Squad balance

[BG]

I remember Rafa saying that when he took overt the squad was totally unbalanced.

 

I'm beginning to feel the current squad, in quality terms, is totally unbalanced. We have four/five central midfielders who are all (or have been) excellent. Yet of the four forwards only one is good enough IMO and there's no-one top level at right-mid or (when Aurelio isn;t fit which is most of the time) at left back.

 

Given that it looks like money might not exactly be flowing I think there's a fairly clear case for sacrificing perhaps two of the five midfielders for decent money (as well as the obvious - Carson, at least one of the other forwards) and bringing in two top level players - a forward and a right mid. I would quite happily have four central midfielders like: Gerrard, Mascherano or Alonso (I'd have Masch but that's debatable obviously), Lucas and a kid from the academy or a veteran good for a few games a season.

 

At the moment we have a situation in most games in which we have a top level central midfielder on the bench and one or two not even in the squad whilst in the eleven we have attacking players who are basically hard-working but offer little real quality (much like Kuyt today).

[Guest Sabre]

Not everyone rates him but we do have Pennant to come back in the New Year. If we sell Carson, Sissoko and Crouch then we should have about £25-30M to play with and we should then be able to buy a top class striker to complement Torres.

 

That said, we do need to pay for Masch somehow.

[crisps]

Even though i think we need a top class winger, i think what we have are good enough for now, Masch and a decent striker seems way more important after today.

[BG]

Not everyone rates him but we do have Pennant to come back in the New Year. If we sell Carson, Sissoko and Crouch then we should have about £25-30M to play with and we should then be able to buy a top class striker to complement Torres.

 

That said, we do need to pay for Masch somehow.

 

We do need to pay for Masch but for me having both Masch and Alonso (with Gerrard already there and Lucas looking like a real prospect) is a real luxury when there are glaring holes in the rest of the squad. It just seems a poor use of resource. If instead of one of those players we could get a top right midfielder or winger in that would be a much better use of resources.

[BG]

Even though i think we need a top class winger, i think what we have are good enough for now, Masch and a decent striker seems way more important after today.

 

I thought Kuyt was a passenger today, as he has beein in attacking terms for basically all of this season.

[alias75]

2 world class attacking players are what we need one to partner Torres and one to play in midfield. We do have a few players we could sell to raise good money without it really affecting the balance of the squad. Carson is no loss cos hes not here, Sissoko has hardly featured and we can sell one striker and one midfielder if thats the positions that the new players will fill.

 

So we can sell 4 players to sign 2 without it really affecting the strength of the squad.

[alias75]

We do need to pay for Masch but for me having both Masch and Alonso (with Gerrard already there and Lucas looking like a real prospect) is a real luxury when there are glaring holes in the rest of the squad. It just seems a poor use of resource. If instead of one of those players we could get a top right midfielder or winger in that would be a much better use of resources.

 

Gerrard is that world class right sided midfielder, we need someone on the left and a world class partner for Torres. The balance of the midfield is good with Alonso / Mascherano / Lucas with Gerrard playing there occasionally.

[BG]

Gerrard is that world class right sided midfielder, we need someone on the left and a world class partner for Torres. The balance of the midfield is good with Alonso / Mascherano / Lucas with Gerrard playing there occasionally.

 

I agree 100% - I think he is outstanding there. However it seems fairly clear that it's no longer going to happen in all but a few massive away games IMO.

[alias75]

I agree 100% - I think he is outstanding there. However it seems fairly clear that it's no longer going to happen in all but a few massive away games IMO.

 

Not sure about that, wait until Alonso Mascherano and Lucas are all 100% fit and see where he plays. At the moment Alonso is being eased in and the games he plays are the ones Mascherano is rested for, when their both 100% i think they'll play together with Gerrard elsewhere.

[Magic8Ball]

Not sure about that, wait until Alonso Mascherano and Lucas are all 100% fit and see where he plays. At the moment Alonso is being eased in and the games he plays are the ones Mascherano is rested for, when their both 100% i think they'll play together with Gerrard elsewhere.

hope so - I think we should look at playing Benayoun behind Torres - in this position with Gerrard on the right both Beny and Gerrard could exchange positons during the game - that would be a good set up IMO

[lawrie]

Gerrard is that world class right sided midfielder, we need someone on the left and a world class partner for Torres. The balance of the midfield is good with Alonso / Mascherano / Lucas with Gerrard playing there occasionally.

If Rafa was ever going to play Gerrard on the right, today would have been the day. You need to move on from this argument

[alias75]

If Rafa was ever going to play Gerrard on the right, today would have been the day. You need to move on from this argument

 

Why today? Unless he was going to go with Lucas, but Alonso was never going to start today after playing a few days ago and just coming back. When Alonso is fully match fit then we'll see. But when all 3 of Alonso / Mascherano and Gerrard are all 100% fit i don't see anyone not being picked.

[BG]

Why today? Unless he was going to go with Lucas, but Alonso was never going to start today after playing a few days ago and just coming back. When Alonso is fully match fit then we'll see. But when all 3 of Alonso / Mascherano and Gerrard are all 100% fit i don't see anyone not being picked.

 

I do, and my guess is that more often than not it will be Alonso. I think Rafa's desperation to get him (12 months ago and now) suggests he's going to play a lot.

[lawrie]

Why today? Unless he was going to go with Lucas, but Alonso was never going to start today after playing a few days ago and just coming back. When Alonso is fully match fit then we'll see. But when all 3 of Alonso / Mascherano and Gerrard are all 100% fit i don't see anyone not being picked.

 

Today because Finnan is just coming back from injury and Petrov has been flying recently

[alias75]

Cant agree with that Alonso is probably Rafa's first name on the team sheet when hes 100% fit, the fact is hes being eased back at a time when games come thick and fast he was never going to start today.

 

Guess we'll have to wait a few weeks until everyones fit and available and we'll see what team he goes with.

[alias75]

Today because Finnan is just coming back from injury and Petrov has been flying recently

 

But Alonso was never likely going to start today coming back from injury lacking match sharpness and playing only a few days ago. He could have gone with Lucas and Mascherano but this was a big game so he went for his more experienced player. But i dont think the fact Alonso didnt start today means hes now 3rd in the pecking order for central midfield. It means hes just back from injury and is being eased back.

[lawrie]

But Alonso was never likely going to start today coming back from injury lacking match sharpness and playing only a few days ago. He could have gone with Lucas and Mascherano but this was a big game so he went for his more experienced player. But i dont think the fact Alonso didnt start today means hes now 3rd in the pecking order for central midfield. It means hes just back from injury and is being eased back.

 

I'm not suggesting Alonso is third choice, just suggesting that Gerrard is unlikely to be played on the right very often in the future. It will more likely than not be two out of the three (or four including Lucas) centrally except for the really big games against the top three.