Liverpool FC Forum

[Chelsea forever.]

Steven Gerrard | Xabi Alonso | Dietmar Hamman | Boudewijn Zenden | Mark Gonzalez | Antonio Nunez

+ Darren Potter | John Welsh

As of now that is what your MF is.

I see four strong players in Gerrard, Alonso, Hamman and Zenden. Nunez is on his way out (yes?). Gonzalez is a good prospect, but is injured and only time will tell if he can recover well and make an 'impact' on the team.

In those 4 players, Alonso and Hamman would be the ones sitting in front of the back 4. Alonso is a brilliant player who has great vision. His range of passing is what makes him stand out and IMO he is a more level headed and complete player than Gerrard. If Alonso stays injury free and plays his best he will have a huge impact on the team. Hamman has only a 1 yr extension, I see him as a big game player, I like him a lot and he shows experience every time he plays. If he comes on as a sub one can see the change in the balance of the team. But his fitness level will be crucial and it will be interesting to see which games he plays and which he sits out.

Gerrard and Zenden. Gerrard might be given more of an attacking role this season. He is great at making those trade mark runs and firing those screamers. But he will have to step his form up from last season and really emit a more mature approach. Zenden is a lovely player, can play in a lot of positions, can score goals, can create goals - some might view him as an older version of Garcia! I feel Zenden will feature a lot this season in your lineup.

Darren and Welsh to be used as pure backup - and to play a role similar to Millers last season?

---

My only question is creativity? Sure Alonso and Gerrard can play the long ball and killer pass, Garcia and Zenden can keep the crosses coming in but who is your pure creative player? Who fits in the Robben, Ronaldo, Ronaldhino, Duff, Giggs role? Someone who can take defenders on and beat them 9 times out of 10, someone who is quick and tricky?

If you get Figo you might see some of that, if you dont then I dont know ...............

................ id like your views on that ?


Chelsea Forever.

[joependo]

Someone who can take defenders on and beat them 9 times out of 10, someone who is quick and tricky?

Actually mate we have Gonzales,and he is meant to be hard to tackle so i would say him and figo(if he comes) would be ours.Also Cisse can go on the right wing and he has pace and skill so i don't see anyy problem there.

[MilitiaRusher]

You're putting in an argument when you aren't even aware that we have signed Momo Sissoko, a defensive midfielder? Nuff Said.

[Chelsea forever.]

Oops .. Sisoko just completly slipped my mind. I apologize.

Yes Sisoko - Looks a good prospect, rated highly by Rafa, I havent seen much of him .. perhaps you lot who have caught him in the pre-season games could shed some light. But Iv seen him play a few games at Valencia and he looks a good player .. always eager to get the ball.

[Red Indian]

I've heard that Gonzales has great pace and a brain and good touch to go with it.  We'll have to wait and see.

[The Ace1983]

Oops .. Sisoko just completly slipped my mind. I apologize.

Yes Sisoko - Looks a good prospect, rated highly by Rafa, I havent seen much of him .. perhaps you lot who have caught him in the pre-season games could shed some light. But Iv seen him play a few games at Valencia and he looks a good player .. always eager to get the ball.

And by the way, you left out Riise, Kewell and Warnock who can all operate on the left of midfield.

As for a player like Robben or Duff, we play in a different way to you, so we don't necessarily go for players who can make fleeting runs into the box, but as it has been pointed out, Gonzales can do that, Gerrard can do that, Riise can do that, Zenden and even Kewell (when he's fit, let's not get into this argument again) can do that, not to mention little Luis who seems to be able to do almost everything.

He's a very busy player who seems to be everywhere in the centre of a park. He's like a more versatile Makalele (spelling?). People were calling him "the new Viera" but after a certain GH described Anthony Le Tallec as "the new Zidane", we don't do that anymore. He looked ok the other night, but a bit dissorientated, but that's only to be expected from a new signing playing for the first time.

[mighty mo]

i,ve also read reports that gonzalez is very quick and likes to dribble and take players on,but it,s a shame we won,t see him straight away with the injury he sustained last season

[The Ace1983]

And by the way, you left out Riise, Kewell and Warnock who can all operate on the left of midfield.

As for a player like Robben or Duff, we play in a different way to you, so we don't necessarily go for players who can make fleeting runs into the box, but as it has been pointed out, Gonzales can do that, Gerrard can do that, Riise can do that, Zenden and even Kewell (when he's fit, let's not get into this argument again) can do that, not to mention little Luis who seems to be able to do almost everything.

As for Sissoko, he's a very busy player who seems to be everywhere in the centre of a park. He's like a more versatile Makalele (spelling?). People were calling him "the new Viera" but after a certain GH described Anthony Le Tallec as "the new Zidane", we don't do that anymore. He looked ok the other night, but a bit dissorientated, but that's only to be expected from a new signing playing for the first time.

[Feeney]

Nunez is virtually a cert to go....

Celta Vigo are close to adding Liverpool winger Antonio Nunez to their squad, while negotiations for Kleberson are ongoing.

The Spanish winger has been told he can leave Anfield by Rafa Benitez and he has targeted a return to La Liga.

Vigo have shown interest, but Benitez had said that they had not come up with a suitable offer for the former Real Madrid man.

Celta president Horacio Gomez says that Nunez has been their number one target for a new right winger, and believes a deal is close to being agreed.

"We are close to sealing the signing," said Gomez.

"We want to make our team competitive and for that reason we are carrying out important changes for the present and the future."

While the signature of Nunez is looking close, Vigo are also looking to sign Manchester United midfielder Kleberson.

Sir Alex Ferguson has already confirmed that Celta have made a bid for the Brazilian international, and talks are continuing over a move to Spain.

Creativity? It doesn't just come from players who can run at defenders. I think in Xabi and Gerrard, we have 2 of the best creative midfielders in the prem...

[oOShrimpyOo]

i agree we do need more creativity in the team...but as i see in your list: Robben, Ronaldo, Ronaldhino, Duff, Giggs..i do not see one arsenal player in that list yet arsenal have been and are very successful the way they play. creativity doesnt necessarily have to come from midfield as arsenal show with bergkamp. I think garcia can perform just as well as bergkamp playing just behind the striker. The only thing is we need to improve technically....i keep using arsenal as an example (even though i hate them) but they play attractive football, and all of thier midfield and strikers have alot of technique, i think rafa wants to play like them, but when we are playing short passes in and outside of the 18yard box someone always up, whereas arsenal have it down to a tee and a shot on goal is nearly always the outcome because of their technique and creativity.

[stmichael]

My only question is creativity? Sure Alonso and Gerrard can play the long ball and killer pass, Garcia and Zenden can keep the crosses coming in but who is your pure creative player? Who fits in the Robben, Ronaldo, Ronaldhino, Duff, Giggs role? Someone who can take defenders on and beat them 9 times out of 10, someone who is quick and tricky?

If you get Figo you might see some of that, if you dont then I dont know ...............

................ id like your views on that ?


Chelsea Forever.

I was saying exactly this to my mate the other day after the TNS game. Whilst it was virtually a training session at times, I'm still worried about our general lack of creativity against teams who predominantly come to sit back and make it difficult for us. Take some of the dreadful league defeats last season. It wasn't just the fact that we lost to Brum, Saints, Man City etc, it was the fact that in these games we could barely muster a shot on target in 90 minutes.

We do have creative players in Gerrard, Alonso, Garcia and now Zenden. However a lot of their supply tends to come from the centre of the pitch. The players you mentioned above do their damage in wide areas which is more devastating because it gets defenders turning. We don't get in behind teams at all. Hopefully Gonzalez, when fit, will be able to provide this kind of outlet.

[Houllier=LFC]

Steven Gerrard | Xabi Alonso | Dietmar Hamman | Boudewijn Zenden | Mark Gonzalez | Antonio Nunez

+ Darren Potter | John Welsh

As of now that is what your MF is.

I see four strong players in Gerrard, Alonso, Hamman and Zenden. Nunez is on his way out (yes?). Gonzalez is a good prospect, but is injured and only time will tell if he can recover well and make an 'impact' on the team.

In those 4 players, Alonso and Hamman would be the ones sitting in front of the back 4. Alonso is a brilliant player who has great vision. His range of passing is what makes him stand out and IMO he is a more level headed and complete player than Gerrard. If Alonso stays injury free and plays his best he will have a huge impact on the team. Hamman has only a 1 yr extension, I see him as a big game player, I like him a lot and he shows experience every time he plays. If he comes on as a sub one can see the change in the balance of the team. But his fitness level will be crucial and it will be interesting to see which games he plays and which he sits out.

Gerrard and Zenden. Gerrard might be given more of an attacking role this season. He is great at making those trade mark runs and firing those screamers. But he will have to step his form up from last season and really emit a more mature approach. Zenden is a lovely player, can play in a lot of positions, can score goals, can create goals - some might view him as an older version of Garcia! I feel Zenden will feature a lot this season in your lineup.

Darren and Welsh to be used as pure backup - and to play a role similar to Millers last season?

---

My only question is creativity? Sure Alonso and Gerrard can play the long ball and killer pass, Garcia and Zenden can keep the crosses coming in but who is your pure creative player? Who fits in the Robben, Ronaldo, Ronaldhino, Duff, Giggs role? Someone who can take defenders on and beat them 9 times out of 10, someone who is quick and tricky?

If you get Figo you might see some of that, if you dont then I dont know ...............

................ id like your views on that ?


Chelsea Forever.

where is  garcia, kewell and risse? 

[Chelsea forever.]

I didnt include Risse because I believe he is a LB and I dont think he is a threat to any team if he plays in MF.

I have included Garcia - if you would care to read

Kewell I do not rate, and I dont think he is worthy of an inclusion as im sure he will play sick and fall out for 95% of the games.

stmichael - good point made. I believe thats what I was getting at. When you play a good defensive team and your only mode of attack (creating a goal) is through the center, then you will find it difficult to score. However if you have those tricky, pacy wingers who pull players out of position, leave them for suckers and charge in the penalty box to score or create an opportunity for the forward to score then you are sure to get past the bus thats parked in front of goal.

I see Garcia as the only player who is somewhat capable of doing that, and Zenden to an extent - you must remember he isnt as fast as he used to be.

You might have a lot of new players and a strong MF now, but Rafa will find it difficult to get a goal in when he plays a good defensive team.

[looprevil]

I've heard that Gonzales has great pace and a brain and good touch to go with it.  We'll have to wait and see.

I hope he has a brain.  Cause you know I heard that was kind of crucial in the whole 'living' aspect of things.