discovering" that a player can't play in central midfielder at this stage of his career? bóllocks.

It's said that in an article the main idea is left for the end, and probably some journos would want indeed Gerrard being sold and playing somewhere else.

Gerrard is great in the right, and in the middle.

The Beckham comparison is not on, as this player only had a slightly better touch than our captain, but when it came to running with the ball, receive backwards, tackle was much slower.

The only bit of truth is that sometimes Gerrard's presence in the middle makes some unbalance, but that's not rocket science, if you play 2 strikers, your wing men are up in the field, one of your full backs is overlapping, and one midfielder lurks the area and loses a ball there playing a difficult ball, that will mean trouble defensively.

But that's tactical problem to solve for Rafa, Gerrard is great as a central midfielder, or as a right midfielder. Perhaps not to lie deep like Alonso, but definitely can play in the middle perfectly.

That said, where are the people that said he could not play in the right? Andy fúcking Gray said a lot of times that thing, didn't he?

There was so much moaning playing him in the right, that I remember I asked to a newkit member privately whether playing in the right instead of in the middle was some sort of dishonour in England.

Playing him in the right does solve many of the tactical problems I've tried to explain upper, because he's more covered, and more free, but if you tell me that Gerrard can't play in the middle, then I must say that's total bóllocks.

Redtrader doubts

The silly part of the article is that we could play SG behind the striker, no chance, he does not have a trick, nor the required vision and touch to play there. He actually said that earlier in the article!

I'm not so sure that's so silly, he played like that against Arsenal at home IIRC last season. I don't think his vision is that bad, and although he lacks some tricks, there are many ways to skin a cat in that position (is that phrase correct redtrader? ). Gerrard in the 3/4 of the pitch is a tough one for the defender, if you tackle him he hoes a simple effective dribble and he'll get past you with strenght. If you wait to him and give him 2 metres, he'll shoot a terrific shot. He's good also to pass the ball to a winger that is up in the pitch in that position. When, in that position he falls to a wing, he's also capable to put a great cross with inner curve. I'm not sure whatsoever he can't play behind the striker!, not all players in that position must be a super technical Kaka or Ronaldinho.

IMHO

[redtrader74]

Phrase is fine. I agree the article is oppurtunistic.

I still think that to play SG behind the striker wastes so much of his talent. He can't ball win that much as the defenders will just bypass him, less room for him to charge into, he'll hate it because he won't be involved as much,, he will have to recieve the ball with his back to the goal a fair bit, again he's no good at that, you also need quick feet to do well in that position, and i have to disagree, his vision in closer quarters is not as good as it is from distance.

[KopSecret]

I think there's some truth in that Gerrard lacks a certain amount of tactical awareness but when he's on form, he's amazing, especially against Chelsea with a broken toe !!!

Rather than debating the merits of him as a central midfielder or winger, I think perhaps his best position would be in goals ;-)

[Bad Bob]

I also didn't like the article.  First off, as Sabre's said, the comparison with Beckham is a huge stretch and looks contrived just to make a point.  I also didn't like the fact that the author conveniently overlooked Gerrard's performance at CM against Chelsea.  Playing with a broken toe--albeit with a pain-killing injection--he ran the show and set up Torres's goal with a sublime pass.

That said, I've never had as many objections as some to Gerrard at right midfield.  For me it comes down to playing him where he's going to be the most effective.  If he's going to play like he did two seasons ago on the right than I would love to move him back out there and get that Steven Gerrard back.  If, however, we're going to struggle to get him the ball out there and have him drift out of games, like we saw early last season, than he needs to be in the middle where he can get touches and influence the game.  Like Red Trader, my only objection would be if we played him "in the hole" as that is simply not a position that plays to his many strengths, IMO.

Like I've said in another thread, though, I'm not sure if now is the time to start experimenting with where to play Gerrard.  If the critics are right and the team needs stability to get over our recent dip in form, shunting the captain around the midfield is only going to disrupt things that much more.