Until Aquilani is fit

[The_weatherman]

I agree Riera offers more in the build up, as does Yossi. They have more composure on the ball and more imagination. Babel offers a more direct threat and is one of the only players in our squad who can beat a man. A very different threat to those two. Yesterday the team didn't get going so Babel was left continually surrounded and was never left one on one with the full back - his forte. As such he suffered.

Babel is looking rather out of sorts at this team IMO, he can be used as a sub but with the way we play and taking into account how teams set up against us, he doesn't offer us anything.

If we had got going Tottenham could have fallen back a bit so Babel wouldn't have any space to use and again be useless. We should have gotten rid.

[zimbo]

Spot on Zimbo! Great post.

I guess the argument would then be who plays up top with Torres? I think that lack of options is why people are reluctant to agree with splitting up their partnership.

I have players in mind who I think could do a job, but I see why people disagree. Some tend to think that in solving one problem we would be creating another.

I can see that as a more realistic reason for keeping things as they are than any misgivings about Gerrard's ability to play the midfield role. The only current options for me are Benayoun or Kuyt.

Completely correct - I will never forget being on the phone to my Dad walking down Utting Ave to the car after a game, saying I'd never seen a string of performances like the one Gerrard had put together.

However that was 6 years ago, and only one season. Gerrard's passing these days is erratic to say the very least. He struggles to dictate play from so deep, and tries to force the issue too often. It's why Benitez moved him out of there in the first place. Shifting him back into midfield would be a knee-jerk reaction to one defeat.

I actually think that Gerrrard's passing has matured and he is now a lot less likely to attempt the 60 yard Hollywood ball that has brought him a lot of criticism down the years. I think you could see in the last 20 minutes against Atletico, as well as yesterday, that the whole team's dynamic changes when Gerrrard gets on the ball in the midfield area. I think because he is now our only provider of decent early balls pinged in to feet with pace and he doesn't stand still after playing a pass - he's on the move looking for a return.

Also, and this was sadly absent for much of yesterday, his first thought is always to look forward and to hit the front men as soon as possible. It makes a big difference when the opposition midfield is turned before it has the chance to cut off your options.

I certainly wouldn't see it as a reaction to one defeat (although doubtless the press would) but more as a way to get the best out of our best players and, in the short term, as the best way to compensate for Alonso's absence.

[DannyMan2006]

I'm not sure what our midfield pairing of Mascha and Lucas were supposed to do as they constantly watched the ball sailing 100 foot over their heads.

They were supposed to find space. It would also be nice if once in a while one of them had demanded the ball and then done something with it. I could moan at Lucas and blame him since he was supposed to be the ball player, but that would be like blaming Torres if he was played in goal and had a bad game. Lucas is not a ball playing midfield player and never will be. He is a box to box player or maybe at a push a defensive midfielder. But he is not a Xabi Alonso who will sit back and spray the ball about.

[red g]

They were supposed to find space. It would also be nice if once in a while one of them had demanded the ball and then done something with it. I could moan at Lucas and blame him since he was supposed to be the ball player, but that would be like blaming Torres if he was played in goal and had a bad game. Lucas is not a ball playing midfield player and never will be. He is a box to box player or maybe at a push a defensive midfielder. But he is not a Xabi Alonso who will sit back and spray the ball about.

think thats the problem we looked like we hadnt been working on new ways for the team to work.

Its obvious now Xabi is not there for carragher and skrtel to pass to and we dont have xabi to find those balls we need a new way of playing.

Sticking lucas there is a recipe for disaster it wont work becuase he isnt that sort of player.

I honestly cannot work out what rafa was trying to do yesterday, the momentum of the team looked all wrong and we just didnt have the answers from the bench ( bar benni)

[DannyMan2006]

I honestly cannot work out what rafa was trying to do yesterday, the momentum of the team looked all wrong and we just didnt have the answers from the bench ( bar benni)

Some would argue that we did have the options and that once the changes were made we improved and were the better team. I would argue otherwise and say that this was probably down to Spurs dropping deep and allowing us space.

[gentingfrmhell]

we had an off day. afew players werent up to scratch.

i believe the match just showcased the teams same old problems. we were poor defending set pieces , gerard couldnt deliver a corner properly and we had no decent attacking options on the bench(other then benni whom most of u think shld be in the starting lineup)

[DannyMan2006]

we had an off day. afew players werent up to scratch.

i believe the match just showcased the teams same old problems. we were poor defending set pieces , gerard couldnt deliver a corner properly and we had no decent attacking options on the bench(other then benni whom most of u think shld be in the starting lineup)

We were a much smaller team than Spurs and suffered from set pieces.

[Scratch]

People seem to be underestimating just how hard Spurs worked yesterday....every where on the pitch they seemed to have that extra man, to close us down in posession of the ball and allow us no time to play. We were outplayed on the day, and having Gerrard in the midfield would not have made a bit of difference, nor Alonso i feel...we got pressurised, and we capitulated. Putting the blame on Lucas seems inane, as he did well given that he had no one around him who could keep hold of the ball....Torres lost it every time he got it, Babel was out-muscled every time, Kuyt got marked out the game and Gerrard was well below Parr, and Mascher, from the moment he picked up an early yellow card (harsh as well...where was he supposed to go...yes it was a foul, but a yellow?), was obviously not the same terrier he usually is...

...yet Lucas is the scapegoat for failing against Spurs. A Spurs side who, under Redknapp, will be a tough match for anyone, especially if Palacious and Huddlestone can play like that week in, week out.

Anyway, we can complain all we like, cos against Stoke it will be the same formation, the only change maybe Benny for Babel.

[DannyMan2006]

People seem to be underestimating just how hard Spurs worked yesterday....every where on the pitch they seemed to have that extra man, to close us down in posession of the ball and allow us no time to play. We were outplayed on the day, and having Gerrard in the midfield would not have made a bit of difference, nor Alonso i feel...we got pressurised, and we capitulated. Putting the blame on Lucas seems inane, as he did well given that he had no one around him who could keep hold of the ball....Torres lost it every time he got it, Babel was out-muscled every time, Kuyt got marked out the game and Gerrard was well below Parr, and Mascher, from the moment he picked up an early yellow card (harsh as well...where was he supposed to go...yes it was a foul, but a yellow?), was obviously not the same terrier he usually is...

...yet Lucas is the scapegoat for failing against Spurs. A Spurs side who, under Redknapp, will be a tough match for anyone, especially if Palacious and Huddlestone can play like that week in, week out.

Anyway, we can complain all we like, cos against Stoke it will be the same formation, the only change maybe Benny for Babel.

Spurs did work hard but we should have done the same. But I think they just cut the supply to the CM too easy and restricted their movements to easy.

And I am not focusing the blame on Lucas. Mascherano was jsut as culpable. I only say drop Lucas because him and Masch don't work together. And as Masch is the best in the world at what he does, that I'm afraid to say would see me dropping Lucas.

[Baracus]

Surely People aren't expecting Aquilani to hit the gorund running and play well, bed into the team and formation get used to the players around striaght away. We've got Lucas, Mach and Gerrard for a while.

[red g]

Spurs did work hard but we should have done the same. But I think they just cut the supply to the CM too easy and restricted their movements to easy.

And I am not focusing the blame on Lucas. Mascherano was jsut as culpable. I only say drop Lucas because him and Masch don't work together. And as Masch is the best in the world at what he does, that I'm afraid to say would see me dropping Lucas.

[Scratch]

I just think that game was a one off, and we got our asses handed to us. And to say that because Mascher is so good...well, on the evidence of that game, he ain't all that, and if a player deserves to be left out at the expense of Gerrard, maybe it should be Mascher...after all, from what i can remember of that game, Lucas got in a fair few interceptions and tackles, was tidy on the ball and generally outplayed Mascherano.

Besides, the few times i can recall seeing Gerrard and Mascher, it really hasn't worked well at all...Gerrard and Xabi did, but not Gerrard and Mascher...have Gerrard and Lucas ever played midfield behind Torres and AN Other.

Also, the Gerrard/Torres partnership didn't seem to click yesterday...a fair few times i was beumsed by the choices of passes in the final third by Gerrard and Kuyt...ignoring the easy through ball (well, from the comfort of my chair anyway) and instead spreading the ball to the fullbacks.

But, i'm going for the same 11 (or 10, if Babel does get dropped) against Stoke, and a good win as well, to get the season rolling.

[red g]

i wonder whether alonso leaving has had an effect on morale

[Tee]

I wonder what Xabi felt watching us yesterday - I assume he would have watched the game. Such a shame rafa and him could not have just kissed and made up - those were the good old days when Xabi was Rafa's man on the pitch. Miss him so much.

[Kenneth]

Surely People aren't expecting Aquilani to hit the gorund running and play well, bed into the team and formation get used to the players around striaght away. We've got Lucas, Mach and Gerrard for a while.

Hmm. It's not a good start to the season is it. Was always going to happen when selling Alonso so late but buying a crocked replacement doesn't help.