Gerrard - his time has come as a CM...?

[badpiggy]

What do people think? I think that despite our desperate need for some sort of creativity in CM, SG is not the man to provide it. Rafa understood the instinctive, athletically explosive heart of Gerrard's game. I'm not sure where he goes when this begins to desert him - maybe his decline has started already - but I'm totally unconvinced that CM is the place for him to go. He's capable of a defence splitting pass but I'm not sure that he has the patience and the eye to move things forward in a couple of stages or indeed to win the ball in CM style, make space and involve other players like Scholes, Fabregas, Xavi, Alonso etc...

There's a lot resting on Mereiles for me. As long as Roy sees him - even at home - as the man to drive us forward from midfield (and assuming he's good enough to begin with), then SG is destined for playing off Torres in an essentially free role across the opposition back 4. if Roys sees SG as a CM, then there are only one of 3 options to believe:

1. Roy believes the Sky hype and SG's conviction about himself. Bad.
2. Roy believes himself that SG's best position is at CM. Despite the fact that Rafa got the best out of him behind Torres and previously on the right - and left -wing. Bad.
3. Roy believes that he can convert a slowing SG into a more patient analytical, keep us moving classic CM. Good luck with that.

[Arn]

Use him in the same position as Rafa did. A totally free position without to much defensive responsibility.

It's a must for us to get the best out of Gerrard and you limit him to much if you play him as a central midfielder.

[Kenneth]

Stevie lacks the discipline for CM and leaves his position too often. As he slows down, he either won't stray as far, or he will but will be less able to regain his position. Not sure really. Not many other options for him when he hits his mid 30s. Right back maybe.

[lancinleeds]

I would play him in the centre let him run games and get him involved when things aren't going right. Too often last season I thought he underperformed with a can't be arsed attitude because he didn't have to track back as much. Play Cole in behind.

[Fredo]

I think he'll ideally go back to central midfield but he is at his best just behind a main striker, particularly Torres. It's a bit of a conundrum, as we don't have a good enough midfield to provide both Torres and Gerrard with good balls, unless Meireles can provide the impetus from that position.

[Shaggy]

He scored 59 goals in the last three seasons playing in the advanced, free role. 20 goals a season. Why would you change that?

I understand with Alonso we were able to get the ball to him much more so than we do with the black hole of Poulsen and Lucas. Hopefully Meireles will make a difference.

Different games and situations in certain games will require him to drop back, but generally speaking for me he has to play off Nando (Cole left).

[Fredo]

He scored 59 goals in the last three seasons playing in the advanced, free role. 20 goals a season. Why would you change that?

I understand with Alonso we were able to get the ball to him much more so than we do with the black hole of Poulsen and Lucas. Hopefully Meireles will make a difference.

Different games and situations in certain games will require him to drop back, but generally speaking for me he has to play off Nando (Cole left).

Unequivocal, but he's equally the best we have in CM at the moment which also shows how ludicrous a decision it was to let Aquilani go. I don't think Meireles is a playmaker as such, but I haven't seen him that much to be certain that he won't be able to fill in that role.

[Neil Young]

He scored 59 goals in the last three seasons playing in the advanced, free role. 20 goals a season. Why would you change that?

I understand with Alonso we were able to get the ball to him much more so than we do with the black hole of Poulsen and Lucas. Hopefully Meireles will make a difference.

Different games and situations in certain games will require him to drop back, but generally speaking for me he has to play off Nando (Cole left).

Although when you think about it it isn't funny really.

[CJ]

would any other manager of got the stick Rafa got for getting that many goals out of Gerrard?

i would hope that RM can fill the alonso shaped gap in CM (not as good obviously but hopefully can do that job)

i do think that eventually Gerrard will drop back and be Gary Mack like etc.

Giggs has played centrally and Barnes did in the end for a bit so its fairly common

[IN_RAFA_WE_TRUST]

Also vote on this

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/drivetime/polls

Linekar is beating our Rushie right now.

[Muddled]

We need a midfield three that consists of a 'destroyer' (Mascherano), a 'quarterback' (Alonso) and a 'box-to-box' (Gerrard) to replicate that with the piss-poor options we have at the moment, Poulsen needs to destroy (or more appropriately 'mop up'), Gerrard needs to take the role of quarterback and instigate moves and create the tempo and hopefully Meireles can be the box-to-box midfielder.

It's a catch 22 situation at the moment, in Lucas can't fit *any* of those roles, Poulsen is past it and Meireles is an unknown quantity. Gerrard's best position is behind Torres, (un)fortunately Cole can do a job behind him too, so in my eyes Gerrard needs to drop back for the good of the team.

[little dave hedgehog]

between gerrard and meireles, not sure at this point who would slot where, but we still need to replace xabi, unfortunately. if gerrard is moved back, i hope to hell joe cole and torres get along ok. breaking up torrard can't be an easy decision.

[CJ]

We need a midfield three that consists of a 'destroyer' (Mascherano), a 'quarterback' (Alonso) and a 'box-to-box' (Gerrard) to replicate that with the piss-poor options we have at the moment, Poulsen needs to destroy (or more appropriately 'mop up'), Gerrard needs to take the role of quarterback and instigate moves and create the tempo and hopefully Meireles can be the box-to-box midfielder.

It's a catch 22 situation at the moment, in Lucas can't fit *any* of those roles, Poulsen is past it and Meireles is an unknown quantity. Gerrard's best position is behind Torres, (un)fortunately Cole can do a job behind him too, so in my eyes Gerrard needs to drop back for the good of the team.

i must be a simple man but i think it would be better with footballers.

[little dave hedgehog]

Although when you think about it it isn't funny really.

it is actually the axis of evil. double axis really, if you want to get technical.

[little dave hedgehog]

i voted i have another view, yadda yadda, but really i don't have a clear picture of what we should be doing with the midfield, although i am certain the axis of evil isn't the answer. just hoping for the best at this point.