Some ratings

[El Jefecito]

What Gerrard does so much better than Momo, is that he gets into the box. He gets into positions where he can present a goalthreat. Momo doesn't.

I simply can't understand why people can't see this. It's so bleeding obvious! 60 games and zero goals from Momo. Hello?

And there are countless things that Momo does better than SG. Tackle, intercept, hustle, cover ground etc etc.

Doesn't make one better than the other just different.

[CAD]

Rafa has definitely curtailed his attacking instinct. TBH I think Stevie is better on the right as Rafa puts far fewer restrictions on him. Let's face it Stevie has never been the type to run a game, he's an impact player. And in this team he is going to be more involved and have more of an impact on the right. Hurry back Momo.

Sorry for the ramblings but I just have to address this as well.

Gerrard doesn't stay on the right. That means that we lack balance when he plays RM. With Gerrard at CM we get a RM who stays out wide thus bringing us balance and width.

Also; Gerrard needs to feel that he is in the center of the game. He is the type of player who likes the battle and who stands up when it really matters. Time and time again we have seen this. He is a leader when it really counts. He needs to feel the pulse of the game through the CM. If he sits out a RM and have these 5 mins spells where next to nothing is happening he loses his edge or rythm if you like. I truly believe this.

[CAD]

And there are countless things that Momo does better than SG. Tackle, intercept, hustle, cover ground etc etc.

Doesn't make one better than the other just different.

If you want a team who is in contention to win the PL, it's not done with a player at CM who offers zero goalthreat.

Momo does very very little better than Gerrard!

[El Jefecito]

If you want a team who is in contention to win the PL, it's not done with a player at CM who offers zero goalthreat.

Momo does very very little better than Gerrard!

You are being astonishingly myopic. If you can't see the value that Momo adds in complimenting SG then there is not really much point talking is there?

[Mattshark]

If you want a team who is in contention to win the PL, it's not done with a player at CM who offers zero goalthreat.

Momo does very very little better than Gerrard!

Didi had a very limited goal threat, yet he was an excellent player and his presence made huge difference to our team. Surely you can see that Momo is a player who has a very similar defensive contribution for the midfield, it is not about goal threat if you are a defensive midfielder, it is about covering the defenece.

[El Jefecito]

Sorry for the ramblings but I just have to address this as well.

Gerrard doesn't stay on the right. That means that we lack balance when he plays RM. With Gerrard at CM we get a RM who stays out wide thus bringing us balance and width.

Full backs can provide width. Width is no panacea, sometimes there are better strategies.

Also; Gerrard needs to feel that he is in the center of the game.

Sorry the team is more important than avoiding SG having a sulk.

He is the type of player who likes the battle and who stands up when it really matters. Time and time again we have seen this. He is a leader when it really counts.

Aye, he did this excellently from RM last year.

He needs to feel the pulse of the game through the CM. If he sits out a RM and have these 5 mins spells where next to nothing is happening he loses his edge or rythm if you like. I truly believe this.

I truly believe that the TEAM is stronger w/Stevie out wide. Guess we'll agree to differ, but rejoice in the fact that we have this 'problem'

[Red Chilli]

I sincerely hope Rafa doesn't put Stevie back on the right when Momo is back. He's half the player when he plays on the right. If Momo has to play then we have to go 3-5-2 with Pennant on the right or Garcia.
Gerrard is just not as effective out there.

[Red Chilli]

I truly believe that the TEAM is stronger w/Stevie out wide. Guess we'll agree to differ, but rejoice in the fact that we have this 'problem'

Can't agree with that, look at the evidence from this season

[lfc4ever]

Which prob why he wanted Alves up & down the RW, Pennant just cannot defend, which might have allowed us to start off with SG out RW but more RW/CM with cover provided by Alves.

[El Jefecito]

Can't agree with that, look at the evidence from this season

What evidence? SG has been pretty ineffective for most of the season. He is NOWHERE close to last seasons form. I don't think there has been any mention of us being a one man team this season has there??????

[Red Chilli]

Which prob why he wanted Alves up & down the RW, Pennant just cannot defend, which might have allowed us to start off with SG out RW but more RW/CM with cover provided by Alves.

I'll be made up if we get Alves in a couple of weeks and go to 3-5-2 when Momo is back.

Riise/Aurelio left, Alves/Finnan right

[El Jefecito]

Which prob why he wanted Alves up & down the RW, Pennant just cannot defend, which might have allowed us to start off with SG out RW but more RW/CM with cover provided by Alves.

And Xabi would drift in the RB spot when SG was in the middle and Alves overlapping.

To me that would be the perfect balance.

[CAD]

What evidence? SG has been pretty ineffective for most of the season. He is NOWHERE close to last seasons form. I don't think there has been any mention of us being a one man team this season has there??????

The evidence is four goals since he was moved in to CM!?! He is getting there after he switched back! It's clear for all to see.

He scored 6 goals from the RM last season. The rest came from CM or as the 2nd striker. 6 goals out of the 23 from RM. He was promised that the RM solution was not permanent. He is worldclass and he wants to play at CM. If you won't play him at CM you will have to sell him. Simple as!

Do I think that we should switch Stevie around to accommodate lesser players? Of course I don't. Do I think that we should build on Gerrard and around Gerrard and meet him half way? Yes I do. This is about the team but it's also about the individual. Nothing is just black or white.

A CM with Alonso and Momo is a ticket to 'No future' football, where we might beat the softer teams but will lose out big time to the 'big three'. We are stale and predictable with Alonso/Momo at CM. They offer too little forward. We are too easy to shut down for Scum/Chelski/Arse.

Thats how I see it.

[El Jefecito]

The evidence is four goals since he was moved in to CM!?! He is getting there after he switched back! It's clear for all to see.

He scored 6 goals from the RM last season. The rest came from CM or as the 2nd striker. 6 goals out of the 23 from RM. He was promised that the RM solution was not permanent. He is worldclass and he wants to play at CM. If you won't play him at CM you will have to sell him. Simple as!

Do I think that we should switch Stevie around to accommodate lesser players? Of course I don't. Do I think that we should build on Gerrard and around Gerrard and meet him half way? Yes I do. This is about the team but it's also about the individual. Nothing is just black or white.

A CM with Alonso and Momo is a ticket to 'No future' football, where we might beat the softer teams but will lose out big time to the 'big three'. We are stale and predictable with Alonso/Momo at CM. They offer too little forward. We are too easy to shut down for Scum/Chelski/Arse.

Thats how I see it.

At the end of the day, it is Rafa's call and I think he sees it like I do.

BTW Stevie may have four goals recently but his all round play is not up to the levels of last year. He hasn't dominated and that has been in CM. TBH I don't think Stevie is as important to us as he has been in the past, which is maybe why I'm happier to chuck him out on the right. Again it makes us tighter in the middle and we get more production on the right when SG's there.

[Red_Polo]

If you look at all the memorable moments of magic that SG has produced for us, what area of the pitch was he in at the time? Central. He's just better suited to being a central midfield player than anything else, it's as simple as that.