2012: The Ideal Path to #19

[PTP]

[BrooklynRed]

All of this makes the silly season so exciting. I think who we buy will give a clue to how we play (or at least, it should). I see many of you have Suarez essentially playing as a winger, which, watching him, is sort of true; he has provided pace and skill out wide for us that we haven't seen in ages... which then begs the question of whether we need a winger or not.

My point here is that, looking at everyone's lineups, we're not as far away as we seem to be saying. Everyone is tempering their expectations, but to me, we look close to contending with the flexible parts we have in place.

The key question for the club will be what they decide to do on the LW and what that means for Kuyt/Gerrard and Lucas. Frankly, there is some serious thinking to be done about Stevie and his ideal spot in the team; an age old dilemma, but with Suarez, some of that burden is lifted, I think...

[Exiled_red]

A number of people are suggesting playmakers where do you see these playing deep-lying playmakers like Alonso or further up the park?

Personally I think that we need to keep a strong hardworking centre midfield two (like we have with Lucas and Spearing at the moment) whatever formation we play. I think that going for only one of these players and a more attacking player or a box to box player would be a mistake. I think that we have a nice balance in attack and at the moment Lucas and Spearing are doing a good job of closing down opponents and protecting the back four, covering for the fullbacks or holding up play while players get back.

[anfieldanfield]

A number of people are suggesting playmakers where do you see these playing deep-lying playmakers like Alonso or further up the park?

Personally I think that we need to keep a strong hardworking centre midfield two (like we have with Lucas and Spearing at the moment) whatever formation we play. I think that going for only one of these players and a more attacking player or a box to box player would be a mistake. I think that we have a nice balance in attack and at the moment Lucas and Spearing are doing a good job of closing down opponents and protecting the back four, covering for the fullbacks or holding up play while players get back.

[Chrono]

All of this makes the silly season so exciting. I think who we buy will give a clue to how we play (or at least, it should). I see many of you have Suarez essentially playing as a winger, which, watching him, is sort of true; he has provided pace and skill out wide for us that we haven't seen in ages... which then begs the question of whether we need a winger or not.

My point here is that, looking at everyone's lineups, we're not as far away as we seem to be saying. Everyone is tempering their expectations, but to me, we look close to contending with the flexible parts we have in place.

The key question for the club will be what they decide to do on the LW and what that means for Kuyt/Gerrard and Lucas. Frankly, there is some serious thinking to be done about Stevie and his ideal spot in the team; an age old dilemma, but with Suarez, some of that burden is lifted, I think...

I think although I put him out on the wing that we line up in a far more fluid arrangement than dedicated roles. With the team I put together I wouldn't have Lucas protecting the back four exactly but sharing this role with Gerrard and Hazard or whoever wasn't currently moving in a offesice fashion (whilst we have the ball).

Gerrard is naturally going to start retreating further back the older he gets but I think he can still provide not just for the centre but also through the right wing and box-to box and Suarez can be more free to play off Carroll or from the side.

The idea with the setup I went with was a team that can carry on for a fair while, pace, strength, height, creativity, damage from distance and defensively solid.

Ideally we should enter the game to play our game and not to counter our opponents (at least for the vast majority of games) and be able to be flexible to take in a dropped back five at the back with a counter offense, standard 442 or a ball retaining attacking formation with 3 up top and midfield/AM positions moving to the wings.

My real problem with is with any arrangement with Carra. I don't doubt his quality but the lack of pace means that he has to either move forward leaving Agger back which would be fine if he could offer something further up the field. It's a tricky one as I wouldn't want to drop him but playing him does mean a deeper line and more effort to move up the pitch.

I would absolutely agree that we are not far off and the youth is allowing us to focus almost entirely on really powerful first team additions which is a luxury we haven't had for a very long time.

I don't think Suso is ready (although bench time will be useful for him next year) but I think Sterling probably is essentially because of the type of player he is and the position he operates in regardless of his age. He's a massive talent and will torment the hell out of whoever we come up against, you could see this in the pre-season when he was 15 and didn't look out of his depth then.

[JBOX]

-----------------------------Reina-------------------

Kelly/Johnson-----Carra/Kjaer---Skrtel/Agger-------Baines


----------Gerrard-----Lucas----Gourcuff/Raul---------

Young-----------------------------------------------Suarez

---------------------------Carroll--------------------

[Chrono]

A number of people are suggesting playmakers where do you see these playing deep-lying playmakers like Alonso or further up the park?

Personally I think that we need to keep a strong hardworking centre midfield two (like we have with Lucas and Spearing at the moment) whatever formation we play. I think that going for only one of these players and a more attacking player or a box to box player would be a mistake. I think that we have a nice balance in attack and at the moment Lucas and Spearing are doing a good job of closing down opponents and protecting the back four, covering for the fullbacks or holding up play while players get back.

I'd agree with that but I do think that Gerrard (when playing) is able to fill one of those roles whilst offering more going forward (well actually more in virtually every department). I'd certainly hope that Spearing gets game time next season but it's going to come down to squad rotation and it's great that we have (or will have) several players for each position that are quality.

[Mostar]

hmm Gotze...not heard of him?? i'll quickly google Gotze

Try Goetze and Borussia Dortmund.. Great talent and it would be a big thing to snatch him now before he becomes a mega star.

[JBOX]

-----------------------------Reina-------------------

Kelly/Johnson-----Carra/Kjaer---Agger/Skrtel-------Baines


-----------------Gerrard-----Lucas----Gourcuff---------

Young-----------------------------------------------Suarez

---------------------------Carroll--------------------

[JBOX]

Didnt mean to do that twice...

[Mostar]

-----------------------------Reina-------------------

Kelly/Johnson-----Carra/Kjaer---Agger/Skrtel-------Baines


-----------------Gerrard-----Lucas----Gourcuff---------

Young-----------------------------------------------Suarez

---------------------------Carroll--------------------

Interesting call on Gourcuff. Had a pretty good season with Lyon and still young at 24.

Good player but to me he seems a poor version of Stevie.

[Rudo]

A number of people are suggesting playmakers where do you see these playing deep-lying playmakers like Alonso or further up the park?

Personally I think that we need to keep a strong hardworking centre midfield two (like we have with Lucas and Spearing at the moment) whatever formation we play. I think that going for only one of these players and a more attacking player or a box to box player would be a mistake. I think that we have a nice balance in attack and at the moment Lucas and Spearing are doing a good job of closing down opponents and protecting the back four, covering for the fullbacks or holding up play while players get back.

Lol i knew someone would bring Alonso up - Alonso for me wasn't an out and out defensive midfielder, you'd see him on the edge of the box many a time looking to get a shot in. Besides if he was defensive, his passing range and ability on the ball more than made up for any lack of attacking threat.

Mascherano and Alonso gave us a real solid base tho and that allowed Gerrard to do what he used to do best - driving forward, making and scoring goals.
All 3 were untouchable for a few yrs, especially in that 08-09.

I think people are just assuming Gerrard will come back and be the player of old - that's risky business imo. This is a more injury prone and somewhat slower Stevie G compared to a few years ago.

[Galb]

A number of people are suggesting playmakers where do you see these playing deep-lying playmakers like Alonso or further up the park?

Personally I think that we need to keep a strong hardworking centre midfield two (like we have with Lucas and Spearing at the moment) whatever formation we play. I think that going for only one of these players and a more attacking player or a box to box player would be a mistake. I think that we have a nice balance in attack and at the moment Lucas and Spearing are doing a good job of closing down opponents and protecting the back four, covering for the fullbacks or holding up play while players get back.

I agree. That platform in the middle is essential to controlling the game and giving our attacking players licence to attack.

It also means you can allow your full backs to push on and attack more because of the extra cover. The way teams set up now, attacking full backs are vital to breaking a team down (more so than 'proprer' wingers IMO) because they have the most freedom and space to attack without being man-marked of anyone on the pitch, except maybe a floating deep-lying forward.

If we have Lucas-Spearing, or M'Villa or Banega or whoever, that gives you four attacking spots to play with and set up from Carroll/Suarez/Kuyt/Gerrard/Maxi/Raul/Aquilani/Young/whoever.

Depending on the opposition, thats a lot of options - Carroll on his own, with three floating in behind; two up front with two on the wings; a diamond ahead of the two sitting midfielders; etc.

I dont think Gerrard should be in the two though as he's not disciplined enough to provide that solid platform. We've never consistently produced with him in CM - its a free role or right wing for him.

Unfortunately, once he slows down, I think that'll be it for him. I dont see him dictating games from a deep-lying position at 35 (or at least not effectively).

[Exiled_red]

I'd agree with that but I do think that Gerrard (when playing) is able to fill one of those roles whilst offering more going forward (well actually more in virtually every department). I'd certainly hope that Spearing gets game time next season but it's going to come down to squad rotation and it's great that we have (or will have) several players for each position that are quality.

I don't think he has the discipline to play that role to be honest, he likes to get ahead of the ball too much and gets frustrated when we lose posession and doesn't track back immediately.

For me Gerrard will either play as the attacking midfielder of the 3 CM in a 4-3-3, an off the forward player or as a narrow right sided player.

[Exiled_red]

Lol i knew someone would bring Alonso up - Alonso for me wasn't an out and out defensive midfielder, you'd see him on the edge of the box many a time looking to get a shot in. Besides if he was defensive, his passing range and ability on the ball more than made up for any lack of attacking threat.

Mascherano and Alonso gave us a real solid base tho and that allowed Gerrard to do what he used to do best - driving forward, making and scoring goals.
All 3 were untouchable for a few yrs, especially in that 08-09.

I think people are just assuming Gerrard will come back and be the player of old - that's risky business imo. This is a more injury prone and somewhat slower Stevie G compared to a few years ago.

True Alonso wasn't an out and out defensive midfielder, but Lucas and Spearing aren't defensive midfielders like Hamann or Mascherano either. They are hard working players who close the opposition down and rarely get ahead of the ball.