Will the real SG please stand up?

[Craig_H]

I tend to agree with Johnny H, Stevie G just isn't really working out in the middle,

FFS, he's having a bit of a poor run of form...that's all.

'not working out in the middle'....kinell...

[Red Chilli]

Gerrard's mind was obviously elsewhere. We all know how sensitive he is and I bet this car incident with the child has really affected him. Very obvious his mind wasn't completely on the game.

Good point

Gerrard is not above rotation, but I think we should start asking questions of the manager if he can't get the best out of Steven Gerrard. IMO Gerrard and Torres are our only players who would challenge for a world 11 place. Obviously Reina wold challenge in the nets.

[El Jefecito]

FFS, he's having a bit of a poor run of form...that's all.

'not working out in the middle'....kinell...

And that's what we said all through last year. At what point does this run of form, become a realization that the type of role Rafa needs performed in CM is not suited to SG?

[El Jefecito]

Gerrard's mind was obviously elsewhere. We all know how sensitive he is and I bet this car incident with the child has really affected him. Very obvious his mind wasn't completely on the game.

Maybe, but that doesn't explain his previous 5 crap performances.

[Parm]

In my opinion, Gerrard is not above dropping. He shouldn't be guaranteed his starting place, and again in my opinion, Alonso and Mascherano work better together than Gerrard with either of them.

I see where you are coming from. SG has not been the same since he came back from England duty and we have been carrying him somewhat. He and Momo were shocking last night and instead of SG taking the opp to take the game by the scruf he disappered.

As for selling him? it's worked for Fergie and Wenger. Sometimes selling a top top player cane free the team from that players shadow. Arsenal seem to be ok without Henry, utd won the title right after selling RVN>

[AFII]

Gerrard should play on the right.

Why?

He is our best option on the right. Mascherano and Alonso(when he is fit) should play in the middle with Lucas covering for Alonso.

Lucas can play in the middle with Mascherano until Alonso is fit.

[El Jefecito]

Good point

Gerrard is not above rotation, but I think we should start asking questions of the manager if he can't get the best out of Steven Gerrard. IMO Gerrard and Torres are our only players who would challenge for a world 11 place. Obviously Reina wold challenge in the nets.

Mate, you can't blame Rafa for stevie's diablolical passing, his inability to control the midfield and not being able to win the 2nd ball.

Only Stevie G can do that!

[Red Chilli]

Mate, you can't blame Rafa for stevie's diablolical passing, his inability to control the midfield and not being able to win the 2nd ball.

Only Stevie G can do that!

I know that, but there is no technical problem with Stevie G's game. He's not like Cisse, he CAN do those things in abundance.
You can blame the manager for the team playing **** and having no cohesion and no inspiration.
For some reason Steven Gerrard is not focussed on LFC enough and it's Rafa's job to sort that out or drop him. But sell him? I think that's crazy.

[El Jefecito]

Gerrard should play on the right.

Why?

He is our best option on the right. Mascherano and Alonso(when he is fit) should play in the middle with Lucas covering for Alonso.

Lucas can play in the middle with Mascherano until Alonso is fit.

The outstanding problem with him playing out right. Is that he doesn't stay out there. We become unbalanced, the RB is exposed and can't get forward. We get little joy.

The year b4 last when Gerrard did stay out right he was awesome, but for whatever reason he seems to have lost the discipline to do that.

[Pacman]

The simple fact is that Gerrard misses Xabi.

[Parm]

The outstanding problem with him playing out right. Is that he doesn't stay out there. We become unbalanced, the RB is exposed and can't get forward. We get little joy.

The year b4 last when Gerrard did stay out right he was awesome, but for whatever reason he seems to have lost the discipline to do that.

yup, last year at the Arsenal away game it seemed as if Stevie was deliberately playing **** jut to try and prove a point to Rafa.

[CAD]

Gerrard should play on the right.

Why?

He is our best option on the right. Mascherano and Alonso(when he is fit) should play in the middle with Lucas covering for Alonso.

Lucas can play in the middle with Mascherano until Alonso is fit.

Alonso doens't have enough drive at advanced CM to take us where we want to go. You can take that to the bank

[El Jefecito]

I know that, but there is no technical problem with Stevie G's game. He's not like Cisse, he CAN do those things in abundance.
You can blame the manager for the team playing **** and having no cohesion and no inspiration.
For some reason Steven Gerrard is not focussed on LFC enough and it's Rafa's job to sort that out or drop him. But sell him? I think that's crazy.

I see where you are coming from but from everything I'm seeing Gerrard is not the asnswer in midfield. If he wants to have a future at Liverpool then he is going to need to realize that.

Rafa has bent over backwards to find a role for SG and he found the right palce for him, on the right, Rafa moved SG up a level. He scored more goals than ever before. And what thanks did Rafa get. NOTHING, all SG did was spend all his time moaning to the press, telling Redknapp, that he was thinking about leaving unless he played in the middle.

The situation with Stevie is clear, he needs to play @ 150%, wherever Rafa tells him to and it's looking increasingly likely that that may not be in midfield.

SO, what do we do if Rafa moves him out right and he does a strop again?

Sell him?

[Parm]

The simple fact is that Gerrard misses Xabi.

I thought that Xabi would have been great for us last night, at least he would have got th passing going.

[El Jefecito]

Alonso doens't have enough drive at advanced CM to take us where we want to go. You can take that to the bank

I'd like to make a withdrawl from that bank! How many times have you seen Alonso playing in other than the holding role? How do you know he can't drive forward, when he's never been asked to play that way (apart from against Derby)?