The role of Stevie G....

[lfc1394]

I've only seen it not work against Manure. You claim others, I'm sceptical.

His record of not going missing against manure is the same whether he's played in the 3 or CM.

You can't discount 20 goals and 20 assists just because he played bad against manure.

Unbalancing, in CM SG is not smart enough know when to get forward and when to stay back that unbalances the team and puts a greater onus on players around him to cover for him.

Some very valid points although I think with Masch holding he can play next to him in the middle, with keane in the hole. If we get keane and not GB then we will see this a lot I'd guess.

[Michael]

Gerrard is over rated as an intelligent footballer ... but he does have instinct!

[lawrie]

Gerrard is over rated as an intelligent footballer ... but he does have instinct!

On the contrary, I think he is under rated as an intelligent footballer. His main problem is that he tries to do too much sometimes and force it.

[Michael]

On the contrary, I think he is under rated as an intelligent footballer. His main problem is that he tries to do too much sometimes and force it.

I'm not quite sure what to make of that comment .... but I think you help me to make my point! Cheers

You are not Mr. S Gerrard are you?

[El Jefecito]

Gerrard is over rated as an intelligent footballer ... but he does have instinct!

When you are an 800 lb monster like SG, brains are over-rated

[El Jefecito]

Some very valid points although I think with Masch holding he can play next to him in the middle, with keane in the hole. If we get keane and not GB then we will see this a lot I'd guess.

Let's be clear SG is that good that he could play just about anywhere on the pitch and still be better than most of our first choices.

The thing is though, in that 2nd striker role, he's peerless, from that position he was responsible for 40 goals in a single season.

[Michael]

When you are an 800 lb monster like SG, brains are over-rated

LOL He isnt any monster! Anderson showed us that, he had SG in his pocket when we played United.

[El Jefecito]

LOL He isnt any monster! Anderson showed us that, he had SG in his pocket when we played United.

Hey manc, finish off and then come back to us.

[lfc1394]

LOL He isnt any monster! Anderson showed us that, he had SG in his pocket when we played United.

Home or away? At home they just played ultra defensive and hit us with a sucker punch. They played very well defensively and smothered us when we got the ball, both Hargreeves and Anderson were excellent defensively that day, but I remember we did pretty much as well as they did in that area, once again a set piece cost us. Away we were down to 10 men before we got going, we had an excellent spell in the game before they went 2-0 up. I wouldn't say SG was in anyones pocket. Ronaldo never did jack against the top 4 until the goal against us this season, does that mean he shouldn't be playing in the position he does and scores 40 odd goals?

[Fiddy]

Having given this quite a few seconds thought I have a new role for him.

Lets not piss about with telling him what role to fill, behind Torres, right midfield with Keane in the middle etc.

Pick 10 guys with specific jobs to do and tell Gerrard to go out and be a Captain, fire fight where neccessary and make things happen .

I thank you.

I've just worked out what your surname is Kev, Keegan

[kev776]

I've just worked out what your surname is Kev, Keegan

fudge, you found me out, was it the perm, was it the tight shorts or my performance on superstars when I fell off me bike or maybe my superb tactical nounce.

[jonymadness]

Unbalancing, in CM SG is not smart enough know when to get forward and when to stay back that unbalances the team and puts a greater onus on players around him to cover for him.

Agree 100%, IMO Stevie does not control the tempo of a game well enough for a top-class CM, he always looks for the hollywood ball, sometimes a simple 10-yard ball is the one to play and then you get it back and maybe then you can ping it.

Now dont get me wrong, it is great to have a player with the ability to do that but when he plays off Torres he can hit those passes in the right area, if he is in CM, he takes it off the CB and tries to hit it 50+ yards and that will only work a small % of the time.

His two best/most effective seasons with us were when he played right-mid in 05-06 (which was effectively a free role cause Momo covered him when he took off) or behind Nando last year. I think 4-2-3-1 is the perfect system for us (and him) with Stevie off the striker BUT we need a top-class CM to play with Mascher and ensure Stevie gets the ball. That would ideally be Xabi on form but he was patchy last season, is Barry the answer, I have my doubts.

[Parm]

SG has played two seasons at a position other than CM. Both those seasons he got 20+ goals, far surpassing anything he had ever done in the middle.

And you want him to play in CM

he was superb as a rw in 2005/6

[rage]

he was superb as a rw in 2005/6

he'd be superb as a right back but that wasn't my point. gerrard is one of the best box to box midfielders in the world. i would much rather gerrard play central midfield next to masch whilst keane plays behind torres. this way gerrard will still do what he does best and keane will add a creative dimension we lack.

it'd also mean we save the barry money for a potent right sided midfielder. this way the team has greater balance imo

[DannyMan2006]

he'd be superb as a right back but that wasn't my point. gerrard is one of the best box to box midfielders in the world. i would much rather gerrard play central midfield next to masch whilst keane plays behind torres. this way gerrard will still do what he does best and keane will add a creative dimension we lack.

it'd also mean we save the barry money for a potent right sided midfielder. this way the team has greater balance imo

Agreed.


The only problem I see is that Rafa agress with you. By that I think Rafa has Barry ear marked for a place at LM, which is why Stewart Downing is being linked as an alternative.

No way do I want Barry as a LM. Then again we could have more money than we think, and we are still set to sign a LW and a striker, and also a CM if Alonso goes.