Play SG in the middle or sell him

[alunevans]

When our alternative is Jermaine ****ing Pennant, yes, I would.

I see where you’re coming from Al but Benitez picked the same midfield I “selected” yesterday. Gerrard is, usually, a fantastic right-sided midfielder. Zenden is (or was) an international midfielder who can list Barcelona and Chelsea amongst his former clubs and was coming off the back of a good performance in midweek.

Pennant, the only option for RM had Gerrard played inside, will never, ever be an international footballer and was coming off the back of the most abject of displays against his former club – in circumstances in which he should have thrived; against weaker opposition and his former club to boot.

As Bascombe said so succinctly, if Gerrard’s position was the only reason we aren't competing for the title, Benitez's problems would be solved within a minute.

I've never said Gerrard is the only reason for yesterday. I think there's something much deeper going on, as shown by the fact that we surrender and don't stick up for each other.

But if you think Zenden and Alonso is a central midfield pairing to take to an away game at Arsenal then sorry Shags but we're never going to agree on that, so it's best agreeing to disagree. Too much blue water between us on that one.

Personally I'd have played Agger and pushed Carra to full back and Finnan to right mid, and Gerrard to centre mid. At least it would have given us a solid back four and a solid spine, and a competent right midfielder who can get a decent cross in with either foot.

[Diego]

that leaves too clever by half or forcing him out of the club. which one do you reckon?

neither mate

just think he's underachieving in any position at the moment and if he was on for he wuold kill out on the right and in the middle. where he plays is not the root of the problem...

[alunevans]

I think Rafa picked Zenden to cause the least disruption to the team, a simple in out swap without trying to change the shape of the team that has done so well in recent home games.

Let's also not forget Sissoko and Garcia, two important players in our lineup didn't play, thats a bit like taking Ronaldo and Rooney away from Man U, in terms of workrate and creating chances.

It's hard to believe that Rafa's aim was minimal disruption to the team when he's just completed a run of 99 games without keeping the same side.

As to blaming Garcia's absence, he very rarely plays these days so I don't think he can be compared to Ronaldo and Rooney who are week in week out players for Man U.

As for Momo, a very important miss, but not really a creative force in the way that those two are. Momo is our engine and a defensive force.

I don't think their absence can explain why we were so obviously trounced.

Rafa has had no problems disrupting the side in order to choose the best team for the situation in the past. He should have done it again yesterday. I can find no reason whatsoever for the team selection chosen.

But as Shaggy, Bascombe, and indeed myself have said, there's something far more deeply wrong at the moment. That ultimately concerns me more.

[red g]

neither mate

just think he's underachieving in any position at the moment and if he was on for he wuold kill out on the right and in the middle. where he plays is not the root of the problem...

cant be doing his confidence any favours knowing he is 4th choice centralmidfielder!!

[Morph]

It's hard to believe that Rafa's aim was minimal disruption to the team when he's just completed a run of 99 games without keeping the same side.

As to blaming Garcia's absence, he very rarely plays these days so I don't think he can be compared to Ronaldo and Rooney who are week in week out players for Man U.

As for Momo, a very important miss, but not really a creative force in the way that those two are. Momo is our engine and a defensive force.

I don't think their absence can explain why we were so obviously trounced.

Rafa has had no problems disrupting the side in order to choose the best team for the situation in the past. He should have done it again yesterday. I can find no reason whatsoever for the team selection chosen.

But as Shaggy, Bascombe, and indeed myself have said, there's something far more deeply wrong at the moment. That ultimately concerns me more.

The creativity I would have thought was obviously in comparing Garcia and Ronaldo, likewise workrate Sissoko v Rooney. The point is they are important players, and I think Garcia most definately would have played, I can only assume he is carrying an injury.

[Shaggy]

Personally I'd have played Agger and pushed Carra to full back and Finnan to right mid, and Gerrard to centre mid. At least it would have given us a solid back four and a solid spine, and a competent right midfielder who can get a decent cross in with either foot.

That’s something I never considered. Although we would’ve been utterly turgid attacking wise, we may not have lost 3-0. With the benefit of hindsight, we probably should’ve gone with it.

Don’t get me wrong Al – a central midfield pairing of Zenden/Alonso at Arsenal is a million miles from ideal – I just saw it as the lesser of the two evils (the other one being starting with with the hopeless Pennant).

Anyway….I’m gonna try and opt out of the inquest now. It’s depressing me.

[Morph]

Id really have gone with

---------------Reina
---------Carra-Hyypia-Agger---------
--Finnan---------------------Riise---
---------Zenden----Alonso----------
--------------Gerrard---------------
-------Bellamy-------Kuyt-----------

[Diego]

cant be doing his confidence any favours knowing he is 4th choice centralmidfielder!!

thats bollocks he's not forth choice at anything, thats just a load of crap, gerrard doesn't play out wide cause someones taking his spot, he's first choice at what ever position rafa want's him to play, rafa is trying to get the best thing out of him, doesn't matter whos playing in the middle or on the right, he's always first choice in the position rafa thinks he can get the most out of him...

[Morph]

thats bollocks he's not forth choice at anything, thats just a load of crap, gerrard doesn't play out wide cause someones taking his spot, he's first choice at what ever position rafa want's him to play, rafa is trying to get the best thing out of him, doesn't matter whos playing in the middle or on the right, he's always first choice in the position rafa thinks he can get the most out of him...

I'm sorry but he really is 4th choice midfielder, it's so obvious.

[Diego]

thats so much bollocks it's crazy talk, i recon gerrard is the first on the team sheet, first he decides where gerrard plays then the rest, if he wants gerrard in midfield he plays in midfield and the rest will make way...

he knows gerrard is better than zenden in midfield, but that doesn't matter cause when we play against teams with compact midfields he like him to play out wide so he can attack more...

he's the first picked, then everyone is fitted around him, cause he the big man the leader no matter where he palys....

[Morph]

thats so much bollocks it's crazy talk, i recon gerrard is the first on the team sheet, first he decides where gerrard plays then the rest, if he wants gerrard in midfield he plays in midfield and the rest will make way...

he knows gerrard is better than zenden in midfield, but that doesn't matter cause when we play against teams with compact midfields he like him to play out wide so he can attack more...

he's the first picked, then everyone is fitted around him, cause he the big man the leader no matter where he palys....

So why did he go centre every time yesterday, I can't remembher him testing Clichy out on the right once, I also doubt he picks the team around him, but thats another matter. In fact no, of course he doesn't pick the team around him, that's why Alonso and Sissoko play in the middle, and he's fitted around them, think about it.

[alunevans]

That’s something I never considered. Although we would’ve been utterly turgid attacking wise, we may not have lost 3-0. With the benefit of hindsight, we probably should’ve gone with it.

Does that mean I should be manager of LFC?

[Diego]

So why did he go centre every time yesterday, I can't remembher him testing Clichy out on the right once, I also doubt he picks the team around him, but thats another matter. In fact no, of course he doesn't pick the team around him, that's why Alonso and Sissoko play in the middle, and he's fitted around them, think about it.

thats the bloddy point, he plays out right so he can cut into the middle with out having to battle out the midfield struggle. when he plays out right he doesn't play as a winger, but more as a right sided midfielder and thats very different, he gets freedome to roam around the midfield freely when he's out right...

[Morph]

thats the bloddy point, he plays out right so he can cut into the middle with out having to battle out the midfield struggle. when he plays out right he doesn't play as a winger, but more as a right sided midfielder and thats very different, he gets freedome to roam around the midfield freely when he's out right...

so he's the 4th choice midifielder then?

and also if thats the point then it's very poor as we might as well just play without a right winger and put him in the middle

[red g]

[QUOTE=Diego]thats the bloddy point, he plays out right so he can cut into the middle with out having to battle out the midfield struggle. when he plays out right he doesn't play as a winger, but more as a right sided midfielder and thats very different, he gets freedome to roam around the midfield freely when he's out right...[/QUOTE

For whatever reason it is blatantly obviuos that he cannot play that role............. or doesnt want to.

Perhaps last yr he thought he was helping the team....this season he realises that he is behind zenden in centralmidfield.

If Rafa is pulling him to the side and explaining its zoz pennant is **** fair enough. But it looksincreasingly obvious that they have different ideas.....not good!!

Ps perhaps houiller could come bak as assistant manager to put his armround him?