Liverpool FC Forum

[Ciggy]

When Sissoko is back?
Dont get me wrong I think he has been a great addition to the squad but Gerrard should not be sacrificed to accomadate him and Alonso.
Gerrard plays well with Zenden in midfield and Zenden is finding his form again.

I think Alonso is the best passer of the ball in the prem but the prem is so pacy and pace is not part of his game.

I will probably get shot down for these comments but Gerrard is the best CM in the world and he must play where he plays best and not be moved to accomadate others.

Will Rafa be  stuborn again once Momo is fit and play Gerrard on the right again?

I certainly hope not.
One or the other has to be rested and not try and fit the 3 of them in every game.

[jkop]

I understand what your saying Ciggy, and it will be hard for Rafa to pick who plays where when Momo comes back. However i would love Stevie to be kept in the centre.

[mistyred]

I think it should be a good scenario for Rafa, Selection problems are supposed to be good for a manager and the club, aslong as the manager makes the right selection

[Leonmc0708]

If we dont have a decent right sided midfielder, then Gerrard has got to play there, as we have cover in the midlle.

[joko]

i'd sacrifice alonso
he is to play when one of stevie and momo gets exhausted/injured
or when rafa decides to introduce 4-5-1 in certain match

[dawson99]

Xabi and Gerard are our best midfield pairing if u ask me. Id still like to see 451 with stevie playing just behind Kuyt and xabi momo behind him.

[stmichael]

When Sissoko is back?
Dont get me wrong I think he has been a great addition to the squad but Gerrard should not be sacrificed to accomadate him and Alonso.
Gerrard plays well with Zenden in midfield and Zenden is finding his form again.

I think Alonso is the best passer of the ball in the prem but the prem is so pacy and pace is not part of his game.

I will probably get shot down for these comments but Gerrard is the best CM in the world and he must play where he plays best and not be moved to accomadate others.

Will Rafa be  stuborn again once Momo is fit and play Gerrard on the right again?

I certainly hope not.
One or the other has to be rested and not try and fit the 3 of them in every game.

to be honest cig i'm not going to worry about that until sissoko is back again. for now lets just enjoy our skipper enjoying a new lease of life and taking games by the scruff of the neck once again.

by my calculations, sissoko should be back in february which means that he'll be fit for the CL last 16 knockout tie. now i'm sorry but if he's fit for that then gerrard has to move back out wide right for the good of the team. if you don't believe me, look how badly we struggled last season against benfica when sissoko wasn't playing.

as much as i love alonso, i still maintain that sissoko and gerrard is the most naturally balanced central midfield partnership that we have.

oh well, rafa has so many possibilities.

[112-1077774096]

look how badly we struggled last season against benfica when sissoko wasn't playing.

and look how badly we have struggled this season with sissoko in the team and gerrard on the right, sorry mick but your argument doesnt make sense, its not as though we are top of the league with sissoko central and gerrard on the right is it?

[Ciggy]

look how badly we struggled last season against benfica when sissoko wasn't playing.

and look how badly we have struggled this season with sissoko in the team and gerrard on the right, sorry mick but your argument doesnt make sense, its not as though we are top of the league with sissoko central and gerrard on the right is it?

True we could'nt beat Manure, Everton, Bolton or Chelsea with Momo in the middle probably Sissoko and Gerrard are our best midfield option in the league.
Xabi is more suited to europe where he has more time on the ball and doesnt have to rush.

[Ace Ventura]

I dont think our wingers have settled in well enough so far, both Pennant and Gonzalez dont warrant a first team place yet.
Most will disagree with this because they dont like tinkering with the formation, but with all 3 of our centre midfielders fit i would play 3-5-2

                    Reina

     Carragher Hyypia  Agger

Finnan        Alonso          Riise

            Sissoko Gerrard     

             Bellamy Kuyt

I just think it allows Gerrard to play through the centre whilst keeping the team tight at the back.

I'll elaborate more later when its quieter in work.

[murphy0151]

Theres been a difference in Gerrards play since hes been put in the middle.  The difference is hes trying harder than when hes asked to do a job on the right.  It dosnt matter where he plays he can have the same effect in the middle on the right or down the left.  Hes world class, world class players can do a job anywhere.  His attitude has been shiiite in the games where hes been playing on the right this season.  This could be down to things that have been going on in his private life, and I hope so.  But lets face it when Mommmo does come back Gerrrard will be back on the right unless we buy a winger in January.   Or hopefully Pennant might get his act together and actully earn his wages for once.

[stmichael]

It dosnt matter where he plays he can have the same effect in the middle on the right or down the left.  Hes world class, world class players can do a job anywhere.

Thats what makes me laugh, the people who whinge non stop about him being on the right dont even realise he still spends more time in the middle anyway.

[112-1077774096]

It dosnt matter where he plays he can have the same effect in the middle on the right or down the left.  Hes world class, world class players can do a job anywhere.

Thats what makes me laugh, the people who whinge non stop about him being on the right dont even realise he still spends more time in the middle anyway.

then whats the point of playing him on the right? all he is doing then is exposing finnan if he is drifting to the centre.

thats what makes me laugh, people whinging about people who are making valid points and then countering it with a stupid ill though out comment

[stmichael]

Peewee, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

It somewhat p*sses me off when you see the same sh*te being wrote about the power Gerrard has to turn a game around in CM. If anyone actually watched the two finals in question we were over-run in midfield and the main change in the game was when Didi Hamann came on. Upto that point Gerrard couldnt cope!

If you read Gerrards book you will see from his own words how he wants to play and what he wants the team to be set-out like. Holding player to do the cleaning up (Didi) and him free to keep attacking. This highlights the lack of discipline he has when he plays CM and why Rafa is so reluctant to play him there.

You cannot play Xabi & Stevie G in the centre. This isnt down to Xabi's DM performances, this is down to Stevie G always wanting to go forward and not having the nouse to think about when the timing is right to make the run and then get back!

A lot of people compare our midfield to Man U's. You have the perfect example of what a modern midfielder should be in the little ginger b'stard Scholes. Player who can time his runs and gets back to defend. If Stevie compared his game to that of Scholes then he might learn a thing or two!

In short I think we will have to play SG and XA together in the centre, simply because Zenden isnt good enough and we dont have any cover but realistically we all know that we are going to have to it the Newcastle way (We will score 4 to your 3) until Momo is back. Question is are we good enough to outscore teams each week!??

[dawson99]

Scholes runs back a lot to defend? He is the slowest player and is possibly the worst tackler in the entire history of the premiership.

I still think all 3 can lpay in the middle more often myself, well thats what id like to see