Benayoun in the centre

[Tyler]

I'd like to see Benayoun play in a more central role

 

has the "craft"/ability to pick out passes that we seem to be lacking without alonso

 

play mascherano beside him

[alias75]

hes not a CM he can play centrally but only in a 3-5-2 or 4-2-3-1 in a 2 man midfield he simply doesnt do enough defensively or have a big enough physical presence. You need someone like Benayoun in the opponents final 3rd not having to worry about tracking midfield runners etc...

 

id like to see him given a chance there because i think we badly miss a quality number 10 and he could fill that role, but at the moment we're struggling for CBs so i think 3-5-2 isnt a possibility at the moment.

 

We could play something like this though..........

 

..................................Reina.....................................

 

Finnan.............Carragher.........Hyppia.................Arbeloa

 

.........................Mascherano.....Lucas.......................

 

Gerrard.....................Benayoun...........................Babel

 

................................Torres................................

[Guest Sabre]

He's Smicer but much better. We played with Smicer as part of an attacking midfield trio and it was great at times so I think Alias75's idea would work

[Guest Kaizer]

Why on earth would anyone play Benayoun in a position where Voronin has been either good or excellent in every game he has played?

Edited October 7, 2007 by Kaizer

[San Diego Red]

Rafa would never play Lucas unless it was a one of a s*** team or a cup tie.

[Maldini]

Why on earth would anyone play Benayoun in a position where Voronin has been either good or excellent in every game he has played?

because attacking midfielder is a different position to second forward?

[growler]

just until Agger and alonso are back, we should go with:

 

Finnan, Carra, Hyppia, Arbeloa

----Gerrard, Masc

Pennant---------Benni

---Babel

-------Torres

[Guest Kaizer]

because attacking midfielder is a different position to second forward?

 

Our system works better with a striker as the link player, everything so far indicates that.

[John am Rhein]

Our system works better with a striker as the link player, everything so far indicates that.

 

What indicates that? I actually like the idea of a link striker with a single all-out striker, but what is it that indicates it's particularly suited to the way we're playing at the moment?

[Rimbeux]

Our system works better with a striker as the link player, everything so far indicates that.

 

 

Agree with that.

 

 

I also think that position, AM, number 10, whatever, is one you build round an outstanding player to get the best from them, having the rest of the side playing for them, rather than having the system and then fitting someone into it's main part. Yossi may well be that for Israel, but I dont see it for us

[Guest Kaizer]

What indicates that? I actually like the idea of a link striker with a single all-out striker, but what is it that indicates it's particularly suited to the way we're playing at the moment?

 

Its got to do with patterns of movement and how this best will bring midfielders into play, we do not committ enough players going forward to get the best out of this system when a midfielder is used in this position, he will arrive in the vital space outside the box usually coming from behind, running away from fellow midfielders while a second striker will run against them more of the time and in this way usually get more players into play.

 

If we had great wingers that scored goals and made themselves better options inside and outside the box to get into scoring positions our system could work well with a midfielder behind one striker, but this is not the case so we need to play a second striker to to really create enough chances to win matches because of the things mentioned above.

[Rimbeux]

What indicates that? I actually like the idea of a link striker with a single all-out striker, but what is it that indicates it's particularly suited to the way we're playing at the moment?

 

 

The times we've played a midfielder there would say it for me. I agree with Kaizer that we get more of a link with a striker dropping deep to pick the ball up, than a midfielder trying to get up to the front man, between their defence and attack.

 

The way we are playing at this hour is about how bad our two in central midfield and two at centre half are passing it between themselves and the rest of the team.

[John am Rhein]

The times we've played a midfielder there would say it for me. I agree with Kaizer that we get more of a link with a striker dropping deep to pick the ball up, than a midfielder trying to get up to the front man, between their defence and attack.

 

Agree basically. But then you get people complaining that our 2nd striker isn't enough of a goal threat.

[John am Rhein]

Its got to do with patterns of movement and how this best will bring midfielders into play, we do not committ enough players going forward to get the best out of this system when a midfielder is used in this position, he will arrive in the vital space outside the box usually coming from behind, running away from fellow midfielders while a second striker will run against them more of the time and in this way usually get more players into play.

 

If we had great wingers that scored goals and made themselves better options inside and outside the box to get into scoring positions our system could work well with a midfielder behind one striker, but this is not the case so we need to play a second striker to to really create enough chances to win matches because of the things mentioned above.

 

Makes sense, although I think the 'great wingers' idea is basically a pipe dream we should forget about.

 

In terms of our attacking play I think the idea that a secondary striker should be the target for balls to feet and he should look to play midfielders into the game (including the nominally 'wide') midfielders into the game around the edge of the box by holding the ball up momentarily while they arrive is a good one. Main question would then be how you deliver that service to him and is he strong enough to handle the physical battering he'll get as a result. Do you see Kuyt in this role, Voronin or a rotation of both?

[Rimbeux]

Agree basically. But then you get people complaining that our 2nd striker isn't enough of a goal threat.

 

 

[shanks59]

So would I, the M62 sounds good

[Molby]

He's Smicer but much better. We played with Smicer as part of an attacking midfield trio and it was great at times so I think Alias75's idea would work

No way

 

Smicer could carry the ball greater distances, was a great crosser and at his best, could run the game for us as much as Xabi does, although in a different way

 

also, although not a great tackler, he worked very hard defensively

 

I like Yossi but you can't say he's much better than Smicer, just that there are certain similarities in what they offer when they attack

[Knox_Harrington]

Yossi offers himself more than anyone else on our books so while the passing is absymal and we miss Xabi it'd make sense to get him involved with a free role. That would mean giving the wide midfielders license to play higher up the pitch. We should be able to do that.

[Guest Kaizer]

Yossi offers himself more than anyone else on our books so while the passing is absymal and we miss Xabi it'd make sense to get him involved with a free role. That would mean giving the wide midfielders license to play higher up the pitch. We should be able to do that.

 

Sound good in theory, but would you drop a player like Voronin to play Pennant or someone else of our average at best wide players just to get benayoun in this position, when Voronin is doing a great job there already.

 

Give me Benayoun out wide every day under the circumstances, but to drop a player like Voronin to play Benayoun and push our current wide midfielders further up the pitch, no way.

[Knox_Harrington]

Sound good in theory, but would you drop a player like Voronin to play Pennant or someone else of our average at best wide players just to get benayoun in this position, when Voronin is doing a great job there already.

 

Give me Benayoun out wide every day under the circumstances, but to drop a player like Voronin to play Benayoun and push our current wide midfielders further up the pitch, no way.

I'd be more than happy while Xabi's out to see three from Gerrard, Benayoun, Babel, Kuyt and Voronin behind Torres. Gerrard right, Babel left and Benayoun in behind may well be more effective.

 

Voronin isn't making play happen - he was excellent at the weekend - but he isn't making football happen. Benayoun might be able to facilitate that a bit more. Without Alonso we need someone to make play.

[Guest Kaizer]

I do not agree with what you are saying about Voronin, I think his link up play is excellent and he finds a team mate with almost every pass, he also have an eye for that killer pass going forward.

[Knox_Harrington]

I do not agree with what you are saying about Voronin, I think his link up play is excellent and he finds a team mate with almost every pass, he also have an eye for that killer pass going forward.

I don't disagree but I'm more interested in Benayoun for the perpetual movement while Xabi's out. Someone needs to make it as easy as possible for these f***ing clowns.

[Guest Kaizer]

[Leo No.8]

I said when he signed I think Benayoun's best position is just off the striker.

 

He played there for most of his early career and actually scored a lot of goals (something surprising like one in every two games in Israel). At a lower level I know, but back in that position I think he's got a lot more goals and assists in him.

 

I watched a lot of La Liga when he was in his last season in Spain and he was brilliant off the striker for Santander - scored a class hat-trick in one game I watched and I was hoping he'd come here at the time.

 

Problem is you want all three of Torres, Voronin and Benayoun playing at the moment which means Yossi playing wide, but I'd like to see him given a game or two advanced and centrally to show what he can do; he's a bit reminiscent of Beardsley in the way he moves when playing there.

Edited October 9, 2007 by Leo No.8

[The_Adder]

We could play something like this though..........

 

..................................Reina.....................................

 

Finnan.............Carragher.........Hyppia.................Arbeloa

 

.........................Mascherano.....Lucas.......................

 

Gerrard.....................Benayoun...........................Babel

 

................................Torres................................

 

Thats a f***ing great side. YES PLEASE.