Play SG in the middle or sell him

[Diego]

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

Alonso at home, Momo away.

don't think momo can play with stevie alone tough, the reason momo and xabi are so good together is the fact that xabi doesn't push foward but momo does, if momo and gerrard both energetic would be playing together i think we would be very vulnerable for counter attacks...

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

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.

Agree.

Alves is a must sign. Finnan in an attacking sense is like an island at right back. Especially away from home.

I'd play Garcia when he returns, every week, home or away. Yes he gives the ball away, but any more than any of the others right now. Bottom line is that he's got a goal in him, and the likes of Pennant and Sissoko are black holes in terms of goals.

I'd give Gonzalez a run on the left as well to see what he can do.

But Gerrard has to play in the middle, from that position we are automatically more offensive. This is the key for me.

[Sir Bob]

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...

i'll be honest, I'm not sure what our best formation is, but what I do know is that we must make better use of SG. He's our best player & Rafa must play whatever system gets the best out of our best player. If that means giving him some sort of free role then so be it. Arsenal build their side around Henry. They play 5 in midfield as this gives Henry licence to go wide left where he is most dangerous. Chelsea play Makelele so that Lampard has very limited defensive duties.

Rafa must develop a system that suits SG's strengths, not play him outwide where he is so obviously frustrated nad were his impact can never be as damaging as when he plays centrally.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

don't think momo can play with stevie alone tough, the reason momo and xabi are so good together is the fact that xabi doesn't push foward but momo does, if momo and gerrard both energetic would be playing together i think we would be very vulnerable for counter attacks...

Why not?

Momo destroying. Stevie creating.

There are times when playing Stevie on the right with Alonso and Sissoko in the middle is justified, but today wasn't one of those occasions.

Stevie must play in the middle, we're a better side with him there, than not.

[Diego]

i'll be honest, I'm not sure what our best formation is, but what I do know is that we must make better use of SG. He's our best player & Rafa must play whatever system gets the best out of our best player. If that means giving him some sort of free role then so be it. Arsenal build their side around Henry. They play 5 in midfield as this gives Henry licence to go wide left where he is most dangerous. Chelsea play Makelele so that Lampard has very limited defensive duties.

Rafa must develop a system that suits SG's strengths, not play him outwide where he is so obviously frustrated nad were his impact can never be as damaging as when he plays centrally.

agree

i just don't think it's in a two man midfield, others have different opinion, personally i want to play him in front of two midfielder, but that leaves us with only one striker unless we play with a dimond midfield and cut out all width, or 3-5-2 with wing backs, witch would probably suite him best...

[Sir Bob]

I can't see why momo & SG couldn't play together. Lets face it, alonso good player that he is, has been piss poor this season.

I still think a 3-5-2 is the answer. We've got 3 good CBs, play Finnan & JAR as wingbacks, 3 CM's - Momo, alonso & SG, then Kuyt & Crouch upfront.

[Diego]

Why not?

Momo destroying. Stevie creating.

There are times when playing Stevie on the right with Alonso and Sissoko in the middle is justified, but today wasn't one of those occasions.

Stevie must play in the middle, we're a better side with him there, than not.

ye but momo destroys all over the pitch and he can do so cause xabi is most of the time behind him picking up what he misses, and we can't restrain gerrard like that or momo if momo where to sit furthrt back and not kick as much up the field i think he'd loose lots of his energy, but can't judge it properly untill i see it, ready to give it a shot, just can't see it hapening, i want all 3 of them to play in the midfeild together, gerrard in the middle was at best when he had didi alngst him, who sat back and was hard as hell, we don't have that type of player at the club now...

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

I can't see why momo & SG couldn't play together. Lets face it, alonso good player that he is, has been piss poor this season.

I still think a 3-5-2 is the answer. We've got 3 good CBs, play Finnan & JAR as wingbacks, 3 CM's - Momo, alonso & SG, then Kuyt & Crouch upfront.

I'd prefer a 4-3-3 myself.

Reina in goal.

Sign Alves, Agger and Carra at centre back, Riise left.

Xabi, Sissoko and Gerrard in the middle.

Kuyt up front, flanked by 2. One Garcia.

For that system to work we'd have to sign players who could act as wingers and cut inside and score.

[Diego]

yup i agree with that aswell

we just seem to have players who can for about 70% of a desirable formation, there are a few missing links, and until they get found we won't challenge for anything...

[alunevans]

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.

Agreed. Though if I was Gerrard, one of the best 3 central midfielders in Europe, yet 4th choice central midfielder for Liverpool at best - and behind Zenden to boot, I'd be ready to leave.

It's an absolute joke.

I have to say this. I can see the argument when Momo is fit. I don't agree with it still, but given the crap signings on the flanks in the Summer, I can see the argument of playing Stevie wide when Xabi and Momo are both fit.

But anybody who thinks Steven Gerrard should accommodate Bolo Zenden in central midfield is either an idiot, is trying to be too clever by half and failing miserably, or has some sort of sinister agenda to get Gerrard sold.

I think its probably idiocy though.

This is a decision I just can't reconcile from Benitez. He got what he deserved from the scoreline today.

I'll never understand how Zenden can be preferred to Gerrard in central midfield. If it wasn't so painful, it'd be funny. Imagine Paisley playing Souness on the right!

But I suspect there is something more widely amiss behind the scenes. This does not seem to be a team fighting for each other anymore.

[alunevans]

SG is clearly unhappy playing RM. Also away from home the tactic has hardly been a roaring success this season. If SG can't play CM for Rafa then he should be sold & lets buy someone who can. As I said in my original post, I'd build my team around SG. Now if that means playing a 3-5-2 then so be it. But Rafa won't do that so we have a £40m player playing RM. Thats not a good use of resorces for a club short of cash.

Hear hear.

In Balague's book, Benitez refers to Gerrrard as "a force of nature."

He's done a bloody good job of making sure he's completely peripheral though.

It's time for Benitez to stop being a balloon and make some basic sensible decisions.

A below average left midfielder or one of the best central midfielders in the world. Who would YOU choose to play central midfield away to one of the top sides in the Premiership?

It beggars belief! What the hell is he thinking really?

[Red Chilli]

It's time for Benitez to stop being a balloon

[Red_Polo]

I smell bull****....

I'll be the first to say Gerrard is a better player in CM, but that doesn't mean he isn't also ****ing good at RM.

[Morph]

I don't think playing with nine players is the way forward.

Not sure how I did that, I meant

------------Reina---------------
------Carra Hyypia Agger--------
?????--------------------Riise---
-------Sissoko--Alonso----------
-----------Gerrard--------------
---------------Garcia-----------
-----------Kuyt----------------

Still want him to try:

-------------Reina-----------
-Finnan--Carra--Agger--Riise-
-------Sissoko--Alonso-------
-----------Gerrard-----------
--Bellamy------------Garcia--
------------Kuyt-------------

It just looks like it'll work to me, obviously Sissoko will have to be replaced by Zenden for now. And maybe Kewell for Garcia when he comes back.

I just don't understand why Rafa hasn't tried it at least once.

[Red_Polo]

I can't see Rafa departing from 4 at the back for anything other than the odd game.

With Momo injured I have no idea what our best team is tbh. Probably...

Reina
Finnan
Carra
Agger
Riise
Pennant
Gerrard
Alonso
Garcia
Kuyt
Crouch

A bit soft across the midfield though.