Play SG in the middle or sell him

[Diego]

Couldn't agree more. For me where Gerrard plays isn't the problem. He's been just as bad on the few occasions he's played in the middle as he has on the right - namely today for most of the 2nd half and Blackburn at home.

thats right and as i said befor an inform gerrard couldn't be arsed if he plays left right center, he could lead us to a win in every position cause he's that good...

[Diego]

Hey, i'm not Rafa, he chooses the tactics. But Gerrard is the only world class player we have, and you know it.

never said he wasn't... but as a defencive midfielder momo isn't far of, if he had better passing skills he would be in the top 3 dm...

but the point is even if gerrard is a better player than momo, momo is better than gerrard in the middle...

[Red Chilli]

never said he wasn't... but as a defencive midfielder momo isn't far of, if he had better passing skills he would be in the top 3 dm...

but the point is even if gerrard is a better player than momo, momo is better than gerrard in the middle...

I completely disagree.

Momo might be better in Rafa's system, but as actual central midfielders, Momo couldn't lace Gerrard's boots.

Momo is one dimensional, Gerrard isn't.

[dww]

but gerrard is usually awesome in the centre. maybe you think he should be sold?

If he is unable to play to his ability then yes. If he can't motivate himself to play for us wherever he is picked then yes. He has played exceptionally well for us at both right and centre mid before but he has been poor in both positions this season. If it is simply a run of bad form then that has to be accepted, if as people have suggested it is simply because he is in a strop due to being played as a nominal right sided player but with a licence to go where he wants then he has become a liability to the team.

[Diego]

I completely disagree.

Momo might be better in Rafa's system, but as actual central midfielders, Momo couldn't lace Gerrard's boots.

Momo is one dimensional, Gerrard isn't.

thats the point, neither of them are central midfielder, momo is a defencive midfielder and gerrard is an attacking one, if gerrard was to play alongside alonso he has to do the dirty work that momo does so much better, but gerrard as aattacking midfielder is one of the best in the buisness...

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

I think we've reached the point where if we don't play SG in the middle we should sell him.

I wouldn't sell him, I'd build my team around him and play him were he can damage the opposition, in the middle of the park. Now if Rafa thinks he's not good enough defensively to do this then sell him. SG is worth £35m to £40m and as such it far too valuable an asset to play RM. No player worth that much should play in that position. No matter how good you are, you can't influence the game as you can from the middle.

So Rafa, play him in the middle or sell him to the highest bidder. Then use the cash to buy players who can do the job you want them to do. Sg is worth too much to have his talent wasted at RM.

Agree that he should be played in the middle 100%.

But he should never be sold. Without him we lack any kind of creativity whatsoever. Whether on the right, in the middle or off the front he's our best player. End of.

If we sold him the club would take too long to recover, and even if we got £40m for him, how many top class players could you buy with that, 3 at the most, and you'd have to replace Gerrard, which is nigh on impossible anyway.

It's simple, we keep him, play him in the middle, and build around him.

Rafa's got it wrong for me. Gerrard shouldn't be rotated out of position in favour of Alonso or Sissoko, One or either of them should drop out to accommodate Stevie.

[Sir Bob]

People talk about SG not being able to play in the middle but i'm not convinced Momo & alonso are the answer. Neither are much of a goal threat which is something we badly need from CM. Sure alonso bangs the odd 30 yarder in but he's not a goal threat by & large, particularly away from home. As for Momo, great defensively, but offers nothing going forward. In my view we will not challenge for the title with that CM pairing, unless they become more regular contributors on the goal front.

[Red Chilli]

People talk about SG not being able to play in the middle but i'm not convinced Momo & alonso are the answer. Neither are much of a goal threat which is something we badly need from CM. Sure alonso bangs the odd 30 yarder in but he's not a goal threat by & large, particularly away from home. As for Momo, great defensively, but offers nothing going forward. In my view we will not challenge for the title with that CM pairing, unless they become more regular contributors on the goal front.

Great post

[dww]

People talk about SG not being able to play in the middle but i'm not convinced Momo & alonso are the answer. Neither are much of a goal threat which is something we badly need from CM. Sure alonso bangs the odd 30 yarder in but he's not a goal threat by & large, particularly away from home. As for Momo, great defensively, but offers nothing going forward. In my view we will not challenge for the title with that CM pairing, unless they become more regular contributors on the goal front.

I actually think that the problem comes from the lack of attacking contributions from other areas. I think ideally we need to have not only the front two and wide players chipping in but also the fullbacks giving options in attack. By playing two midfielders who shield the defence we should be able to release other players to attck at the minute though the fullbacks rarely overlap, the wide players cut inside ineffectively and seem reticent to cross.

[Diego]

People talk about SG not being able to play in the middle but i'm not convinced Momo & alonso are the answer. Neither are much of a goal threat which is something we badly need from CM. Sure alonso bangs the odd 30 yarder in but he's not a goal threat by & large, particularly away from home. As for Momo, great defensively, but offers nothing going forward. In my view we will not challenge for the title with that CM pairing, unless they become more regular contributors on the goal front.

get what you are saying...

imo if gerrard is to play in a two man midfield he has to have a makalele type behind him, one that sits behind him and owns the aeria, momo is not like that, he's all over, xabi is not like that, he likes to push up higher and disribute the ball, if gerrard is to be played in the middle, either both of them should be played behind him, or a type of midfielder that we don't have at the moment. i personally want to see a 3 man midfield and have garcia on the right and whom ever on the left with kuyt as lead man, that would give gerrard great space, and he could go right for garcia and track down to the middle as well...

[Red Chilli]

Bottom line:

Sign Alves in january and play 3-5-2:

Reina
Carra, Hyypia, Agger
Alves, Alonso, Momo, Riise
Gerrard
Crouch, Kuyt

Have Riise and Alves bombing on.

[Sir Bob]

I actually think that the problem comes from the lack of attacking contributions from other areas. I think ideally we need to have not only the front two and wide players chipping in but also the fullbacks giving options in attack. By playing two midfielders who shield the defence we should be able to release other players to attck at the minute though the fullbacks rarely overlap, the wide players cut inside ineffectively and seem reticent to cross.

I agree entirely mate. Look at Arsenals 1st 2 goals today. First up, a move were 3 midfield players combined, in the oppositions box. Even at home we never have that many midfielders going forward, particularly at 0-0. Alonso or Momo would never get into the position Fabregas got into. As for the 2nd goal, would Sami or Carra get forward like toure did at only 1-0. Not in a month of sundays.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

People talk about SG not being able to play in the middle but i'm not convinced Momo & alonso are the answer. Neither are much of a goal threat which is something we badly need from CM. Sure alonso bangs the odd 30 yarder in but he's not a goal threat by & large, particularly away from home. As for Momo, great defensively, but offers nothing going forward. In my view we will not challenge for the title with that CM pairing, unless they become more regular contributors on the goal front.

Agree. It should be one or either with Stevie in the middle.

Alonso at home, Momo away.

[Diego]

Bottom line:

Sign Alves in january and play 3-5-2:

Reina
Carra, Hyypia, Agger
Alves, Alonso, Momo, Riise
Gerrard
Crouch, Kuyt

Have Riise and Alves bombing on.

now we are talking the same ****

[Red Chilli]

now we are talking the same ****

I've been up for 3-5-2 since the charity shield.