Gerrard's future

[spider-Neil]

that was a good post wiz but I don't agree, I don't think our central midfield has given the attackers enough of a platform to build attacks or our defense enough protection. our team has been shambolic at times, we seem to lack players in the box when we attack and at the back the opposition seem to have easy chances against us (look at chelsea's first goal in the fa cup) so where the FUCK is our team? not enough support for the attackers not enough support for the defenders and for me that comes down from central midfield.

I think one half of this problem will be solved by the return of lucas and I couldn't care less who agrees with me but I thought lucas was nothing short of magnificent in the three games leading up to his injury. with regards to a destroyer I think we are set, I think the next position to address is who partners him (lucas) I absolutely don't think it should be gerrard. I think adam is fucking SHIT, spearing is young and I don't think that good anyway, henderson and shelvey need to mature as players (but I see a future for both players). I'm of the opinion we need to partner lucas with a player who has the mobility to get up and down the pitch to help sheild the defense and start attacks. I have no idea who this player is, in an ideal world that would be javi martinez but that looks very unlikely but that is the player we need. we need to address the middle of the park because I think our problems stem from there.

absolutely we need attacking players but if it were me spending the money then the first position I would tackle would be CM.

 

[Modo]

Downing does not start in a title winning team.
The left side with Enrique and Downing is where creativity goes to die. Like elephant graveyards.

 

[Wizardry]

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.

Seriously?

You'd go out and spend money to replace Lucas in a holding midfield role before spending money on replacing Downing in an attacking role?

I don't think it reflects you at all but it's the sort of conservative, risk-free approach that has summed our transfers up for years. It's also what constantly sees us struggling for the creativity and goals that are required to launch a real title challenge.

I'm not saying it won't happen but if during this transfer window we address the holding midfielder rather than the creativity, goal threat and game intelligence out wide I will literally cry.

 

[spider-Neil]

I'm sorry but you don't spend 3 years developing lucas and just when he starts to realise his potential you get rid, that's just daft.

 

[Rosco]

I'm sorry but you don't spend 3 years developing lucas and just when he starts to realise his potential you get rid, that's just daft.

Depends on how much we're offered doesn't it?

 

[spider-Neil]

Depends on how much we're offered doesn't it?

okay, that is fair enough.

 

[gene hughes]

Lucas will move soon, probably next summer.

 

[spider-Neil]

Lucas will move soon, probably next summer.

what makes you say that, he loves this club and it's real love not like the pseudo love of torres.

 

[gene hughes]

Neil, will you never learn?

 

[spider-Neil]

Neil, will you never learn?

look at lucas' angelic face, is that the face of a liar?

 

[gkmacca]

Lucas will move soon, probably next summer.

As rehabs go, that's painfully slow.

 

[Wizardry]

As rehabs go, that's painfully slow.

Arf!

 

[Ryan]

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.

I find it hard to disagree with this.

Especially cos I posted it all myself about 6 months ago.

 

[Modo]

So you think Adam is good?

 

[Ryan]

Meant to put "most of" in between with and this.

 

[Wizardry]

I find it hard to disagree with this.

Keep trying mate, I'm sure you'll find a way. 😉

 

[spider-Neil]

each to their own, put it this way, if I had a straight choice between eden hazard and javi martinez I would go for the latter because I think it would have a greater impact on our team. I realise we need more creativity but I place stronger emphasis on controlling the game in the right areas i.e. as close to the oppositions goal as humanly possible.

 

[the_khl]

each to their own, put it this way, if I had a straight choice between eden hazard and javi martinez I would go for the latter because I think it would have a greater impact on our team. I realise we need more creativity but I place stronger emphasis on controlling the game in the right areas i.e. as close to the oppositions goal as humanly possible.

I don't for one second doubt that would indeed be the sound choice.

Not saying I wouldn't love to have a player like Hazard in our squad, I really would, but Martinez would fill a bigger gap despite having seen formidable progress in Lucas before his bad injury.

 

[the_khl]

Seriously?

You'd go out and spend money to replace Lucas in a holding midfield role before spending money on replacing Downing in an attacking role?

I don't think it reflects you at all but it's the sort of conservative, risk-free approach that has summed our transfers up for years. It's also what constantly sees us struggling for the creativity and goals that are required to launch a real title challenge.

I'm not saying it won't happen but if during this transfer window we address the holding midfielder rather than the creativity, goal threat and game intelligence out wide I will literally cry.

I can see where you are coming from Wiz but imo it's not risk-free. Rather the contrary.

A lot of posters seem to think that as long as we've just got a wide player with the potential to skip a man and hit decent crosses we'd be settled. Muniain, Hoilett etc. etc. has been mentioned as saviours but I just don't think it'll move that much as we've not found the right balance in central.

Yeah Lucas looked much improved but who knows what he'll be like when he comes back? And he's still not better than others out there who can not only hold the line, but score vital goals, defend headers and so on as well.

We have all talked about Gerrard not looking his best when given to much responsibility defensively in central and to be honest the Lucas/Gerrard pairing has never struck me as one for the future. Adam I really like as a footballer but he needs a holding midfielder alongside him. Adam lacks some impact however why I don't think Lucas and Adam are the right pairing either. Spearing obviously isn't ready and I'd be very surprised if Shelvey were despite him looking a great potential.

The engine room for a team like ours that'll want to dictate play and dominate teams needs to be top class, more so than we need top class wingers.

I am not saying Downing should be a certain starter, he shouldn't, but there are other areas that simply needs our attention first and foremost than more pacy winger types if we are on a tight budget.

 

[mark1975]

The first area that needs addressing is the attacking roles. We've failed to address it fully for the best part of 2 decades. We've always either had the strikers but lacked the creativity, the creativity but a lack of collective finishing ability, or both.

We've lacked a winger now, a good one, since McManaman left, just look at what we've had as out and out wingers since then, aside from square pegs like Berger, Yossi, Smicer and co, we've had Downing, Pennant, Gonzalez, Leto and Riera as real out and out wide men.

We need a quality winger/wing forward, we have done for years and we need another striker. In midfield we have the "potential" to be decent for a few years to come (personally I'd let Lucas, Hendo and Shelvey try to do it as a three). I admit that we may need to invest in another, just in case, but that's just it, it's far down the pecking order, alongside a new left back. A "we might need one, but there are far more pressing issues".

 

[FoxForceFive]

Can't disagree with those three, but we need to play suarez & Carroll too, so we have either three at the back or no width.

 

[mark1975]

Can't disagree with those three, but we need to play suarez & Carroll too, so we have either three at the back or no width.

I think we can still play that way, but more as a three up top, Suarez and another either side of Carroll, the midfield three can still compress and stretch the play, two say central and one pulls wide to cover when needs be. Plus we don't always have to play 433 we can just play two from Carroll/Suarez/whoever. I still think the basis is there that can be rectified with two quality attacking signings. And this is all without the "bonus" of a fit and available Gerrard (if it happens).

 

[FoxForceFive]

I think we can still play that way, but more as a three up top, Suarez and another either side of Carroll, the midfield three can still compress and stretch the play, two say central and one pulls wide to cover when needs be. Plus we don't always have to play 433 we can just play two from Carroll/Suarez/whoever. I still think the basis is there that can be rectified with two quality attacking signings. And this is all without the "bonus" of a fit and available Gerrard (if it happens).

I
Then Gerrard would have to play on the right when fit IMO.

 

[the_khl]

The first area that needs addressing is the attacking roles. We've failed to address it fully for the best part of 2 decades. We've always either had the strikers but lacked the creativity, the creativity but a lack of collective finishing ability, or both.

We've lacked a winger now, a good one, since McManaman left, just look at what we've had as out and out wingers since then, aside from square pegs like Berger, Yossi, Smicer and co, we've had Downing, Pennant, Gonzalez, Leto and Riera as real out and out wide men.

We need a quality winger/wing forward, we have done for years and we need another striker. In midfield we have the "potential" to be decent for a few years to come (personally I'd let Lucas, Hendo and Shelvey try to do it as a three). I admit that we may need to invest in another, just in case, but that's just it, it's far down the pecking order, alongside a new left back. A "we might need one, but there are far more pressing issues".

"Potential to be decent."

If we are indeed aiming to win the Premiership some year soon, that's simply not good enough, no matter how amazing that winger is.

 

[mark1975]

"Potential to be decent."

If we are indeed aiming to win the Premiership some year soon, that's simply not good enough, no matter how amazing that winger is.

Lost in translation, I didn't meant the definition of the word 'decent', I meant as in we could be very good.

 

[Mystic]

I completely agree Mark, although I'd focus on two in the middle, I think the three of them should be competing for two places. I like Andy and Suarez as a front two, we just need the wide players. I have no doubts in my mind that with Lucas, Henderson and Shelvey we could end up with a very good midfield.

 

[the_khl]

Lost in translation, I didn't meant the definition of the word 'decent', I meant as in we could be very good.

I reckoned you didn't mean it literally mate but it's my worry that we'll indeed see a nothing more than decent central midfield for years to come if we don't act accordingly.

Let's hope we've got enough cash to bolster in several areas, certainly will be a very interesting Summer.

 

[Hansern]

4-3-3 with Gerrard as the most advanced midfielder would work.

The set up away to Norwich is one I'd like to see more of.

 

[Mystic]

The problem with the 4-3-3 is it just hasn't worked for us this season, Suarez doesn't work well upfront on his own against better teams and he's wasted out wide. Two up top all day for me.