Liverpool FC Forum

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2009 6:41 pm**

I have been thinking what we will do or should I say Rafa will do when we sell Xabi to Real.

I personally wouldn't want to waste the 30m on a midfielder who wouldn't be very attacking and mightn't be very good, so what I am saying is why don't we go really attacking this meaning Gerrard alongside Masha but advanced in midfield with Mascha behind in the holding role, and surely we could add a bit more money to Xabi's money pull back Gerrard and Buy David Villa for along side Fernando?

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2009 6:50 pm**

yeah, gerrard was wasted in that position last season...

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2009 6:58 pm**

no. Buy a replacement for Xabi.

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2009 7:31 pm**

I really don't see it it as absolutely neccessary to buy a like for like replacement for Xabi at CM or a CM for that matter, but I see it as absolutely neccessary for Gerrard to stay where he has for the past 2 seasons. He is a force offensivly and lack the discipline to be a normal cm.

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2009 7:42 pm**

We can buy a more attacking midfelder to replace Alonso. Silva is capable of playing there aswell as a winger and playing in 'the hole'

-------------------Reina-----------------

Johnson---Carra-----------Skrtel---Aurelio

------------------Masch-----------------

Kuyt-------------Silva--------------Riera

-----------Gerrard-----------------------

---------------------Torres--------------

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2009 7:56 pm**

I've gone for the 2nd option although it's probably a mixture of the 2 I'd go for. Spend the money on an attacking midfielder.

Against bigger teams we play 2 holding midfielders (Masch + Spearing for example) and then against smaller teams we play Masch on his own with Gerrard + 3 rotating behind Torres.

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2009 7:57 pm**

The two best players at our club happen to be the two best strikers who have formed a formidable partnership . Rafa would be completely raving to split them up. Buy another midfielder to replace Alonso and let Gerrard do what he does best .

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:30 pm**

Igor Zidane wrote:The two best players at our club happen to be the two best strikers who have formed a formidable partnership . Rafa would be completely raving to split them up. Buy another midfielder to replace Alonso and let Gerrard do what he does best .

Yep, that would work for me too. The "option" is always there to move Gerrard back should the situation demand it, but my preference would be for buying a central midfeild replacement.

When people say there isn't a 'like for like" replacement, I think they miss the managers point a bit. Rafa is saying I reckon that we don't need a "like for like" replacement, we actually need a different type of player.

Just think for example if we had Fabregas. He would score 10 goals a season from midfield, would play box to box and would make the thing tick. Would we be stronger or weaker over the course of a season with Cesc Fabregas in OUR TEAM (I'm not saying he is necessarily a "better" player than Alonso) than we would be with Alonso?

I'm not saying we either would, could or should get Fabregas, but for my money that question is an absolute no brainer.

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:41 pm**

Gerrard will get you goals wherever he plays , where's his best postion though ? He has been played on the right and scored 23 goals that season , in the middle he has consistently been scoring 20 goals and last season as a 2nd striker his personaal best ever . If we are to break the gerrard torres partnership , it will be for someone like villa or eto i reckon a world class striker as stevie and torres get us about 50 to 60 goals a season .

Whenever stevie plays in the middle he joins up with the attack whenever he can , sometimes too much and thus we are caught out short at times. Some would say he lacks the discipline to play there , thats bollox as before torres came he was playing there every season and we were doing fine as well , he does desert his defensive duties sometimes but so did scholes when he had keane holding the midfield , lampard as well with makele . Something alonso gave us was consistent stability in the middle as he rarely ventured forward like stevie , him and masch have formed a formidable partnership and if he does go , well i'd rather we sign his replacement than pull stevie back , someone in the veloso mold who can pass as well and defend equally well , or If rafa doesn't want to sign his replacement than i guess we can always give lucas a run out there

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:44 pm**

bigmick wrote:I'm not saying we either would, could or should get Fabregas, but for my money that question is an absolute no brainer.

IMO he's massively overrated , he was shocking last season , he can only succeed in a team which is built around him , wenger noticed that they were getting the results when he was injured thus he perhaps feels he can still get arsenal to play well even if he's sold , 40 million is alot of money , they could sort out two postions their wings and centrebacks

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:52 pm**

I think Gerrard definitely has to retain the attacking position he's occupied lately, he's only getting older at earlier last season Rafa hinted that Gerrard would take up a more attcking role as he (Gerrard) gets older. At the end of next season he will be 30 so I don't think he'll be too keen on running around as much as he usually does

Mick, you've just made me imagine what it would be like having Fabregas at Liverpool

. seriously though you might be onto something with a new type of player and all of that, my only concern is is this is a massive decision on which player we buy to 'replace' him. Its one of them we have to get right first time otherwise it will show through the whole team IMO. lets just hope its Cesc

Posted: **Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:55 pm**

Toffeehater wrote:
bigmick wrote:I'm not saying we either would, could or should get Fabregas, but for my money that question is an absolute no brainer.

IMO he's massively overrated , he was shocking last season , he can only succeed in a team which is built around him , wenger noticed that they were getting the results when he was injured thus he perhaps feels he can still get arsenal to play well even if he's sold , 40 million is alot of money , they could sort out two postions their wings and centrebacks

cant agree there at all kid, would love Fabregas at Liverpool, he would be amazing. I remember in the Euros Spains were just 10x better when Fabregas stepped out on the pitch :nod

Posted: **Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:16 am**

Ideally we should be looking to keep the system more or less as it is - it's a winner. A replacement for Xabi would therefore be preferrable, and I'd probably go for the more attacking option in someone like Sneijder - it would loosen the midfield somewhat but we'd gain an attacking dynamo able to create, link play and score. Our defence with Masch shielding is usually strong enough to cope against most, but whether this would be at the expense of ball retention or fluidity from the centre of the park, I'm not sure and for me that's the real risk (he's quite a small guy, Sneijder). The other - safer - option is to plump for someone more in the Alonso mould, like Cambiasso or Parker (so I read). Keep it as it is and see if the experience of last season, along with the addition of Johnson can push us all the way.

Posted: **Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:56 am**

I've been racking my brains, thinking who Gerrard 'as a striker' reminds me of.

watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2XbYOtX1Ss

Am i the only one who can see it??

Posted: **Sat Jul 18, 2009 1:23 am**

What is that strikes of resemblance??? I don't see it myself, other than the fact they're both world-class players.

Liverpool FC Forum

Pull gerrard back into midfield if xabi goes? - What should rafa do?

Pull gerrard back into midfield if xabi goes? - What should rafa do?