A major problem in our play

[Lecter]

I'm starting to think along the lines of MrM's 4-2-3-1 idea.

Alonso and Momo to start every game, we then have 3 interchangable players - Speedy, Garcia, Gerrard, Bellamy, Kewell, Zenden(!), Pennant(!!) - with one up top, Kuyt or Crouch.

Riise and Finnan at times will be able to provide some width, and one of the 3 can also break out wide.

I'd go 4-4-2 like the bulk of last season

Same back four every week (although when fit I'd put Agger back in instead of Sami)

Gerrard wide right, Alonso & Momo in the middle

Wide left is the position I would alter more than any other my 2 current first choices would be Garcia & Gonzalez, with Kewell coming in if & when fit

Upfront its Kuyt plus a.n. other and I personally would go with Crouch

[Shaggy]

I'd go 4-4-2 like the bulk of last season

Same back four every week (although when fit I'd put Agger back in instead of Sami)

Gerrard wide right, Alonso & Momo in the middle

Wide left is the position I would alter more than any other my 2 current first choices would be Garcia & Gonzalez, with Kewell coming in if & when fit

Upfront its Kuyt plus a.n. other and I personally would go with Crouch

[Diego]

I'd go 4-4-2 like the bulk of last season

Same back four every week (although when fit I'd put Agger back in instead of Sami)

Gerrard wide right, Alonso & Momo in the middle

Wide left is the position I would alter more than any other my 2 current first choices would be Garcia & Gonzalez, with Kewell coming in if & when fit

Upfront its Kuyt plus a.n. other and I personally would go with Crouch

it's the best we can do with that formation, but i'd like to see more of a 433 tried...

with momo behind alonso and gerrard, and with bells as a wide rightsided forward and garcia/gonsales on the left with Kuyt/crouch in the middle...

i think it would suit gerrar well he has the freedome to get in the box and roam around but also we could use he strenght in midfield.

but i don't think it is about where he plays, don't like to here the should play there or no he's much better there, he just needs to start playing properly, he needs to pick up his game, in firm gerrard could win the match at left back, he could do all the damage he wanted weather it would be left right center, he's just having a slow start...

[dww]

I actually think the problem is that unlike last season our midfield worries two much about covering the back four. I genuinely believe that with a solid base we would see the midfield play more positivey and us free players from the more rigid elements of the 4-4-2 formation, for a start as people have said most of our forwards are comfortable coming deep or wide.

[DeeGame]

Play 4-2-3-1

----------------reina----------------
-----Finnan-Carra--Agger--Riise------
------------Momo--Xabi-------------
--Gerrard-------Garcia-------Kewell--
----------------Kuyt----------------

[KK07]

Play 4-2-3-1

----------------reina----------------
-----Finnan-Carra--Agger--Riise------
------------Momo--Xabi-------------
--Gerrard-------Garcia-------Kewell--
----------------Kuyt----------------

Kewel is injured

[Red_Polo]

I actually think the problem is that unlike last season our midfield worries two much about covering the back four. I genuinely believe that with a solid base we would see the midfield play more positivey and us free players from the more rigid elements of the 4-4-2 formation, for a start as people have said most of our forwards are comfortable coming deep or wide.

I Agree. I think it stems from lack of confidence in the defence, we're almost scared stiff to play at times unless we're losing!

[Craig_H]

I cant help but think these new fangled formations arent necessary.

Just play 4-4-2 and take the shackles off at least ONE of the CMs, give him a boot up the backside and get him to get his arse into the box.

Simple.

[paulcooper4]

I cant help but think these new fangled formations arent necessary.

Just play 4-4-2 and take the shackles off at least ONE of the CMs, give him a boot up the backside and get him to get his arse into the box.

Simple.

Not necessarily, the reason we got overran in central midfield against blackburn was because Gerrard done just that. The ammount of times he ****ed off aroung the pitch trying to look like stevey hollywood and left poor xabi on his jack to battle them on his own was severely pissing me off. Ok, it might make Gerrard look good when it works now and again. BUT if he stays in midfield and strokes the ball round a bit more, we will dominate teams from the midfield area. This will make the team play much better, but unfortunately will lose stevey a bit of individual praise. So its safe to say he wont bother.

[MrMichael]

Play 4-2-3-1

----------------reina----------------
-----Finnan-Carra--Agger--Riise------
------------Momo--Xabi-------------
--Gerrard-------Garcia-------Kewell--
----------------Kuyt----------------

So many of the players we have would be interchangable in that formation on any given day, and it's Rafa's instinctual formation too. I have yet to see one good argument against the 4-2-3-1 formations that've been suggested in this thread

[BobTheCharmer]

1) these so call 'heroes' of ours that Rafa has assembled aren't quite up to scratch.
2) Rafa like GH tends to have a safety first approach to football.

The other 3 are better than us, have more attacking players and thats it.

[Rich]

The other three have better attacking players than us, and that's it.

Rafa can work marvels with teamwork and hard work, but when some of your key players are not performing, it's tough.

Would we have really said that 10 games into the season and Gerrard is yet to get off the mark?

[Shaggy]

The other three have better attacking players than us, and that's it.

Rafa can work marvels with teamwork and hard work, but when some of your key players are not performing, it's tough.

Would we have really said that 10 games into the season and Gerrard is yet to get off the mark?

Not really that surprising IMO. I think last season was a bit of a freak in terms of goalscoring from Gerrard.

Prior to last season, it was always the one aspect of his game that was patently below par. He often used to lament not scoring enough goals and, unless I’m mistaken, his previous best season was when he got about 10/12 goals –around the same tally as Murphy and in the same year (2002?). I believe they also had a bet amongst themselves that season. Other than that, he’d return poor-ish totals. Does anyone have his season by season goalscoring records?

We certainly can’t be relying on Gerrard to score 20+ in all comps again this season. I’d be delighted with 10 league goals.

[Rich]

Not really that surprising IMO. I think last season was a bit of a freak in terms of goalscoring from Gerrard.

Prior to last season, it was always the one aspect of his game that was patently below par. He often used to lament not scoring enough goals and, unless I’m mistaken, his previous best season was when he got about 10/12 goals –around the same tally as Murphy and in the same year (2002?). I believe they also had a bet amongst themselves that season. Other than that, he’d return poor-ish totals. Does anyone have his season by season goalscoring records?

We certainly can’t be relying on Gerrard to score 20+ in all comps again this season. I’d be delighted with 10 league goals.

Fair enough 10 league goals is great, but that is one every 3.8 league games. He's gone 8 without one.

There is a real lack of cohesion with how we are playing at the moment.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

I'd go 4-4-2 like the bulk of last season

Same back four every week (although when fit I'd put Agger back in instead of Sami)

Gerrard wide right, Alonso & Momo in the middle

Wide left is the position I would alter more than any other my 2 current first choices would be Garcia & Gonzalez, with Kewell coming in if & when fit

Upfront its Kuyt plus a.n. other and I personally would go with Crouch

Totally agree. We need to get back to basics.

Garcia and Gonzalez need to play more. Garcia's an annoying little **** at times, but at least he moves, can create and score. He gives defenders something to think about.

The big mystery for me is why Gonzalez isn't starting more. I just don't get it. In limited action already he's scored twice, shown he has pace and a powerful shot. Yet Aurelio and Zenden have taken playing time off him. Bizarre.

In retrospect losing out on Alves was a massive blow. I reckon Rafa's plan was to use Alves at right back, allowing Stevie G to play wide right - allowing him more freedom than if he was playing infield - to constantly cut inside and get at defences with Alves bombing up and down the right flank providing the width. Instead Rafa's settled for the second rate Pennant forcing Gerrard to be rotated/accommodated on the left, and it's hurting his form, and by extention the teams results.