Midfield creativity

[AFII]

£50m.

Garcia can play instead of Diego and no Villa. Then we are down to £15m-£20m.

[Rosco]

problem with the killer pass is you need a player in front to make the runs

you also need in the case of last night to pull defenders in a good set up that bit out of position to allow the pass.

Stevie and Garcia do this well but only when Garcia is in the middle behind the front player.

Bellamy has started making these diagonal runs and the rest fo the team are tuned into them

Bellamy and Kuyt know where each other are.

We made some great passes into the box yesterday but lacked pace. Bellamy again.

We had some great crosses and again no one on the end. This could come with time as we've only just started seeing these.

We need a goal poacher, Kuyt is an excellent link up and player to help chip in with goals, but if he plays behind Crouch as his game seems to be, we lack that flair.

That's it in a nutshell.

The problem isn't in midfield.

[tomasjj]

I've seen a few say that we lack creativity from the midfield which is spot on but it leaves us with a problem / dilemma.

Where do we improve it and do we need to?

Does Alonso have a killer pass in him?
Can Momo push on and be a threat upfront?
Is Gerrard clever enough to become a playmaker?

Would just adding two quality wingers make a difference epsecially in light of Liverpool at times not using the wide areas to their advantage?

I'm torn between shaking up the middle too but dont want to lose any of the three.

Yes, Alonso can do that.
Momo, I doubt it.
Gerrard, well, maybe, but not how we should do it imo. He should be running into their box on strong runs, with or without the ball.

Wingers? Yeah, but also the lack of a top dynamic and skillful striker which keeps the opposing defence busy would help. Last night we started playing through the middle when behind, not that I understand why. Wingers should stay on the lines.

I think Alonso and SG should always be 1st choice, and Momo to play a bit part role when the game calls for it.

[einar]

Does Alonso have a killer pass in him?
Yes
Can Momo push on and be a threat upfront?
No
Is Gerrard clever enough to become a playmaker?
Yes, but I don't think we should use him that way.

Would just adding two quality wingers make a difference epsecially in light of Liverpool at times not using the wide areas to their advantage?
Most definitely, look at Ronaldo and Giggs, they don't just play wide, they get into the box as well and create things and score goals.

I'm torn between shaking up the middle too but dont want to lose any of the three
Personally I think we should only play two of them, and Gerrard has to play, that leaves one place.

Basically we've only got Gerrard and Garcia who will chip in with a decent amount of goals, they both need to play with more freedon, at times last nite our midfield was too deep, in fact if you look at both of the Rosicky goals, that was the case.

I think if Momo will be a first team regular he can become a threat upfront.

This question about Gerrard being a playmaker has been doing my head in all season.
I am sure this is why Rafa has been playing him out wide. He wants him to be an attacking playmaker a la Kaka. I think he is more then clever enough he just seems convinced that is not his best position. He is possibly the only player we have who can take people on. He is one of, if not the fastest player we have. The "killer pass" comes natural to him. Not to mention shooting, tec, heading, positional sense, power, determination........
IMO from where he is playing now he can do some of the attacking playmaker thing but he should be doing it all game every game.

Your point about Ronaldo and Giggs is spot on, only we dont need new winger
we need our winger to "don't just play wide, they get into the box as well and create things and score goals."

I think you are spot on about our midfield. They should have prevented both Rosicky goals. In the first one Steve and Xabi where both already in the box, and for the second one they just didnt show up.

And finally, IMO second striker is the only position Garcia should be playing in the EPL.

[Jan-Erik]

We need class-wingers who can go past players and create chances and we need a skillfull striker with pace. Look at the difference between chelsea this year and last season. Last season they played with two great wingers. This year they play 4 midfielders and no wingers.

[lfcruleus]

We need class-wingers who can go past players and create chances and we need a skillfull striker with pace. Look at the difference between chelsea this year and last season. Last season they played with two great wingers. This year they play 4 midfielders and no wingers.

Again who would you suggest, it is easy to criticise the squad Rafa has assembled but who should he sign, where are these mythical superstars gonna appear from????????

[cobain]

IMO, we have a class winger in Kewell. He's the only one of our 3084932582 left wingers who can dribble past the oppositon. His passing's great and he's shot is powerful.

Mark Gonzalez might be fast, but he can't get through defence. He needs to practice on his shooting too. Though I love this player, I think he needs to play in reserves to blossom in England, like Agger did.

Aurelio puts in one of the best crosses in our squad IMO. But that's all he's got, I suppose (appart from freekicks).

Riise... Everybody knows that his shot will kill you if it hits ya. He crosses the ball very good too, but is a bit slow. Plus he's a fullback anyways.

Zenden... Well... Yeah...

On the other side, Pennant is all we got on the right. I do believe he'll get better as he's showing signs of improvement allready. Garcia could play on the right, but I believe that he's most leathal just behind the strikers. If only we would have a young Steve McManaman at Liverpool now...

[einar]

We need class-wingers who can go past players and create chances and we need a skillfull striker with pace. Look at the difference between chelsea this year and last season. Last season they played with two great wingers. This year they play 4 midfielders and no wingers.

Yes we need better winger but not just so they can take players on.

Look at Kuyt and Pennant against Bolton.

Our players should be doing that all game every game.

Do we need a skillful striker?

YES

Villa please.

[Charlie_B]

Reason for Chelsea's success in the last two seasons? Guaranteed goals from everywhere - Del Horno, Terry, Gallas, Carvalho, Lampard, Essien, Robben, Duff, Drogba, Gudjohnsen, etc etc. The list goes on. Arguably the only players that you know won't score were the RB, and Makalele.

If you look at us, Finnan, Carra, Sissoko rarely score, Pennant has scored only 3 goals in his career or somthing, and we aren't getting 5-10 from all of our midfield players.

[Joe Le Toff]

Problem is, who do we sacrifice for that attacking playmaker?

If we go with the playmaker option then IMO Rafa would sacrifice a striker making us 4-4-1-1.

Kuyt as the furthest forward front player, playmaker just behind, with Gerrard bombing on with runs into the box it may be an option.

Would only work with quality wide men making intelligent runs forward to support as well though and I dont think we have those unfortunately.

[Jan-Erik]

Again who would you suggest, it is easy to criticise the squad Rafa has assembled but who should he sign, where are these mythical superstars gonna appear from????????

Well, If your aim is to challenge the top two, you need quality players. I would be happy if Rafa could buy the players he wanted and not number 3 or 4 on his list. Are you happy with our wide players? Can we win the league with these players? I could give you names but whats the point...

[ronan]

i believe we still have not solved our problem with wingers
look at what a winger should do
1. go past people reguraly
2.chip in with goals
3.get regualr crosses into the box

we dont have anyone in that category
we have people who can do a job there but i honestly dont believe we have one winger of any substantial quality

[Jan-Erik]

i believe we still have not solved our problem with wingers
look at what a winger should do
1. go past people reguraly
2.chip in with goals
3.get regualr crosses into the box

we dont have anyone in that category
we have people who can do a job there but i honestly dont believe we have one winger of any substantial quality

Is the correct answere

[einar]

i believe we still have not solved our problem with wingers
look at what a winger should do
1. go past people reguraly
2.chip in with goals
3.get regualr crosses into the box

we dont have anyone in that category
we have people who can do a job there but i honestly dont believe we have one winger of any substantial quality

Is a correct answer.

[lfcruleus]

Well, If your aim is to challenge the top two, you need quality players. I would be happy if Rafa could buy the players he wanted and not number 3 or 4 on his list. Are you happy with our wide players? Can we win the league with these players? I could give you names but whats the point...

The point i was making was that Rafa does try to sign quality players, as much as our finances have allowed. On every LFC forum i read we should sign so and so but it aint that easy is it. We are not and i for one do not want to be Chelsea.