you just know its goin to happen dont you....

[glynner]

How the hell is it meaningless?! We need to make sure we get a CL spot next season, and in those terms it's a 6-pointer!

Totally with you on this one - except, for me, I loathe Arsenal. Anyone who watched them under Graham would surely feel the same. Yes, they play much better football now, but once a feeling of hatred sets in, it's hard to uproot.

[FoxForceFive]

Am I the only expecting to see Stevie dropped (sorry, rested) for this game?

I honestly think he'll try & win it wit Stevie on the bench, but have to call him off in the second when we cant open them up.

[Red Star]

I would be shocked if Stevie started the game tomorrow.Think he will be rested for Tuesday.

[Marky]

Stevie will indeed be on the bench 2mara. U heard it here first!!

[El Jefecito]

gerrard on the right tomorrow

it boils my piss, its ****ing pathetic

Hopefully, we'll have Xabi and El Jefe in the middle.

[Harv]

gerrard on the right tomorrow

it boils my piss, its ****ing pathetic

FFS. What has he done this season to "demand" a place in the centre?

He has, by his standards, had a poor season. When he has been in the middle he hasn't dominated the game, as many of you say he has done.

Whatsmore, is he doesnt actually ever play "RM", his name is down there on the team sheet......but he has a free role, he goes whereever he wants. Quite frankly its to the detriment of the team. If he could keep his massive ego in check, and admit he is just as instrumental out wide, then we would be able to attack down the right flank......instead he drifts, leaving Finnan as the only outlet on the right, and all our attcking mainly comes down the left.

Its a non issue, which is made into one to stir things up.

whatsmore people like you belive this ****e.

[El Jefecito]

FFS. What has he done this season to "demand" a place in the centre?

He has, by his standards, had a poor season. When he has been in the middle he hasn't dominated the game, as many of you say he has done.

Whatsmore, is he doesnt actually ever play "RM", his name is down there on the team sheet......but he has a free role, he goes whereever he wants. Quite frankly its to the detriment of the team. If he could keep his massive ego in check, and admit he is just as instrumental out wide, then we would be able to attack down the right flank......instead he drifts, leaving Finnan as the only outlet on the right, and all our attcking mainly comes down the left.

Its a non issue, which is made into one to stir things up.

whatsmore people like you belive this ****e.

Hear hear!

[carrsim]

FFS. What has he done this season to "demand" a place in the centre?

He has, by his standards, had a poor season. When he has been in the middle he hasn't dominated the game, as many of you say he has done.

Whatsmore, is he doesnt actually ever play "RM", his name is down there on the team sheet......but he has a free role, he goes whereever he wants. Quite frankly its to the detriment of the team. If he could keep his massive ego in check, and admit he is just as instrumental out wide, then we would be able to attack down the right flank......instead he drifts, leaving Finnan as the only outlet on the right, and all our attcking mainly comes down the left.

Its a non issue, which is made into one to stir things up.

whatsmore people like you belive this ****e.

****ing right

[carrsim]

rafa, quoted in the times: “He scored 23 goals on the right side of midfield last season. Maybe after 23 goals in the middle we can continue talking about it”

short but sweet

someone will point out that he hasn't played as many games centrally to get t0 23 which is valid.

however, i would counter that by saying that stevie, having played centrally when momo (and bolo god love him) was injured failed to be the inspirational driving force that many of the media **** stirrers claimed he is.

his goals return was decent, not spectacular, but did draw praise in some quarters for being "disciplined" as acentral mid. for me his performances were muted (as they generally have been this season)

i personally think that stevie being about 20% off from last season is the sheer volume of football we've played since rafa took over. lets not forget that the long season of 04/05 saw us go all the way to the CL final and the league cup final (though SG didn't play in all those to be fair)

TNS and the CL quals for 05/06 started early, we reached the FA cup final AND then he went to world cup

maybe after so many superhuman efforts he just needs a rest. i hope he gets a long break this year having lifted number 6 in athens.

and i don't think he'll mind playing right side if the americans show rafa the money and we challenge all the way for the title

[Kopite_Colin]

23 goals isn't necessarily the sole issue though is it. With better balance and more bodies in the box (which is what SG does better than anyone else in our team when he plays in CM), we would undoubtedly score more goals from midfield. When SG plays on the right (he himself scored 23 in 1 season) but what's the contribution from the others? And what would SG score if he consistently played CM and we had decent delivery from wide areas? My guess is close to 15-20 a season. When SG plays at RM, we have few bodies who actually get in the box from CM, which is the engine room and driving force of your team (Xabi, Momo and Mascher are hardly going to get into double figure together in a season never mind each).

Also, what happened in 2-3 of the biggest games SG's played in for LFC - he played CM and he scored 4 of the most crucial goals for LFC in the last 3 years and gained a crucial pen: the first goal in the CL final, a burst from CM to win Xabi's pen in the CL final and 2 goals from central areas in the FA Cup final and a decider against Olympiakos. Hardly a co-incidence is it?

I'll say it again - you play your best players in their best position. And SG's best position is UNDOUBTEDLY central midfield.

[CAD]

yeah he should play in the centre coz he's the bestest in the wurld when he plays there and not on the right even though he scored 23 goals there last year.he only plays good in the centre, nowhere else.

Here we go with the bollocks. "he scored 23 goals on the right last season" - He scored 9.

[Kopite_Colin]

Is that 9 league goals?

[Deadlogic]

Well, he's in the centre today isn't he?

If he doesn't score a few, set up a few, and actually float off the ****in' pitch at the end, then you can all get to **** and accept he's best on the right.

Can't you? :P

[Kopite_Colin]

Looking at the line-up it looks like SG's going to play as "support striker" today rather than CM. Which isn't great (I hate playing 1 up front) - but it's better than him playing on the right in my book.

I hope he gets a couple of goals and really reminds people of how good he is in the middle, getting into the box.

[Mumsafan]

Looking at the line-up it looks like SG's going to play as "support striker" today rather than CM. Which isn't great (I hate playing 1 up front) - but it's better than him playing on the right in my book.

I hope he gets a couple of goals and really reminds people of how good he is in the middle, getting into the box.

Looks like it worked.