Red_Polo

I agree it allows him to be further forward when attacks start, but it certainly doesn't allow him to go forward more. Gerrard's best asset is his running from deep, be it on or off the ball. He doesn't need a high starting point, he needs freedom to burst forward. Mascherano is more mobile than Xabi so better able to cover the space that Stevie leaves in making these runs. Incidentally, Mascherano might be better in this respect but that's not to say Xabi's poor at it. The reason I've gone with Alonso and Gerrard is because anything lost by Gerrard not having quite as much freedom to burst forward at will is more than made up for by having better ball retention and the ability to play a more considered game when necessary.

It was poorly worded but I know what he's getting at. Taking all consideration of the rest of the team out of the equation, which partnership is the best? Not the best for our team, not the best against a certain team, just the the most capable of itself. Obviously a lot of people haven't voted on that basis now, but if anyone did and excluded Gerrard then they are mental. Mascherano and Xabi is a decent combo but lacks goals, and more importantly Gerrard is a cut above either of them making this one a non-starter. So it's either Mascherano or Xabi with Stevie. You could argue that playing Mascherano with Stevie instead of Xabi would allow Gerrard more freedom to do what he does best, which is a fair point. However, Xabi's ability to dictate the flow of a game is a huge bonus and the pairing still has a decent balance because he wins plenty of ball even if he doesn't have quite the same stopping power as Mash.

Hypocracy, n. -Government by those with low blood sugar levels.

Cardiff tix have got to be collected for L1-L40 postcodes, unless something's changed...? Click

He's not a centre forward either. Heard his old man was a goodun mind.

Yeah I'd say he's as better as him

It's on, no?

It's not like the two things are mutually exclusive is it? Do both.

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11 - Spain 10 - Italy, England 6 - Germany, Netherlands

LOL that is the exact thing I thought of when I saw it. Except for the bit about Anny Rd

We beat Istanbul to clinch our twelfty-first FIFA league title.

LOL You f****** had me there then too

Not 100% sure but apparently, like Paletta, he holds an EU Passport as well as Argie.