FFS Rafa stop this rotation b******s and play

[Guest Kev]

He rested Gerrard against PSV to keep him fresh for Chelsea. Why ? To play him out of position - it's not working.

 

Why play him on the right ?

Why play him on the left ?

 

Take him out of the middle and you take away a lot of our attacking force.

 

It's way to early in the season to rest players for certain games.

[Cooldude]

The way Gerrard's playing, it wouldn't matter where he plays.

[Spike]

so who do you drop out of Momo and Xabi then Kev?

[Swipe]

I agree. Stevie looked lost today.

 

To play him on the left is utterly ridiculous.

 

He has to settle his team and play his best player in his best position.

 

Doesn't matter who, if anyone, has to make way - Gerrard has to be deployed in a central position.

[Shanklyanfield]

Have to agree it's as if Rafa will play Gerrard anywhere but where he is best - in the Centre! In the two games where you need a driving midfielder (Everton and Today) we've played Gerrard out of position.

 

In the games like Everton and Chelski you play Gerrard in the middle - simple. As good as Alonso and Momo are they don't drive a midfield and support the attack like Gerrard does!

 

Please Rafa Stop messing about with Stevie on the Left, on the Right or Up-Front and get him back where he is best and probably the best in Europe - In the Centre of the Park!

[surf]

so who do you drop out of Momo and Xabi then Kev?

 

three in the middle, two out wide, one up front

[Guest Kev]

so who do you drop out of Momo and Xabi then Kev?

 

Either, Xabi has not been on all cyclinders this season yet.

 

I just want Gerrard in the middle.

[Shanklyanfield]

He has to settle his team and play his best player in his best position.

 

Rafa done the same at the begining on last season and it cost us as we had another poor start - it wasn't until Rafa settled the team down and wasn't making 6 changes a game that we went on our great run and as they said last season, if the season had started in October we would have won the Prem!

[fred milne]

He is clearly not suited to LM or the second striker role but I think he offers more at RM than he does at CM.

[Guest soueyg]

Gerrard playing in the middle wouldn't have made an iota of difference today, in fact they would hjave cut through us like butter, he was woeful. Clutching at straws methinks.

 

He's the captain and he's crying because he has to play in a free role. I bet he doesn't cry when El Tel or Mclaren ask him to do it.

[Shanklyanfield]

so who do you drop out of Momo and Xabi then Kev?

 

So Spike do you honestly believe that Momo or Xabi are better Central Midfielders than Gerrard?

[Guest Cardie]

Either, Xabi has not been on all cyclinders this season yet.

 

I just want Gerrard in the middle.

 

Gerrard is better on the right with a freeish role than in the centre.

 

He get's more space and has less defensive duties due to Finnan being so solid.

[chrisbonnie]

but Gerrard wont track back, cnetral midfeidlers MUST DEFEND as well as attack, Gerrard stop doing that about 3 years ago

 

the all action Gerrard of 3 years would be ideal, but serioyusly, does he track back like he used to?

[4411]

Its frustrating to have the best midfielder in the world in your side and the manager constantly plays him out of position. I sometimes wonder why Benitez bothered with Gonzalez's work permit if he doesn?t rate him higher then Zenden.

 

However, what?s so frustrating about the start of the season is that this is Benitez's side, not Houllier's, yet our start is similar to Benitez's 1st when the majority of the players were Houllier's purchases.

[Cooldude]

Last season, people continually wanted him being played on the right this time last season when we were going through the bad patch. He was moved to the right, we won 10 in a row

 

This season, obviously the other way around, although on Gerrard's form atm, it wouldn't really matter where he's playing. He's just not playing well, period.

[Guest soueyg]

Its frustrating to have the best midfielder in the world in your side and the manager constantly plays him out of position. I sometimes wonder why Benitez bothered with Gonzalez's work permit if he doesn?t rate him higher then Zenden.

 

However, what?s so frustrating about the start of the season is that this is Benitez's side, not Houllier's, yet our start is similar to Benitez's 1st when the majority of the players were Houllier's purchases.

 

Gerrard was a Houllier player, get rid before everyone realises how over-rated he is.

[Michael]

I think Rafa is rotating in an attempt to find a first eleven that is in form, moving players in and out of the team or position to just find something that will click for the first six weeks or so. The worrying signs were there against Maccabi Haifa when we struggled to beat them. Our perfromance in the CL qualifier is always a sign to how we will start the season. Once again we are starting badly and giving ourselves a mountain to climb. The frustrating thing is that we will almost climb it later in the season, but it may just be too late again.

 

These games also show the need for a natural predator who can grab a goal and get something out of a game when the team is still disjointed.

[Shanklyanfield]

All People talking about Gerrard being a better RM than Central Midfielder really can't have watched him over the last 8 or so years. Gerrard is at his best when he's in the middle of the park and constantly involved, when he's on the Right he doesn't get involved as much, can't infulence a game as well and his form suffers because of it!

 

Nearly every manager in world football would Love to have Stevie Gerrard in their team and I would bet a lot of money that over 95% of the would play him in the middle of the park as he is one of, if not the best Central Midfileder in the World.

[Tosh]

Djimi is gone

Riise is injured, as is Kewell (as always)

Aurelio has not exactly set the world alight defensively

Gonzalez is a little inexperienced, esp with a young left back sitting behind him...

 

FWIW, I thought Gerrard out left, while a waste, was the least worst option.

[Guest Cyador]

Gerrard can't do Xabi's role in the team - alonso is there to sit, tackle and dictate play. Can anyone honestly see Gerrard willing to just sit? So that leaves gerrard taking sissoko's role; but again gerrard doesn't tackle or fight for the ball like he would years ago, and he leaves too many gaps. Gerrard's game has changed so much, i don't think he can play in a central midfield two; and i think benitez feels the same, which is why we virtually never see him in the centre.

 

Plus he's been gash this season.

[Guest Kev]

Gerrard's not been gash this season, he's been played out of position which results him not being able to play his natural game.

[Guest Sabre]

I thought Gerrard had a decent game today - why was that? Because he was out on the left with the opportunity to get forward and make chances. Chances were made and he didn't take them. I agree with chrisbonnie about Gerrard in the middle - he isn't the type of player to track back anymore - he expects the rest of the team to get the ball to him so he can make things happen.

 

I thought we had a decent setup today - our team lacked purpose at times and I was disappointed that we didn't create more chances against a fairly average Chelsea team.

 

At the end of the day, the answer is nothing to do with rotation, and nothing to do with Gerrard not playing centrally. It's about taking our chances when they come. Hell, I don't even think Chelsea created a chance - Drogba scored a wonder goal and other than that, we were steady enough.

 

Gerrard's not been gash this season, he's been played out of position which results him not being able to play his natural game.

 

Today was his best performance of the season and he's still not firing on all cylinders. Do you think that just playing players in their best positions will win matches? You can't just let Gerrard play in a central position if he can't perform a certain role of breaking up opposition attacks. Sissoko and Alonso did alright and Gerrard had chances which he would often put away.

[Guest Cyador]

Good post sabre, i agree there.

 

 

Btw, does anyone think gerrards best position is centrally in a midfield 5? gives him freedom to roam, attack and do what he does best. Only problem there is it means leaving out a striker.

 

FWIW i prefer the player gerrard was in houlliers last two seasons; i'm not saying he's not quality, just that his game has changed alot since then, and i personally liked the older version better.

Edited September 17, 2006 by Cyador

[Guest soueyg]

I thought Gerrard had a decent game today - why was that? Because he was out on the left with the opportunity to get forward and make chances. Chances were made and he didn't take them. I agree with chrisbonnie about Gerrard in the middle - he isn't the type of player to track back anymore - he expects the rest of the team to get the ball to him so he can make things happen.

 

I thought we had a decent setup today - our team lacked purpose at times and I was disappointed that we didn't create more chances against a fairly average Chelsea team.

 

At the end of the day, the answer is nothing to do with rotation, and nothing to do with Gerrard not playing centrally. It's about taking our chances when they come. Hell, I don't even think Chelsea created a chance - Drogba scored a wonder goal and other than that, we were steady enough.

 

Sums it up for me.

 

I've been left with a real sense of frustration because we showed them far too much respect and didn't take our chances, and utter bewilderment that we didn't get at least a point.

 

Saying that if Kuyt's shot is a few inches lower we could go onto win the game. Just not going our way at the moment.

 

I sense a kick up the a*** from Rafa, as if we don't win on Wednesday then people will really start to worry.

Edited September 17, 2006 by soueyg

[Guest Kev]

If Gerrard is out wide then if one of our forwards runs the line you don't see Alonso or Momo bursting into the box aka Gerrard. Which is why he is wasted out wide.