Gerrard's future

[spider-Neil]

gh played him on the right
rafa played him up front
both times gerrard was ridiculously effective but we insist on reinventing the wheel. my hope is in the summer we buy a quality central midfield to partner lucas so it forces kenny to play gerrard further up the pitch.

 

[Mystic]

gh played him on the right
rafa played him up front
both times gerrard was ridiculously effective but we insist on reinventing the wheel. my hope is in the summer we buy a quality central midfield to partner lucas so it forces kenny to play gerrard further up the pitch.

Honestly we just need cover, Henderson and Shelvey will both grow and be better next season, we'd be much better of focusing on our wings and a Silva like player, aka Kagawa.

 

[Fabio]

Honestly theres no problem having another quality CM (especially if we shift adam)

KWADWO

 

[spider-Neil]

Honestly we just need cover, Henderson and Shelvey will both grow and be better next season, we'd be much better of focusing on our wings and a Silva like player, aka Kagawa.

CM would be my number one position to addess in the summer.

 

[Athens]

Honestly theres no problem having another quality CM (especially if we shift adam)

KWADWO

What?

 

[Jack D Rips]

But Ferguson didnt actually find quality players to replace Giggs and Scholes. He just keeps winning though. No doubt in my mind the devil is involved.

 

[Fabio]

What?

KWADWO!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Athens]

KWADWO!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought that's what you said.

What does it mean exactly?

 

[Fabio]

Udinese midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah

 

[Athens]

Udinese midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah

Ah. I thought it was some sort of abbreviation or something!


Kenny Will Always Do Whatever's.... I got stuck at O.

 

[Fabio]

Kenny will always do whatevers obvious!

Kuyt won't allow downing waffles outside!

 

[Mystic]

CM would be my number one position to addess in the summer.

Definately not number one position to address. We've got Lucas, Gerrard, Adam, Henderson, Shelvey, Spearing playing for two positions. I'd happily get rid of Adam for a cheap prospect replacement though, or Alonso/Martinez =P

Wingers and creative attacking players has to be our priority though. A midfield of Lucas and Henderson is more than enough when you have Kagawa, Hazard, Carroll and Suarez in front of them. (I know we're not going to sign those two, but I was making a point)

 

[spider-Neil]

Definately not number one position to address. We've got Lucas, Gerrard, Adam, Henderson, Shelvey, Spearing playing for two positions. I'd happily get rid of Adam for a cheap prospect replacement though, or Alonso/Martinez =P

Wingers and creative attacking players has to be our priority though. A midfield of Lucas and Henderson is more than enough when you have Kagawa, Hazard, Carroll and Suarez in front of them. (I know we're not going to sign those two, but I was making a point)

we have;
lucas - who 'may' not get back to the level he had reached before he got injured
gerrard - who I wouldn't play in central midfield ever again
adam - who I fucking can't stand and should be sold asap
henderson - who is young and inexperienced
spearing - who I think should be sold
shevley - who is young and inexperienced
aqua - out of favour

CM is the number one position I would address in the summer

 

[Fox]

You use him in the exact same way that Ferguson has treated Giggs, Scholes, Ferdinand, and plenty of others as they enter the latter part of their careers, which is:

Not building the side around them anymore, but keeping them fresh for the big games when you need them most, and finding quality players who can come in and fill their role in their absence.

that's a great shout and exactly what should happen

 

[Rosco]

Lucas will get back to his previous level a year after his return. He didn't have any pace or agility in the first place so he won't lose anything and he'll put the work in for his rehab. It'll take time for him to regain confidence in the knee though. I'd limit his playing time next season, partially for that reason.

I don't see us shifting many of the CM's we have though, I think Adam is probably moveable - plenty of midyable clubs would take him for around what we paid. I think we'll have Aquilani back, alongside Henderson and Shelvey. I dont see the point in selling Spearing, hes just cheap back up.

 

[Fox]

we have;
lucas - who 'may' not get back to the level he had reached before he got injured
gerrard - who I wouldn't play in central midfield ever again
adam - who I fucking can't stand and should be sold asap
henderson - who is young and inexperienced
spearing - who I think should be sold
shevley - who is young and inexperienced
aqua - out of favour

CM is the number one position I would address in the summer

Mate no way should we spend any money on CM.

UTD are over 30 points ahead of us and their CM is a choice of Carrick, Anderson, Scholes, Fletcher, Cleverley

That is not better than our choices, but their wingers are Nani, Giggs, Valencia, Young and Park

Amazing difference to Downing, Kuyt, Henderson, Maxi and Bellers who all played out wide for us.

Then compare up front they have 52 league goals from Owen, Berbatov, Rooney, Hernandez and Welbeck

We have 23 goals from Suarez,Kuyt, Bellers and Carroll.

How the hell can you justify spending money on the central midfield this window is beyond me fella.

We need goals, everything points to a top striker to replace Kuyt one or two wide men to replace Maxi

 

[Fabio]

Mate no way should we spend any money on CM.

UTD are over 30 points ahead of us and their CM is a choice of Carrick, Anderson, Scholes, Fletcher, Cleverley

That is not better than our choices, but their wingers are Nani, Giggs, Valencia, Young and Park

Amazing difference to Downing, Kuyt, Henderson, Maxi and Bellers who all played out wide for us.

Then compare up front they have 52 league goals from Owen, Berbatov, Rooney, Hernandez and Welbeck

We have 23 goals from Suarez,Kuyt, Bellers and Carroll.

How the hell can you justify spending money on the central midfield this window is beyond me fella.

We need goals, everything points to a top striker to replace Kuyt one or two wide men to replace Maxi

But you also need to get the ball up the pitch. We need a player who can drive the ball forwad. Henderson i'm not cinvinced with, adam is hit and miss, shelvey is young ad who knows how gerrard will turn out.

Yes we need another striker and many, many wingers, but to neglect the CM position would be foolish. We've seen this year how our CM was decimated by the inuries to lucas and adam.

 

[spider-Neil]

Mate no way should we spend any money on CM.

my flabber was be gasted if we don't get a central midfielder in the summer. absolutely we will.

 

[Mystic]

But you also need to get the ball up the pitch. We need a player who can drive the ball forwad. Henderson i'm not cinvinced with, adam is hit and miss, shelvey is young ad who knows how gerrard will turn out.

Yes we need another striker and many, many wingers, but to neglect the CM position would be foolish. We've seen this year how our CM was decimated by the inuries to lucas and adam.

What we need are wingers who are competent on the ball, I wouldn't turn down a midfielder to replace Adam, and I think it should be done, but it is no way a priority ahead of Wingers/attacking midfielders.

 

[Mystic]

Maybe part of the rest I think this is because I believe Henderson and Shelvey will be able to pick up a lot more of the lack next year as this years experience and a new pre season will have helped them immensely. That and, barring some horrendously bad luck, we'll have Lucas for most of the season.

 

[Fabio]

What we need are wingers who are competent on the ball, I wouldn't turn down a midfielder to replace Adam, and I think it should be done, but it is no way a priority ahead of Wingers/attacking midfielders.

Im not saying it should be a priority, but i think it is a necessity

 

[spider-Neil]

I think our big problems stem from centre midfield, I don't think we control enough of the game from there. yes, our possession stats are impressive but I think this happens from a deep position and the likes of carroll and suarez have been isolated. we are talking about getting wingers but those wingers will also suffer from the problem of not having enough support.

 

[Fox]

I think our big problems stem from centre midfield, I don't think we control enough of the game from there. yes, our possession stats are impressive but I think this happens from a deep position and the likes of carroll and suarez have been isolated. we are talking about getting wingers but those wingers will also suffer from the problem of not having enough support.

so if we have £50 million to spend and ran out of money after a good striker and CM you would be happy??

If we have spare cash after a top winger and striker then ok get a CM but it is not a priority we have a decent 5 already

 

[Fox]

But you also need to get the ball up the pitch. We need a player who can drive the ball forwad. Henderson i'm not cinvinced with, adam is hit and miss, shelvey is young ad who knows how gerrard will turn out.

Yes we need another striker and many, many wingers, but to neglect the CM position would be foolish. We've seen this year how our CM was decimated by the inuries to lucas and adam.

So looking at UTD squad whcih one of their CM would have given us 34 more points to match them?

CM is not a problem

 

[gkmacca]

Gerrard is our best midfielder but has become increasingly injury prone. .

I don't think we can yet say that he's injury prone. He carried a groin injury for more than a season, finally had an operation, and as often happens the rehab caused various niggles as his body responded. After a good pre-season we'll be better placed to assess how he is these days. He coud be fitter and fresher than he's been for years for all we know.

 

[Fabio]

So looking at UTD squad whcih one of their CM would have given us 34 more points to match them?

CM is not a problem

Only rooney out of their forwards would have scored more goals.

Besides, i've already said, we need wingers and strikers pronto, but we do need another midfielder in case lucas doesn't come back fully and we're reliant on spearing a lot of the time.

 

[SummerOnions]

Mate no way should we spend any money on CM.

UTD are over 30 points ahead of us and their CM is a choice of Carrick, Anderson, Scholes, Fletcher, Cleverley

That is not better than our choices, but their wingers are Nani, Giggs, Valencia, Young and Park

Amazing difference to Downing, Kuyt, Henderson, Maxi and Bellers who all played out wide for us.

Then compare up front they have 52 league goals from Owen, Berbatov, Rooney, Hernandez and Welbeck

We have 23 goals from Suarez,Kuyt, Bellers and Carroll.

How the hell can you justify spending money on the central midfield this window is beyond me fella.

We need goals, everything points to a top striker to replace Kuyt one or two wide men to replace Maxi

A charity tenner says we do.

 

[Wizardry]

I think our big problems stem from centre midfield, I don't think we control enough of the game from there. yes, our possession stats are impressive but I think this happens from a deep position and the likes of carroll and suarez have been isolated. we are talking about getting wingers but those wingers will also suffer from the problem of not having enough support.

Neil, the problem may look like it stems from midfield but that's simply not the case. The problem is with our wide and attacking players; they don't create the movement or provide the options for the midfield to use. I know it's a bloody broken record but the reason that Lucas looked so much better in ball movement last season was because we got players moving and that was largely down to having Ming, Suarez and Maxi in the team a fair amount. They moved all the bloody time, got into good positions and gave options.

There were a number of us who thought Lucas was a great passer of the ball; his awareness of support players and first time passing was excellent. When he got that movement in front of him he started pinging it around nicely and everyone started talking about what a revelation his passing was. The issue wasn't his passing but the stagnant players ahead of him. I know plenty think I'm OTT in this but the loss of Ming hurt us badly and the fact that Maxi has played very little this season simply exacerbated the problem.

If we get the right wide men / attackers then our midfield won't have anywhere near the trouble they've been having this season.

Priority number one, for me, has been a goal poacher. Not sure whether Carroll can start to address that with Suarez or not. Neither strikes me as potentially prolific but, together, they might be able to produce. We probably need them to find 40 goals between them.

Priority number two was quality wide, attacking players. The David Silva's, Hazard's etc are what we need and that is possibly now the number one priority in my mind.

Priority three would be a central midfielder to replace anyone who's moving on. I personally think that Henderson or Adam beside Lucas would be fine. Adam actually looked pretty good while Lucas was playing but fell apart after that injury. Either way a combo of one of them with Lucas would be fine IMO and allow Gerrard to be further forward.

The CM could be good but it's not the answer to our problems. Players who move, find space and use that space when they've got it are the answer. Get them and the midfield will look immensely better.

 

[Mystic]

Exactly Wizardry, that's what I was trying to say!

 

[the_khl]

I beg to differ.

I really believe we are a key CM short. A beast of a player like Martinez in that position could prove vital. With the further addition of a playmaker like Eriksen we'd be a much more balanced site.

Then add a few moneyball signings like Elija or Krasic and we'd have quite a wonderful team.

...........................................REINA............................................
JOHNSON...............SKRTEL......AGGER.................ENRIQUE
.........................................MARTINEZ.......................................
...............................GERRARD..........ERIKSEN........................
SUAREZ.............................CARROLL.....................DOWNING

Subs: Elia, Henderson, Adam, Kelly, Shelvey, Lucas, Sterling, Bellamy and a few cheap squadies/utility-players like Dempsey or Altintop if you like.