The Midfield

[Gibbo]

Right'o since it's being discussed on pretty much every single thread on the forum I figured i'd take the initiative and start a thread on the ******* thing.

Personally, I don't see the big problem a wide range of people seem to have with our midfield at the minute, As we are currently sitting in the CL places where if you'd have asked anyone at the start of the season that's where we needed to be.

But, it was slightly overrun against Arsenal so how do we make it better? Do we need a new midfield combo?

Gerrard Lucas
-----Hendo

Hendo Lucas
----Gerrard

Allen Hendo
--Gerrard

Allen Gerrard
---Hendo

Gerrard Hendo
----Coutinho

The possibilities are endless.

My humble opinion is that we already have some good strength in our team, but we possibly need one more Athletic tackler to take some off the pressure of Lucas and Gerrard. Someone like Koke or Gundogan would be absolutely amazing. But i'd settle for someone like Sisssoko from Newcastle or even Diaby. Ramieres would be ideal too.

Get one of those in Jan, plus Alonso () and we'd be well and truly cooking with gas.

Although - I do think Gerrards legs are going, and maybe Lucas has lost a yard since his injury but they are both still excellent players and some of the criticism they are getting on here is way over the top, do think we may need some reinforcements though.

[danperkins]

A quick,athletic, work horse type player with a a dominant presence.... oh that is a good ball player. Not too much to ask really

[Bernardicus]

..............Lucas................
......Gerrard...Henderson......
............Coutinho..............

[RichC]

..............Lucas................
......Gerrard...Henderson......
............Coutinho..............

Correct

With a back 4 and a Sturridge and Suarez up top.

[Bernardicus]

Correct

With a back 4 and a Sturridge and Suarez up top.

Exactly.

[RichC]

Depending on form You could drop one of the midfielders for Allen

[Rigadon]

I think Gerrard (top, top player but legs look heavy) and Lucas (looks knackered) need to be rested at some point over the next two months. I'd actually rotate Gerrard, Lucas, Henderson and Coutinho (needs to be protected) For example, we could play:

……………...Mignolet

Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique

…………...Allen Lucas

…Suarez…Coutinho...Moses

……………….Sturridge

or:

………..Allen Henderson

…Suarez…Gerrard...Moses

……………….Sturridge

etc

[Fosterbloke]

Scott Parker is definitely the key.

[Sarb]

I think we've done ok in midfield for most of the season barring the odd couple games. In those games we've just not pressed high up the pitch. I don't think it requires a big strong built midfielder. Whether it's a question of consistency or not. It's pretty clear, that BR's emphasis isn't always on tough tackling. He wants the ball won back quickly. We did it a couple of times against Arsenal early on but then went back too deep.

I'd like to see Henderson and Lucas/Allen sitting and Gerrard playing a bit in advance of them.

[el matador]

-----------------mignolet-------------------------

--------toure----------------Sakho---------------

johnson----------------------------------enrique---

---------henderson----------lucas-------------------

-------------------gerrard--------------------------

----coutinho-----------------------suarez------

-------------------sturridge--------------------

the key is to play with 2 holding midfielders which means that both fullbacks and gerrard can push forward without hesitation knowing the defensive shape of the team is still strong.

[The Birdman]

Gerrard playing further forward isn't going to happen. (maybe once in a blue moon)
Name anyone in the history of football that plays further up the field the older and slower they get?

Gerrard is in the right position, he should be the deep lying playmaker the problem is that Lucas isn't mobile enough to partner him in there yet a 2 of Gerrard and Henderson/Allen isn't defensive enough as the onus would be on Gerrard to break up the attacks and he isn't good enough positionally to do it.

The answer is to upgrade Lucus with a defensive minded, mobile, athletic player, or stick Allen in there and keep the ball better so they have less of it.

[Daniel 7]

Forget the midfield, just have a 5-0-5 formation which revolves around Mignolet passing it out to a defender who belts it up the field to one of the forward players. If the opposition somehow manage to get the ball back, every one of the forward five players swarm around the player in possession until he just gives up and passes it back to our team. The forward holds it up until the other 4 get forward, lays it back to a defender, who belts it forward to the 4 remaining attackers.

Easy.

[el matador]

Gerrard playing further forward isn't going to happen. (maybe once in a blue moon)
Name anyone in the history of football that plays further up the field the older and slower they get?

Gerrard is in the right position, he should be the deep lying playmaker the problem is that Lucas isn't mobile enough to partner him in there yet a 2 of Gerrard and Henderson/Allen isn't defensive enough as the onus would be on Gerrard to break up the attacks and he isn't good enough positionally to do it.

The answer is to upgrade Lucus with a defensive minded, mobile, athletic player, or stick Allen in there and keep the ball better so they have less of it.

if you want two solid midfielders who will compete for the ball then gerrard cant play deep with one of them. as soon as we lose the ball we've effectively got two midfielders behind the ball as gerrard cant track back, and henderson has to support the attack

vs arsenal we played with both henderson and gerrard in front of lucas, and poor lucas couldnt contain arsenals counters. To be fair to him, i dont think one man can.

if we change the 1-2 to a 2-1 there would automatically be more strength in the middle and we wont be so outnumbered constantly.

[the rev leeroy brown]

My humble opinion is that we already have some good strength in our team, but we possibly need one more Athletic tackler to take some off the pressure of Lucas and Gerrard. Someone like Koke or Gundogan would be absolutely amazing. But i'd settle for someone like Sisssoko from Newcastle or even Diaby. Ramieres would be ideal too.

you mean Tiote right?

either or i'd still say no.

diame for me please.

[ronanm]

Gerrard playing further forward isn't going to happen. (maybe once in a blue moon)
Name anyone in the history of football that plays further up the field the older and slower they get?

Gerrard is in the right position, he should be the deep lying playmaker the problem is that Lucas isn't mobile enough to partner him in there yet a 2 of Gerrard and Henderson/Allen isn't defensive enough as the onus would be on Gerrard to break up the attacks and he isn't good enough positionally to do it.

The answer is to upgrade Lucus with a defensive minded, mobile, athletic player, or stick Allen in there and keep the ball better so they have less of it.

Dion Dublin