Mascherano

[_00_deathscar]

Whisper it quietly, but the boy is having a season a fair bit worse than Alonso (injuries and all that) had last season.

[Hightown Phil]

Can you imagine if Lucas had done that last night?

[CarraLegend]

Whisper it quietly, but the boy is having a season a fair bit worse than Alonso (injuries and all that) had last season.

 

Not really a surprise is it? He's barely had a proper break in a few years

[Ethan]

He should have left arshavin in 3 pieces after he scored their 2nd last night

[Jarg Armani]

He was woeful. Lucas should possibly have replaced him once it became clear he wasn't offering the composure we needed.

[Swipe]

He had a terrible first half of the season but he did improve. He was excellent against Chelsea.

 

No denying how bad he was last night. He seemed to forget what his job was.

[MFletcher]

He looked mentally knackered last night.

[Falconhoof]

He was excellent against Chelsea.

 

At Stamford Bridge ? He was chasing shadows there as I recall.

 

I might be imagining the timing of this but since that nightmare game for Argentina on the top of a mountain, his form seems to have dropped off.

Edited April 22, 2009 by Ernest Blenkinsop

[carrafan]

He was woeful. Lucas should possibly have replaced him once it became clear he wasn't offering the composure we needed.

 

Never thought i'd hear that.

[Bailo]

At Stamford Bridge ? He was chasing shadows there as I recall.

 

I might be imagining the timing of this but since that nightmare game for Argentina on the top of a mountain, his form seems to have dropped off.

If only he'd played it at sea level, his form would have had nowhere to fall.

[Andy @ Allerton]

He was abysmal as were most of his teammates.

[Jarg Armani]

Never thought i'd hear that.

 

Don't worry, i'm just spouting mad s*** to get a reaction. Par for the course.

[Hassony]

I think the defeat in Bolivia has knocked his confidence, he was getting closer to his best before then

[yellow jumper]

poor last night and i agree with those who say he look tired, but a good mascherano is critical to the balance of this side. we don't have enough legs in and around the defence without him, the job he does protecting our back four shouldn't be underestimated even against lesser sides (see the blackburn game as the most recent example).

 

i thought first half particularly he was guilty of complicating things with the ball, and unusually lethargic in covering the lines without it.

[Andy @ Allerton]

poor last night and i agree with those who say he look tired, but a good mascherano is critical to the balance of this side. we don't have enough legs in and around the defence without him, the job he does protecting our back four shouldn't be underestimated even against lesser sides (see the blackburn game as the most recent example).

 

i thought first half particularly he was guilty of complicating things with the ball, and unusually lethargic in covering the lines without it.

 

 

I thought he was guilty of recklessly running forward at every opportunity. Dunno what he was supposed to be playing at.

[Mike]

i was shocked how the normally rock solid parts of his game - positional play, tracking and tackling were all at sea last night

[Andy @ Allerton]

i was shocked how the normally rock solid parts of his game - positional play, tracking and tackling were all at sea last night

 

Absolutely. Was baffling.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

who to blame? Lucas? Riera?

 

I blame babel

[Bootle Buck]

I also think that since we beat Real and Utd convincingly we have become a different team. We seem much more wide open and seem content to try and score more than the opposition. Before that we always seemed to be solid and had great protection for the back four. Mascher as he was against Chelsea looked like he was a headless chicken and trying to do more than he normally would. He needs to get back to his normal game quickly or maybe Lucas can step in.

[D.Boon]

Maybe Gerrard being out impacts Masch and Alonso as they feel the need to get involved more higher up the pitch.

[yellow jumper]

i thought he was good against chelsea. it was only after he went off that they began to create anything through the middle. lampard was suddenly visible.

[BG]

Maybe Gerrard being out impacts Masch and Alonso as they feel the need to get involved more higher up the pitch.

 

I think there is something in this. I also think that Mascherano (possibly on Rafa's instructions) gets further forward than Alonso sometimes when we are pushing to score in part because he is more able to get back to cover.

[Chili Palmer]

He's knackered and needs a good rest in the summer.

[madaboutlfc]

seriously though if we compare Mascherano to Hamann who is better? for me Hamann was on a different planet as he knew his limitations.. Mascherano looked like he would eclipse him but for the past few months he seem to get in his head that to get recognition he needs to score goals or something and goes on crazy dribbles etc. I hope Rafa knocks some sense in him

[carrafan]

He's knackered and needs a good rest in the summer.

 

You know what, i dont think he is.

 

From what we saw last year and at the start of this, he wasnt a very good passer. He's obviously under instructions from our staff to work at it and has improved a LOT since September. Now, he can hold is own in midfield and isnt an absolutely liability on the ball like Sissoko. But you notice every game that he misplaces a couple of passes, he usually averages a couple of underhit hospital passes to either Alonso or one of the centrebacks a game. Its just because he's still learning that part of the game and will come out an improved player at the end of summer break.

 

His mistake was probably a similar one against Arsenal. We dont hoof it unless absolutely necessary and play out the ball (with a lot of success) even when under pressure. But Arsenal closed us down upfront and made merry because of our mistakes. Masch probably switched off as he was looking to get the ball out from under him and hoping to find another player. Someone should have called 'man on' but i doubt that happened.

 

I think he was under instructions from the manager to play higher up the pitch whenever we had possession as it would help up pressure them higher if our forward and masch try to nick it in their half. But Arsenal's players have a lot of quality on the ball and didnt allow Masch to get the ball often enough. He'd be back his best against Hull i'm sure.

Edited April 22, 2009 by carrafan