A Torres partnership with.....

[Whitey]

I watched the replay of the game last night, and apart from the ridiculous lack of marking on the equaliser, the thing that struck me the most was how off-form Keane really is. It's a shame as he seems a good lad, and also has ability, but just not making it work, particularly with Torres.

 

This lead me to think of Torres - it's obvious he's our spearhead, and we need to build around him (and Stevie) but I still think he needs a partner up front (other than Stevie, who would make it a triple threat).

 

So who would you partner with Torres, and why?

And who/what type of player has he had success with before.

 

In the Euro Cup, I personally thought his effectiveness reduced when he played with David Villa.

At Atletico did he have success with Aguero? Not seen much of that partnership.

 

I would love to think, and hope, that Keane and Torres do work it out - if they do it could be our season.

 

Thoughts?

Edited January 20, 2009 by Whitey

[Murphman]

I was thinking about this too, we need options, obviously Gerrard off him is great, Kean not so, not so far anyway. A Beardsleyesque player could be good but I fancy a powerhouse alongside him. I keep seeing that Kenwyne Jones and being impressed, a youngster of that ilk would be a handy option.

[floyd the barber]

well you`ve already given the answer..

 

Gerrard works best him, our form second half of last season was largly due to their excellent partnership(a a stable/consistent first 11)...we need that again.

Edited January 20, 2009 by Lets get Masched

[Guest PaulMcC]

Just have Gerrard behind him.

 

If we signed another big money forward to play with Torres we'd need to drop Gerrard back again.

 

Get a right midfielder and keep Gerrard behind Torres. Kuyt can fill in wide right and with Torres when needed.

[Farmer's Tan]

I watched the replay of the game last night, and apart from the ridiculous lack of marking on the equaliser, the thing that struck me the most was how off-form Keane really is. It's a shame as he seems a good lad, and also has ability, but just not making it work, particularly with Torres.

 

This lead me to think of Torres - it's obvious he's our spearhead, and we need to build around him (and Stevie) but I still think he needs a partner up front (other than Stevie, who would make it a triple threat).

 

So who would you partner with Torres, and why?

And who/what type of player has he had success with before.

 

In the Euro Cup, I personally thought his effectiveness reduced when he played with David Villa.

At Atletico did he have success with Aguero? Not seen much of that partnership.

 

I would love to think, and hope, that Keane and Torres do work it out - if they do it could be our season.

 

Thoughts?

 

i think torres is better up front on his own,with gerrard behind him.another striker beside him just seems to get in his way,also when he's with spain i dont think he looks as good as when he does when with us especially last season because spain were playing with 2 up top,torres and villa,maybe villa sat back alittle,but he didnt score many goals(2 i think in the euro's) and one was in the final when he was up top by himself.

[Murphman]

Just have Gerrard behind him.

 

If we signed another big money forward to play with Torres we'd need to drop Gerrard back again.

 

Get a right midfielder and keep Gerrard behind Torres. Kuyt can fill in wide right and with Torres when needed.

 

 

You can't bank on two strikers over 60 games, anything could happen. Crouch was a good option from the bench at 0-0 with 20 minutes left, I don't blame him for leaving and wanting to start more games but we definitely need another striking option, particularly considering the 0-0's we keep getting.

[Romario]

Gerrard end of.No need to reinvent the wheel. It was perfect last season. Over 50 goals between um.

[alias75]

It depends how we want to play, the defensive strength of the team is a given now, we have a very good GK, 4 very good CBs good defensive fullbacks and 2 of the best holding midfielders in Europe in Alonso and Mascherano.

 

Because Rafa likes that solidity, the attacking threats come from the forward, the support striker and the 2 wide players. At the moment i think 2 of those 4 positions are excellent and while both Riera and Kuyt are good solid players its probably in these areas we need to improve if this is how we're going to play.

 

The other option is to sign a number 10 type player to play the support striker position and use Gerrard in the midfield 2 which gives us another attacking threat.

 

But i think the way Rafa wants this team to play we're always going to be relying on 3 or 4 players for the vast majority of our attacking play at the moment 2 of the 4 are of the required level.

 

I think a wide right player and either a 2nd striker or more attacking type central midfielder like Gareth Barry should be the priority in the summer.

[Guest PaulMcC]

You can't bank on two strikers over 60 games, anything could happen. Crouch was a good option from the bench at 0-0 with 20 minutes left, I don't blame him for leaving and wanting to start more games but we definitely need another striking option, particularly considering the 0-0's we keep getting.

 

We'll have other strikers but not big money or big name strikers who expect to play every game.

[Flasher]

Gerrard is our best option end of.

 

This isn't our problem area anyway, wide right is. On top of this Sami at the back, while good defensively, weakens us going forward. Carra at right back weakens us too.

 

We need Arbeloa back, another option for wide right, and Alonso to play higher up the pitch when we're attacking, with Masch sweeping up trouble behind.

 

 

Torres and Gerrard is actually the deadliest partnership in the premiership in my eyes.

 

Keane and Kuyt should be subs, no more.

[Murphman]

We'll have other strikers but not big money or big name strikers who expect to play every game.

 

 

Why not. Tevez doesn't play every game, neither did Anelka before Drogba got injured, that's exactly what you need. class back up.

[Murphman]

Gerrard is our best option end of.

 

This isn't our problem area anyway, wide right is. On top of this Sami at the back, while good defensively, weakens us going forward. Carra at right back weakens us too.

 

We need Arbeloa back, another option for wide right, and Alonso to play higher up the pitch when we're attacking, with Masch sweeping up trouble behind.

Torres and Gerrard is actually the deadliest partnership in the premiership in my eyes.

 

Keane and Kuyt should be subs, no more.

 

 

Revionism of the highest order, his form has dipped of late but he's been great in that role.

[alias75]

Think we might see Heskey in the summer, and Keane sold and that money used to strengthen maybe wide right.

 

Also think Gareth Barry would make a difference he certainly gets forward much more than both Mascherano and Alonso and in those games where you don't need 2 holding midfielders you can play Barry without having to break up the Gerrard / Torres combination.

[surf]

Gerrard end of.No need to reinvent the wheel. It was perfect last season. Over 50 goals between um.

 

with masch and alonso in the middle. we'd need goals from both left and right midfield and that's where riera and kuyt need to improve

[Guest PaulMcC]

Why not. Tevez doesn't play every game, neither did Anelka before Drogba got injured, that's exactly what you need. class back up.

 

We haven't got as much moneya s them.

 

If we sell Keane the money should be spent on a right midfielder imo.

 

Tevez will probably leave the Mnacs cos of lack of games.

[AE]

Messi

[Earl Hafler]

Riera has been a big positive this year with his ability to retain possession and take people on, but we still need pace and creatvity in wide areas. Teams defend deep against us and we struggle to turn them round.

[Magic8Ball]

Messi

would love to see him in our team - maybe now's the time for a sneaky bid for Robinho as he's stormed out of the City tenerife training camp and gone home to Brazil

[San Diego Red]

4-1-3-1-1

 

Arbeloa--Carra/Skrtel--Agger--Aurelio

-------Alonso/Mascherano

----Kuyt/Babel--Gerrard--Riera

----------Keane

--------------Torres

[Paisley]

Anyone but Heskey is fine by me.

 

Always thought Tevez and Torres would have been a great combination if we could have bought the pair that summer.

[Beardsley]

Would love to see Babel get a run as Torres' partner. We would really have speed and strength other teams must respect if we could get that combination to work out.

[Archangel]

Heskey please

[GWistooshort]

I think Gerrard/Torres should be the 1st choice rather than looking for a partner for Fernando

 

However, I think we do need another striker who can be back up for/offer something different to Fernando & also play alongside him on occasion - I also think they need to be able to score their fair share of goals

 

Unfortunately I don't think Keane, Kuyt nor N'Gog are up to it (nor Heskey)

 

I think Crouch would have been ideal for this role, but unfortunately he wanted to play more regularly

 

Personally I think Zaki or Pogrebnyak would be good

 

I think we also need another decent full back for each side (to challenge Arbeloa for RB & Aurelio/Insua for LB) & another decent wide midfielder for each side (to challenge Kuyt for RM & Riera for LM) & a more offensive CM for when we don't need to play Mascherano (Barry?)

[Falconhoof]

Heskey would give us another dimension in games where we need to rest Stevie and have a different kind of partner for Torres. Or, if we need to rest Torres then Emile could be a target man for Babel or Nemeth or someone with pace to play off.

[lawrie]

I'd have Torres with Gerrard when playing 4 2 3 1 and either Kuyt or Babel with Torres if playing 4 4 2