Liverpool FC Forum

[The Gaffer]

all missing the point the reason harry has started every game since he has been really fit is that he gives us width. The reason finnan is playing so well is that he is the only one popping up on the right wing. Hence his cross to kewell and I remember his cross for luton for ping pong. We need width and then can play gerard as the second striker or just behind with alonso in their. We need width and finnan as good as he has been playing can not wip the ball in as a rw could. That is why everyone has been hailing finnan as he has been doing his best in an attacking sence rather than a rw doing the job

[Lando_Griffin]

It's because Gerrard has been playing right wing that Finnan has been able to get forward.

[banana]

Good post man. I've also started thinking about what you say. I do agree with you that Gerrard isn't able to control or dictate the game like Alonso/Vieira/Keane. Alonso has got more of a chess players approach to his trade while gerrard goes about his with more emphasis on strenght and power. It has worked well for us having Gerrard on the right, really well. The improvement on the right has coincided with our left winger finally hitting some sort of form and consistency. That has transformed us into a good attacking side. I also agree with you that a quality striker would have made a heck of a difference. Imagine a more mobile, faster player playing alongside Crouch. A guy like Shevshenko/Eto'o (just dreaming....) would make us impossible to beat. It is damn reassuring that we finally have our centre half and that he has begun training with the lads. I expect him to play 10 games or so this year and next year I believe he will play alongside Carra in the first 11.

Back to your post. Do we need a right winger or a central midfielder? Probably both. Also I do think Gerrard will be unhappy if he is told that Rafa sees him as a permanent solution on the right. Gerrard doesn't see himself as a wide man and I don't think any manager can convince him that he is. Getting a john barnes kind of guy out on the right and letting stevie work just behind crouch is the solution to difficult away games in europe. At home I'd like to see two strikers and gerrard on the right, why not? As some people say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[LFC #1]

Centre-midfield is where you can control the pace and tempo of a game

I think Xabi more or less does this now. As Stu said he has more tactical ability than Stevie does and IMO is more capable of controlling the tempo than Gerrard (despite Gerrard having a more well rounded game).

As you said if we signed Ballack for example I think a midfield of Kewell, Xabi, Ballack and Gerrard on the right would probably be one of the best, if not the best in Europe.   

Btw, top post Stu, this is the sort of post needed to keep the quality of this forum.

[Ciggy]

Good post young Stuart, keep up the good work la 

[DAV]

Dam good post
nothing to add
It's all said

[bigmick]

I think on the question of Gerrard seemingly being unable to dictate the tempo of a game in the sameway as a Keane, Vierra, Alonso etc etc (which is correct BTW) the reason is borne out of necessity. If you think back to the young Keane, bought for a set of football tops and a pint of Murphy's from Cobh ramblers, he was all up and at 'em, box to box and fantastic in the air as I recall. He even used to celebrate his goals with a backflip, prompting Cloughies "if I wanted an acrobat, Id've gone to the circus" jibe. As he got older the mileage and injuries dictated to him that he had to change his style of play. It was a necessity that if he was to remain a top player he was going to have to become the midfield general, guiding his troops and guarding the defence. There was none better. Similarly in the case of Alonso, he is not in posession of the pace and power of a Gerrard so he has built his game aroung intelligence and anticipation allied to a god given passing ability. Once again he has no peers.
But Gerrard is different and indeed unique. His game is based around explosions of power, pace and will which are so strong when he is on form that he is almost impossible to contain. As an athlete he has no equal in World football. Were he a rugby player or an ice-hockey player I have no doubt he would be World class at what he did. He can run faster, jump higher and tackle harder than anybody else in the Premiership. Added to that he is technically fantastic, can pass and shoot with both feet and has a great ability to read a game and spot a pass. Chuck the whole lot in together and you have a remarkable physical specimin who is a fantastic footballer aswell.
In years to come he may out of necessity become a general. In the meantime though I like to see him roaming around, disrupting the meander of the game with an explosion of will or power like a stick of dynamite. He is the game breaker, the man that can move a mountain. The debate is if you were playing against him, where would you least like him to be employed. My suspicion is that whatever Stevie himself thinks, if I was his opponent I think I would least like him to be used in the roll he currently enjoys. Wide right with the fluidity to roam. There, he is practically unstoppable.

One last point. I've noticed from reports that Ronaldhino has been used wide-left by Barcelona this season. In the World Cup if England play Brazil in the semi's or whatever and Brazil play Ronaldhino wide left, who do people think England will use wide right? Will it be Beckham, Wright-Phillips or Gerrard? If it is Gerrard, (and surely it has to be so) will Ronaldhino and Carlos have him backtracking all game. I'm not so sure.

[Garymac]

Great Post Stu although the Gerrard situation is a strange one, ill always think he will eventully move back into the center and this is where i like him most, the box to box center mid and he has linked up with Crouch superbly on many occasions, but there is no doubting this, after moving out wide and letting Alonso dictate games has seen his best goals return and its January and his best season in terms of form.

Just one look at the echo tells you everything about him
Most goals: Gerrard
Most Assists: Gerrard
Most shots on target: Gerrard
Most shots off target: You get the picture!

But i think this also has to do with the signing of Alonso, he has shifted so much responsibility from Gerrard, as has the Chelsea Situation and he is reveling in it.

The situation is a strange one Stu, 15 months ago we where described in some quarters as the worst Liverpool side in 40 years, less than a year and a half later and we are champions of Europe and Chelseas closes rivals, and a win at the weekend could see quite possibly the 1st real shift of power in the North West for 15 years........Who thought Rafa was capable of that in such a short space of time!

[welsh wizzard]

Great post stu. I said a while back with alot of others that gerrard would do a hell of a job out on the right and it has proved its worth he gives the team so much more balance, he is that good a player has everything in his locker could play most positions, The only player i would like see take the right midfield slot would be joaquin, and if this hasn't any chance of happening until the summer then so be it. Wait until then there is nobody about i would bring in now to fill that position that would do a better job than stevie is doing, if we can get joaquin for 10m in the summer and he sounds like he wants to come here i say wait, especially if Betis gets relegated. The most important position that needed covering has been sorted.Only 18 games left in the league pushing chelsea all the way will do for me, claiming the 2nd place and having a go again in europe will be an excellent season, with the way we play in the champions league we will be hard to beat.Next season the premiership title is coming home as i have started to notice cracks in the chelsea team lately.

[maximus]

I agree that Gerrard is more explosiove in the centre of midfield box to box and all that. But I do feel that Gerrad being on the right has benefited the team immensely, by that I mean, it has enabled Alonso to flourish even more so, and become more involved in the attacking movement of the modern Liverpool FC today.

IMO I always felt because of Stevies all action nature to his game, and dare I say it indiscipline, when he was in centre of defence would stifle Alonso to the point that he was playing very deep to cover in defence, thus not making use of his natural ability in attack.

I think with the signing of Sissoko we have a ready made defensive midfielder who will cover more turf than anyone in the team, and can only get better with age.

[ozzie1000]

GREAT POST STU AND A DAMN GOOD READ,BUT ANYWAY I AGREE THAT GERARDS BEST POSITION UNDOUBTEDLY IS THE THE RIGHT,N I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM MAINTAIN THAT POSITION THROUGHOUT THE SEASON,BUT MY ONLY WORRY IS SVEN.IF ANYTHING I DNT THINK HE HAS A CLUE ABOUT FOOTBALL AND THE ENGLAND TEAM,AND STRONGLY NELIEVE HE WILL PLAY BECKS ON THE RIGHT AND GERARD ON THE CENTRE,AND IF STEVIE CARRIES ON THE RIGHT HE WILL BE PRONE TO MOVE ON TO THE RIGHT WIOTH BECKS,WHO IS HIGHLY OVER RATED.STEVIE HAS BEEN GREAT FOR US IN THE SENSE HE GIVES IT HIS BEST AND AS YOU SAID STU HE HASNT GOT THE TECHNICAL ABILITY LIKE ALONSO BUT IT IS TALENT N DEDICATION WHICH MAKES HIM CAPTAIN.

WE DEFINANTLY HAVE A DEFINANT STARTING 9, BUT WAT WE NEED IS PACY STRIKER TO FEED OF CROUCH AS OWEN DOES WITH HIM FOR ENGLAND,AND ANOTHER QUALITY CENTRE MID TO PLAY ALONGSIDE ALONSO THAT IS IF STEVIE WAS TO MAINTAIN HIS RIGHT MID ROLE.IF STEVIE WAS TO PLAY IN THE CENTRE THEN WE WILL DEFINANTLY NEED A QUALITY RIGHT WINGER WITH ABILITY TO CROSS QUICK BALLS IN THE BOX.  I WOULD ALOS LIKE TO SEE 'PING PONG' GET MORE CHANCES AS IHE ALSO GIVES IT HIS BEST WHEN PLAYING FOR US AND HE ALWAYS CONRIBUTES UNLIKE CISSE,WHO HAS ABSULOUTELY NO TECHNICAL ABILITY WHAT SO EVER

[LFC #1]

A top-class right winger with the ability to track-back, tackle and score aswell as create is the only other viable option. The price would have to be reasonable so we should look for someone who has had a poor season by their standards, and someone who is dissillusioned by their current manager.

Vicente anyone?

Vicente is a left winger Lando mate, and incidentally he's just injured his ankle ligaments so is out for 4-6 weeks.

[115-1073096938]

Good points Stu.
I believe Gerrard is at his best when he's allowed to roam. I don't think we should say "right winger", or "CM". He's just a truely World class attacking midfielder who can excel in any position.

You talk about Ballack - f*ck me sideways with a frozen pork chop! If LFC signed him we would be f*cking unstoppable, and could quite possibly finish with a record number of points in a season.

Ballack is another truely World class midfielder, and the prospect of this team is mouthwatering:

(This, I believe is the only way the system would work.)

                                                     Reina

    Finnan                               JC                Sami/Agger                               Riise

                                                           Alonso
                                         Ballack

                 Gerrard                                                          Kewell
                                                             Garcia
                                             Crouch.


Imagine if we could get a prolific striker to play alongside Crouch!!!!!!!!!

This team is enough to give you wet dreams!


That said though, the chances of us signing Ballack are slimmer than an Anorexic stick insect with a bad bout of diarrhoea.

A top-class right winger with the ability to track-back, tackle and score aswell as create is the only other viable option. The price would have to be reasonable so we should look for someone who has had a poor season by their standards, and someone who is dissillusioned by their current manager.

Vicente anyone?

1. Ballack is on a free this summer... Hence the reason i suggested it.

2. Vicente is a left winger Lando. Great one at that.

[Ace Ventura]

Stu mate that is one of the best posts i have read on here for a long time.

We have improved imo about 20 % with Stevie on the right and have so much more attacking threat with the way he interchanges with Harry Kewell.

Sissoko has been a good find but his passing has been erratic and although it will improve i would be just as happy if we signed another centre mid as i would with a right midfielder coming in.
I think at this time Steven Gerrard is the best midfielder in the world on current form, for what he offers the team he is in a different league to the massively over-rated Lampard.

[115-1073096938]

Stu mate that is one of the best posts i have read on here for a long time.

We have improved imo about 20 % with Stevie on the right and have so much more attacking threat with the way he interchanges with Harry Kewell.

Sissoko has been a good find but his passing has been erratic and although it will improve i would be just as happy if we signed another centre mid as i would with a right midfielder coming in.
I think at this time Steven Gerrard is the best midfielder in the world on current form, for what he offers the team he is in a different league to the massively over-rated Lampard.

Ace, do us a favour mate, don't mention Gerrard and Lamplard in the same scentance.

To be fair to Lampard, he's a really good player. Good alround with a truely world class shot on him. However there are players in the league on the same level in terms of ability and what they can give, Parker, Barton, Gilberto Silva, etc etc.