Liverpool FC Forum

[Scottbot]

Rafa would have to be a fool to move Gerrard out of the middle at the moment.

The reason the team is so fluent going forward at the moment is that there are so many options.  When you have attacking players on the flanks plus Gerrard breaking from the centre we look a better side overall.

Playing Alonso and Mascherano together would be daft imo.  Neither like breaking forward, both would sit deep and it would invite unnecessary pressure.  Gerrard's link-play with Torres is flourishing - why tinker with that by putting Gerrard wide now?

I can't believe we are playing our best attacking football in ages and people reckon we should move Gerrard back out to the right??

I was in favour of that a few seasons ago when Alonso and Sissoko were playing well and we didn't have a decent right-mid, but not now.

If we stick to the spine of Reina-Carra-Gerrard-Torres down the centre of the team for the vast majority of games and rotate players around them, we'll take some stopping.

Good thread this, best on the board at the moment bearing in mind the form we are in and the options at Rafa's disposal.

Have to agree you again though John. I was a BIG supporter of Gerrard on the right 2 season back and argued for it over and over however, i'd say the lad is currently showing his best form at Centre-mid than at any time in his career under Rafa so i wouldn't move him either. It's no coincidence that this resurgence has come with Torres in the side, and now we are seeing Gerrard play the type of defence splitting pass we used to see when Owen was running in behind. Of course i would love to see Crouch in there as well and then you've got the best of Gerrard. Someone running in behind for the through ball and someone to play those dangerous 1-2s (Crouch) on the edge of the box.

Another option is to play the way we did against Newcastle a couple of games back. It was a bit unbalanced with Masch and Sissoko in the middle, Kewell playing a more central left (and then right in the 2nd half) and Gerrard roaming just about everywhere but generally playing behind the strikers. So a 4-3-1-2 on paper. It was a fluid formation with Gerrard, Kuyt and Sissoko all filling in on the right. Probably not the way forward every game but there's no denying that was Gerrard's best game the season (along with Chelsea in the opener).

[JoeTerp]

Gerrard is clearly our best midfielder and Alonso and Maschernao are 2 and 3 in some order and Kewell is 4th best "when fit"  Obviously if you have to pick between those 4 Stevie would be the one that would have to play on the right.  The difference between Gerrard (on the right) and Yossi or Pennant is greater than the difference between Gerrard (in the middle) and Mascherano or Alonso.  It is a little strange not to play your best player at his best position, and I guess there is also the argument on how well this quartet would work with each other, but given a run of games I am sure they would learn how to make it work.  I would rather see our best XI footballers on the pitch and figuring out what formation would work than picking a formation and sticking in whoever fits that role best

[whylongball?]

i agree that the lineup with Gerrard on the right is strongest on paper, but can anyone seriously see it happening anytime soon? coz i cant, Gerrards playing exceptional in the centre in his and has made it clear he prefers it there so i cant see Rafa moving him around at the moment.

Correct.

Rafa would have to be a fool to move Gerrard out of the middle at the moment.

The reason the team is so fluent going forward at the moment is that there are so many options.  When you have attacking players on the flanks plus Gerrard breaking from the centre we look a better side overall.

Playing Alonso and Mascherano together would be daft imo.  Neither like breaking forward, both would sit deep and it would invite unnecessary pressure.  Gerrard's link-play with Torres is flourishing - why tinker with that by putting Gerrard wide now?

I can't believe we are playing our best attacking football in ages and people reckon we should move Gerrard back out to the right??

I was in favour of that a few seasons ago when Alonso and Sissoko were playing well and we didn't have a decent right-mid, but not now.

If we stick to the spine of Reina-Carra-Gerrard-Torres down the centre of the team for the vast majority of games and rotate players around them, we'll take some stopping.

agree. Wing attack  alone is not dynamic enough. Gerrard in the centre offers so much attacking ability. Opponents have to worry about him a lot more.
And strange....when SG played on the right, ppl cried for him in the centre and now the other way around ??

[whylongball?]

Rafa would have to be a fool to move Gerrard out of the middle at the moment.

The reason the team is so fluent going forward at the moment is that there are so many options.  When you have attacking players on the flanks plus Gerrard breaking from the centre we look a better side overall.

Playing Alonso and Mascherano together would be daft imo.  Neither like breaking forward, both would sit deep and it would invite unnecessary pressure.  Gerrard's link-play with Torres is flourishing - why tinker with that by putting Gerrard wide now?

I can't believe we are playing our best attacking football in ages and people reckon we should move Gerrard back out to the right??

I was in favour of that a few seasons ago when Alonso and Sissoko were playing well and we didn't have a decent right-mid, but not now.

If we stick to the spine of Reina-Carra-Gerrard-Torres down the centre of the team for the vast majority of games and rotate players around them, we'll take some stopping.

Good thread this, best on the board at the moment bearing in mind the form we are in and the options at Rafa's disposal.

Have to agree you again though John. I was a BIG supporter of Gerrard on the right 2 season back and argued for it over and over however, i'd say the lad is currently showing his best form at Centre-mid than at any time in his career under Rafa so i wouldn't move him either. It's no coincidence that this resurgence has come with Torres in the side, and now we are seeing Gerrard play the type of defence splitting pass we used to see when Owen was running in behind. Of course i would love to see Crouch in there as well and then you've got the best of Gerrard. Someone running in behind for the through ball and someone to play those dangerous 1-2s (Crouch) on the edge of the box.

Another option is to play the way we did against Newcastle a couple of games back. It was a bit unbalanced with Masch and Sissoko in the middle, Kewell playing a more central left (and then right in the 2nd half) and Gerrard roaming just about everywhere but generally playing behind the strikers. So a 4-3-1-2 on paper. It was a fluid formation with Gerrard, Kuyt and Sissoko all filling in on the right. Probably not the way forward every game but there's no denying that was Gerrard's best game the season (along with Chelsea in the opener).

yup you were right about that formation...it makes it very hard for ooponents to predict what liverpool play on the day. Surprise is key 

[burjennio]

Why does it have to be 442? Gerrard in front of Masch and Alonso with a front 3 of Torres Kewell and Babel/Benayoun looks pretty tasty to me

[Leonmc0708]

Dont worry about who plays where, just revel in the options:

Right Midfield/Wing
Gerrard
Benayoun
Pennant
Babel

Centre Mid
Gerrard
Mascherano
Alonso
Momo
Lucas

Left Midfield/Wing
Kewell
Babel
Riise
Aurelio

Let Rafa worry about who plays where, as he usually gets it right.

[NANNY RED]

Id go with Leon on this one,

We can all play fantasy who we prefer in different positions but at the end of the day Rafa knows who fits best were depending on who were playin

I havnt seen this much talent in our midfield since the late 70s early 80s

[stmichael]

against the top sides i'd go for this.

gerrard    mascherano    alonso      kewell

when we play decent sides who are good on the counter attack we just get overrun in midfield when gerrard plays central. even against porto the other day they were just running straight through the central midfield at times. another example was galatasaray at anfield last season. although we were 3-0 up and coasting, in the second half they had a lot more possession and they just ovverran us because alonso was essentially tracking three men. we were hanging on in the end.

be honest here. who thinks that gerrard will play central midfield against the mancs if alonso's fit? i personally don't.