Our style of play

[Shaggy]

[Fredo]

I can't see us losing too many players, bar maybe Aspas and another.

[RichC]

I think we'll lose a few on top of Luis but most will be unused squaddies or players that we've had out on loan i.e. Reina and Coates

[Fierce]

Those that could reasonably not be playing for us next season not including racist bitey boy -

Reina
Agger?
Illori
Coates
Kelly
Suso
Lucas?
Aspas
Moses
Borini

Though we might not get enough for Borini to sell him, and Suso might get a chance.
Thing is if he doesn't, then he's clearly offski? I don't personally see a place for him in this side, unless we're going to go with a diamond again, and then he's competing with Sterling and (hopefully) Markovic

[RichC]

Yeah all of those have the potential of not being with us, any of the loans we had i.e. Cissokho and Moses won't be returning and most of them could easily be shipped out. I'd be loath to see Agger and Lucas go but if the right offers come in then I can see us taking the money

[baitman]

i noticed something today.

when we moved the ball forward, a midfielder would pass the ball and move forward, then another would try and pass into the oppo area. if we lost possession none of the midfielders made a move to get back. we then have all of our players committed forward and we look wide open. the midfield goes missing too easily, they all want to take a pass, give it then move forward.

we went three at the back, with moreno and sterling as wing backs. gerrard still wandered aimlessly around our defence when he should have stepped up 10 yards and held the midfield line, been there to take pressure off others and let the others do the running. he is coasting.
so frustrating

[Camble]

We've been so poor in midfield so far and have provided nothing for the attack.

Depending on the game we could go for a 4-3-3 or 4-1-2-1-2.

4-3-3 should have a midfield 3 of Hendo, Allen and Lallana/Coutinho/Can. Can being the holding player when we need a holding mid, Lallana being the box-to-box when it's likely to be a very open game and Coutinho when we can afford to be very attacking.

4-1-2-1-2 should be Can (or Gerrard in games where the opposition aren't going to press as highly), Hendo-Allen, Sterling as the AM. Possibly even play Coutinho as the AM and put Sterling up top with Sturridge to give ridiculous pace and movement upfront.

[danperkins]

Until the defence shapes up it would have been nice to have an out and out DM protecting the back line instead of this quarter back role ****e. Maybe in time when the defence gets some continuity and balance we can experiment ahead of them.

[baitman]

it could go in the gerrard thread, but it also applies here as its more about the overall shape...

when scholes [the dirty little ginger dwarf rat] came back to manure he kind of helped bring some control at the back for them. some people have made comparisons with the deeper role that gerrard is playing.

the main difference is that scholes knew his limitations and didnt drift into the back line, he held higher up the pitch, controlling the centre circle when they were in possession so always available for a pass and could then keep the ball moving.

gerrard drops too deep. we then are wide open in the middle of the pitch and other teams over run us. our other midfielders are chasing shadows, cannot close down effectively. i know he hasnt got the legs to be our midfield engine anymore but if he is going to be useful then he needs to provide some presence in the middle without compromising our defence.

[frank the tank]

good point. I posted a few weeks back about something similar - basically saying that the holding midfield role is too important a position to accomadate a naturally attacking player who doesnt have the legs for that anymore. The comparison with scholes is good as he did play a deeper role in the later stages of his career, as did Giggs, but he never played the role of defensive midfielder. He played 5 or 10 yards higher up the pitch - with Carrick the one sitting (in his natural position). Both Giggs and Scholes were used to keep the ball moving, help control the tempo - and to an extent, talk the younger players through the game. United were ****in terrible last season and although Moyes tactics were pitiful, a lot of their mistakes were individual errors and players making the wrong in-game decisions. John Barnes did something similar with us.

Pick the best 10 attacking midfielders you can think of and i would be surprised if any of them were sucessful holding midfielders in their latter careers.

Last season should have showed Brendan that he needed a defensive midfielder. Just because Gerrard plays a wonderful 50 yard crossfield pass once or twice a game, this doesnt mean that he is playing the HM role well. That's not his primary function in the team. I would gladly swap Markovic or Lallana for Alex Song right now - not because i don't think either of them are bad players but because i think it is what our team needs (i use the example of Alex Song as he was easily attainable in the summer)

The fact that Gerrard is not playing in his best position is one thing, but i think his legs are starting to go as well. There is a general misconception that as his legs were starting to go, that Gerrard could simply retreat further back the field and prolong his career. You'd often hear commentators also say that they could see him as a centre back eventually (please no). I personally feel that HM is just as important to have pace as any other on the pitch. Your job is essentially to twart counter attacks....so surely a 20 yard burst of acceleration is paramount!

I would like to see Gerrard rotated with someone like Joe Allen as one of the central two players to play alongside Henderson. But i can't see Rodgers dropping Gerrard. To be honest, it is sad to see.

[DannyMan2006]

Anyone who watched us last season and this, and then just watched the Chelsea v Man City, will no the chasm that exists between the clubs.

[DannyMan2006]

Meant to expand on my last post.

Basically, we challenged last year because we had a world class attack. It made up for the soft centre. If we don't tighten up dramatically, we will never compete for anything.

[Fredo]

Anyone who watched us last season and this, and then just watched the Chelsea v Man City, will no the chasm that exists between the clubs.

The chasm exist in the number of defensive errors those teams make compare to us. They don't make many, while we give away two or three each and every match. Ironically I think for 30 minutes against City we were excellent, in terms of balance between our defence and attack, then lost concentration and gave it away. That's what we need to improve on. Keep the ball, win your second balls when you haven't got it and win your duels. That's what wins you football games in the PL.

[DannyMan2006]

The chasm exist in the number of defensive errors those teams make compare to us. They don't make many, while we give away two or three each and every match. Ironically I think for 30 minutes against City we were excellent, in terms of balance between our defence and attack, then lost concentration and gave it away. That's what we need to improve on. Keep the ball, win your second balls when you haven't got it and win your duels. That's what wins you football games in the PL.

If you haven't the concentration to play it as open as we do, we need to change the system to a more solid looking one. Rodgers can no longer rely on the attack to bail us out. Top class manager & coach, but I feel he needs to pull out an ace in the pack.

[baronvonskidmark]

United got done over today by being outmuscled in midfield and I'm worried if the same is going to happen to us. We need some strength in there against physical teams and I'm not sure we have it.

Can seems to be able to give it, but he's out. Jordan can do to a degree and Allen battles really well - probably our best midfielder so far (if you include Sterling as an attacker) - but strength is not one of his assets, although perhaps his speed, energy and snapping at heels can help here.

Gerrard is strong but not quick enough to be able to close players down as well as before.

Which leads on to another worry. Nigel Worthington made a telling remark that if you play a diamond against a diamond, the full backs are going to have a lot of possession. For us Moreno and Johnson/Manquillo will inevitably get caught out now and again and I wonder if we have the pace for the deeper midfielder(s) to get across and cover.

We have great players, but I'm not sure which system suits us best. The only thing I think is fairly certain is that Sturridge and Balotelli need a partner to play with so the 4-2-3-1 is probably out. Maybe dropping Gerrard and having a midfield 2 from Allen/Can/Henderson (when they are back) with Lallana ahead of them might work with Sterling behind the strikers interplaying with them and Lallana. More defensive strength and pace with a good sprinkling of creativity and speed going forward.

Sorry for the long post - I've actually been thinking about it as I write.