Its a Must

[Bob]

What are you trying to say?

Everyone was doing sliding tackles all over the park last night (a favorite tackle in sensi-soccer). Alonso even got injured that way.

Sliding tackles have their place i.e. to boot wingers five foot in the air. But they were much too common-place last night. First thing that is coached into defending players is to learn to stay on your feet and not go diving in. The game started like a u11-a-side last night. Terrible.

[dww]

Gerrard can't play with Alonso, in the same way he can't play with phat phrank.

Gerrard and Momo. Will it happen? Will it ph...

I actually thought that last night Stevie showed more maturity and sense with his runs and a greater sense of discipline which indicated that given time he could make a good partnership with Xabi. If Xabi can get back to breaking up the game as well as he did last year I think we could be onto something.

[marcgerard]

It was Gerrard's best display of the season and his most intelligent display for some time, I was impressed with his tracking back and the timing of his runs forward, much better awareness.

Gerrard will get a run of games through the centre of midfield now, however if Pennant's form continues (when he gets back to fitness) then I can see Momo's return leading to Gerrard playing on the right again.

[tomasjj]

Everyone was doing sliding tackles all over the park last night (a favorite tackle in sensi-soccer). Alonso even got injured that way.

Sliding tackles have their place i.e. to boot wingers five foot in the air. But they were much too common-place last night. First thing that is coached into defending players is to learn to stay on your feet and not go diving in. The game started like a u11-a-side last night. Terrible.

I wasnt saying he should be diving about like a madman. I just sensed he was more defensively aware.

There were tackles flying though.

[Bob]

I wasnt saying he should be diving about like a madman. I just sensed he was more defensively aware.

There were tackles flying though.

I now what you were saying. 'Early Gerrard' just reminded me of the start of the game is all.

[bazza76]

Gerrard can't play with Alonso, in the same way he can't play with phat phrank.

Gerrard and Momo. Will it happen? Will it ph...

Thats why i am saying if i was forced to pick a central midfield partner between the two for him,

[Mumsafan]

Rotate Alonso & Momo

Swap their ossie beds around yer mean?

[blacky]

Who do we play him in the centre with though?
I cant see Rafa bowing to this when Momo and Xabi come back.
Personally I dont see Stevie as a defensive midfielder. So we have to assume that we play him ahead of the other central midfielder. Then we are left with the situation of Momo not being able to pass and having limited technique, or Xabi being a great passer, but not the best defensively.
If I was forced to pick a role for Stevie in a central midfield two, it would be with Xabi, because momo cant pass. Stevie is a good ball winner aswell.

Rafa might need to look at a new formation in MF accomodating all 3. Considering how poor our new wingers are I would look at

Reina
Finnan Agger Carra Risse
Gerrard Alonso Momo
Bellamy Crouch Kuyt

Bellamy and Kuyt are very good at drifting into wide positions and risse and finnan are capaple of giving us width when required. Rafa still has his 2 defensive midfielders and gerrard is able to break from midfield????

[Red_Polo]

Everyone was doing sliding tackles all over the park last night (a favorite tackle in sensi-soccer). Alonso even got injured that way.

Guy next to me moaned for ages how we should be going through players and not just standing up on them, everyone's too lightweight etc, then when the injuries came in he started going on about them putting themselves in danger when they don't need to

[bazza76]

Rafa might need to look at a new formation in MF accomodating all 3. Considering how poor our new wingers are I would look at

Reina
Finnan Agger Carra Risse
Gerrard Alonso Momo
Bellamy Crouch Kuyt

Bellamy and Kuyt are very good at drifting into wide positions and risse and finnan are capaple of giving us width when required. Rafa still has his 2 defensive midfielders and gerrard is able to break from midfield????

I think in an ideal situation we would have a player in midfield who is soild in the tackle and a good passer of the ball and doesnt stay far, then we would be much more flexable, but it seems Xabi isnt as defensive as we would like and momo cant play as much as we would like either, playing Stevie there would only limit him(defensive midfield). Instead of the 4-2-3-1 we see ourselves playing alot, id like to see us being able to play a 4-1-3-2 or a 4-1-4-1 much like what Arsenal played against us at the Emirates.

[thesilverfoxlfc]

It was faith to bring him into the centre with these injuries

[anfieldanfield]

I like Stevie's raw, reckless tackles.

I hope they continue.

[Bob]

Guy next to me moaned for ages how we should be going through players and not just standing up on them, everyone's too lightweight etc, then when the injuries came in he started going on about them putting themselves in danger when they don't need to

He's clearly an idiot.

[Harv]

I like Stevie's raw, reckless tackles.

I hope they continue.

its the one part of his game thats gone backwards since he has become captain......it used to strike fear into his opponents, in a Roy Keane kinda way, but they seem to have dissapeared.

i didnt see the game last night, did he lay a couple of good ones?

[Mumsafan]

He's clearly an idiot.