Gerrard and Lampard

[Bootle Buck]

I can't remember a game in the last 3 years when these two have played against each other when both of them haven't been completely annonymous. They have both been as ineffective against each other as they have been playing togethor for England. They must have played against each other 10 times or so with neither of them having a decent game.

[Benzo-13]

Thought Stevie was on it tonight but just didn't get the ball in the right areas.

Edited April 25, 2007 by Benzo-13

[Swipe]

Lampard never dominates against big teams. Not good enough.

 

Not his greatest game, but still thought SG looked dangerous.

[Billy Dane]

Lampard could have scored two tonight, cracking shot by Gerrard as well, but neither of them were dominant in midfield. Think Steve has to play in the centre next week.

[Frosty Jack]

this is one game where he should've played central, even at the expense of bellamy or kuyt.

[dorgie]

Stevie was our best outfield player tonight......the competition wasn't much though.

[Guest Finnan3]

Gerrard wasnt too bad tonight, pretty decent second half.

 

Lampard was Lampard - usual self, except both strikes on goal were clean, no deflections. Doesnt ever do too much in midfield.

[surf]

Perhaps, but as things stood i think he should have stayed right and got some balls into the box. Alonso and Mascherano couldn't control the midfield by themselves though.

[Benzo-13]

this is one game where he should've played central, even at the expense of bellamy or kuyt.

 

Thought that too. Really thought we'd be 4-5-1 tonight. Gerrard in a free role is a bigger threat than Bellamy.

[Guest Sabre]

Stevie was our best outfield player tonight......the competition wasn't much though.

 

I really didn't think Gerrard was in the game tonight. He was coming inside looking for the ball but he was cramping Alonso and Masch. It's not really that relevant to say he should have played in the middle. He was put out wide and he did nothing of note from the wing other than one run. Maybe that's what Rafa wanted but if it is then I think Rafa got it wrong.

 

Alonso played well but didn't have an option often enough, mainly due to Gerrard taking up poor positions.

Edited April 25, 2007 by Sabre

[Beardsley]

Alonso was our best player today.

Stevie was on, but Chelsea made sure he didn't have any time at all on the ball - effectively taking him more or less out of the game.

[surf]

I really didn't think Gerrard was in the game tonight. He was coming inside looking for the ball but he was cramping Alonso and Masch. It's not really that relevant to say he should have played in the middle. He was put out wide and he did nothing of note from the wing other than one run. Maybe that's what Rafa wanted but if it is then I think Rafa got it wrong.

 

Alonso played well but didn't have an option often enough, mainly due to Gerrard taking up poor positions.

 

Good point. The only attacking option Alonso had was Zenden/Riise on the left, which meant all our attacks came from our weakest player. I'd rather Stevie on the right putting balls into the box than Zenden on the left.

 

Totally agree that Stevie helping out in the middle hurt us more than it helped us. If Stevie was going to play in the middle i'd rather have seen Pennant on the right and just one striker.

[Guest Linton]

Reina was our best player. Without him we would have lost 3-0.

[Cam]

Gerrard was shocking in the first half, back to his undisciplined ways of trying everything - in the middle, deep, on the left. 2 or 3 times crosses flashed across their goal and if he'd been in position over on the right they'd have been simple tap-ins. Better second half but he was lucky to still be on the pitch.

 

Rest him for the weekend and spend the next 6 days talking to him non-stop about positional discipline & how it'll help the team more than his 'Superman' attempts to be everywhere.

[Mr Makaveli]

I can't remember a game in the last 3 years when these two have played against each other when both of them haven't been completely annonymous. They have both been as ineffective against each other as they have been playing togethor for England. They must have played against each other 10 times or so with neither of them having a decent game.

 

 

football is totally corrupt though...

 

great platers v great players creates confusion rather than great play v great play.

[lawrie]

Alonso was our best player today.

 

It's funny how we all see games differently -you will have noted Alonso's half a dozen reasonable passes for your judgement whereas I could only see his half a dozen awful passes that put us under pressure for mine. Alonso wasn't even our best midfielder tonight in my opinion.

[Cobs]

I really didn't think Gerrard was in the game tonight. He was coming inside looking for the ball but he was cramping Alonso and Masch. It's not really that relevant to say he should have played in the middle. He was put out wide and he did nothing of note from the wing other than one run. Maybe that's what Rafa wanted but if it is then I think Rafa got it wrong.

 

Alonso played well but didn't have an option often enough, mainly due to Gerrard taking up poor positions.

it's an interesting perspective and one we discussed in the pub at HT but for me , Alonso & Mascherano were poor 1st half and Gerrard's movement infield was a response to them not being able to get hold of the ball and set the tempo of the game in midfield.

 

It's funny how we all see games differently -you will have noted Alonso's half a dozen reasonable passes for your judgement whereas I could only see his half a dozen awful passes that put us under pressure for mine. Alonso wasn't even our best midfielder tonight in my opinion.

totally with you on that

[slapnuts]

It's funny how we all see games differently -you will have noted Alonso's half a dozen reasonable passes for your judgement whereas I could only see his half a dozen awful passes that put us under pressure for mine. Alonso wasn't even our best midfielder tonight in my opinion.

 

could say the same about Gerrard, infact he nearly lead to them scoring.

 

Same with Mask.

[Guz]

There was one moment in the 2nd half where Xabi got fouled and didnt know what to do with the free kick so just knocked it to Mascherano who wanted it but he proceeded to immediately give it straight to Mikel or one of their players. It was terrible.

 

We bottled it tonight and have Reina to thank for the fact we're still in the tie. Tonight was always going to be incredibly tough (on par, maybe harder than Barca away) and we just had to make sure we were in the tie. Dissapointing display but it happens. Lets not throw away a potential opportunity next tuesday.

[_00_deathscar]

As has been said already, if it wasn't for Pepe "Average" Reina we'd have been 5 or 6 goals down in this tie and gone.

 

I hope the outfield players pay him back next Tuesday for this performance they owe him for tonight...

[Guest Anders Honoré]

As has been said already, if it wasn't for Pepe "Average" Reina we'd have been 5 or 6 goals down in this tie and gone.

 

I doubt he even had five or six saves to make. He pulled out some great saves but let's not overdo it here. We were hardly outplayed in a way that would suggest we would be close to that figure without a decent keeper.

[Mondavi]

Thought the game was crying out for stevie to step into the middle last night and take control. A bit of his drive in the centre of the park would have made a big difference, you could see the space lampard found himself in on a couple of occasions, and the same spaced seemed to be there at the other end. pennant for alonso came 20 minutes too late.

[Reds4Life]

My take on the game was that we needed someone like Stevie G to pressure Makelele.

 

Time and time again Makelele is the unsung hero for how quietly effective he is but he is not the player he was at Real and I think someone like Stevie running at him constantly and making him back pedal could allow Xabi and Mascherano to play the way they are capable of.

 

I think we'll see that next week myself. Pennant will be the wide player, possibly Gonzo too and a lot more potent in attack with Crouchie and Kuyt up front.

 

The future is red, the future is and always will be LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB!!

 

I can hear the ghosts of Kop supporters long gone but not forgotten calling. Wishing they were there not just in spirit but also in person to roar us on.

 

BELIEVE!!!

 

When you walk through a storm and all that. We can do this!!

[Guest prophet]

Masch and Alonso together is luxury .....they wont get you the goals....there has to be a goal getter in the center.....tis shown only Stevie can occupy that role...

[Maldini]

I doubt he even had five or six saves to make. He pulled out some great saves but let's not overdo it here. We were hardly outplayed in a way that would suggest we would be close to that figure without a decent keeper.

Dudek wouldn't have made either of the big saves.