What to do with a problem like Gerrard?

[Drago]

Johnson-----Carra----Agger----Aurellio

------------Raul------Lucas

Gerrard----------Cole----------Nzogbia

-----------------Torres

Kelly
Skrtel
Konchesky
Shelvey
Pacheco
Kuyt
Maxi
Ngog

That will do until season ends & would require very little outlay in January. Kuyt and Maxi can fill any of the front three behind nando role.

[saj]

Had his best goal scoring season from there plus we'd have pace out wide and decent crosses for FT.

His best goal scoring season was 2008/2009 where he hit 24 goals in all competitions - he hit 16 goals in the league and played the whole season off Torres.

In the season you are referring to, he scored a lot of goals in the Champions league qualifiers and only got 10 goals in the Premier league. In total he finished with 23 goals of which Red Polo pointed out, the majority of open play goals he scored that season were from when he was played in midfield and not the right.

[saj]

Johnson-----Carra----Agger----Aurellio

------------Raul------Lucas

Gerrard----------Cole----------Nzogbia

-----------------Torres

Kelly
Skrtel
Konchesky
Shelvey
Pacheco
Kuyt
Maxi
Ngog

That will do until season ends & would require very little outlay in January. Kuyt and Maxi can fill any of the front three behind nando role.

That is laughable. The ever impressive, mighty, reliable Cole instead of Gerrard in the middle

[Drago]

That is laughable. The ever impressive, mighty, reliable Cole instead of Gerrard in the middle

Or Kuyt, Pacheco or Maxi. Gerrard can drift about on the right.

[Arn]

If we play 4-4-2 then he really doesn't get into the starting XI in central midfield. Then you can discuss who is the best option on the right or left. If we signed up better wide players then he would simply not be good enough to start the games.

It's only when we play with attacking midfielders or second strikers that he get into the starting XI.

Lucas and Meireles first choice central midfield.

As I said so many times before. Gerrard isn't a must. We often play better without him. He is a very good player but he is on the way down.

The problem is that he can't do what many other players do when they get older and change position in the starting XI. He isn't good enough to do that.

When we sign up better wide players then his time is up.

You can take Scholes as an example. He played attacking midfield and now play in central midfield. That is a step Gerrard isn't good enough to do.

It's second striker or attacking midfield that counts for the rest of his career.

[Neil Young]

Or Kuyt, Pacheco or Maxi. Gerrard can drift about on the right.

Gerrard in the middle and Ilabn on the right.

[Drago]

If we play 4-4-2 then he really doesn't get into the starting XI in central midfield. Then you can discuss who is the best option on the right or left. If we signed up better wide players then he would simply not be good enough to start the games.

It's only when we play with attacking midfielders or second strikers that he get into the starting XI.

Lucas and Meireles first choice central midfield.

As I said so many times before. Gerrard isn't a must. We often play better without him. He is a very good player but he is on the way down.

The problem is that he can't do what many other players do when they get older and change position in the starting XI. He isn't good enough to do that.

When we sign up better wide players then his time is up.

You can take Scholes as an example. He played attacking midfield and now play in central midfield. That is a step Gerrard isn't good enough to do.

It's second striker or attacking midfield that counts for the rest of his career.

Bollocks. Gerrard is the best right mid, centre mid, left mid and right back at the club. It's just a matter of where is best for the team.

[Tee]

Play him behind Torres.


Close thread.

[Neil Young]

If we play 4-4-2 then he really doesn't get into the starting XI in central midfield. Then you can discuss who is the best option on the right or left. If we signed up better wide players then he would simply not be good enough to start the games.

It's only when we play with attacking midfielders or second strikers that he get into the starting XI.

Lucas and Meireles first choice central midfield.

As I said so many times before. Gerrard isn't a must. We often play better without him. He is a very good player but he is on the way down.

The problem is that he can't do what many other players do when they get older and change position in the starting XI. He isn't good enough to do that.

When we sign up better wide players then his time is up.

You can take Scholes as an example. He played attacking midfield and now play in central midfield. That is a step Gerrard isn't good enough to do.

It's second striker or attacking midfield that counts for the rest of his career.

I'm not sure Scholes is that good an example anyway. He always seems a liability in a CM two, although obviously I'd agree his playmaking skills are still excellent. I haven't seen much of Man United for years but isn't he usually more effective in a central three with the likes of Carrick and Fletcher to help him out?

[dww]

I'm not sure Scholes is that good an example anyway. He always seems a liability in a CM two, although obviously I'd agree his playmaking skills are still excellent. I haven't seen much of Man United for years but isn't he usually more effective in a central three with the likes of Carrick and Fletcher to help him out?

I think that is when he is good in tough matches but in a lot of games I've seen he has been in there with one of others in a CM pairing. He seems to have started dropping deeper when doing that (and largely stopped tackling). I think he has been excellent in that role against the weaker teams in the last couple of seasons.

[dww]

Scored most goals in a season when he played out side often, yes, but not necessarily because of it. I remember around that time someone did a breakdown of the goals he scored that season, and sure enough the overwhelming majority of his open play goals came from when he was played in a central role.

I'm not sure the precise position is the main factor. IMO you tend to want to divide your team into a back four, two controlling players and 4 attacking players. Gerrard should always be in the last category. Depending on the other players at our disposal he will do a very good job anywhere in an attacking role behind a striker.

[Exiled_red]

I'd have to agree and say that with the players we currently have, that is our best lineup (although I'd swap Carra for Skrtel).

Problem is that when the midfield struggles, Gerrard goes back to help out and Nando is isolated all on his own.

This lineup also contradicts many people's call for pacey wingers though. Kuyt and Cole are always going to come in and get involved in the middle.
It's a headwrecker.

I'd swap Skrtel for Carragher when he gets back, but that is the 11 I'd put out for the next game

[DannyMan2006]

If Rijkaard came in and went 433, he'd be excellent on the right of the front or middle three.

[Leyton388]

Put the Bodge into a sack, throw him in the river then hire a manager who knows what he's doing with players like Stevie.

[Cormack74]

Scored most goals in a season when he played out side often, yes, but not necessarily because of it. I remember around that time someone did a breakdown of the goals he scored that season, and sure enough the overwhelming majority of his open play goals came from when he was played in a central role.

His best goal scoring season was 2008/2009 where he hit 24 goals in all competitions - he hit 16 goals in the league and played the whole season off Torres.

In the season you are referring to, he scored a lot of goals in the Champions league qualifiers and only got 10 goals in the Premier league. In total he finished with 23 goals of which Red Polo pointed out, the majority of open play goals he scored that season were from when he was played in midfield and not the right.

Whilst you fella's are checking the stats how many assists did he provide when playing out wide, because so long as someone's scoring goals it doesn't much matter whether that someone is SG or AN other.

Either would be welcome right now.