Liverpool FC Forum

[Stu the Red]

Ben - I'm not simply blaming Gerrard for the Villa result. I am just making the point that he was one of the key reasons we failed to put away a very average team. Our fullbacks were also useless and BR got the first half tactics completely wrong and took too long to change the formation. I agree we won the second half because there was less pressure on the midfield but really the two Villa goals in the first half were as much about defensive frailties as anything else.

So serious question, if we swap Lucas for Gerrard and play that same formation with the same attacking 4 players, do you think it works ?

Of course it works because Lucas is world class! 

[supersub]

Ben - I'm not simply blaming Gerrard for the Villa result. I am just making the point that he was one of the key reasons we failed to put away a very average team. Our fullbacks were also useless and BR got the first half tactics completely wrong and took too long to change the formation. I agree we won the second half because there was less pressure on the midfield but really the two Villa goals in the first half were as much about defensive frailties as anything else.

So serious question, if we swap Lucas for Gerrard and play that same formation with the same attacking 4 players, do you think it works ?

Of course it works because Lucas is world class! 

unfortunately Gerrard isn't "world class" anymore and is unable to play the position Brendan knows Lucas can play....as previously said this will be our Achilles heal that will ruin the season....SG is not and never will be  a DM....

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

Anyone who can allude to the word 'tackle' as something they believe Gerrard does ,deserves to see him in the side.

[wrighty (not mark!)]

Hi all,

I don't post much on here anymore as you may know, but thought you may find this an interesting read:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/pit ... 05150.html

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

Thanks for that, very interesting, personally I can't see Lucas displacing Gerrard particularly when we are top of the form table. Lucas IMO has to take a leaf out of Aggers book, Danny bided his time and when the opportunity arose to get back in the team (when Kolo had a rough spell) he took it.

[SouthCoastShankly]

Thanks for that, very interesting, personally I can't see Lucas displacing Gerrard particularly when we are top of the form table. Lucas IMO has to take a leaf out of Aggers book, Danny bided his time and when the opportunity arose to get back in the team (when Kolo had a rough spell) he took it.

I'd be amazed if anyone is suggesting that he would displace Gerrard.

If anything I can see Sterling sitting more games out and Gerrard playing alongside Lucas or Allen.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

Thanks for that, very interesting, personally I can't see Lucas displacing Gerrard particularly when we are top of the form table. Lucas IMO has to take a leaf out of Aggers book, Danny bided his time and when the opportunity arose to get back in the team (when Kolo had a rough spell) he took it.

I'd be amazed if anyone is suggesting that he would displace Gerrard.

If anything I can see Sterling sitting more games out and Gerrard playing alongside Lucas or Allen.

Well that article was suggesting that it's a straight fight between Gerrard and Lucas for the holding role

[SouthCoastShankly]

Thanks for that, very interesting, personally I can't see Lucas displacing Gerrard particularly when we are top of the form table. Lucas IMO has to take a leaf out of Aggers book, Danny bided his time and when the opportunity arose to get back in the team (when Kolo had a rough spell) he took it.

I'd be amazed if anyone is suggesting that he would displace Gerrard.

If anything I can see Sterling sitting more games out and Gerrard playing alongside Lucas or Allen.

Well that article was suggesting that it's a straight fight between Gerrard and Lucas for the holding role

Oh sorry didn't see the article link.

Either way I would put good money on Gerrard not being dropped for Lucas. No brainer.

[ethanr]

Gerrard playing deeper in the holding role and still has 8 goals and 9 assists.  Sure a lot of pens, but how many holding mids do you see put up those kind of offensive stats? Sure he's not the most affective defensively, but we seem to thrive on this all out attack thing we've got going on.

[7_Kewell]

It's nice to see our injured players come back,but lets not forget that Lucas was dropped before he was injured for a string of awful performances.

He's been poor since his serious injury and he'll have to raise his game a lot to dislodge Gerrard or even Henderson.

[damjan193]

At this point of the season where we're very close to achieving our goal and even with a slim chance of winning the title, Gerrard, the team's captain, is unbenchable. His leadership skills might make a big difference and it won't be good for moral if we bench him now. I'm pretty sure that Brendan is well aware of this. Lucas will have to fight his way back into the squad like the rest of the players. For me, even Allen is ahead of him at the moment.

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

Lets not forget that whilst United have been poor in an offensive sense they have dominated most of their games possession wise.
I just feel a game of this magnitude and all that a victory entails makes a loss practically unthinkable.

Rodgers must set his team out with a strict mandate to keep their shape in midfield and not spend the game gifting United with the
type of possession that could seriously hurt us. ....Tactics wise I think introducing Lucas to strengthen the middle and disrupt the
play is a must ,and denying Carrick and Mata any space to exploit the holes we leave when we play like we did against Swansea and
Southampton is also a basic essential.

[Boocity]

Lets not forget that whilst United have been poor in an offensive sense they have dominated most of their games possession wise.
I just feel a game of this magnitude and all that a victory entails makes a loss practically unthinkable.

Rodgers must set his team out with a strict mandate to keep their shape in midfield and not spend the game gifting United with the
type of possession that could seriously hurt us. ....Tactics wise I think introducing Lucas to strengthen the middle and disrupt the
play is a must ,and denying Carrick and Mata any space to exploit the holes we leave when we play like we did against Swansea and
Southampton is also a basic essential.

Who would you drop, Coutinho/Allen and play a 4-3-3 or Hendo

[SouthCoastShankly]

Lets not forget that whilst United have been poor in an offensive sense they have dominated most of their games possession wise.
I just feel a game of this magnitude and all that a victory entails makes a loss practically unthinkable.

Rodgers must set his team out with a strict mandate to keep their shape in midfield and not spend the game gifting United with the
type of possession that could seriously hurt us. ....Tactics wise I think introducing Lucas to strengthen the middle and disrupt the
play is a must ,and denying Carrick and Mata any space to exploit the holes we leave when we play like we did against Swansea and
Southampton is also a basic essential.

Who would you drop, Coutinho/Allen and play a 4-3-3 or Hendo

I think he'll remain unchanged from the Southampton game. Sterling on the bench with Allen playing alongside Gerrard.

Can't see Lucas walking back into the side and starting.

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

Lets not forget that whilst United have been poor in an offensive sense they have dominated most of their games possession wise.
I just feel a game of this magnitude and all that a victory entails makes a loss practically unthinkable.

Rodgers must set his team out with a strict mandate to keep their shape in midfield and not spend the game gifting United with the
type of possession that could seriously hurt us. ....Tactics wise I think introducing Lucas to strengthen the middle and disrupt the
play is a must ,and denying Carrick and Mata any space to exploit the holes we leave when we play like we did against Swansea and
Southampton is also a basic essential.

Who would you drop, Coutinho/Allen and play a 4-3-3 or Hendo

That's the managers headache ,I would personally drop Coutz and move Gerrard up to link play up ,and then we can have Lucas in the holding role ,a role in a
purely defensive capacity he is arguably better equipped for ......Truth is mate, our game against United has to mirror the work rate of our performance against Spudz and not even resemble the generosity we afforded Swansea and Southampton.