SG & Alonso

[Sir Bob]

One of the great debating posts this season has been were should SG play. For much of the early part of the season he played wide right and as we suffered away defeat after away defeat we all called for him to play CM. I did for one. Rafa has doubts about him the middle but injury to Sissoko & Zenden forced his hand and this marked a return to form for both SG & LFC.

I've always thought SG should play in the middle with Alonso alongside him. I've disagreed with Rafa playing him wide right. SG is our best player & should play were he can do most damage. However, for the 1st time last night I began to question whether SG & Alonso are the best combination against the really top teams.

Last night SG & Alonso both played ok. As ever SG looked as likely to score as anyone. However, the pair of them gave little or no protection to our back four. All 3 goals were on the break, the 1st 2 in particular came from deep positions, with midfield players running unopposed into the last third.

Both alonso & SG are real top quality but in games were we can come under pressure do they provide a good enough shield for the back four. Against moderate opposition, we have the majority of the ball and a defensive shield is less necessary. Chelsea have Makelele, Man Utd have Carrick & Arsenal have Gilberto. They provide little going forward but all protect the back four very well. Neither SG or Alonso's strength is the defensive part of the game.

In short against the really top teams, SG & alonso as a partnership may leave us vulnerable at the back. We have sissoko of course to do the shielding job but who should he play with. For my money I'd play SG & Sissoko in the middle as our no.1 partnership. i feel we must provide better protection for our back four so sissoko must play. SG must also play in the middle as he's our best player & biggest goal threat. Alonso's a great player but not as good as Momo defensively. Going forward he's not as good as SG.

Alonso will still have a vital role to play as well. He can play in the middle with SG in mnay games but not against the best teams, particularly away from home. He can of course also play in the middle with momo, with SG playing out wide but this should be the exception rather than the rule.

Rafa clearly likes a shilding midfielder, thats why he plays momo when fit. Its also why he's after Mascherano from West Ham.

alonso & Sg are 2 great players but maybe not the best possible combination for LFC against the very best of opposition.

[fatistuta]

Alonso statisticlly is our biggest tackler.

I'd play him and Momo in the middle against big teams with either one of Kuyt/Bellamy up front and Gerrard between the lines. (Where Rosicky caused the damage)

[Kopite_Colin]

I actually think they're or best combo in terms of ball retention, but when they play they need the wingers to do damage, to get us 1-0 or 2-0 ahead. it's when we go 1-0 down that we struggle with them, becuase we're suddenly on the back foot, and neither of them seems to know who's supposed to be "sitting" and who's supposed to be "bombing on". That's where it's much clearer when Momo plays. Personally I think we're yet to see the best combination which would be all 3 with Riise / Aurelio and Alves (if we get him)/ Finnan as wing backs. It's a big change to the system, But unless we sell Alonso, it's the only way to go, esp if we do sign Mascherano.

[alunevans]

Interesting post. I think the thing that Momo brings that Xabi lacks is pace. Even when Momo has the ball taken past him he has the pace to get back and force people to try to take him on again.

Like you I'd also play SG centre mid.

I thought Xabi had a decent game yesterday but if we're talking about being hit on the counter then Momo would obviously be a better bet.

Also, if we're talking about having a ballwinning midfielder then same deal.

[einar]

Momo when he plays with Xabi is very often more forward. His job is to break up play further up the field. Steve does not do that as well as Momo and that is why Xabi struggles against the better teams.
Xabi plays further back because he starts play when we attack and has a better reading of the game then Momo so he sits in front of the back four and tries to stop what has gotten past Momo.

[alunevans]

the big plus for Xabi over Momo is his composure, his distribution and his ability to put his foot on the ball and calm things down for us.

there's not enough players in the side who have that ability to get us playing on the deck and xabi is one of them.

the best bits of momo and xabi combined would be THE perfect midfielder

[anfieldanfield]

The Alonso-Gerrard central midfield partnership will work against smaller clubs, especially at Anfield, but It wont work against sides with more quality. The first half in Istanbul is the painful reminder of that fact.

Last night there was loads of space in front of our back four, which Van Persie, Henry and crucially Rosicky succesfully exploited.

It's not a long term solution. We miss Momo.

[AFII]

The problem isn't Alonso or Gerrard IMO, it's Riise. He isn't good enough and the teams know that and use that game after game.

Alonso and Gerrard can play together against the best teams. Sissoko is a good player but his passing game isn't good enough IMO.

We need creative players all over the pitch. You took up the point that Arsenal have Gilberto and Man U Carrick but they have a better passing game than Sissoko so they won't slow down the play as much as Sissoko does for us.

If we play Sissoko then we would let in less goals but also score less IMO.

[Jayesh87]

I wouldn't be suprised if rafa tried a 4-3-3 (4-5-1 when we are defending) against the bigger sides this season, like:

-------------Reina-------------

Finnan--Carragher--Agger--Riise

----Gerrard--Alonso--Sissoko----

Garcia------------------Gonzalez

-------------Kuyt-------------

[lfc4ever]

I wouldn't be suprised if rafa tried a 4-3-3 (4-5-1 when we are defending) against the bigger sides this season, like:

-------------Reina-------------

Finnan--Carragher--Agger--Riise

----Gerrard--Alonso--Sissoko----

Garcia------------------Gonzalez

-------------Kuyt-------------

Yes, and being able to go to a 4-1-4-1 on the offensive with them players.

Does a rampaging SG through the middle get in the way of what 2 strikers are supposed to offer and all 3 get in the way of each other, which ends up having no cover in centre mid as all 3 have been committed forward.

[Jayesh87]

Yes, and being able to go to a 4-1-4-1 on the offensive with them players.

Does a rampaging SG through the middle get in the way of what 2 strikers are supposed to offer and all 3 get in the way of each other, which ends up having no cover in centre mid as all 3 have been committed forward.

Also Kuyt plays on the left or right of that attack for Holland which would allow Bellamy to play in the middle if needed

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

The first goal I'll accept your arguement.

But for the second we had players in position to stop Rosicky (including Gerrard), they just made a mess of it.

The 3rd goal was a series of mistakes caused by us chasing the game.

I do think there are times when Gerrard should play wide right with Sissoko coming into the side - Barca away being one example - but for the majority of the games Gerrard should play in the middle, with either Alonso or Sissoko.

My biggest concern is our lack of pace, flair and creativity in wide postions. Also we do seem to hit it long from the back far too much. We need to improve our passing and movement in general. Too rigid and predictable.

[ARIMAN]

IMO Xavi looked exhausted at the end. We actually have very little in the midfield department, currently

I think one or ideally both need a rest after the Xmas period - and bring in JM and Zenden/Momo (when fit)

[Howard_lfc]

My biggest concern is our lack of pace, flair and creativity in wide postions. Also we do seem to hit it long from the back far too much. We need to improve our passing and movement in general. Too rigid and predictable.

Having Crouch upfront doesnt help either. Not blaming him for the defeat but his style of play isnt suited to pass and move.

[Kopite_Colin]

Not sure how you come to that conlsion Howard - it's not his style of play - he's better with his feet than his head.

But the team does play more of the long ball game when he's in the side, which I think is what you mean - is it?