Liverpool FC Forum

[Cool Hand Luke]

We currently have no right sided midfield player at the club, bit of a sad situation to be honest. But nothing can be done about it for the next 4 months, so instead of moaning about it, I thought we should analyse our current options and see which one would be best.

Here are the options, in order of my personal preference:

Florent Sinama Pongolle– My 1st choice to fill the vacant right hand side role. He was making huge progress last year when he was cruelly injured coming on as a late substitute. Although he is a natural striker he has experienced playing on the right and he has the right qualities to play there. He has good dribbling skills, a good burst of acceleration, a decent crosser, the ability and willingness to defend, a bit of trickery and a decent passer. In my opinion he should be given a run in the team and the opportunity to make the right hand side his own.

Harry Kewell– Taken an awful lot of abuse from fans, and it seems the manager wants him out as well. And I know it has been said time and time again, but I’m going to say it anyway. If he can get himself fit he is an awesome player. Rafa is not relying on him at all at the moment so he has all the time in the world to get himself fit. He is good enough to play on the right, he can use both feet and has the potential to score a lot of goals by cutting in from the right hand side on to his favoured right.

Boudewijn Zenden– I’ve seen him play on the right for Holland and he has done quiet well. He is 2 footed can go inside and out, and can cross and score, although he doesn’t seem to possess as much pace as he used to. If he were to play on the right we have Risse and Kewell who can play on the left.

Steven Gerrard– He is our best midfielder and his best position is in central midfield and it highly unlikely that he would be moved. But we mustn’t forget that we have 3 other good central midfield players in Alonso, Hamann and Sissoko, so it wouldn’t be huge disaster if 2 of those 3 were to play in the middle. We know Gerrard has the ability to play anywhere on the pitch, he has played on the right both for Liverpool and England and every time he has done really well. He is the best crosser at the club, quick, good dribbling skills, excellent passer, can score goals and is 2 footed.

Luis Garcia– His best position is off a main striker when he can roam the width of the pitch. He just looks as though he is uncomfortable on the right, he tries but he can’t really defend.

Djibril Cisse– Has been used as a right midfielder a number of times, and in my opinion he hasn’t got enough in his game to play there. His main attribute when playing there is to hit the ball on the outside, get to it first and then cross. He isn’t 2 footed enough, hasn’t really got the ability to go inside, passing is average and he doesn’t have very good ball control while dribbling. Would like to see him given more opportunities in his favoured position as a striker.

Steve Finnan– Has filled in at right midfield for both club and country, but is our first choice right back and he should stay there.

Darren Potter– A natural central midfield player, Rafa seems to see something in him and has given him a contract extension, personally I don’t see anything in him. He can defend well but he offers very little attacking threat.

Antonio Barragan– Very unlikely as he has just joined, and is a natural right back, a player for the reserves at the moment.

[liverpoolrich]

about the 200th topic on this i expected more from u

[dward]

wah-hey!! you shrank your sig liverpoolrich!!!!

finally

[Afroman]

about the 200th topic on this i expected more from u

Is that the only comment you can manage
I expected more of you 

[liverpoolrich]

wah-hey!! you shrank your sig liverpoolrich!!!!

finally

pabloescobar did it 4 me

[JBG]

A possible solution is a bank of three midfielders in front of a holding midfielder.

For example, you could have a trio of Riise, Sissoko and Gerrard, with Gerrard and Riise "wide" with Sissoko in the centre, and Alonso sitting behind them.

[Cool Hand Luke]

about the 200th topic on this i expected more from u

Go and suck your thumb

[Cool Hand Luke]

A possible solution is a bank of three midfielders in front of a holding midfielder.

For example, you could have a trio of Riise, Sissoko and Gerrard, with Gerrard and Riise "wide" with Sissoko in the centre, and Alonso sitting behind them.

Interesting suggestion. In tandem with this we could use the fullbacks much more to provide witdh.

I still think that Pongolle as the best option:



Pongolle Alonso Gerrard Zenden/Riise

[JBG]

Pongolle could do a short term job there, especially when he returns to full match fitness and his blinding pace returns. I wasn't that convinced by him in the game against CSKA Moscow. The Russian left back tucked in very close to his box, allowing loads of space out wide, yet Pongolle kept trying to come inside him. Had he been fully match fit, Pongolle could have taken him to the cleaners by trying to beat him on the outside.

I don't like trying to put square pegs in round holes by playing guys out of position as this could ruin them (for example, Cisse, who can do an adequate job out wide, given that he has pace and can cross a ball but this is not helping him develop as a top class centre forward) but sometimes we have no choice, and I'd rather have Pongolle out there than Garcia, who is not a right midfielder (his best position is in the centre, playing off a front man).

I'm not convinced by Potter: he has some good touches and can cross a ball, but he lacks strength and aggression. All the same, Rafa will give Darren a few chances out there, and its down to Darren to make the best of them.

[109-1093441336]

Steven Gerrard–

Better to be powerful across the midfield than strong only through the middle.  You wanted 100k a week, earn it. 

[El Nino_#9]

as i have said before......
i am hoping to see kewell on the right for us this season.
he had a few great games for us there in his first season. he can get crosses in with his right foot as well as his left. plus he can cut inside and curl a few shots in the top corner. the goal against levski sofia comes to mind in the UEFA cup

[liverpoolrich]

Is that the only comment you can manage
I expected more of you 

every single post i make u complain about u have something against me i dunno what it is and dont care but ur a really immature

[MilitiaRusher]

Is that the only comment you can manage
I expected more of you 

every single post i make u complain about u have something against me i dunno what it is and dont care but ur a really immature

First, your choice of font could easily tell an awful lot about you.

Second, the quality of your posts are simply that from a primary school kid whose learning how to use the internet properly, as well as how to construct a full sentence effectively.

[Afroman]

Is that the only comment you can manage
I expected more of you 

every single post i make u complain about u have something against me i dunno what it is and dont care but ur a really immature

First, your choice of font could easily tell an awful lot about you.

Second, the quality of your posts are simply that from a primary school kid whose learning how to use the internet properly, as well as how to construct a full sentence effectively.

Agreed.

[El Nino_#9]

Is that the only comment you can manage
I expected more of you 

every single post i make u complain about u have something against me i dunno what it is and dont care but ur a really immature

First, your choice of font could easily tell an awful lot about you.

Second, the quality of your posts are simply that from a primary school kid whose learning how to use the internet properly, as well as how to construct a full sentence effectively.

Agreed.

agreed aswell.
everyone knows that purple text is the best font colour!