At times when Gerrard is on the right he does not get involved in the game enough. This is not his fault as he is doing his job by offering width, which is what he is meant to do it that position. For large moment of the first half this was the case. Gerrard is our best player and this means he should be given as much of the ball as possible. Which is why I personally feel he should be in the centre. I understand Rafa why plays Gerrard on the right, especially away from home and last season. Now we have Pennant I don't think he should be used there quite as much.
But when he is played on the right and he is not getting involved enough I feel he should bemoved back into the centre.
Not sure whether people like him in the centre or not. Whether they feel he works hard enough defensely, as he does in attack. Well if he doesn't he can be moved or a quick word from Rafa will sort that. If Gerrard wants to play in his favoured position, then he needs to be disciplined at times. When he played in that position with Hamann for years no one so it as a problem. Maybe Gerrard misses the security Hamann would give him centrally. Alonso is a great player, but he isn't half as an effective defensive midfielder than Hamann was. He would give Gerrard the licence to get forward, with Gerrard always getting back to do his job defensive-wise when needed.
When Alonso and Gerrard are partnered in the centre, maybe it is abit more open... but we will also create far more oppotunites. Against the weaker sides in the league at home I think they should be used alot of the time. I'm a massive fan of Sissoko and I would love to see him and Gerrard given a chance in the middle (due to Alonso's inconsistant for thus far, although he isn't alone in this). Sissoko is a beast of a player and if he can make Zenden look good against Chelsea in centre mid, then alongside Gerrard they could be immense.
Sissoko however isn't what I'd classify as a 'holding player'. He doesn't sit infront of a backfour, like Hamann or Makelele would for example. He is very like Viera when he first came to Arsenal. He uses his high energy and presses the opposition winning the ball back. That is why it is often Alondo the deepest midfielder and not Sissoko. If Gerrard was played in the centre against top teams, or even the mid table clubs in the league, I feel we need a Hamann / Makelel type player sitting alongside him, rather than an Alonso / Sissoko... who's games aren't just evolved around protecting and defending. I'm sure Sissoko will mature into the player Viera did and become the great defensive midfielder. But at the moment I think the squad miss a Hamann type player, which is maybe why we have looked far more vulnerable this season.
If we signed Alves, I think we would have seen the three man centre midfield, in probably a 3-5-2 formation. This would accomadate Sissoko, Gerrard and Alonso. But we haven't and that probably influences Rafa's decision, reagrding Gerrards position. I personally love seeing him in the centre and think that is where he wants to be and is most effective. Is Rafa playing Gerrard on the right to give the team more balance? (which I'm not so sure, as Pennant would give the team more balance with Gerrard's constant roaming). Or does he play Gerrard on the right to simply fit Sissoko, Alonso and Gerrard all in the same team?
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