Luck - great management - or something else

[downunder]

Last season we had Grav playing at 6, after a sluggish first season with us,  - and we don't think it was the plan, due to wanting Zubimendi. He then went on to have a truly great season (and has started well this season).

Dom, didnt have the greatest (not bad at all) season last year, played out of position a few times already and today was again superb.

Is it possible sometimes when playing in a new position, you focus more and you get right back on your game?

Edited September 18 by downunder

[Cobs]

i think the repositioning of Grav is the possibly the greatest managerial masterstroke we've seen of its kind since Bob Paisley made Ray Kennedy a midfielder

the lad looks incredible there - not quite a Vieira in terms of his bite but his positioning/skillset with the ball have been an absolute revelation. He's the best player in the League in his position and seems to be still improving. 

I dunno when his current deal expires but we should deffo be looking to tie him down to a new 5yr one soon

[muleskinner]

4 minutes ago, Cobs said:

i think the repositioning of Grav is the possibly the greatest managerial masterstroke we've seen of its kind since Bob Paisley made Ray Kennedy a midfielder

the lad looks incredible there - not quite a Vieira in terms of his bite but his positioning/skillset with the ball have been an absolute revelation. He's the best player in the League in his position and seems to be still improving. 

I dunno when his current deal expires but we should deffo be looking to tie him down to a new 5yr one soon

He played between defence and midfield lines for Ajax. Can also play as an 8. He is a seriously class footballer and we should as you say be looking to tie him down for the best years of his career.

[Gethin]

9 minutes ago, Cobs said:

I dunno when his current deal expires but we should deffo be looking to tie him down to a new 5yr one soon

Summer 28 along with Mac A and Szobo

[Cobs]

1 minute ago, Gethin said:

Summer 28 along with Mac A and Szobo

ok, so next summer latest then - before Madrid start their s***

[Benzo-13]

1 minute ago, Gethin said:

Summer 28 along with Mac A and Szobo

f***ing hell get them all extended.

[Ombudsam]

5 minutes ago, Cobs said:

ok, so next summer latest then - before Madrid start their s***

TOOOOO LATE!

[Gethin]

Now we’ve got a proper management structure in place again you’d imagine it’s in hand. 

[kop205]

3 hours ago, Cobs said:

i think the repositioning of Grav is the possibly the greatest managerial masterstroke we've seen of its kind since Bob Paisley made Ray Kennedy a midfielder

Defo up there.

Rafa telling Gerrard he wasn't actually a centre mid also needing a mention.

[Cobs]

12 hours ago, kop205 said:

Defo up there.

Rafa telling Gerrard he wasn't actually a centre mid also needing a mention.

Yeah - Gerrard’s career from a positional sense is mad really.

into the team playing largely defensive midfield then Right back. Tommy Smith (iirc) saying he should stay at right back as he’d make the position his own for keeps. Then becoming this blockbuster central midfielder with all the Keane/Vieira comparisons. Then Rafa changing him after a year to right midfield- where he wins Footballer of the year. To playing as a 10 behind Torres where he also wins footballer of the year before heading back into central midfield.

and yet there’ll be some people who say Scholes or Lampard were better players  

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

Tommy Smith was ridiculed but he saw the future of the position. Maybe. 

[Cobs]

16 minutes ago, Kvarme Ate My Food said:

Tommy Smith was ridiculed but he saw the future of the position. Maybe. 

Don’t suppose you could find that original article?

I’ve got a football game to go to now

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

12 minutes ago, Cobs said:

Don’t suppose you could find that original article?

I’ve got a football game to go to now

Can’t even use Google without it being smart arsed and wrong now.

”There is no record of Tommy Smith saying in the year 2000 that Steven Gerrard should stay at right back; instead, the claim appears to be a misattribution, as the Liverpool legend Tommy Smith passed away in 1984, 16 years before the year in question. Tommy Smith was known for being a defender but played his entire career at right-back for Liverpool.”

 

Edited September 20 by Kvarme Ate My Food

[Ombudsam]

6 minutes ago, Kvarme Ate My Food said:

Can’t even use Google without it being smart arsed and wrong now.

”There is no record of Tommy Smith saying in the year 2000 that Steven Gerrard should stay at right back; instead, the claim appears to be a misattribution, as the Liverpool legend Tommy Smith passed away in 1984, 16 years before the year in question. Tommy Smith was known for being a defender but played his entire career at right-back for Liverpool.”

 

I’m gonna do this to the kids.

”But Daddy you promised to take us to the park”

”That appears to be a misattribution as I actually died 7 years ago when I realised I had ceased to be a person in my own right”

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

I know the article was probably 99 rather than 2000 btw, was just giving Google a chance to redeem itself after an initial ridiculous response, and it got even worse.

[Benzo-13]

Google robbed us of Moyes in his cardie interview. Can’t find it anywhere now.

[downunder]

Tommy Smith 'wrote' for the Echo and also Koptalk - maybe Dunk has the article.....or it will be in his book!

[Hassony]

On 9/18/2025 at 3:19 AM, downunder said:

Last season we had Grav playing at 6, after a sluggish first season with us,  - and we don't think it was the plan, due to wanting Zubimendi. He then went on to have a truly great season (and has started well this season).

Dom, didnt have the greatest (not bad at all) season last year, played out of position a few times already and today was again superb.

Is it possible sometimes when playing in a new position, you focus more and you get right back on your game?

Szbo was very good last season overall last season,  was getting unnecessary stick on occasions 

[Case]

I've just liked three separate @Hassony posts.

Disgusted with myself.

[Gethin]

2 hours ago, Hassony said:

Szbo was very good last season overall last season,  was getting unnecessary stick on occasions 

From what I remember, only criticism he was getting was that people thought he needed to add more goals and assists to his game, which was fair.