Masch and SG

[AJ The Red]

If Masch turns out to be a success i could see this as our prefered midfield next season.

 

I know a few on here will slate me , Alonso is a great player but Alonso and SG dont seem

to work together too well defensivly. Sissoko is a destroyer and has a lot to learn yet.

 

If we get a good r hand sided player then sg must play in the center with someone and

if Masch performs as he did in the world cup then i could see this as being our best combination.

 

I know its ifs and buts at the moment but i thought id air my views see if anyone agrees

[Magic8Ball]

3 man CM !!!!!! Mash, Alonso, Gerrard

[honourablegeorge]

Mmm. Mash.

[Guest PaulMcC]

Sissoko is brilliant and one bad half like Saturday doesn't change that.

[Chili Palmer]

Sissoko is brilliant and one bad half like Saturday doesn't change that.

 

Egg-sacerly! Momo is boss

[AJ The Red]

Its nothing to do with Sissoko having a bad game but i feel that if SG plays in the center , of the 3 to play along side Masch has the greater balance of the 3 ie he can destroy and can pass.

 

Like I say Sissoko still has a lot to learn if the final 3rd which has been evident for a while

 

This is not a sly dig at Sissoko at all , in certain games i think he is a must

[Guest PaulMcC]

Gerrard and Alonso still have a lot to learn as well.

[Chili Palmer]

Its nothing to do with Sissoko having a bad game but i feel that if SG plays in the center , of the 3 to play along side Masch has the greater balance of the 3 ie he can destroy and can pass.

 

Like I say Sissoko still has a lot to learn if the final 3rd which has been evident for a while

 

This is not a sly dig at Sissoko at all , in certain games i think he is a must

 

To be fair the calls at the start of the season for SG in the middle were unjust as he did not have the descipline to play that role but in Momo's absence this season he has proved that he has matured into that role, I still believe that Rafa will play 3 out of 4 next year.

Edited March 5, 2007 by Kieran

[honourablegeorge]

If Alves comes, the 3-5-2 will look more and more liek our natural formation.

 

We'll need another centre back, though, unless finnan is to be the right side of a somewhat small three.

[Frosty Jack]

Mmm. Mash.

 

Monster Masch

[sutty]

Based on a single home game against Sheff Utd, Marscapone in, Alonso out.

 

Interesting.

[Knox_Harrington]

I know a few on here will slate me , Alonso is a great player but Alonso and SG dont seem

to work together too well defensivly

There's been little to no evidence of that in all the games they played together while Sissoko was out this season.

[Stevie H]

are people actually underestimating jsut how good xabi alonso is here?

[Knox_Harrington]

are people actually underestimating jsut how good xabi alonso is here?

Part of the reason why Xabi's getting it here is because he has been so good defensively that it has inevitably blunted part of what he could offer. I can't help but think though that the Xabi of last season tended to have Gerrard right and Kewell left to hit. This lack of a left sided player, especially one of Kewell's significant intelligence, really has blighted our season.

[Mikey]

We don't get enough goals from midfield and something is going to have to change to improve that.

 

I'm not sure what it is but we need 30 - 35 goals as a minimum from our midfield and we aint getting anywhere near that.

[Stevie H]

we've had less touchline-hugging outlets all season. xabi loves switching the play, and this season he's largely had no gerrard out there to hit so has gone easy to finnan, and similar on the left - no-one as far forward as kewell got so he's gone more for riise. so yeah, think it has dented his effectiveness a bit and made him operate more conservatively.

[Ombudsam]

Based on a single home game against Sheff Utd, Marscapone in, Alonso out.

 

Interesting.

 

whenever Mascherano plays we win 4-0.

[sutty]

whenever Mascherano plays we win 4-0.

 

It's like the "when Ian Rush scores* Liverpool do not lose" stat.

 

 

 

*Pre move away from Liverpool and not including league cup finals.

[Flight]

 

I know a few on here will slate me , Alonso is a great player but Alonso and SG dont seem

to work together too well defensivly.

 

 

I thought the same last turn, but our turn around in form this season came exactly with the game when SG and Xabi became first choice, with Sissoko's injury. They have been the central pair in most of our shut outs since.

[cymrococh]

Please don?t tell me that Masch is being considered an acceptable nickname.

[sutty]

Shut outs?!?

 

Christ on a cocking bike.

[Stevie H]

Please don?t tell me that Masch is being considered an acceptable nickname.

can you think of a better one?

 

Shut outs?!?

 

Christ on a cocking bike.

we've tied too many games this season.

[Guest flaps]

I suppose time will tell how he adapts. I think sissoko, for all his talents is under threat most. For a central midfielder his technique and passing is dreadful.

[cymrococh]

can you think of a better one?

Javi, pronounced Hav-ee.

[Earl Hafler]

we've had less touchline-hugging outlets all season. xabi loves switching the play, and this season he's largely had no gerrard out there to hit so has gone easy to finnan, and similar on the left - no-one as far forward as kewell got so he's gone more for riise. so yeah, think it has dented his effectiveness a bit and made him operate more conservatively.

 

I think it's been the opposite. Kewell can play through the middle and switch, as can Gerrard, and it gave Xabi intelligent running infront of him and options to pass to. Both Pennant and Gonzalez have been a little " rigid " this season, although Pennant has improved.

 

Also, Riise was on form last season and it gave Xabi another option. This season, Riise has been, well, poor is a polite way of putting it ( i think his form has suffered through lack of consistency in the player at left mid )

 

Garcia has been out of the squad and Morientes has returned home so i think it's affected his game.

 

All the major players have been out of form this season, some of them at the same time, and it's cost us, particularly in late summer / autumn.

Edited March 5, 2007 by George Kaplan