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**Rich** · 27-09-06, 10:11 PM

Tend to agree. Sissoko has been our best midfielder this season, and should be first choice for the centre - you can then pick either Gerrard or Alonso to play alongside, both partnerships will work.

Alternatively Gerrard plays out on the right, and I still believe he offers much more out there than Pennant ever could.

**rnm** · 27-09-06, 10:13 PM

agree 100% you don't mess with the spine of the team, asking for trouble

**Jan-Erik** · 27-09-06, 10:14 PM

I agree. IMO Sissoko is one of our most important players. And in a perfect world, he would play every game.

**Helios Creed** · 27-09-06, 10:14 PM

Wish we'd brought him on at 3-0.. I guess Rafa wanted to rest him until absolutely necessary. Pity we haven't got Didi anymore - he'd have been perfect to bring on to steady things. Also why did we leave Aurelio out there being skinned - we've all spotted that he's ****e at stopping crosses and they were exploiting it.

Can only guess that Rafa doesn't mind winning by the skin of our teeth, as long as he keeps certain players fresh for the weekend... not good for the nerves.

**Howard_lfc** · 27-09-06, 10:16 PM

Originally posted by ShaggyAlonso

I've read various people on the internet saying we should leave Sissoko out of the team for home games against teams we should beat, because "we don't need him for that". Tonight proved that theory to be a nonsense.

To play cohesive, attacking football you still need someone to win it for you in the first place. We had no-one breaking up play, no destroyer. It's no coincidence that every time Xabi & Stevie play as a pair we offer way more goalscoring opportunities to the opposition than we do when Momo plays.

Tonight we were soft-centred. Not only has tonight's game offered us the evidence that Momo should be one of the first name's on the team-sheet, it also sticks two fingers up at cretins like Andy Gray who bleat about Stevie playing right midfield. Sorry, but while we have Momo & Xabi fit and well, Gerrard plays on the right. End of.

Hey you're learning son! Spot on that Shaggy mate. Gerrard may be more effective in the middle - but the team benefits when he's wide right and Momo and Xabi are in the centre.

**kanban111** · 27-09-06, 10:17 PM

Shaggy,i sort of agree with you but our biggest issue tonight was our exposure down our left,it was very worrying to say the least,Fabio is defo not defensive minded & Garcia is cloud cuckoo land defensively,combine that with a great crosser like Sabri & it spells big trouble & that's what happened.i'm disappointed that Rafa didn't address this seemingly glaring weakness in our game,seems Gala seen it very early on.Risse is unspectacular but solid at left back but imo Aurelio is not cut out for defensive duty.
Basically,if we'd have cut out Sabri,it would have been a walk in the park.

**StevieGnR** · 27-09-06, 10:17 PM

Originally posted by ShaggyAlonso

I've read various people on the internet saying we should leave Sissoko out of the team for home games against teams we should beat, because "we don't need him for that". Tonight proved that theory to be a nonsense.

To play cohesive, attacking football you still need someone to win it for you in the first place. We had no-one breaking up play, no destroyer. It's no coincidence that every time Xabi & Stevie play as a pair we offer way more goalscoring opportunities to the opposition than we do when Momo plays.

Tonight we were soft-centred. Not only has tonight's game offered us the evidence that Momo should be one of the first name's on the team-sheet, it also sticks two fingers up at cretins like Andy Gray who bleat about Stevie playing right midfield. Sorry, but while we have Momo & Xabi fit and well, Gerrard plays on the right. End of.

Totally agree. Would have written something similar. If only I was as eloquent!

**Manofthebog** · 27-09-06, 10:19 PM

Originally posted by Helios Creed

Wish we'd brought him on at 3-0.. I guess Rafa wanted to rest him until absolutely necessary. Pity we haven't got Didi anymore - he'd have been perfect to bring on to steady things. Also why did we leave Aurelio out there being skinned - we've all spotted that he's ****e at stopping crosses and they were exploiting it.

Can only guess that Rafa doesn't mind winning by the skin of our teeth, as long as he keeps certain players fresh for the weekend... not good for the nerves.

Agreed with everyone.

Tonite showed we can't play with Alonso & Gerrard centre-mid.

defence exposed too often, and that combined with Garcia going walk about everytime they attacked = BIG ****ING PROBLEMS.

They couldn't half cross the ball mind.

Still, 3 points is 3 points mind.

**** me, Drogbreathe's hattrick, more like 3 deflections. ******

**Bob** · 27-09-06, 10:44 PM

Originally posted by ShaggyAlonso

I've read various people on the internet saying we should leave Sissoko out of the team for home games against teams we should beat, because "we don't need him for that". Tonight proved that theory to be a nonsense.

To play cohesive, attacking football you still need someone to win it for you in the first place. We had no-one breaking up play, no destroyer. It's no coincidence that every time Xabi & Stevie play as a pair we offer way more goalscoring opportunities to the opposition than we do when Momo plays.

Tonight we were soft-centred. Not only has tonight's game offered us the evidence that Momo should be one of the first names on the team-sheet, it also sticks two fingers up at cretins like Andy Gray who bleat about Stevie playing right midfield. Sorry, but while we have Momo & Xabi fit and well, Gerrard plays on the right. End of.

Indeed - Gerrard and xabi are too unorthodox as Central midfielders to forge a partnership. Though Gerrard and Momo could work equally well IMO. Gerrard on the right accommodates Xabi not Momo.

Momo certainly is Boss!

**Red_Polo** · 28-09-06, 08:00 AM

I disagree. Between the two of them, Xabi and Ste have everything needed in a centre-mid partnership. Don't forget Xabi won more tackles than anyone else did for us last season, and it's not like Gerrard is any stranger to winning the ball. I know Momo is an absolute animal at closing people down and winning the ball, but our team should be able to function without that too. For me the problem was our wide midfielders didn't do the defensive work well enough whilst Aurelio was incredibly soft at LB once again. Any problem our CM had was caused by not doing the right things on the day, not an inherent lack of defensive quality IMO.

**ronanm** · 28-09-06, 09:31 AM

I think Sissoko is more of a cavalier type - trying to break up attacks through confronting immediately rather than lying in wait like Hamann. We are definitely a lot more defensively exposed this season than last - which I think is due to the absence of a defender at left back (I acknowledge Aurelio was signed as left mid and has been filling in in Riise's absence), uncertainty in the centre of defence (Agger's partnership with Carra or Hyppia doesn't have the same understanding as Carr w/ Hyppia) and the fact we are more attacking minded now. Personally, I would prefer a return to traditional values (paly SG in his best position - THE RIGHT!) with Sissoko in the middle. Hyppia did not becpme a slow defender overnight, and given the defensive record last year his inclusion with Carra cannot be seen as a risk surely? Alternatively, switch to 3-5-2

Reina

----------Carra-Hyppia-Agger--------

Finnan---------------------------Riise

----Gerrard----Sissoko----Alonso-----

---------Kuyt---Crouch---------------

and have Pennant et al on as impact subs.....

**Bob** · 28-09-06, 09:34 AM

Originally posted by Red_Polo

I disagree. Between the two of them, Xabi and Ste have everything needed in a centre-mid partnership. Don't forget Xabi won more tackles than anyone else did for us last season, and it's not like Gerrard is any stranger to winning the ball. I know Momo is an absolute animal at closing people down and winning the ball, but our team should be able to function without that too. For me the problem was our wide midfielders didn't do the defensive work well enough whilst Aurelio was incredibly soft at LB once again. Any problem our CM had was caused by not doing the right things on the day, not an inherent lack of defensive quality IMO.

I take on-board what you say - they have the tools - however they don't have the discipline to carry them out IMO!

You're actually restricting Gerrard if you do give him a similar instruction to Momo. Keep him on the right with the shackles off i say.

**Red_Polo** · 28-09-06, 10:07 AM

Originally posted by Bob

I take on-board what you say - they have the tools - however they don't have the discipline to carry them out IMO!

You're actually restricting Gerrard if you do give him a similar instruction to Momo. Keep him on the right with the shackles off i say.

Well I don't think Gerrard in CM should be doing Momo's role anyway. I remember a Gerrard whose best work was done running at people from quite deep lying positions. If the wide men do their jobs defensively then Xabi and Stevie in the middle is more than enough for us to win and keep the ball efficiently, without SG being overworked in defence. Stevie is a great box to box player, not a hole player (giggle), so he should be able to cope with his defensive duties as well as attacking IMO.

Not to say I don't think it's a great idea to have him on the right, as long as our RB really gets forward - I don't like it when SG has to stay too wide. Something similar to Zidane at Real, he was great coming inside from the left with Carlos going outside him. Alright, Carlos is a nutter and we'd have to be more disciplined than that, but you get the idea. I think there's no doubt that our best midfield would have Xabi, Stevie and Momo in, but I think the onus is then on Finnan to get forward regularly if Ste is to play his best.

**Nic83** · 28-09-06, 10:42 AM

It was the defense that was ****e last night. Nothing to do with not having Sissoko in the centre of the park.

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