View from the Salford Suite...

[El Jefecito]

maybe his new child is keeping him awake at night and thus effecting hios performance on the pitch?

Grasping at straws mate.

[Morten_nogamst_Pedersen]

Rafa needs to get in a player, in the first team, not necessarily as captain, but someone who has the attributes that SG lacks. A leader of men, who is tactically aware, who can act as the focal point for the team on the field.

SG can not do this. Its not his fault, he's just made that way. But such a leader drives the mentality of the team and SG doesn't have that in his locker. Compare SG to Souness and you will see what we are missing.

Is El Jefe such a man?
He does come across as a quiet person (bar the manc match ) to me.
I dunno.

[Ron_Mexico]

Rafa needs to get in a player, in the first team, not necessarily as captain, but someone who has the attributes that SG lacks. A leader of men, who is tactically aware, who can act as the focal point for the team on the field.

SG can not do this. Its not his fault, he's just made that way. But such a leader drives the mentality of the team and SG doesn't have that in his locker. Compare SG to Souness and you will see what we are missing.

Carra?

[RedProf]

Rafa needs to get in a player, in the first team, not necessarily as captain, but someone who has the attributes that SG lacks. A leader of men, who is tactically aware, who can act as the focal point for the team on the field.

SG can not do this. Its not his fault, he's just made that way. But such a leader drives the mentality of the team and SG doesn't have that in his locker. Compare SG to Souness and you will see what we are missing.

In short, a Gary Mac type of figure.

[El Jefecito]

Carra?

You would think so wouldn't you but he doesn't step up to the plate. He certainly leads the defence but I think he defers to SG elsewhere.

[El Jefecito]

In short, a Gary Mac type of figure.

[Skillz]

Gerrard should play in the 2 against the big teams where he isn't marked by a defender and can burst forward at the right moments.

I have come to the same conclusion

[Skillz]

Yeh, there's something amiss with Alonso - his head isn't right at the moment for some reason. His passing is 'variable' at best now, the fight doesn't seem to be in him at the mo'.

Ehem, what would his market value be like currently? Gerrard's too for that matter?

Becoming a Father, a week ago

[simey85]

Alonso was also diappointing for me. Ronaldo pulled away from him for his goal like he wasn't even there.

Very dissapointed with that, skrtel was marking tevez and alonso on their best player in the air..very weird. Though he should have ****ing stood his ground and just ran across Ronaldo to block his run...he didnt seem hungry enough to do it!

As for gerrard he can't make any excuses i don't blame him for not stepping in in the sending off mascherano should have been wise enough to shut up. But he looked as if he didn't want to know and never looked willing to make himself available to spark something! IMO we do need a bit of work on that midfield and someone to lead the team thats not afraid to go out and impose their game on the opposition!

[bobbyfallon]

Very dissapointed with that, skrtel was marking tevez and alonso on their best player in the air..very weird. Though he should have ****ing stood his ground and just ran across Ronaldo to block his run...he didnt seem hungry enough to do it!

As for gerrard he can't make any excuses i don't blame him for not stepping in in the sending off mascherano should have been wise enough to shut up. But he looked as if he didn't want to know and never looked willing to make himself available to spark something! IMO we do need a bit of work on that midfield and someone to lead the team thats not afraid to go out and impose their game on the opposition!

cant agree with some of that, as captain gerrard should have stepped in. and pushed macher away forcefully if needs be.

as for your last line above in bold - macherano for captain

[ineednewfootwear]

Still it was nice enough, and the seats were excellent, situated on the second tier of the North Stand, on about the 24 yard parallel, in the half we were attacking in the first half.

Did we have any attacks in the first half? It should probably read, "in the half we couldn't get into until we switched ends." That's more accurate.

With the exception of Mascher they didn't have a set between the lot of them.

[Ron_Mexico]

Gerrard should play in the 2 against the big teams where he isn't marked by a defender and can burst forward at the right moments.

all the 'big teams' play with a deep midfielder who pick up gerrard when he goes forward

makelele, flamini, hargreaves/carrick....and so on