Liverpool FC Forum

[7_Kewell]

For what it's worth, I still think it's highly unlikely Gerrard will play on the right even though he is probably still the best right winger/midfielder at the club.  He never played there in the 06/07 season, despite scoring 20+ goals from there in the previous season probably due to his own power and influence over where he wanted to play.

I just think we've lacked a right sided player with pace and the ability to beat a man for a while hence the clamour for Johnson to play there by some.

we've lacked a good winger for over a decade in my opinon.

[dawson99]

Patrik Berger 

[redhayesy]

For what it's worth, I still think it's highly unlikely Gerrard will play on the right even though he is probably still the best right winger/midfielder at the club.  He never played there in the 06/07 season, despite scoring 20+ goals from there in the previous season probably due to his own power and influence over where he wanted to play.

I just think we've lacked a right sided player with pace and the ability to beat a man for a while hence the clamour for Johnson to play there by some.

you make some good points there mate,but for me i still don't get this fascination about johnson playing right midfield with kelly behind him. maybe i'm in a minority in thinking that,but for me my reasons why are that i can see the same thing happening as what was the case with insua & rierra on the left hand side last season- in that because rierra didn't fight for the ball when he lost it,insua who liked to overlap or play high up the pitch,when a move broke down he was left literally exposed by the oppo.

as a result i think insua was made a scape goat of by some fans. for me the classic example was Bolton at home last season when all around me in the kop & almost every part of the ground critised rierra for his lack of fight & passion to win any ball back he lost. his lack of urgency was highlighted that day big time-please believe me on that!

as much as i want a winger big time for either,i don't want to see again a winger who thinks that hugging the touch line is all that the job requires & just wait for the ball to come to them rather than see them go to the ball etc,which was the case with rierra.

so my only concern with johnson playing right midfield is that senario would happen all over again- only this time young kelly would be a possible scape goat for johnson's lack of fight to win the ball back. so i still think that untill we find the type of winger who has the capability's of what i mention,kuyt for me gives us some security & consistancy on the right leaving stevie to do what he does best & that is dictate the play from the middle.

once again though i'm really enjoying this topic & it's great to have a good footy discussion about the side atm.

[Calum]

For me, Gerrard plays best in the centre of midfield, and not directly behind the striker. Further back so he is dictating play rather than waiting for someone to supply him with the ball. For what it's worth, here would be my starting line up...


Johnson  Kyrgiakos  Skrtel  Aurelio

    Maxi  Gerrard  Meireles  Cole

              Kuyt  Torres

[stmichael]

For me, Gerrard plays best in the centre of midfield, and not directly behind the striker.

And you base this on what exactly?

This always got dragged out when we had Mascherano and Lucas were playing together central as neither were particularly creative. Now with Mereiles in the side I don't see how it's an issue. Him and Lucas should be in the centre for the majority of games from now on.

Let Gerrard roam at will and score and make goals. Just look at the Napoli game as a prime exemple. He was the furthest player forward and effected the game in a positive sense.

[Zidane]

When Gerrard comes back he better not break up our central pairing!

[rocky29]

When Gerrard comes back he better not break up our central pairing!

he needs to go on the right wing and get some fecking crosses in put jova on the left. It seemed like the players had something to prove 2nite with the senior players missing.

[clint]

i dont agree with playing johnson on the wing, its easier going forward from right back as the opposing full back is occupied with the right winger/midfielder id like us to carry on with the same team as today (for now) but have babel on the right instead of kuyt and bring in torres up front

[Aussie Style]

Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Aurelio
           Lucas Meireles
               Gerrard
Babel        Torres      Maxi

4-3-3 with Jones, Carra, Kyri, Kelly, Wilson, Konchesky, Shelvey, Spearing, Kuyt, Jova, Cole, Pacheco, Ngog making up a pretty good squad.

[stmichael]

There's just no way you can break up the Lucas/Mereiles partnership at the moment. Maxi has also been playing really well as of late and is now adding goals to his game. Two upfront is working and making us look a better side.

If there's anywhere Gerrard should be playing it's on the right for Kuyt. I love the guy but his form isn't great.

[Igor Zidane]

Play him on the right , that's where he should be . Don't break up the centre mids partnership we have because it's working well .

[boodiddy1]

Play him on the right , that's where he should be . Don't break up the centre mids partnership we have because it's working well .

Have to agree with that. Zidane played left at real but still influenced the games. Gerrard can do similar on the right. Not to mention he had a great season playing there under rafa and his crossing is as good as anyones around. He can still drift inside and link up to great effect with Torres and Ngog/Babel.

[burjennio]

I think if your to pick one player that deserves to be dropped from the positions that gerrard can fill, it has to be Kuyt, the last few games hes been very poor, almost as bad as his early 07/08 form. Needs to buck up his ideas a touch

[Homebooby]

I don't necessarily disagree with the suggestion of playing him on the right, but think it is quite funny that we are advocating this after 2+ years of protesting that his best position was a central one and he was being played out of position.

Personally I think and have stated before that Stevie has needed to not be the bottleneck in the team for years and he has caused as many issues as he has resolved due to his superiority until now. Hopefully the foundation we seem to be generating now will ease the pressure and he can compliment our efforts rather than feeling that he needs to be everything to everyone.

Play him right, play him just behind Torres, play him central....it sounds like we are starting to get some options again, which is something noone was predicting just 4 weeks ago where we were in dire straits. Amazing what a month of stability and lack of media spotlight will do for you.

[stmichael]

I don't necessarily disagree with the suggestion of playing him on the right, but think it is quite funny that we are advocating this after 2+ years of protesting that his best position was a central one and he was being played out of position.

Personally I think and have stated before that Stevie has needed to not be the bottleneck in the team for years and he has caused as many issues as he has resolved due to his superiority until now. Hopefully the foundation we seem to be generating now will ease the pressure and he can compliment our efforts rather than feeling that he needs to be everything to everyone.

Play him right, play him just behind Torres, play him central....it sounds like we are starting to get some options again, which is something noone was predicting just 4 weeks ago where we were in dire straits. Amazing what a month of stability and lack of media spotlight will do for you.

this whole "gerrard needs to play in the centre" notion is a myth perpetrated by keys, gray, redknapp and all the other muppets on sky who have an agenda to push. the fact of the matter is, he needs to be playing in the areas where he can most harm the opposition by both scoring and making goals.  i don't want to see him picking the ball up off the centre halves and trying 50 yard hollywood balls all the time. you need to take the defensive responsibility away from him as we've got other players who can do that job now.

twice in the last five years gerrard has won the pfa player of the year. in the first of those seasons he scored 20+ goals playing right wing. the other he scored 20+ goals playing off torres.