Liverpool FC Forum

[joko]

THere probably will not be so many topic about LFC come vacant period of domestic competition (except related to transfer rumor)

it just came across my mind should any chance gerrard would be pushed a bit forward next premiership (probably a second striker), in particular, for gerrard himself once gestured this intention toward rafa.

he's obviously more than capable of scoring and creating goal in his claim of Liverpool top scorer this closing season

So, what are your thoughts of any chance he makes a second striker next season for Liverpool?

Below is slightly unrelated article about eriksson's idea of putting him forward for england

Gerrard may play in forward role

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson says he has not ruled out the possibility of using Steven Gerrard as a striker at the World Cup finals.

With Wayne Rooney a doubt with a broken foot and Michael Owen only just back from a similar injury, Gerrard has been touted for a forward role.

Eriksson said: "Steven Gerrard can play in a lot of positions and one is as a second striker.

"I'm sure he could play as first striker but a lot depends on Rooney."

Manchester United star Rooney is almost certain to miss the group stages of the tournament and is thought to be a doubt for the knockout after suffering a broken metatarsal last month.


Feature: Gerrard gives Eriksson options
Gerrard has scored 23 goals for Liverpool this season and calls for him to be given a more forward position were increased after his two-goal performance in the FA Cup final win over West Ham.

Eriksson added: "I have known for many years that Gerrard can play in a lot of positions.

"We haven't decided yet but he's useful wherever he plays. After 25 May we will know much better what's happening with Wayne Rooney.

"I hope we play with Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen but once again Steven Gerrard is an option there."

Eriksson said he had no regrets about the gamble in picking Arsenal's teeange striker Theo Walcott as one of his four strikers.

The Swede added: "He looks to be very bright. It's not easy for him, of course, to settle in with a lot of good football players. It's a gamble and I'm happy I did it.

"He seems very stable and is just a young boy and of course he is happy to be here."


I'm very confident that he will be absolutely perfect for the World Cup
Sven-Goran Eriksson on Michael Owen
Owen said Walcott had been welcomed by the rest of the England squad.

He said: "It's inevitable that when you first join up you're going to be nervous. But that's the great thing with this England team.

"As soon as a new face comes in everyone is quick to welcome them.

"We have been together two or three days now you can see him starting to relax a bit.

"Hopefully by the time the World Cup comes round he will be relaxed enough to do well and have an impact on the tournament."

Eriksson was delighted to see Newcastle forward Owen looking sharp in training.

"He's very important and he looked 100% fit yesterday and today," he said.

"I'm very confident that he will be absolutely perfect for the World Cup and very, very hungry."

[dawson99]

England is completely different to liverpool. If Gerrard played the 'rooney type' role, and saying that is dangerous enough in itself, then who would they get to fill in the gap?
I dont rate carrick or kind as good enough to hold a midfield by themselves and i cant see them using parker. Plus there is the fat lampard problem. He would wanna do the same, thats what he does for cheatski.

for liverpool stevie has momo, alonso, didi behind him, and that breeds enough confidence to give him more of a free role. The same goes for lamps with essien,makalele and soon to be ballack.

For england would u really trust carrick to hold off any onslaught if it had to happen? With beckham not the fastest on the right, joe cole not the best defender on the left and fatty in the middle there is not much room for freedom when it comes to someone of gerrards calibre. and this is a shame as he is the best striking midfielder we have by far. So he shuold leave out fat lampard? never gonna happen.

i dunno what the answer is, but gerrard would basically be the best player on the pitch wherever he played so as long as he does his job we should be in kinda safe hands

[The Ace1983]

I can see him getting a free role, but he won't be automatically up-front. Just as the England team lose some of his effectiveness by insisting that Gerrard play the sitting role, we would lose a lot by denying him some defensive responsibilty. Can't see it happening Joko, whoever you are...

[73-1141222089]

It's an idea Joko...... but I think maybe not such a good one....

He's a brilliant footballer, make no mistake, but we won't get the best out of him there..... The reason why he's scored so many goals this season is because he's making runs into open spaces made available by the gaps left by opposition BEHIND our front men.... He's nigh impossible to track when he does that..... Once he's into the spaces, he's got a bazooka of a right boot to punish opponents who can't track his lurking runs....

Up front, he'll be fully occupied by one centre half and space is going to be less available.... Being who he is, I reckon he'll still do well but asking him to lead the line? He's gonna be less effective IMO..... THE best central midfielder in the world..... but as versatile as he is, we're probably better off leaving him in the centre of the park and marauding around rather than have him wasted upfront as it's not his best position.....   

[ivor_the_injun]

He's at his best surging through the middle, and defenders are terrified when he's got a head of steam from a run that's started in the centre circle.

When he's starting his runs from the edge of the box, I just don't think he's anywhere near as effective. He can do a job there, but I worry from an England point of view that Sven's looked at the number of goals he's got this season and suddenly thought that this will be the case if he puts him as a second striker. It's certainly a mistake that Rafa won't make - he's at his best when he's got license to roam free between half-way line and 6 yard box, and I think Sven should be building a team around him as opposed to utilising the fact that he is so versatile.

[AussieKopite]

It's an idea Joko...... but I think maybe not such a good one....

He's a brilliant footballer, make no mistake, but we won't get the best out of him there..... The reason why he's scored so many goals this season is because he's making runs into open spaces made available by the gaps left by opposition BEHIND our front men.... He's nigh impossible to track when he does that..... Once he's into the spaces, he's got a bazooka of a right boot to punish opponents who can't track his lurking runs....

Up front, he'll be fully occupied by one centre half and space is going to be less available.... Being who he is, I reckon he'll still do well but asking him to lead the line? He's gonna be less effective IMO..... THE best central midfielder in the world..... but as versatile as he is, we're probably better off leaving him in the centre of the park and marauding around rather than have him wasted upfront as it's not his best position.....   

He is the man needed in broken play, when that ball is loose in the box or just outside (like the 2 FA Cup goals). If he was striker, he wouldn't have been there to take them. Also, he is lethal from 30+ yards out on the volley, no one else is like him there. Leave him in midfield definitely.

[babu]

Joko where did you get that quote come from?

[joko]

BBC site

[Ace Ventura]

Robinson

Neville       Ferdinand   Terry       Cole
                     
                       Carrick

Beckham          Lampard             Joe Cole

               
                     Gerrard

                                 Owen

That should be the team that England start the world cup with. If England dont have the ball Gerrard will drop into midfield and help win it back, but if they have the ball he can support Owen, in a way that he hasnt been given an oppurtunity in an England shirt.
I did start a thread on this and after seeing his performances in the final third on Saturday loads of the press are starting to realise that he would be Englands best threat in that position.
People may say it will nulify some of his threay if he starts there and not deeper, the only other thing sven will do with him is put him as a holding midfielder and that is a massive waste.

[dawson99]

but ace, that midfield has aboslutely no cover. carrick isnt good enough to hold the entire midfield togetehr as fatty will not be used to staying back.

[Bad Bob]

I'd concur with what some others have said...

Gerrard is awesome when arriving late, just outside the box and latching onto balls with that rocket launcher of a right boot.

Playing him as a forward, I feel, would neutralize his effectiveness a great deal as he just wouldn't find the space to operate inside the box.

I'd be included to play him in front of both Xabi and Momo in the centre of the park (in either a 4-5-1 or a 3-5-2) but not as a second striker.

[Smeg]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[alessandromagno]

As Rafa said, Gerrard could play anywhere--but his best position is in the middle of the field.

[H_K_LFC]

but ace, that midfield has aboslutely no cover. carrick isnt good enough to hold the entire midfield togetehr as fatty will not be used to staying back.

I'm not sure about that,he's a decent player i think he could play that defensive role for England

[Garymac]

If Gerrard played upfront he wouldnt have scored half the goals he would have, Gerrard is at best making surging runs from deep and latching on to balls, Gerrard upfront would not have scored either of those goals on Saturday because he would have been hanging round the box looking to pick up the piece as a top striker does.

You watch Robbie Keane upfront and watch him without the ball, he is getting as good as anyone for movement in and around the penalty area, id say he is becoming as good as Owen and V.Nistlerooy for it and believe he will knock 25 goals plus in next season, Ive mentioned Keane for far to long now but we could have got the lad last summer or even in January for between 4-6 million but many people on here wrote him off because "Everton wanted him" which is laughable, You cant be put off by what teams are attracted to a player you have to watch the player and make your own views, and mark my words, he will be as good as any forward in the prem next season.

Gerrard is the driving force behind are midfield, if we wont to solve are striking problem i suggest we buy a world class center forward, what does anyone else think??

And gerrard upfront restricts what work he does tracking back, imo its not even an option and i cant believe anyone would consider it.