Jonathan Wilson on Gerrard

[dww]

Yet Rafa's plan was to move him back judging by his comments on Jovetic.

I think a lot depends on what else you do with the team. Part of my problem is that a lot of discussions on this topic seem to be about how to get the best out of Gerrard rather than how to balance a team well. I suspect he could work deeper if changes were made to ensure cover was there (i.e. we are looking at a midfield 3 or some form of asymmetric formation).

[Chris]

Rafa's plan was:

Two of Aquilani/Mascherano/Lucas

Nice missing out of Gerrard but he included him.

“My idea was to play (Javier) Mascherano, Lucas, (Steven) Gerrard, (Alberto) Aquilani – two of these four players in the middle and Jovetic between the lines, but we didn’t have the money.”

[Lecter]

Nice missing out of Gerrard but he included him.

“My idea was to play (Javier) Mascherano, Lucas, (Steven) Gerrard, (Alberto) Aquilani – two of these four players in the middle and Jovetic between the lines, but we didn’t have the money.”

I'm still not convinced thats a good position for Gerrard even if Rafa did say it

[Chris]

I'm still not convinced thats a good position for Gerrard even if Rafa did say it

It'd be my least favoured position for him but I dont think he's quite as bad there as people try and make out.

[JohnDoe]

Nice missing out of Gerrard but he included him.

“My idea was to play (Javier) Mascherano, Lucas, (Steven) Gerrard, (Alberto) Aquilani – two of these four players in the middle and Jovetic between the lines, but we didn’t have the money.”

I think you're taking that too literally. Gerrard was as automatic starter wherever he played so I find it hard to believe Rafa was going to spend that much money on Aquilani just to have him "battling" for one spot against both Mascherano and Lucas.

I think Gerrard was an option to play CM in some games but it was mainly going to be those three at those two spots and him further forward.

Just the way I see it.

[Phoenix07]

I'm still not convinced thats a good position for Gerrard even if Rafa did say it

I think it was just an option if we were ever caught short in midfield i.e. move Gerrard back a few games.

Jovetic can play in wide areas too. Gerrard has been blessed to have had the likes of Hamann and Alonso, players with excellent positioning and discipline in their play.

Even with Real Madrid, you can see how Kherida is allowed to push forward whilst Alonso stays back.

[Chris]

I think you're taking that too literally. Gerrard was as automatic starter wherever he played so I find it hard to believe Rafa was going to spend that much money on Aquilani just to have him "battling" for one spot against both Mascherano and Lucas.

I think Gerrard was an option to play CM in some games but it was mainly going to be those three at those two spots and him further forward.

Just the way I see it.

Maybe but Rafa's lack of use of Aquilani would suggest he didnt seem to see him as vital to us. I think it was going to be Gerrard and Mascherano with the other two as back up but we'll never know now.

[JohnDoe]

Maybe but Rafa's lack of use of Aquilani would suggest he didnt seem to see him as vital to us. I think it was going to be Gerrard and Mascherano with the other two as back up but we'll never know now.

I just don't think Rafa would spend £17m on a non vital, back up player. He didn't play him much when he realized how soft he was, but when he signed, I'm pretty sure Rafa intended him to play a lot.

[el matador]

this piece isnt a hatchet job.

its a fair anlaysis of gerrards capabilities. he is an outstanding attacking player and really one of the great players of this generation.

however, unluckily for him he's been playing in some pretty crap teams and with some crapper players so he's had to look after them as well as him own game. rafa showed the way on how to use gerrard properly and he built the team to suit his and torres capabilities. both alonso and mascherano could look after themselves, so he didnt need to baby sit anyone.

He didnt give him a lot of defensive duty other than to drop into midfield when the opposition had the ball and to look for quick passes into torres on the counter when he did.

really, at 31 yrs of age, you cant expect him to play in midfield anymore because its a mugs game. he should be shifted further forward but to play off a striker but that striker cannot be suarez.

his hold up play and interlinking with team mates is laughable. He doesnt see openings quick enough and 9 times out of 10 he takes the wrong option.

The journalist would have been better off doing a hatchet job on suarez and asked whether we know how to use him instead because the resounding answer is no we havent a clue.

[kev776]

We should set the team up as 10 man team, 4-3-2 and just dont give Gerrard a role, let him use his instinct to go and influence play, hurt the *******s, use him to unlock the unlockable.

Johnson - Skittle-Agger - Enrique

Henderson - Shelvy - Downing

----------Luis - Carrol

Gerrard as the Assasin!

[RichC]

Looking at what we've got at the moment in the side surely Gerrard would be best used playing from the right, he's wasted in CM and isn't disciplied consistently enough to play there either

I guess I'd look at the following (our CM is so weak at the moment!

.................Henderson.....Spearing

.....Gerrard...........Suarez.......... Downing/Bellamy

........................Carroll/Kuyt

A replacement striker and someone to play with Lucas are the two stand out areas we need to fix

[cream]

Looking at what we've got at the moment in the side surely Gerrard would be best used playing from the right, he's wasted in CM and isn't disciplied consistently enough to play there either

I guess I'd look at the following (our CM is so weak at the moment!

.................Henderson.....Spearing

.....Gerrard...........Suarez.......... Downing/Bellamy

........................Carroll/Kuyt

A replacement striker and someone to play with Lucas are the two stand out areas we need to fix

I'd swap Gerrard and Suarez , still won't work though as the other 4 players are not very good. We lack quality for any kind of formation to work at the moment.

[baitman]

if we play gerrard in an advanced role then we will still struggle as he will be isolated from the play, and there is an obvious shortage of quality in the midfield are that can provide the ball to the front players and wingers.
unfortunately we might need to sacrifice gerrards attacking ability to ensure we use his engine to drive our midfield.

[Norbs]

The journalist is a dirty bird for criticising Gerrard. I'm never going to, the man has done more for us in the last 10 years than any player in the previous 90. What people fail to see is that shove any of our superstars from yesteryear in the current team and they would fail to make an impact due to the lack of quality around them. Gerrard has made a huge impact regardless and that makes him a legend in my eyes.

He could **** in the centre circle and I'd still applaud him

[baitman]

He could **** in the centre circle and I'd still applaud him