Brendan Rodgers

[Nick77]

Rogers seems to be too in awe of Gerrard who has under performed all season, he needs to remember who he is managing and no player is bigger than the team and drop Gerrard.

Even though Gerrard is not playing his best he still offers FAR more than some of the players in the team, especially the likes of Joe Allen who is nothing more than another expensive meh central midfielder which we did not & still do not need. Allen should be dropped way way before Gerrard...

[Havors]

Even though Gerrard is not playing his best he still offers FAR more than some of the players in the team, especially the likes of Joe Allen who is nothing more than another expensive meh central midfielder which we did not & still do not need. Allen should be dropped way way before Gerrard...

Gerrard looks about 5 yards off the pace these days. Always dawdling on the ball and is offering very little at the moment. He needs dropping.

Allen is completely different player and is there just to do one job and he does it pretty well. Although he hasnt had the best of games over the past 2 weeks.

[Nicey]

Even though Gerrard is not playing his best he still offers FAR more than some of the players in the team, especially the likes of Joe Allen who is nothing more than another expensive meh central midfielder which we did not & still do not need. Allen should be dropped way way before Gerrard...

Allen is a quality player, playing out of position and for the most part doing a dam fine job, hes had a couple of off games, but he does not go from Wow what a signing to Meh in a month .. well he doesn't if you are sensible anyways

[Tee]

When was Allen a 'wow' player? I must have missed that part. He is a tidy little footballer but I am really struggling to see how he is meant to be so good. I think he is a decent back-up player and expect him to be on the bench regularly when Lucas is fully fit and Sahin comes to terms with this league.

[Fredo]

Can't believe the criticism Allen gets in here. He's an excellent player, playing a similar role to a Busquets or Xavi. I think if he was wearing a mask of one of these players, people would have said phwwoooaaar.

[Lecter]

Now who is exaggerating???

Seriously I wouldnt go so far as being ultra critical of Allen hes been ok nothing more nothing less

To compare him to either Xavi or Busquets is ludicrous to say the least

[Nicey]

When was Allen a 'wow' player? I must have missed that part. He is a tidy little footballer but I am really struggling to see how he is meant to be so good. I think he is a decent back-up player and expect him to be on the bench regularly when Lucas is fully fit and Sahin comes to terms with this league.

No problem, let me remind you, early on in the season ... he totally bossed the middle of the Pitch .. a lot of posters had to eat cake and admit I got that one wrong .. people comparing him to Alonso ... etc ... but hey its football ... 2 weeks is a long long long time in the enclosure

[Alex]

Its similar to Suarez last season. I dont get it. He has been one of our better players this season, playing out of his preferred position too.

I think we should wait until he plays along side Lucas to see the best of him. Plus I think he needs a break. He plays pretty much every game at the moment, due to our lack of DM cover.

[Tee]

Can't believe the criticism Allen gets in here. He's an excellent player, playing a similar role to a Busquets or Xavi. I think if he was wearing a mask of one of these players, people would have said phwwoooaaar.

And similarly I cannot understand the plaudits he is getting. Yes, he is tidy but we need more than that. There is no drive from him and his instinct when he receives possession of the ball is to look back and that is where most of his passes end up. Each to their own but I want a DM who is going to contribute and make things happen going forward. Just like Busquets and Xavi (the comparison to which is absolutely laughable).

[Tee]

No problem, let me remind you, early on in the season ... he totally bossed the middle of the Pitch .. a lot of posters had to eat cake and admit I got that one wrong .. people comparing him to Alonso ... etc ... but hey its football ... 2 weeks is a long long long time in the enclosure

We really need a rolling laughing smiley!!

[Alex]

And similarly I cannot understand the plaudits he is getting. Yes, he is tidy but we need more than that. There is no drive from him and his instinct when he receives possession of the ball is to look back and that is where most of his passes end up. Each to their own but I want a DM who is going to contribute and make things happen going forward. Just like Busquets and Xavi (the comparison to which is absolutely laughable).

Lucas doesnt really offer much in an attacking sense though does he? I know he sets up a new attack from the back, but I mean, he is hardly making the incisive pass for the goal.

So why is Allen being held up for not doing it either?

[Fredo]

To compare him to either Xavi or Busquets is ludicrous to say the least

He does the same role. People don't seem to realise that this position requires a lot of skill. I've read people say that he's passing sideways, as if it was an easy thing to do.

A lot of that role involves receiving the ball in optimal positions, which involves a touch, then a pass, to feet and in such a way which doesn't slow down our play. He does it brilliantly most of the time, I'd say, he's got a 90% success rate at that. That makes him excellent.

He doesn't play for Barcelona, that's his problem. He makes some errors, but who doesn't?

[Tee]

Lucas doesnt really offer much in an attacking sense though does he? I know he sets up a new attack from the back, but I mean, he is hardly making the incisive pass for the goal.

So why is Allen being held up for not doing it either?

Wrong, he does far more going forward than he is given credit for. Difference going forward with Allen is night and day IMO.

[Alex]

Wrong, he does far more going forward than he is given credit for. Difference going forward with Allen is night and day IMO.

Too be honest, its so long since I have properly seen Lucas (Nearly a year now) that I forget.

But I dont think he has a huge attacking presence, and if I remember last season correctly. What little of Allen I caught, he did attack more than Lucas.

[Fredo]

And similarly I cannot understand the plaudits he is getting. Yes, he is tidy but we need more than that. There is no drive from him and his instinct when he receives possession of the ball is to look back and that is where most of his passes end up. Each to their own but I want a DM who is going to contribute and make things happen going forward. Just like Busquets and Xavi (the comparison to which is absolutely laughable).

Didier Deschamps used to play a similar role for France. He was called a 'water carrier' by some, patronisingly so. He got lauded for it late on his career as being the best defensive midfielder in the world. That's when that type of midfielder became an indispensable part of the modern game.