Manchester City - Carling Cup Build Up

[Lecter]

We have the best defensive midfielder in the country in Steven Gerrard.
The problem is he is the best in almost every other position too.

His performance home to Man U last season on 1 groin was one of the best you'll see.
Maybe he should take 1 for the team and reign himself in for 1 night.

If we do go behind then we can push him further upfield, perhaps it's time for mature, responsible Gerrard instead of the marauding Stevie G we've had all these years

Gerrard is not a defensive midfielder and hasnt been close to one for many years

[dww]

I don't think Gerrard is the best DM in the league I think he's an excellent attacking midfield or playmaker, but I don't think he is a DM. I think his role as he gets older instead of the marauding player should be the Alonso role, that wasn't a DM role, as Alonso had a Mascherano or Hamann along side him to do that sort of stuff I see Gerrard being similar.

I think he could play the DM role effectively (tbh I think he could play most positions effectively), but I don't think he's the best in the league there, and I don't think it's the best use of his abilities even if short term he could do a job.

I actually think that he lacks the main things that a DM needs - tactical and positional discipline. It really strikes me that people saying he can do the job are essentially following the same logic that suggests that Gerrard and Lampard could have worked well together in a midfield two for England.

Since he has come back from injury he hasn't even been winning tackles with the regularity that would suggest he might succeed in the role.

[PTP]

Got to admit this made me chuckle

StupidFootballStupid Football
Andy Carroll is 6-1 to score tonight. If you don't understand betting that means that if you bet £10, you will lose £10.

nicking that for facebook

[yamiedo]

What would it do too the lad if he went in there and ****ed up? It would ruin him for a long time. He would be shot too bits. Costing your team a place at Wembley. Im not saying he will. I just think it will be too much for the lad in such a big game.

This is a game for old heads and ones that have been there and done it before. Unfortunately we don't have many options there. So it might just have too be Carra.

I'd be more than happy with Carra playing and Agger in the DM role. I just don't know if Kenny will go with that setup. It would be suicide to have Gerrard, Henderson and Adam on though. There would be so much space for the likes of Silva, Nasri and Aguero to exploit.

[yamiedo]

We have the best defensive midfielder in the country in Steven Gerrard.

Correction, we have the best defensive midfielder in the country in Lucas Leiva

[Vermilion]

haha, very good.

With Cardiff winning last night, is it now a foregone conclusion that Bellamy will face them in the final, and break their hearts ?

[Exiled_red]

I actually think that he lacks the main things that a DM needs - tactical and positional discipline. It really strikes me that people saying he can do the job are essentially following the same logic that suggests that Gerrard and Lampard could have worked well together in a midfield two for England.

Since he has come back from injury he hasn't even been winning tackles with the regularity that would suggest he might succeed in the role.

I agree about the discipline. I think part of the problem is that he gets so frustrated when things aren't going well and he has for so long shouldered the burden of making things happen that he feels he has to change things, and forgets/neglects his defensive responsibilities. I think that in games were he has had to stay back he has shown he can do it, but I suspect as long as we have players that aren't as good in other areas of the pitch as he is that indiscipline will remain.

As I said I think as he gets older and become less capable or making the marauding runs we would be best suited trying to convert him to an Alonso style playmaker with a DM (probably Lucas) next to him.

[Exiled_red]

haha, very good.

With Cardiff winning last night, is it now a foregone conclusion that Bellamy will face them in the final, and break their hearts ?

The thing that would be typical of us this season would be for us to somehow beat Man City, then go to Wembley and be frustrated by Cardiff who nick a goal and beat us 1-0

Either that or we get battered tonight and don't make through, and watch City go on and hammer Cardiff in one of the most one sided finals ever

[Angryred]

We should give Lucas a go as on crutches, he's still the boss!

[Angryred]

I agree about the discipline. I think part of the problem is that he gets so frustrated when things aren't going well and he has for so long shouldered the burden of making things happen that he feels he has to change things, and forgets/neglects his defensive responsibilities. I think that in games were he has had to stay back he has shown he can do it, but I suspect as long as we have players that aren't as good in other areas of the pitch as he is that indiscipline will remain.

As I said I think as he gets older and become less capable or making the marauding runs we would be best suited trying to convert him to an Alonso style playmaker with a DM (probably Lucas) next to him.

& let Suarez cause havoc up front with a supreme goalscorer alongside him!

[Mostar]

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport...ml?CMP=OTC-RSS

**** the player who got scared from few chants.

He was never good enough to start and Rafa ****ed up royally that he ever wanted him in.

Lots of rumours that Spearing could be out for 3-4 weeks

Few weeks back Snoop made a comment that he will be gone for at least 3,4 games and Snoop is usually on the money.

Got to admit this made me chuckle

StupidFootballStupid Football
Andy Carroll is 6-1 to score tonight. If you don't understand betting that means that if you bet £10, you will lose £10.

[Mostar]

@Richard_Buxton
Seems Mario Balotelli hasn't travelled to Anfield with #MCFC squad for tonight's game. Suggests ban may not be appealed (via @JuiceChambo)

[Shaggy]

**** the player who got scared from few chants.

He was never good enough to start and Rafa ****ed up royally that he ever wanted him in.



Few weeks back Snoop made a comment that he will be gone for at least 3,4 games and Snoop is usually on the money.

Yeah snoop posted the day after he got injured that he'd had calves blood injected into his hammy and would be out for 3 weeks.

[Icon]

Just hope the lads make us proud tonight.

Make us proud...

[The Birdman]

I don't think Gerrard is the best DM in the league I think he's an excellent attacking midfield or playmaker, but I don't think he is a DM. I think his role as he gets older instead of the marauding player should be the Alonso role, that wasn't a DM role, as Alonso had a Mascherano or Hamann along side him to do that sort of stuff I see Gerrard being similar.

I think he could play the DM role effectively (tbh I think he could play most positions effectively), but I don't think he's the best in the league there, and I don't think it's the best use of his abilities even if short term he could do a job.

Gerrard is not a defensive midfielder and hasnt been close to one for many years

Both very true, Defensive Midfield might be the wrong description, what I mean is for one game he is capable of keeping his shape, being dicisplined and mobile enough to get around Silva and Nasri to close down their attacks.
Spearing is meh when fit but he's injured, Henderson hasn't got enough experience to do it, Adam isn't capable of doing anything except wander around in his own little world at the moment and is a liability.
We don't have anybody else and you can't play Man C without one.

Agger? never played there before and is our best defender.
Carra? Played there a few years ago but too old and slow these days.
Aurelio? Has played there but brittle
Johnson with Kelly RB? a possible but again he hasn't played there.

Gerrard is 31 and has played 450 odd games, we don't have any better alternatives for this game tonight imo.
Which in turn shows just how thin our squad is still.