Steven Gerrard

[peekay]

Steven Gerrard has an important role to play in our club for the next 4 years if he is used sparingly.

He needs to retire from England after the world cup.

Our manager should use him the same way Ferguson used Giggs and Scholes - sparingly and in critical games. If that happens I think Gerrard can play for another 4-5 years.

If he continues to play for England and start for Liverpool whenever he is fit in the CM position, I don't think his career will last for another 2 more years.

[Mostar]

Needs to be allowed to attack. It's what he is good at

I really don't think it would make much difference at this point in his career.

He and Lucas should be given rest and I personally would like to see Allen, Hendo and Coutinho play together.

We were overrun, outpaced and outclassed by Arsenal midfield and Stevie and Lucas had a lot to do with that.

[Mike]

I really don't think it would make much difference at this point in his career.

He and Lucas should be given rest and I personally would like to see Allen, Hendo and Coutinho play together.

We were overrun, outpaced and outclassed by Arsenal midfield and Stevie and Lucas had a lot to do with that.

Spot on

[danperkins]

It would be very interesting to see the reaction if Rodgers did drop Gerrard. Imo he is definitely better in a more attacking role... but is he better than Coutinho? Tricky situation ..but to put it bluntly he is crap defensively and really doesn't look mobile enough to cope with such a demanding & pivotal role.

Big problem for us, as Henderson is not aggressive enough nor good enough to be a starter for a team pushing for 4th spot. And Lucas has been way off but literally is the only DM we have... so he has to start.

Stevie is IMO 100% not finished.. but it's not working at the moment. Him cruising around playing a few nice hollywood balls every 20 mins isn't enough. Not doing the team any good. For me it's got to do with personnel. We should have prepared for the in the summer. We got some young players in who haven't gone near the first team & Aspas looks no where near good enough. It really is money wasted at a time where we need to be spot on with spending. I get buying kids for the future & snapping up potential talent but we have to buy for the now.. so we can push and challenge presently.

We can't afford another year out of the champs league so i'm not really sure what use it is buying young players who aren't going to feature, when the money could have been spent elsewhere in positions that needed to be sorted asap. I really like Rodgers and what he is doing but if we (bunch of randomers on the net called it) surely Rodgers and the scouting department should have addressed the midfield issue?

Anyways, sure we are stuck until January so let's hope Gerrard gets the finger out, Hendo grows a pair of balls & Lucas rediscovers some form. Well that or we pray Suarez,Sturridge & Coutinho can win games for us.

[Lecter]

I think possibly our biggest problem is that both Gerrard and Lucas are guaranteed starters regardless of form especially Stevie. Lucas can't be dropped because there's no one that realistically play the DM role and SG cannot be dropped because for the same reason plus because of who he is and the potential problems that could arise if BR did it.
But you have to wonder when BR will draw a line in the sand and say enough's enough, Stevie is 33 and he is only going to continue to decline so sooner or later the decision will have to be made.

I honestly dont believe we have anyone better in the squad to break up the Lucas / Gerrard partnership

As you mentioned Lucas is the only DM we have the rest arent worth a carat in that role. Gerrard despite being over the hill is far more suited to that role than any of the other players we have, he offers better defensive qualities than either Henderson or Allen and he offers a better deep range of passing than either of those two

Some on here will no doubt advocate putting Allen in and going to a shorter based game but I'm not keen on that idea as it lets the opposition get men behind the ball and organise themselves. Personally I think we are better with our forwards being given space to run into or at the opposition defence

[Lecter]

I really don't think it would make much difference at this point in his career.

He and Lucas should be given rest and I personally would like to see Allen, Hendo and Coutinho play together.

We were overrun, outpaced and outclassed by Arsenal midfield and Stevie and Lucas had a lot to do with that.

Who would win possession in that midfield 3??

[Corndog]

Who would win possession in that midfield 3??

If we pressed properly as a team all of them would.

Henderson is actually quite good at harassing opponents into mistakes, but there are lots of examples I remember where he will bust a gut to chase somebody down high up the field, in what becomes ultimately a futile attempt because he doesn't have the support other than Suarez occasionally.

[Sarb]

I agree. I think it's more about harrying the opposition and forcing them to lose the ball in and around midfield rather than winning it with a crunching tackle for Rodgers. Whether it works that way is another matter

[Corndog]

I agree. I think it's more about harrying the opposition and forcing them to lose the ball in and around midfield rather than winning it with a crunching tackle for Rodgers. Whether it works that way is another matter

And here in lies the problem because IF you can execute it properly this strategy is the most effective imo. But as we have all seen there have been sides who have tried to copy Barca in this way and just cannot do it well enough.

A pressing strategy executed poorly is actually worse than not pressing at all because those players who do it in isolated incidents actually make it easier for the opposition to bypass them and catch them out of position.

I don't think its often stressed enough that only a handful of teams in the top tier of European football actually have the quality, team work and collective intelligence to play this way successfully on a consistent basis. e.g Dortmund, Barca, Arsenal etc.

[Sarb]

And here in lies the problem because IF you can execute it properly this strategy is the most effective imo. But as we have all seen there have been sides who have tried to copy Barca in this way and just cannot do it well enough.

A pressing strategy executed poorly is actually worse than not pressing at all because those players who do it in isolated incidents actually make it easier for the opposition to bypass them and catch them out of position.

I don't think its often stressed enough that only a handful of teams in the top tier of European football actually have the quality, team work and collective intelligence to play this way successfully on a consistent basis. e.g Dortmund, Barca, Arsenal etc.

[kev776]

I think we have an element of the forum thinking the unthinkable and preparing for it and another element thinking the unthinkable and deciding we are not ready for it.

[baitman]

And here in lies the problem because IF you can execute it properly this strategy is the most effective imo. But as we have all seen there have been sides who have tried to copy Barca in this way and just cannot do it well enough.

A pressing strategy executed poorly is actually worse than not pressing at all because those players who do it in isolated incidents actually make it easier for the opposition to bypass them and catch them out of position.

I don't think its often stressed enough that only a handful of teams in the top tier of European football actually have the quality, team work and collective intelligence to play this way successfully on a consistent basis. e.g Dortmund, Barca, Arsenal etc.

well said, Sir
we have given up on the pressing game. tic tacs have been abandoned

[rudedog]

Right - time for some revision

We were saying pretty much the exact same things about SG this time last year :

http://www.est1892.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=82055&page=36

His performances picked up after that and it wasn't long before this thread had turned into a universal Stevie love-in again :

http://www.est1892.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=82055&page=45

Fickle bunch eh ?

[BigChief]

And here in lies the problem because IF you can execute it properly this strategy is the most effective imo. But as we have all seen there have been sides who have tried to copy Barca in this way and just cannot do it well enough.

A pressing strategy executed poorly is actually worse than not pressing at all because those players who do it in isolated incidents actually make it easier for the opposition to bypass them and catch them out of position.

I don't think its often stressed enough that only a handful of teams in the top tier of European football actually have the quality, team work and collective intelligence to play this way successfully on a consistent basis. e.g Dortmund, Barca, Arsenal etc.

Brilliant post. Sums it up perfectly.

[Mike]

Right - time for some revision

We were saying pretty much the exact same things about SG this time last year :

http://www.est1892.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=82055&page=36

His performances picked up after that and it wasn't long before this thread had turned into a universal Stevie love-in again :

http://www.est1892.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=82055&page=45

Fickle bunch eh ?

I still stand by what i said

For me, I'd drop/rest him for the Fulham game at least, and try Allen with Henderson and Lucas. Pressing is a part of the game that Rodgers is big on, and I never really see Gerrard press that much.

Also, I may be nit-picking here, but has anyone else noticed how Gerrard stands facing opponents running at him? He'll stand there with his legs miles apart and hunch down, meaning he can hardly turn if they try and get past him? Something I've noticed of late.