Joe Pirlo Allen (Liverpool -> Stoke)

It is preseason so judging too much on performances is kind of useless.
But what I will say is that this is a make or break season for Joe
He has had time enough to get used to the club, players and system.
He made a point of working more on his physique in the off season and now he seems to be past the injuries.
Now it's about getting his fitness up and showing his qualities.
I still think we have a damn good player on our hands if he can find the confidence and step up to an improved and more consistent level.
Hope he rises to the challenge now he has some serious competition for a place in the midfield.

Not the first time Allen has proven his handiness to the squad and it certainly won't be the last. No doubt people will continue to underestimate his position in the squad.

Excellent when he came on really gave the team a lift today.

It's amazing how great he looks when he can actually hold off players.

A smart and neat player in possession is exactly what we need in games like that.

Game changer today. Well in Joe lad

He did quite well when he came on didn't he. I read a couple of posters who said he was awful but I'm not sure what game they were watching. I particularly liked when he went on a run/dribble with the ball from our end of the pitch to the edge of their box. Joe did a lot of this in his first season in the league with Swansea but we s ply haven't seen it from him in a red shirt and it was what our midfield lacked today, someone who will run with the ball and commit defenders as and when the opportunity arose. He also looks a lot stronger this season, I know h has been working hard with the fitness staff to fill it over the summer.

I think he will get a start against City on Monday night

Joe did change the game when he came on. Allen's always pretty energetic, which is exactly what we needed. He's a usual squad member and a good player to have in the 18, but people can't seem to get past the transfer fee.

Joe did change the game when he came on. Allen's always pretty energetic, which is exactly what we needed. He's a usual squad member and a good player to have in the 18, but people can't seem to get past the transfer fee.

Exactly we have paid the £15m that is gone now.  He might be worth half that at this moment of time, but he is a good squad player.  Today he came off the bench and did a job.  We need that to compete for major trophies. 

He had a good solid performance.  He didn't deserve to be on the losing side.  He has been used sparingly and he came on for a cameo against Southampton and was good.  Today he was even better.   We need players that can come in when needed and put in performances in.  Especially when we play 2 games a week.   

He had a good solid performance.  He didn't deserve to be on the losing side.  He has been used sparingly and he came on for a cameo against Southampton and was good.  Today he was even better.   We need players that can come in when needed and put in performances in.  Especially when we play 2 games a week.   

Got to agree and I'm a little surprised people didn't see it that way. He played some really excellent little passes into Coutinho on three or four occasions having first sucked a couple of City players in by being brave in possession. This was in exactly the areas that the little Brazillian needs to get it, in between the lines, but unfortunately our maestro had an off night. He also tackled back tenaciously and was IMHO far better than Henderson who was performing a similar role.

Certainly one of our better players last night, pressed better than Hendo (which is unusual), played some nice forward passes instead of his usual side-to-side passes and looked 100x sharper than Lucas did against Southampton. Think he deserves a place aginst Spurs at the weekend.

Wasn't that pleased too see Allen starting but he honestly gave a decent account of himself. Good game and something to build upon.

Did very well imo, always found himself in great pockets of space and looked sharp on the turn.

Unfortunate at times when he made these positive runs their wasn't much going on in front of him, at fault of the other players imo so undeservedly people put this down to Allen lacking end product and creativity, which was not the case.

Thought Allen was actually our best midfielder yesterday. If he can keep up those types of performances I have no issue with him starting.

I thought he was best of the starting 3 midfielders yesterday. Think it was wrong choice from BR to take him off, hope his good form continues as he was very good v Southampton when he came on.

Just rewatched the game, if Allen touched the ball half as much as Henderson and Gerrard, I 'd be surprised.  Jekyll and Hyde performance and I see far more use from Allen as an impact player from the bench, not a 90 minute player for me starting him and playing him for 60-70 minutes should definitely not come against the Man City and the ilks.

Just rewatched the game, if Allen touched the ball half as much as Henderson and Gerrard, I 'd be surprised.  Jekyll and Hyde performance and I see far more use from Allen as an impact player from the bench, not a 90 minute player for me starting him and playing him for 60-70 minutes should definitely not come against the Man City and the ilks.

Stats:-        Tackles     Touches     Passes    Crosses

Gerrard           3             79            66           6
Henderson      3            75             63          3
Allen               1             40            29          0

Near enough right mate although Allen only played 75mins.

Allen did well but it wasn't hard with the poor performances from Henderson and Gerrard. Wish he would take more risks and and try making runs into the box. Still think the squad lacks a top quality midfielder who can dominate and win games.

Gerrard can't do that anymore, he can barely run unfortunately and Henderson works his socks off but I still don't think he has the quality that top quality centre midfielders have. After them two you have Allen (who hides and is very inconsistent, Lucas, who is our worst midfielder and Can who looks good but still needs games).

I'd say that one of difference between the sides here was that City's midfield gave a lot more cover to their defence than our midfielders did (still....our defence was pretty appalling either way). I do fear that it might show more in CL matches against quality midfielders.

Thinking about it, I think City, Chelsea and Arsenal all have a central midfield that are superior to ours. A Ramsey, Yaya Toure, Fernandinho, Matic or Fabregas would transfer our midfielder and turn us into one of the title favourites.

Still think we have a strong midfield though.

Stats:-        Tackles     Touches     Passes    Crosses

Gerrard           3             79            66           6
Henderson      3            75             63          3
Allen               1             40            29          0

Near enough right mate although Allen only played 75mins.

Surprising that, I thought he had more of the ball.

Allen's strengths and weaknesses are pretty clear.
PLUS - short passing, awareness when being closed down, mobility over the 1st few yards, hard work running about
MINUS - complete lack of physical presence, little medium range passing, no long range passing ability, no shooting,
nothing special in midfield battles, useless in the air, little dribbling ability beyond the 1st few yards. not the vision of a real playmaker.

TBH I think his top level skill set is so narrow. And his weak pts are very large.
He could "do a job" in lots of teams, but its even harder for him in this team. Ageing Gerrard, inexperienced Hendo, Suarez gone. Coutinho is a little light. Sterling and Marko are young and even tho they are committed, they will never defend like Mascherano. Frankly I think he's a bit overhyped. Why else would he be linked back with Swansea. And I think he was brought in originally because he was one of BR's "own men".

In deep midfield I want power, pace and tackling OR (or even AND) vision, dribbling, the ability to spray the ball.
Which of those does Allen offer? He's not a bad player. But does he yell maintaining 2nd, or going one better? NOPE!!

Joe Allen can't wait to line up with Mario, Allen says ''exciting striker'' is a sign of Red's ambition.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-midfielder-joe-allen-3333496

Joe Allen played a part in getting us second last year. Not sure why he can't play a part again this year. Yes he's not going to be a superstar and he's not unplayable, but he offers some clear attributes that BR obviously desires. And he helped turn the tide in the Soton match. I think he's got a job to do with us. He seems to have taken over for Jordan as the popular whipping boy target.

I thought he was sh*te in his first season but he did get injured a lot.He was much better last season but still not the player he was at Swansea.
I just cannot see any situation where Brendan would sanction his move he has improved and is a valuable squad member these days.

This could be an unpopular opinion but I've got an extreme dislike for this lad. Just reminds me of a rat on the pitch with the way he plays. Between the way he was grabbing at Lamela for his yellow and how easily he went down for the PK. Just not a player I really respect all that much on the pitch and think he goes missing for most of the game when he plays.