Stevie Gerrard and CM

[DannyMan2006]

A true enigma. The greatest player we have, yet the cause of much problems.

I look closely and I see our greatest problems being our biggest weakness. There is no doubt in my mind that whilst central midfield is our strongest position it causes to many problems.

It seems that Rafa feels the need to play 3 of Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano and Lucas. I can see why, some top players there, but it is not always the best players that win games, it's the best team.

Against Stoke we should be 442. I can think of god knows how many ways we could have played it ahead of what was picked.

Due to Alonso being injured I would have gone with Stevie in the centre with Mascher and Keane and Kuyt up front.

But in future I must say I would seriously consider playing Stevie on the right. It's a crying shame to do it, but in a 442 we still have Alonso and Mascherano who can play in the middle and Torres and Keane up front. That would leave Gerrard on the RW. I don't like it, but put Gerrard in anyother posiion and we have to take one of the other 4 out and put Yossi on - who is in my opinion not a Liverpool class player.

We have two top strikers - Keane and Torres
We have two top class midfielders - Mascherano and Alonso
We have two top class Left wingers - Riera and Babel
We have a superb defence and 'keeper.

We have ****ing no one for the right midfield. I'd rather we signed one but that aint gonna happen. Maybe it's time to dampen down our best player in order to make the best team.

[kev776]

Valid points, but be prepared to be hammered for this opener of the can containing the worms.

[Elvoz]

a tidy post mate but my eyes are playin me up

babel top class

[barnes10]

A true enigma. The greatest player we have, yet the cause of much problems.

I look closely and I see our greatest problems being our biggest weakness. There is no doubt in my mind that whilst central midfield is our strongest position it causes to many problems.

It seems that Rafa feels the need to play 3 of Gerrard, Alonso, Mascherano and Lucas. I can see why, some top players there, but it is not always the best players that win games, it's the best team.

Against Stoke we should be 442. I can think of god knows how many ways we could have played it ahead of what was picked.

Due to Alonso being injured I would have gone with Stevie in the centre with Mascher and Keane and Kuyt up front.

But in future I must say I would seriously consider playing Stevie on the right. It's a crying shame to do it, but in a 442 we still have Alonso and Mascherano who can play in the middle and Torres and Keane up front. That would leave Gerrard on the RW. I don't like it, but put Gerrard in anyother posiion and we have to take one of the other 4 out and put Yossi on - who is in my opinion not a Liverpool class player.

We have two top strikers - Keane and Torres
We have two top class midfielders - Mascherano and Alonso
We have two top class Left wingers - Riera and Babel
We have a superb defence and 'keeper.

We have ****ing no one for the right midfield. I'd rather we signed one but that aint gonna happen. Maybe it's time to dampen down our best player in order to make the best team.

i totally agree with this. stevie had a phenomenal season starting from the right and can do it again with quality fullback cover. it gives keane and torres the chance to build up a partnership too.

[JohnDoe]

I think we should line up with Alonso & Gerrard as our first choice central midfield. Mascherano hinders our game when we're faced with a team parking the bus in front of their goal.

[SimonNo7]

I completely agree and have said so before. Stevie had a great season on the right and is better in that position than Kuyt. This would then allow Keane to play in his favoured position and perhaps we would get the best out of him.

A midfield of Riera - Mascha - Alonso - Gerrard looks damn good to me!

[Baldemort]

I can see what we would gain from putting Stevie out on the right, but think of what we would lose in the middle. He's a good right winger, but a world class CM.

[redlancer]

I think we should line up with Alonso & Gerrard as our first choice central midfield. Mascherano hinders our game when we're faced with a team parking the bus in front of their goal.

I disagree, Alonso then plays the holding midfield player and Steive either roams and leaves the middle exposed or stays in the middle and we miss his runs into the box.
I'm sure in this formation Alonso ends up doing more tackles than anyone else on the pitch.

I like the Mascher and Alonso as the CM - you have 2 players that can be disciplined and it alows Alonso to play a further up the pitch knowing he has backup. Alonso needs to be the one feeding Steive and co IMO.

I'd go with the call off putting Steive on the right and playing Keane behind Torres.
I still think Keane is down to play with Torres and that's maybe why he hasn't featured as much.

The only time Steive should of been in the CM is when Alonso and Agger arn't playing as the passing for the forwards is missing.

[anfieldanfield]

After Istanbul, I doon't think Rafa will ever truly trust Gerrard+1 in central midfield.

[dww]

Earlier this season and last we have used Gerrard in the central midfield partnership. He has improved the positional discipline that let him down in Istanbul no end but he is not ideally suited to the role against big teams and you loose a lot of the things you gain with him in a more advanced position.

Gerrard used to be an excellent option on the right but he doesn't like it and it now affects his performances there on a regular basis. If he does it then it has to be for specific one off purposes now IMO.

[wiw]

I can see your point but it varies from game to game?

At home we will go 4-4-2. Away from home we will go for 4-2-3-1. The difference between the two is minimal anyway though and is only really down to personell rather than the formation so much

I would still keep him in the middle...whilst some see Kuyt being 'too defensive' as a disadvantage I don't see it that way as he keeps the ball well (IMO) and wins it back which is invaluable high up the pitch. So yeah, Gerrard in the middle for me

[barnes10]

I can see what we would gain from putting Stevie out on the right, but think of what we would lose in the middle. He's a good right winger, but a world class CM.

he's a world class AM. like zidane, ronaldo and messi. yes he can play as a CM but really, he can be everywhere from the right as he's proved.

also, its about the team and playing our best 11 players. giving alonso and masher the games to become formidable together and the same with keane and torres means that our best bet is with stevie roaming from the right.

[alexjamestodd]

Our best team this year has had xabi and mascher in the middle - both holding but with xabi as a playmaker and with gerrard slotting in behind the main striker. This of course leaves keane out the picture..............

Gerrard has been phenomenol the last two seasons playing as a second striker and not as a cm

[Baldemort]

AM/CM, whatever. Do you guys think he's not world class at CM? He is. Mash has been poor this season. Our best CM pairing is Gerrard and Xabi. Play them in a 442 with Kuyt (sadly) on the right and Riera on the left with Keane and Torres up front.

Moving Gerrard to the right is a big step up from Kuyt, but it seems as if Rafa will play Keane and Torres in a 442, leaving Xabi and whoever in the middle. With Mash's current form. i'd much rather have Gerrard with Xabi than Mash. CM is a critical part of the field. Moreso than RM. Gaining 40% on a less important part of the pitch (RM) to lose 50% on a critical part of the field (CM) is nuts.

Stevie has made it very clear that he prefers to play in the middle. Leave him there. Next to Xabi in a 442 or just behind Torres in 4231. Kuyt and Babel can fight it out for RM.

Although, to be honest, the whole thing would have been far easier if Rafa hadn't wasted £20 mill on Keane as opposed to a top notch RM.

[barnes10]

AM/CM, whatever. Do you guys think he's not world class at CM? He is. Mash has been poor this season. Our best CM pairing is Gerrard and Xabi. Play them in a 442 with Kuyt (sadly) on the right and Riera on the left with Keane and Torres up front.

Moving Gerrard to the right is a big step up from Kuyt, but it seems as if Rafa will play Keane and Torres in a 442, leaving Xabi and whoever in the middle. With Mash's current form. i'd much rather have Gerrard with Xabi than Mash. CM is a critical part of the field. Moreso than RM. Gaining 40% on a less important part of the pitch (RM) to lose 50% on a critical part of the field (CM) is nuts.

Stevie has made it very clear that he prefers to play in the middle. Leave him there. Next to Xabi in a 442 or just behind Torres in 4231. Kuyt and Babel can fight it out for RM.

Although, to be honest, the whole thing would have been far easier if Rafa hadn't wasted £20 mill on Keane as opposed to a top notch RM.

fit our best 11 into one team and tell me where you put gerrard.

you'd basically put keane or kuyt in ahead of alonso or masher or lose keane altogether.

i just happen to think our strongest 11 has keane in it with torres and that means either gerrard in CM or on the right. if he's CM then we take on kuyt and lose masher. if he's on the right then we keep masher and lose kuyt.

hence why i think stevie should be on the right. you make it sound like starting a match on the right means he'll never touch the ball in the centre. look at zidane's role from the left, messi from the right. there's a reason why the most successful teams do that for this kind of player. its why we should too.