My match thoughts....

[Guest]

Sorry disagree with you about alonso. He was spraying passes short and long, through the air and on the ground. Today's was his best performance for us this season. He was also aggressive. Top performance all round.

[Morph]

Sorry disagree with you about alonso. He was spraying passes short and long, through the air and on the ground. Today's was his best performance for us this season. He was also aggressive. Top performance all round.

Perhaps, I was focussing more on other players when watching today, but he didn't really stand out for me. Will prob watch the highlights again tonight and might change my mind. I'm more thinking of a way for Gerrards inclusion in the middle, because the two times he latched onto the ball in the middle and starting driving forward he looked menacing, whereas today he was a bit quiet on the wing but played well. And I wouldn't like to see a 4-5-1 at home, but thought we lacked a genuine winger today.

Of course we won and it's all good today anyway, just in future we might wan't to consider the wing play a bit more, because Garcia I thought was very good on the left today and it showed.

[WILF]

nah mate it's not bollocks you just think differently

Pennant played well in widweek and would have been good to see if he could have carried it on, and this would have been a good game for it, when we were getting so much space down the right hand side. Gerrards instinct is to go middle, and Finnan found himself in acres of space on the right many times.

Obviously I don't want to see Xabi get an injury, but for me he played too many short passes today and wasn't as threatening untill the second half when he started to get forward more. OF the two in the middle Xabi is the most expendable, and the two chances Gerrard had with the ball in middle - one resulted in a goal and one a near miss.

I'm not knocking Sami at all, just would like to see him carry the ball further in future, before giving the pass. Agger is better distribution wise, and it's obvious he's going to take his place sooner or later. Nothing against Sami's performance today thought he was good, just in general we could do with a bit more creativity from the back.

I agree with a lot of what you say regarding Alonso and Sami
They are both quality players, but do they do enough for us???

I think it is obvious that Agger will take Sami's place soon

A CM pair of Momo and SG ??? Could be very interesting !!!

Xabi is a great passer and a good tackler but .............is he really necessary???

[Howard_lfc]

Post a pic of yourself on hols semi-nude. It'll please rocket & kaip buddy.

after the stick i took last time?

no way fella. I'm back to being anonymous again!!

[Tom]

Hmmmm. Is xabi necessary? He's the best passer at the club and I'd argue the most *intelligent* player that we can put on the park. We'd miss him hugely if he wasn't playing.

He was outstanding today, I suggest you watch the match again.

[Chris]

He was outstanding today.

And as a result so were the team. Gerrard might be our best all round player but Xabi is the man who makes us tick.

[Morph]

One thing I still wonder about:

Okay lets say Pennant starts doing well on the wing or if he doesn't we bring in another right winger who's the nuts - where does Gerrard play?

It only leaves the middle or in the hole, which would require us to play with one forward, or with three defenders, and I don't see the formation changing.

So surely one of Sissoko or Alonso will be dropped, or will it be Gerrard?

[Howard_lfc]

One thing I still wonder about:

Okay lets say Pennant starts doing well on the wing or if he doesn't we bring in another right winger who's the nuts - where does Gerrard play?

It only leaves the middle or in the hole, which would require us to play with one forward, or with three defenders, and I don't see the formation changing.

So surely one of Sissoko or Alonso will be dropped, or will it be Gerrard?

Gerrard ws player of the season last year - playing on the right. He scored 23? goals - and got goal of the season.
You just said it yourself that when he comes inside he creates chances so it's obviously not a restricted role. The only problem I see with SG on the right is that when he's not there - we have nobody else capable of doing the job to a similar standard. Pennant is not the answer - and will turn out to be an expensive flop.

[Tom]

Rafa's clever, he deliberatey buys **** right wingers so has to play Gerrard there.



but seriously, I don't see it as being a problem. If Alves comes he's an attacking full back. Pennant isn't first choice for right, Gerrard is. If anyone should be worried about his future it should be Finnan.

[Morph]

Gerrard ws player of the season last year - playing on the right. He scored 23? goals - and got goal of the season.
You just said it yourself that when he comes inside he creates chances so it's obviously not a restricted role. The only problem I see with SG on the right is that when he's not there - we have nobody else capable of doing the job to a similar standard. Pennant is not the answer - and will turn out to be an expensive flop.

Doesn't really offer an answer to the question though does it. Rafa obviously brough Pennant in to do the job on the right, (whether he will or not is up for debate), so Stevie could come off the wing, but where does he go when he's not on the right.

[Guest]

Rafa's clever, he deliberatey buys **** right wingers so has to play Gerrard there.



but seriously, I don't see it as being a problem. If Alves comes he's an attacking full back. Pennant isn't first choice for right, Gerrard is. If anyone should be worried about his future it should be Finnan.

Alves will be competing with Finnan for that right back slot next year ... don't know if it's gonna be in January or next season but we'll be awesome next season attacking wise. I think Rafa has it in his plans to evolve like that and that's why we've been shipping some goals in due to this evolution.

[Guest]

Pennant will also come good. He has quality and is still young. He'll be learning with Rafa in charge, much like Crouch who is a very different player to what he was.

[Howard_lfc]

Doesn't really offer an answer to the question though does it. Rafa obviously brough Pennant in to do the job on the right, (whether he will or not is up for debate), so Stevie could come off the wing, but where does he go when he's not on the right.

He competes with Xabi and Momo for CM. Or he can still play RM if required.

If we played 3-5-2 he'd be awsome between xabi and momo - but further forward.

[Morph]

If we played 3-5-2 he'd be awsome between xabi and momo - but further forward.

agreed on that, but doubt we'll see it. Think he'd be good in a 4-3-3 as well, on the right if the middle 3. Disagree that our captain should be competing for a spot in the team vs Alonso and Sissoko tho. Captain should be in the team week in week out, thereofre one would have to make way, or captainship should be taken off him.

[fatistuta]

I think in time we will not play with orthadox wingers but with two attacking fullbacks, then we will see the true benefit of Alonso, Momo and Stevie in the same midfield.