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Our midfield puzzle


Huyton_Red

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First let me start by saying

 

Sissoko was dreadfull yesterday, I have been wrestling with this one and my mates have finally convinced me that we wont win a league with momo in his current form, ie his passing. He is still only a young lad, think we should use him a bit less, ie only in the bigger games, untill his distribution improves

 

There I have said it. I admit defeat on this one

 

Mascherano - was very, very impressed with him yesterday. Looks a really good player.

 

We need to sort midfield out. We are miles behind cheslea and Utd in the league because, whilst we are better than these two teams in defence and central midfield, up front and out wide wide we are miles behind them.

 

I have changed my mind on gerrard wide right as well to be honest, I think we need a proper winger, on both the left and the right. Gerrard needs to be in the middle. Difference when pennant came on yesterday was noticeble.

 

That leaves us trying to fit alonso, sissoko, gerrard and mascherano into two positions. We need big investment in a striker and two wingers. Dont know how much we have got to spend to be honest but I am gonna throw this bomb to the forum

 

Mascherano looks to me like he could be a cracking litttle player in that holding roll, that leaves gerrard or sissoko to play with him, or both against the really big teams. What about alonso ?

 

Why dont we offer him in exchange for Eto to barcelona ? Yes, you will all call me mad, but its about the team, we are very, very strong in central mifield already, I quite like the look of a gerrard/mascherano central midfield to be honest, with sissoko coming in to kick f'ck out of the better teams. If sacrificing alsono meant we got two world class wingers AND eto then I would do it

 

Mad or genuis, you decide. But footy management is about making difficult decisions, if we get alves in the summer where the f'ck is gerrard gonna play ? You have to play him in the middle. That leaves alonso or mascerano to play the holding roll, £30 million for Alonso that can be used to finally get us two proper world class wide man and I would take that and play mascerano there

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eh? Mascherano's passing was v poor yesterday.

 

Gerrard and Alonso in the middle for me. Did you not think Alonso got us passing better when he came on? In a different league to Momo & Masch tbh.

 

Also, theres a very good chance we'll have money to spend in the summer WITHOUT having to sell :wacko:

Edited by Vish
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First let me start by saying

 

Sissoko was dreadfull yesterday, I have been wrestling with this one and my mates have finally convinced me that we wont win a league with momo in his current form, ie his passing. He is still only a young lad, think we should use him a bit less, ie only in the bigger games, untill his distribution improves

 

There I have said it. I admit defeat on this one

 

Mascherano - was very, very impressed with him yesterday. Looks a really good player.

 

We need to sort midfield out. We are miles behind cheslea and Utd in the league because, whilst we are better than these two teams in defence and central midfield, up front and out wide wide we are miles behind them.

 

I have changed my mind on gerrard wide right as well to be honest, I think we need a proper winger, on both the left and the right. Gerrard needs to be in the middle. Difference when pennant came on yesterday was noticeble.

 

That leaves us trying to fit alonso, sissoko, gerrard and mascherano into two positions. We need big investment in a striker and two wingers. Dont know how much we have got to spend to be honest but I am gonna throw this bomb to the forum

 

Mascherano looks to me like he could be a cracking litttle player in that holding roll, that leaves gerrard or sissoko to play with him, or both against the really big teams. What about alonso ?

 

Why dont we offer him in exchange for Eto to barcelona ? Yes, you will all call me mad, but its about the team, we are very, very strong in central mifield already, I quite like the look of a gerrard/mascherano central midfield to be honest, with sissoko coming in to kick f'ck out of the better teams. If sacrificing alsono meant we got two world class wingers AND eto then I would do it

 

Mad or genuis, you decide. But footy management is about making difficult decisions, if we get alves in the summer where the f'ck is gerrard gonna play ? You have to play him in the middle. That leaves alonso or mascerano to play the holding roll, £30 million for Alonso that can be used to finally get us two proper world class wide man and I would take that and play mascerano there

 

A - Strength in depth

 

B - Mascherano and Alonso looked a very tidy midfield to me

 

C - Sissoko is worth his weight in gold against the better midfields

 

D - Genuine width on the left will give Gerrard more space on the right and enable him to get involved more in the game

 

E - Sell Alonso - are you f***ing mad

Edited by Woodsyla
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Its the wings.

 

People keep banging on about the centre of midfield as if we are getting overrun. We aren't, we just aren't stretching teams and creating enough chances.

If we get can get 1, preferably 2 worldclass wingers then we'll carry much more threat across the midfield. The centre of midfield will not need to be so camped into our own half because they'll be able to trust the widemen to carry the ball forward. Similarly Kuyt will not have to be a third midfielder and he'll score more goals.

 

Buy wingers.

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Or play the ones we have. No-ones saying they're world beaters but we look better with at least one in the team.

 

For now, play them yes i'd agree. I wouldn't start next season with Penant and Gonzalez as our 1st choice wingers though. I like both of them and they have their place in the squad but we need better to seriously challenge for the league.

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I have changed my mind on gerrard wide right as well to be honest, I think we need a proper winger, on both the left and the right. Gerrard needs to be in the middle. Difference when pennant came on yesterday was noticeble.

Gerrard looked like he couldn't be ars*ed yesterday - very slack with his distribution.

 

He can do a lot better at RM, as he has proven in the past.

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said it before, to move forward and use the talent we have to its fullest, we need to stop playing 442 on a regular basis

 

its a 3 man CM for me Mash and Alonso as the holding midfielders, Gerrard allowed to Roam

Add 2 top quality wingers and a top notch striker that will be the best formation for us to use when attacking

 

with Mash and Alonso - Alonso can venture forward more using his passing to more deadly effect

with 2 two defensive midfielders Gerrard can go all out with attack

With the 2 wingers we will stretch the opposition more creating spaces for Gerrard and Alonso's passing and force them to make mistakes

with a deadly finisher ie Fowler or Trezeguet from 5 years ago we would finally turn our possession into goals

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Gerrard, best central midfield in the world IMO

 

Alonso is a playmaker I agree, but we need someone who is better at winning the ball etc who can also pass, for me that is mascerano

 

Ideally, we have both, so its a choice between alonso and mascerano and gerrard and sissoko, depending on the games etc

 

But we desperately need proper wide players and we desperately need a world class striker with pace to play with Kuyt. if it means sacrificing alonso to get two wingers and a striker I would do it

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Gerrard, best central midfield in the world IMO

 

Alonso is a playmaker I agree, but we need someone who is better at winning the ball etc who can also pass, for me that is mascerano

 

Ideally, we have both, so its a choice between alonso and mascerano and gerrard and sissoko, depending on the games etc

 

But we desperately need proper wide players and we desperately need a world class striker with pace to play with Kuyt. if it means sacrificing alonso to get two wingers and a striker I would do it

 

1. I disagree, I think Alonso is a better CM he just no playing very well at the moment

2. I'd play Alonso and Mascherano against weaker sides and Alonso and Sissoko against the stronger sides

3. We desperately need a proper wide player singular. For example Gerrard Alonso Mascherano Robben would do fine.

4. Agree about the striker, we need a top top striker to take us to the next level

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A - Strength in depth

 

B - Mascherano and Alonso looked a very tidy midfield to me

 

C - Sissoko is worth his weight in gold against the better midfields

 

D - Genuine width on the left will give Gerrard more space on the right and enable him to get involved more in the game

 

E - Sell Alonso - are you f***ing mad

 

I always find this argument strange. People think he should be left out against the poor teams because he can't pass, yet he's good enough to play against the best teams who will punish you when you give them the ball. either he's good enough or he not imo. He's a squad player and no more to me, we need players who can use the ball a whole lot better than momo. The improvement in the mancs this season because they've got carrick (as ordinary as he is) instead of playing the likes of o'shea in the middle is noticeable. Being able to pass the ball well should be a pre-requisite of any midfield player.

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People think he should be left out against the poor teams because he can't pass, yet he's good enough to play against the best teams who will punish you when you give them the ball.

 

Whoever these people are they don't represent me. I think Sissoko can pass ok, what he does do is dominates a midfield, stops the opposition playing and gives us control of the game. He rarely gives the ball away in these situations because his job is to win it and give it simple. Against the lesser sides we require more than that from a central midfielder because they happily give us the ball and say 'break us down'. In that scenario we are better equipped playing two more creative palyers in the centre of the park because you don't need a player to dominate an opposition midfield if they have already conceded it.

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said it before, to move forward and use the talent we have to its fullest, we need to stop playing 442 on a regular basis

 

its a 3 man CM for me Mash and Alonso as the holding midfielders, Gerrard allowed to Roam

Add 2 top quality wingers and a top notch striker that will be the best formation for us to use when attacking

 

with Mash and Alonso - Alonso can venture forward more using his passing to more deadly effect

with 2 two defensive midfielders Gerrard can go all out with attack

With the 2 wingers we will stretch the opposition more creating spaces for Gerrard and Alonso's passing and force them to make mistakes

with a deadly finisher ie Fowler or Trezeguet from 5 years ago we would finally turn our possession into goals

 

i.e rafa's valencia formation, if you had the quality out wide and upfront i think it would be ideal

 

--------The usual back line

 

---------Masch---Alonso-----

 

Quaresma--Gerrard------Ribery/Leto

 

-------Hutelaar/Eto/Berbatov----------

 

 

We need stevie for the drive from midfield

We need a striker who is good on the ground and in the air

 

I know ppl keep moaning about qauresma saying hhe's incosistant but in a team thats playing together consistanly that will improve and he's got the pace and skill to actually worry defenders, who will get used to the pace of the english game eventually, ronaldo did, so did pires!

 

Ribery is a must but going to madrid, hopefully leto will hit the ground running

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Guest Kaizer

Sissoko is a box to box midfielder who is yet to score a goal in his professional club career, what does this tell you?

 

His passing is too poor to play as the holding midfielder so whats exactly the use, he has played 12 league games this season resulting in 4 wins, 2 draws and 6 losses.

Edited by Kaizer
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one game and mascherano is now a better player / option than alonso? f*** me.

 

We wouldnt get £30 million for masceranonfrom barcelona or possibly eto

 

Thats my point, IMO to get alves and someone on the left as well as a world class striker I would sacrifice alonso as its about time we played gerrard central anyway

Edited by Huyton_Sissoko
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i.e rafa's valencia formation, if you had the quality out wide and upfront i think it would be ideal

 

--------The usual back line

 

---------Masch---Alonso-----

 

Quaresma--Gerrard------Ribery/Leto

 

-------Hutelaar/Eto/Berbatov----------

We need stevie for the drive from midfield

We need a striker who is good on the ground and in the air

 

I know ppl keep moaning about qauresma saying hhe's incosistant but in a team thats playing together consistanly that will improve and he's got the pace and skill to actually worry defenders, who will get used to the pace of the english game eventually, ronaldo did, so did pires!

 

Ribery is a must but going to madrid, hopefully leto will hit the ground running

Finally someone starts to get it, we cant wait for mistakes we have to force the opposition into making mistakes

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Whoever these people are they don't represent me. I think Sissoko can pass ok, what he does do is dominates a midfield, stops the opposition playing and gives us control of the game. He rarely gives the ball away in these situations because his job is to win it and give it simple. Against the lesser sides we require more than that from a central midfielder because they happily give us the ball and say 'break us down'. In that scenario we are better equipped playing two more creative palyers in the centre of the park because you don't need a player to dominate an opposition midfield if they have already conceded it.

 

If we go light in the middle of the field, though, then they might cotton on that there's something to be gained from challenging in that area after all.

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one game and mascherano is now a better player / option than alonso? f*** me.

 

No way i want to get rid of alonso, rather sissoko anyday!

 

Stevie needs to be in the centre his like the engine

Alonso needs to play his like the on board computer

Carra needs to play his like Chassis

 

Sissoko is like the in-car dvd player useful in some situations like long journeys but most of time not needed

 

:D

 

Hope this has cleared up matters!

Edited by Owen1978
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We're always rubbish when Alonso doesn't play. The problem is this - if we have our best midfielder and most potent attacking force playing on the right side of midfield he needs to have the ball. When Alonso plays Gerrard gets the ball delivered to him - on a silver platter, from 40 yards plus - a dozen times or more during the game. When Alonso doesn't play Gerrard doesn't get the ball.

 

Our team and formation (with Gerrard on the right) is essentially built around Alonso's long range passing ability. When Alonso doesn't play, we suck. So when Alonso doesn't play I think Gerrard should play in the middle.

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Whoever these people are they don't represent me. I think Sissoko can pass ok, what he does do is dominates a midfield, stops the opposition playing and gives us control of the game. He rarely gives the ball away in these situations because his job is to win it and give it simple. Against the lesser sides we require more than that from a central midfielder because they happily give us the ball and say 'break us down'. In that scenario we are better equipped playing two more creative palyers in the centre of the park because you don't need a player to dominate an opposition midfield if they have already conceded it.

 

I don't think he does dominate all opposition - he did alright v barca (but his passing was piss poor both games i thought), but look at his performance in the league against all the top teams this season - we failed to dominate any midfield in any of those games away from home and while we did v man u at home, that's because they allowed us to have the ball and knew we wouldn't break them down.

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Rafa is always going to deploy more than one system and rotate personnel. But the strength of our centre midfield suggests to me that we would be more potent with Mascherano & Alonso in the centre controlling possession with Gerrard further forward, 2 wide players and a lone striker. We rarely use this system because Rafa clearly likes Kuyt as a link striker but it's just not working at the moment and I'm not sure it ever will consistently enough to win leagues.

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