On Paper But in Reality

[Red_Polo]

we don't have the best midfield in the world.

No gerrard = no goals.

Lots of square pegs for me.

Hopefully Lucas will prove a good goal threat in future for when Gerrard is unavailable. But then as mentioned, goals from wide players is where we lack really. Yossi is the one who has it in him now, Kewell on rare occasions he's fit. Babel I'm assuming will be a forward in the long run, I see him as a square peg at the mo. I think if we added just one really top wide player who can create but also offer a real goal threat, we'd be right up there with the best midfields in the world.

[redwien]

Crap song though...

[El Jefecito]

From the ESPN Game Log

Gerrard.........6 goals.....5 Assists
Mascherano...2 goals.....1 Assist
Xabi.............2 goals.....0 Assists
Lucas...........0 goals......1 Assist
Momo...........1 goals......0 Assists

That is light years ahead of for example Manure. That is the REALITY

[BobTheCharmer]

From the ESPN Game Log

Gerrard.........6 goals.....5 Assists
Mascherano...2 goals.....1 Assist
Xabi.............2 goals.....0 Assists
Lucas...........0 goals......1 Assist
Momo...........1 goals......0 Assists

That is light years ahead of for example Manure. That is the REALITY

but who is the better team? for me you can't just take two out of 4 and say yes that makes us best.

[El Jefecito]

but who is the better team? for me you can't just take two out of 4 and say yes that makes us best.

You're moving the goalposts now.

[REDSCOUSER]

we don't have the best midfield in the world.

No gerrard = no goals.

Lots of square pegs for me.

-you dont need 4 mids who can all score, if Gerrard weighs in with at least 10, Benayoun & Babel with 5-7 each then we dont need Alonso, Mascherano & Sissoko to score that many. A mids job first and foremost to make goals and defend then goalscoring.
Souness never had the greaterts scoring record but Kennedy and Terry Mac did, then later Whelan and Johnston scored a decent amount.

[BobTheCharmer]

You're moving the goalposts now.

not at all. it annoys me when people rave about our great midfield when in reality, its two that play and two on the bench more often than not. In other words they're all central. A midfield usually consists of 4 does it not?

[rage]

4231 accomodates masch, alonso and gerrard with lucas able to come off and do a job too. that's our best midfield.

team wise our only problems are the ?mark on our fullbacks (although i reckon aurelio and arbeloa can do a job) and the left and right of the 3 providing gerrard plays in the middle.
for me a title winning formation would be:

------------reina--------------
arbeloa--carra--agger--aurelio
-------masch------alonso------
yossi?-----gerrard-----kewell
------------torres--------------

you could swap arbeloa for finnan pennant sometimes for yossi and regular bench would be goalie, hypia/new cb, lucas, babel, voronin/kuyt

but as can be seen we have very limited strength in depth in key positions. a few injuries and we're ****ed. notice how sissoko doesn't feature in my best midfield in the world?

[Elvis]

"Oh ohohoh oh! I would argue we've got the best/strongest centre midfield in the world."

Still doesn't have that ring to it.

How about:
"Oh on paper, we've got the best midfield in the world.."

[El Jefecito]

not at all. it annoys me when people rave about our great midfield when in reality, its two that play and two on the bench more often than not. In other words they're all central. A midfield usually consists of 4 does it not?

Point is we DO have the best CM in the world. We're still working the flanks though. As an inside right Yossi is great. As an outside left Kewell is great. That aside, you're right, our wide midfield is still a work in process.

[BobTheCharmer]

Point is we DO have the best CM in the world. We're still working the flanks though. As an inside right Yossi is great. As an outside left Kewell is great. That aside, you're right, our wide midfield is still a work in process.

But I don't think our central midfield ever play like they are the best combination in the world. I would argue that Fabregas & Flamini are playing as well if not better than any permeatation that we can offer.

[El Jefecito]

But I don't think our central midfield ever play like they are the best combination in the world. I would argue that Fabregas & Flamini are playing as well if not better than any permeatation that we can offer.

Flamini is a no mark. Fabregas on the other hand has 11 goals and 10 assists this year!

[dww]

Flamini is a no mark. Fabregas on the other hand has 11 goals and 10 assists this year!

Flamini has been a revelation this season IMO. He has really knitted their team together and given Fabregas the freedom to go forward and attack teams. Silva was very goo for them but in combination with Fabregas there was to big a gap in the middle of the park. Flaminis long range passing from deep has been a big factor in their improvement this season in my opinion.

[enema of the state]

replaced Pennant, who only has one goal in 65 odd appearances.

once more with emphasis

[enema of the state]

But I don't think our central midfield ever play like they are the best combination in the world. I would argue that Fabregas & Flamini are playing as well if not better than any permeatation that we can offer.

i would agree and we have no equivalent to either player (cf the controversial lfc thread with its excellent discussion of how to classify CM players)

this is a good blend the arse have got going: flamini is limited but is positionally disciplined, a good tackler and an excellent long range passer (attributes hamman had before his legs went). mascherano's passing aint as good, xabi's is but his tackling aint and momo's positional discipline is well short. fabregas is the best playmaker in the league - TOTALLY different to SG and exactly the type of player the current lfc squad (not just team) doesnt have.

benayoun is a good pro but the fella on here saying he can do that role....boys when he compares to a fabregas, kaka or riquelme say...wed look silly