"We Need To Talk About Gerrard."

No, we don't.

Yes, we do!

I genuinely thought he was decent last night?

Really? What were you watching?

Spot on! With our current squad Gerrard is more or less the only option for a "decent" midfield. Gerrard is not that 25,26 midfielder who is able to burst all over the pitch for the whole 90 minuts. However Steven Gerrard has other abilities Henderson, Allen and Lucas dosen't have. Gerrard has great vison and is able to pass the ball very well. Furthermore he can slow down the game when it is necessary. 

But the most important thing is just his presence on the pitch, we shouldn't underestimate this fact. My solotion would that we give Steven Gerrard a rest after a couple of games.

Sunday would be a perfect opportunity to give him the day off.

Agree with whoever said it in the match thread, Steven Gerrard is wasted in a deep midfield position. We don't have creative quality apart from Coutinho in the attacking midfield position, push Stevie higher up and let him regain his deadly scoring form.

Exactly. He's one of those rare players who can drop into almost any position and play well if needed but that's not to say he will be at his best in any position. Perhaps Rodgers sees him as a Pirlo now he's getting older but I know one thing for sure, other managers will be delighted to see Stevie held back instead of causing problems on the edge of the opposition's area.

Even at his peak, Rafa worked out that Gerrard's best role was NOT central midfield. His reading of the game was one aspect that lacked vs his ability forward.

Gerrard was also overworked towards the end of the Hicks era and this has hastened his deterioration, I believe. (Same with Torres).
There's been discussion about that pr**k Purslow interfering with the med staff's opinions.

Its clear that Gerrard's stamina is waning. Its probably not his cardio or lung performance. More commonly, its the effects of many years of extreme demands in matches and training, together with long term injuries.

Lucas too, has experienced injuries in recent years, and was brought back too early last season. He is strong in some areas, not so strong in others.

Most people KNEW that central midfield would be a major problem. Yet we didnt even make serious efforts to sign a central midfielder or 2.

The reality is that Stevie's best days are behind him. And I have concerns about Lucas, certainly in this formation. As for Joe Allen, I really hope he is moved on. Henderson, not a bad player, but certainly doessn't have "heroic winner" stamped on him.

Perhaps a back 3 and 2 wingbacks may help in some way til January?

Bottom line is, we have a pretty poor midfield. The fans know it, rdogers knows it, the Yanksters know it.
Will it change? I doubt it. Welcome to "Brand Liverpool"...

Don't think dropping gerrard is the answer, Don't think we have an adequate reliever ,
maybe changing his position(more advanced) will be a better solution
  put Hendo -Alberto -Allen etc. in that position near Lucas, I think a more advanced position (Stevie) will be back at his top form,
 
         Yes he is out of form at the moment, but can't say drop him to the bench or not in the squad, I am sure we will vote for him MOTM pretty soon


 YNWA

I'm too tired to construct a decent post, so i'll just leave this as food for thought.

All those calling for Gerrard to be taken out of this side?, i have a question for you.

Do you genuinely believe that a midfield partnership of Lucas and Allen could win us the League?.

Lucas has become complacent because he doesn't have to fight for his place anymore. That's not his fault may i add, but the fact we didn't sign competition for him hasn't helped.

As for Joe Allen replacing Gerrard, please tell me this is some kind of sick joke?. I'd have had Shelvey or Allen every day of the week but that's done now.

You know what, we fu**ed about all Summer getting in cheap prospects and enough centre backs for three teams.

The fact we went for Mkhitaryan showed that Rodgers intended to get a top quality replacement to eventually replace Gerrard, we didn't get him and we didn't get anyone else in either. We pissed about over Eriksen and we failed to get cover for the most important signing we needed.

Add to the fact that we didn't sign cover for Lucas and we have left ourselves in the sh*t.

I'm surprised Gerrard stays here in all honesty, this team isn't good enough to compliment him.

Stevie has proved himself time and time again and will continue to do so.

Some people want to try and blame the real fuckers who are ruining our chances of success. the F***ing owners.

Some people want to try and blame the real fuckers who are ruining our chances of success. the F***ing owners.

Said this in another thread.
Brendan and the scouts clearly looked at the right quality of midfielder in the summer.
The only problem was when they looked for the cheque to be written.

Mkhitaryan, Willian. Both too rich for FSG's taste.

We need about 40 million invested in the midfield if we are to compete.
Instead we see youth and loan signings propping up the squad.

The biggest problem we have, like you said, is no competition for Lucas and Gerrard.
Here we sit, again, looking to January to fix the mistakes of the Summer.

I also hate the idea of Joe Allen in our team. He could do a job for SOME clubs in SOME formations.
But really, at Liverpool he's just more Fenway sponsored Emperors New Clothes.

No flair, no strength, no aerial ability, no quality tackling. Just a nimble shuffle and a sharp, short, backward pass. Wow.
And while Shelvey was fatally flawed, I actually think he'd have offered more to the current formation than Shelvey.

Henderson, I just think is a bit of a wet jellyfish. Lacks the cutting edge for a midfield with any aspirations.

We have good defenders, good strikers, and a very poor midfield.
NUmber 4 or 5 team Spurs, are MILES ahead of us in midfield. We think of Lucas as our own equivalent of a "household name". But you compare him to some of the Brazillian midfielders alone in the PL, and you'll see the huge gulf.

Fernandinho at Man C is way ahead of anything we have. As is Paulinho at Spurs. I'm not well up on the Brazillian Sandro at Spurs, but I suspect he is a way ahead of the current Lucas too. Then you look at what other midfldrs the top 5 or so have, and its clear why we are gonna struggle.

Some people want to try and blame the real fuckers who are ruining our chances of success. the f**king owners.

I've been saying this from the beginning. And been criticised for it.

The reality is, you cant polish a turd. Much as I feel ill at the signing of Rodgers, the team is poor.Because the lack of investment is spitting in our faces.

I dont really see what can be achieved with a constant "Gerrard is past it, Lucas is struggling, Allen is sh*t, Henderson is average, we have no cover". We know the truth, and only booting out these vile Yanksters will sort it!

If it was up to me, the topic should be fan ownership and internet activism ALL DAY LONG. But some people think our badge has an ostrich, not a Liver bird.

If you think we are w*nk now, wait til Luis finally knocks it on the head...

If you think we are w*nk now, wait til Luis finally knocks it on the head...

When that eventuality does transpire it's a win win situation for the owners if not paradoxically for the club.
There is something quite worrying about the long term implications of that statement.

For whatever reason he has been way below par. To pretend he's not or to pass the buck all on to Lucas is out of order.

In his defence hes getting on and wont be the swashbuckling complete midfielder he was.

Against him at present is the fact he is  offering nothing to the team. Set pieces are dire. Not getting into dangerous areas to hurt the opponents.

If he needs a rest rest him, if he needs to be dropped drop him. Id try him in Coutinhos role to see if it shakes him back to life.

But no matter what he is basically a passenger in there at the minute

When that eventuality does transpire it's a win win situation for the owners if not paradoxically for the club.
There is something quite worrying about the long term implications of that statement.

?

I know they've been drooling at the prospect of another 45 to 50m (which is probably similar to the leveraged outlay they made to own the club in the 1st place). Plus they'll trouser the wage savings. They've alread tried their hardest to demonise him with the "no one is bigger than the club" tripe.

Milking a couple of corporate deals, selling a couple of stars. Its not hard to see how they can make money quite easily, even if we slip further and further down the table.

If he needs a rest rest him, if he needs to be dropped drop him. Id try him in Coutinhos role to see if it shakes him back to life.

problem is, there are only 2 "working midfielders" in the team. One of the middle 4 is a winger, the other is Henderson who is as intimidatory as Smicer was.

Then you have a potential problem with a young keeper still finding his feet, a poor tactical team, a rookie manager, and veterans like Toure who sometimes get caught out.

Lucas looks really strained, but Allen as his deputy is just ridiculous.

The worst part is just how obvious it was that this would happen.

Henderson, I just think is a bit of a wet jellyfish. Lacks the cutting edge for a midfield with any aspirations.

I think Henderson's excellent workrate is making too many people ignore his severe lack of quality on the ball. He has some good games, but has just as many poor games.

Needs replacing in the first 11 if we want to get near the top of the table.

I think the problem is the pairing of Gerrard & Lucas, not necessarily the one individual. With Gerrard getting older, he's becoming less mobile and appears to lack stamina too, playing the other side of 32 hasn't flattered him like it did Scholes. That said, he's still one of our best players on his day, unfortunately those days are becoming less. For me, he still has an important role in our team (as contradictory as this post may sound) but not alongside Lucas IMO. The pair together, lack recovery-pace/stamina and this for me is another reason we have tended to drop deeper in games, even though at Old Toilet last night this trend differed. Their midfield (the skanks) wasn't all that either, Giggs and Jones in the middle.

One of either Lucas or Gerrard needs replacing to the bench to add depth to our shallow midfield options and bring in someone of Wanyama's ilk to provide the energy. With Gerrard in the twilight of his years, I'd still pick him over Lucas before he retires merely because he has the tools to pick out penetrating passes and has the ability to make something happen. Then, haul him off around the 70th minute mark for Lucas (if we're winning) and play like this.

Midfield was a worry for me and I shat myself in the summer because we never reinforced this area adequately.

Looking at his options and after last night, Rodgers may earmark Henderson for that role to provide the energy, the defensive cover isn't quite there without Lucas but Gerrard can sit and still do a job while Henderson marauds. I think this is an avenue Rodgers should be looking at to get this midfield moving up the pitch and imposing itself upon opponents,.

why did we buy or loan so many defensive players when it was up front that needed more quality.I just don't get he discussion about Stevie he is only as good as those around him.
I blame Brendan up to the point he is FSG's boy but FSG are the big culprit

why did we buy or loan so many defensive players when it was up front that needed more quality.I just don't get he discussion about Stevie he is only as good as those around him.
I blame Brendan up to the point he is FSG's boy but FSG are the big culprit

FSG policy.
Allen, Sahin, Borini, Yesil, Assaidi.

Oh wait that was last summer.
John W Henry explains transfer policy
Spin, spin and more spin.

Buy prudently and cleverly.
Hmm.
Guess that means we'll never buy a world class midfielder or striker while they are here.

?

I know they've been drooling at the prospect of another 45 to 50m (which is probably similar to the leveraged outlay they made to own the club in the 1st place). Plus they'll trouser the wage savings. They've alread tried their hardest to demonise him with the "no one is bigger than the club" tripe.

Milking a couple of corporate deals, selling a couple of stars. Its not hard to see how they can make money quite easily, even if we slip further and further down the table.

The question mark is puzzling when you go on to describe everything implied in the post.
None more than the closing statement about the detriment to the club being advantageous to FSG, also described word for word in the post referenced.

Said this in another thread.
Brendan and the scouts clearly looked at the right quality of midfielder in the summer.
The only problem was when they looked for the cheque to be written.

Mkhitaryan, Willian. Both too rich for FSG's taste.

We need about 40 million invested in the midfield if we are to compete.
Instead we see youth and loan signings propping up the squad.

The biggest problem we have, like you said, is no competition for Lucas and Gerrard.
Here we sit, again, looking to January to fix the mistakes of the Summer.

Bloody hell why is it so hard for you guys to believe that a player might not want to come to this club, neither Mkhitaryan or Willian wanted to come to us, irrespetive of how much money we threw at them. The one which is puzzling though is Eriksen, I do not understand why we didn't try to sign him.

Gerrard is becoming worse and worse though and needs to be used an impact sub or play in the no10 position. Until we get some better options I would try a rotating midfield of Ilori, Allen, Lucas and Henderson, find out if any of them click together.

The one which is puzzling though is Eriksen, I do not understand why we didn't try to sign him.

From what I read, Brendan thought that signing Eriksen might have had a negative impact on Coutinho's development as they would both be competing for the same spot.

Personally I think we missed out and that they could have BOTH played in the same team. Competition for places is what we need anyway.

Still one of the few remaining players in our squad that can change the game with a swing of his right peg.

Don't think hes got up to speed so far this season, but there's no-one else of similar quality to come in and replace him.

The question mark is puzzling when you go on to describe everything implied in the post.
None more than the closing statement about the detriment to the club being advantageous to FSG, also described word for word in the post referenced.

Oh, I see : ) Sorry I was confused..

I think it all illustrates that FSG are diametrically opposed to all things football. Whilst their modus operandi is a little more subtle than Hicks's buy then sell, they still love the idea of spin and milk. Unfortunately they were pretty good as this. Mainly learning from G&H's errors.

I wonder who they'll blame next? Suarez? Rodgers? UEFA and FFP? Or maybe some bizarre rant about "mercenary players.."?
We've even seen them blame G&H - for allowing them to get their mitts on the club cheaply...