The "Momo is nearly fit again/Gerrard at CM" thread!

[Shaggy]

Let me throw a few points out there.

If you think Momo is over-rated then I'd suggest that you are just rating him on different criteria than Rafa and those of us who think he is indispensable. This is borne out by you only considering attacking stats. At this point that is not his primary function.

Stevie said himself the reason that we are playing well was due to a) Him, Carra and Xabi coming into form at the same time and b) that there was a massive improvement from Pennant and Bellamy. He doesn't share the implied view that it is only because SG has been moved into CM.

The other thing that I think people are missing is that Rafa's idea of a CM and the way SG has played in the past are not the same. If you've seen how SG has played recently he has been much more subdued than he would have in the past. He has spent a lot of time deeper than he would normally do. He has got forward much less than he would like and TBH I think it constrains him and hence he has less impact on the game.

Where should he start? Like I said I don't think Rafa's idea of a CM suits SG. I think he needs to start in whatever position would allow him to play the free role. He should be able to turn up on the left if that's where there is space, he should be able to come deep if he sees an opportunity for a hollywood ball.

In short Stevie needs to play the free-role. Xabi and Momo together provide the discipline, ball winning skills and compactness that allows Stevie to play exactly to his strengths.

This is almost becoming a religious issue and there is no need for it.

[Ritchi3]

That's the game where we were down 2-0 after 28 mins.[/QUOTE]
Yes, 2-0 down from a keeper error and a goalkeeper error. You're hardly suggesting that if Gerrard had have been in CM, that they wouldn't have happened?

It's the game where Gerrard safed us from what was effectively a CM position.

Gerrard was allowed "save us from what was effectively a CM position" because he had Xabi and Momo in CM to cover him, right*? Or would he have been able to do that, if he had to partake in defensive duties too?

I would argue we won that inspite of the Momo/Alonso constellation!

You could also argue that we would have lost certain big matches, whether we had Stevie in the middle or the right, couldn't you? Impossible to tell. It's not really a great argument, no matter which way you look at it.


*no pun intended

[BobTheCharmer]

can't believe any Liverpool on the planet would want Gerrard back on the right. He's our captain. Our best player. Play him in his favourite position. End of.

[KingKenny]

Lets discuss this topic when Momo is fully fit, 'till then...................

ps:don't want to see SG wasted on the right, ever again.

[CAD]

That's the game where we were down 2-0 after 28 mins.

Yes, 2-0 down from a keeper error and a goalkeeper error. You're hardly suggesting that if Gerrard had have been in CM, that they wouldn't have happened?


Gerrard was allowed "save us from what was effectively a CM position" because he had Xabi and Momo in CM to cover him, right*? Or would he have been able to do that, if he had to partake in defensive duties too?



You could also argue that we would have lost certain big matches, whether we had Stevie in the middle or the right, couldn't you? Impossible to tell. It's not really a great argument, no matter which way you look at it.


*no pun intended[/QUOTE]

Alonso was abysmal in the final. We didn't start to come together until he was subbed and Hamann came on in the 71th min.

If Gerrard hadn't played at CM in the 2nd half we would have lost.

[El Jefecito]

That's the game where we were down 2-0 after 28 mins. It's the game where Gerrard safed us from what was effectively a CM position.

I would argue we won that inspite of the Momo/Alonso constellation!

You mean he started on the right, played the free role and came into the middle to make an impact

[tsb]

I remember a certain amount of Liverpool supporters saying that Hamann contributed very little to the team. Patrick Vieira is the old Momo Sissoko!!!

[The_weatherman]

We can´t compare Gerrard playing on the right earlier in the season and clearly out of form and him playing in the midde in-form. When Gerrard played in the middle against Galatasaray the team, and himself, looked awful.

Gerrard on the right works well - the stats show that the while he performs better in the middle the TEAM performs better with him on the right.

[CAD]

"We can´t compare Gerrard playing on the right earlier in the season and clearly out of form and him playing in the midde in-form. When Gerrard played in the middle against Galatasaray the team, and himself, looked awful."

I thought the first half against Galatasaray was the best so far this season!

[CAD]

You mean he started on the right, played the free role and came into the middle to make an impact

He made an impact when Cissé was moved out on the RM

[The_weatherman]

"We can´t compare Gerrard playing on the right earlier in the season and clearly out of form and him playing in the midde in-form. When Gerrard played in the middle against Galatasaray the team, and himself, looked awful."

I thought the first half against Galatasaray was the best so far this season!

I thought, during the second half, when Gala hade made some attacking changes that our midfield didn´t cope too well with theirs and Gala were getting some good chances. I think Gerrard isn´t disciplined enough to play against the top sides - maybe Momo and Gerrard then but defo not Gerrard and Xabi.

[captainfog]

can't believe any Liverpool on the planet would want Gerrard back on the right. He's our captain. Our best player. Play him in his favourite position. End of.

I can't believe any liverpool supporter on the planet would effectively rather pick Pennant ahead of Momo.

Momo does more in the middle than Pennant does on the right, whilst Stevie G does more than anyone in almost any position. Until you have another option on the right I don't understand why you wouldn't play Stevie there, especially if playing him in the centre means effectively putting out a weakened team

[SouthAfricaRed]

I think Momo's defensive play allows Gerrard to be a lot more attacking than he is with Alonso in the same role.

Gerrard has done better playing in CM, but he still plays the majority of the game in a defensive role.

I would rotate Alonso and Momo. As stated before the two together are not ideal, but neither is Gerrard and Alonso.

There is little doubt that Gerrard is the BEST RM player in the squad at present, although Pennant is slowly starting to improve his game.

It will be interesting to see what Rafa decides when Momo is fit. The only thing I'm sure of is that we wont see the same Midfielders game after game

[dom9]

ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[El Jefecito]

It will be interesting to see what Rafa decides when Momo is fit. The only thing I'm sure of is that we wont see the same Midfielders game after game

What's happened that could possibly change Rafa's mind? I haven't seen anything!!!