should gerrard stay as the link man.?....

[floyd the barber]

with all the talk about us buying the perfect partner for torres, isnt it obvious that we already have him at the club...steven gerrard and torres already have a fantastic partnership that can only get better.

 

Our stats since we put them alongside each other have been fantastic, we would`ve won the title if it were based just on the past 3 months...

 

Im still of the belief that gerrard in not a great central midfielder....hes a fantastic right midfielder and an excellent link man, surely we all can see this! but as a central midfielder..hes very good, but i dont think..world class in that position.

 

Why should we spend the big money on a link man....lets put the money into other areas.

A real top right winger, someone who is consistent..able to score goals and able to cross.....people like lennon,downing,milner are not the quality we need....we need world class

 

Reina,skrtel,agger,masch,gerrard,torres

 

thats a fantastic base......we need to really work on the areas surrounding them, we have alot of very good players...kuyt,carra,arbeloa,babel,lucas,alonso but at present these guys are a couple of steps below world class at this time.

 

we need the big money spent on a top winger, 2 top quality full backs........no more squad players Rafa, we have enough and have some real quality in our youth set-up that deserves a look in...

 

people talk about if gerrard or torres got injured we need true world class back up...well i disagree, thats not gonna happen..no world class player likes sitting on the bench every week, not knowing if hes going to start........if the mancs lost ronaldo or rooney, do they have world class back up??? no..not really..they have strong,solid squad players who can come in and do a job...

 

come August, Rafa needs to have the starting 11.......the players need to know the starting 11, the 11 best players in their respective positions.

 

hopefully Rafa saw what happened when you keep a consistent line up.....

[Extraordinary Swindle]

hopefully Rafa saw what happened when you keep a consistent line up.....

[Cam]

Yes.

 

But we need decent cover for them both. Although a small part of me thinks Babel *may* be able to cover for Gerrard.

[floyd the barber]

Yes.

 

But we need decent cover for them both. Although a small part of me thinks Babel *may* be able to cover for Gerrard.

 

possibly...maybe in time, it takes a real intellegent, top class player for that position..

 

Babel played as the link man...i think in maybe 2 or 3 games this season and did nothing.

[floyd the barber]

 

funny....but boy it made a huge difference

[Cam]

possibly...maybe in time, it takes a real intellegent, top class player for that position..

 

Babel played as the link man...i think in maybe 2 or 3 games this season and did nothing.

Oh he's not going to be at the same level as Gerrard. But for the odd game I think he could come in and do a job of pushing their defenders back. It's not like we're going to be spending £££ on a sub and he's maybe the best option we have at the moment - certainly better then Voronin, Benayoun or Kewell.

Edited May 13, 2008 by Cam

[floyd the barber]

Oh he's not going to be at the same level as Gerrard. But for the odd game I think he could come in and do a job of pushing their defenders back. It's not like we're going to be spending £££ on a sub and he's maybe the best option we have at the moment - certainly better then Voronin, Benayoun or Kewell.

 

yeah hopefully after a good summer of training...he can make that step up, maybe i see him more as a replacement for torres..if god-forbid he ever got injured...

 

I Just struggle seeing him as a starter on the left next season, his crossing is abysmal...and from what ive seen, its not something you can teach....its a natural gift.

 

the 4-3-3 formation definetly works best for him.....so the solution, 2 fantastic overlapping full backs..

 

---------------reina--------------

?--------agger--skrtel----------?

-----------masch-?--------------

?---------gerrard--------babel--

--------------torres--------------

 

currently we have plesis,lucas and alonso for the position alongside masch....im happy with those options, big money needs to be spent in other areas.

[Cam]

It is the fullback and wing positions where we need to be bringing in proven quality.

 

Central defence and central midfield is astonishingly strong.

[Ginu]

yeah hopefully after a good summer of training...he can make that step up, maybe i see him more as a replacement for torres..if god-forbid he ever got injured...

 

I Just struggle seeing him as a starter on the left next season, his crossing is abysmal...and from what ive seen, its not something you can teach....its a natural gift.

 

the 4-3-3 formation definetly works best for him.....so the solution, 2 fantastic overlapping full backs..

 

---------------reina--------------

?--------agger--skrtel----------?

-----------masch-?--------------

?---------gerrard--------babel--

--------------torres--------------

 

currently we have plesis,lucas and alonso for the position alongside masch....im happy with those options, big money needs to be spent in other areas.

 

Seeing your formation, I had the same thought. But I have two questions. First, with Agger and Skrtel as the top choice pairing, can we seriously see Carra not starting next season onwards? I don't think we can. Secondly, keeping the first in mind, we aren't going into next season without a top quality new signing for right back (surely?), so could Agger be the player to shift into left back? To me, that seems to make the most sense because Carra isn't going to be on the bench most of the season and Agger and Skrtel certainly aren't going to be second choice given their pace and skill on the ball. That's an issue not many have brought up. It would also fit into Rafa's approach of sending the right back further forward and shifting to 3 centre halves at the back when doing so (Sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread)

Edited May 14, 2008 by Ginu

[mercury]

Yes yes yes. Gerrard was fantastic in the last few months. Keep him behind Torres or on the right or a free - no one beats him in these positions. Just not the traditional CM which is his worst.

[Redkop]

with all the talk about us buying the perfect partner for torres, isnt it obvious that we already have him at the club...steven gerrard and torres already have a fantastic partnership that can only get better.

 

Our stats since we put them alongside each other have been fantastic, we would`ve won the title if it were based just on the past 3 months...

 

Im still of the belief that gerrard in not a great central midfielder....hes a fantastic right midfielder and an excellent link man, surely we all can see this! but as a central midfielder..hes very good, but i dont think..world class in that position.

 

Why should we spend the big money on a link man....lets put the money into other areas.

A real top right winger, someone who is consistent..able to score goals and able to cross.....people like lennon,downing,milner are not the quality we need....we need world class

 

Some games won't benefit from this though and Rafa will have to revert to a different formation.

[fred milne]

But we need decent cover for them both. Although a small part of me thinks Babel *may* be able to cover for Gerrard.

I'd say at this stage Yossi is a better bet as cover for Gerrard in that role.

[Woodsyla]

I'd say at this stage Yossi is a better bet as cover for Gerrard in that role.

 

I think Yossi is made for that role, gets the best out of him. In another thread someone mentioned Ashton, he'd be a great option to replace Crouch. Can play with Torres, or on his own.

[Spike]

I'm on that Ashton bandwagon with you Woodsyla. Reckon he'd be a fantastic signing.

[Flasher]

I'm on that Ashton bandwagon with you Woodsyla. Reckon he'd be a fantastic signing.

 

 

I'd like him to sign too. If ever we play two up front again (traditional two) Ashton and Torres would be awesome.

[Andy @ Allerton]

funny....but boy it made a huge difference

 

 

Do you not think, perhaps, that later in the season we improved because we'd been cautious with our players and rotated them to keep them fresh for the whole season?

 

The fact that under Rafa we always finish strongly seems to back this up.

[pawiddop]

Someone like Aimar could share the role with Gerrard. When Aimar plays Gerrard drops back alongside Mascherano, or on the right.

 

Not sure Gerrard can play in the hole against really good teams, as they usually have a decent midfield pairing who can stiffle his game, whereas an Aimar type ghosts between the lines and is difficult to pick up.

[Hassony]

Someone like Aimar could share the role with Gerrard. When Aimar plays Gerrard drops back alongside Mascherano, or on the right.

 

Not sure Gerrard can play in the hole against really good teams, as they usually have a decent midfield pairing who can stiffle his game, whereas an Aimar type ghosts between the lines and is difficult to pick up.

 

 

Is Aimar any good still or do people still remember the Aimar from 5 years ago

[D.Boon]

I'm on that Ashton bandwagon with you Woodsyla. Reckon he'd be a fantastic signing.

 

Id be happy to jump on board the Ashton bandwagon if we are going to play 2 up front. If only one up front then i am still driving the get Bent cheap as Torres understudy bandwagon.

[Dan]

Is Aimar any good still or do people still remember the Aimar from 5 years ago

 

I'd defo take a punt on Aimar - esp if Zaragoza go down. How old is he now? 29?

[BG]

I'd defo take a punt on Aimar - esp if Zaragoza go down. How old is he now? 29?

 

It'd be a big gamble IMO but if the price was low could be one worth taking.

[Woodsyla]

Id be happy to jump on board the Ashton bandwagon if we are going to play 2 up front. If only one up front then i am still driving the get Bent cheap as Torres understudy bandwagon.

 

I know it's playing him out of position but how good would this be

 

Gerrard Alonso Mash Babel

Torres Ashton

Edited May 14, 2008 by Woodsyla

[hideNseek]

I know it's playing him out of position but how good would this be

 

Gerrard Alonso Mash Babel

Torres Ashton

Where's Barry?

[Guest Anders Honoré]

Where's Barry?

 

filling in at leftback.

[floyd the barber]

if barry does come in... i honestly see him starting as a left back, and being pushed into left midfield for certain games....blatent replacement for riise.

 

No way is barry gonna start for us a center mid...just cant see it