Steven Gerrard

[WillG]

What's the point of playing him in the holding role when he's our most creative attacking midfielder?

 

I understand it when you're playing away and trying to soak up pressure... but it should never been seen at Anfield again.

 

PS

Some credit to the manager for seeing it was a mistake at half-time.

[anfieldgaz]

What's the point of playing him in the holding role when he's our most creative attacking midfielder?

 

I understand it when you're playing away and trying to soak up pressure... but it should never been seen at Anfield again.

 

PS

Some credit to the manager for seeing it was a mistake at half-time.

Credit to the manager? Really? He shouldn't have started him there, full stop, and should have changed it after 15 mins not at half time.

Edited January 18, 2014 by anfieldgaz

[Bogman]

I have no idea why anyone would play him anywhere other than supporting the attack. He's not regimented to do anything holding, and why anyone would believe he'd make a center half is beyond me. I'm a center half by trade, and he'd be a liability. Stick him up field where he's as good as anyone out there.

[surf]

anyone would have struggled in that role with just henderson ahead of him. the problem was playing 4-2-4 instead of playing 4-3-3

[Bogman]

Two games he's started there. Second half we looked miles better when he wasn't there. His strengths are going forward.

[Hassony]

Awful first half in a defensive role, good second half in an advanced role

[kop205]

I think writing off Gerrard as a deep-lying midfielder after 2 games* is fairly ridiculous - but I am concerned about how we fit in him into the team.

 

I just don't think we are going to see him played in an advanced position for a prolonged period again and so it becomes a question of what else we can do with him.

 

I'm not convinced that the switch to a deeper role will work for a variety of reasons, not least that for me his outstanding attribute has always been his sheer physical power and dynamism - qualities which I think have diminished and which are less important anyway in that sort of role. Has he got the sort of skill-set of a Pirlo on which to now fall back? I don't know.

 

There is always a nagging feeling with this sort of thing that it becomes a bit of a vanity project - a way of avoiding facing up to the reality of an all-time great being past their best. We saw it with Barnes, kidding ourselves that the fat bloke with the still great tough and the occasional moment of sublime skill was a top quality central midfielder. The Mancs have been doing pretty much the same with Giggs.

 

What I will say though is that the player himself has been pretty clear that he thinks it will take him time to grow into the role. I think he has been great enough that it is worth taking him at his word and seeing if he can show himself to be top class in about, what, a 4th different position? It would be pretty remarkable, and would require his biggest re-invention yet, but if anyone can do it (and if any deserves to be given the chance) then it is him. The potential benefit of him pulling it off is enormous.

 

* of course it can be argued that it isn't just 2 games, that he has been playing (and struggling in) a deep lying role for a while now and that the only difference at Stoke was the frankly bizarre decision to play Lucas in an attacking role - and there would be some truth in that in my opinion.

[StevieC]

I have no idea why anyone would play him anywhere other than supporting the attack. He's not regimented to do anything holding, and why anyone would believe he'd make a center half is beyond me. I'm a center half by trade, and he'd be a liability. Stick him up field where he's as good as anyone out there.

 

Leo to thread. Leo to thread.

[Swipe]

The idea that Gerrard can become a Pirlo perplexes me to be honest.

Edited January 18, 2014 by Swipe

[WillG]

I think writing off Gerrard as a deep-lying midfielder after 2 games* is fairly ridiculous

 

Not writing it off - just pointing out that he's our best attacking midfield with simply exceptional vision for an incisive pass.

 

Let's not put him out to grass (or in the back four) just yet - everything good we done in the second half started with him.

[Falconhoof]

The idea that Gerrard can become a Pirlo perplexes me to be honest.

 

Yeah, I don't see it.

[Cheesecake]

I dont think putting him in place as a DM or even a CB has any merit, not only does it seriously dents his ability to perform at his best but it weakens those areas. I think he has to be on the attacking side of the midfield or the more advanced of a midfield 2 with Lucas/Allen behind that 2 or he isnt work a place tbh.

[New York Red]

He needs to be in the middle of the three behind Sturridge.

 

That is until he can't play that role for a full game. At that point he needs to be an impact player off the bench like Giggs.

 

The two in front of the back four need to be clones of Xabi-Marcherano axis as much as possible. Stevie is neither of those.

[Tommy Cockles]

Bin him off & make him player manager ASAP.

[_00_deathscar]

What I will say though is that the player himself has been pretty clear that he thinks it will take him time to grow into the role. I think he has been great enough that it is worth taking him at his word and seeing if he can show himself to be top class in about, what, a 4th different position? It would be pretty remarkable, and would require his biggest re-invention yet, but if anyone can do it (and if any deserves to be given the chance) then it is him. The potential benefit of him pulling it off is enormous.

 

 

Why? I don't see it...

[Stevie H]

experimenting with it when you're fourth in the league in january is not the f***ing time to try it though. it's mental.

[kop205]

Why? I don't see it...

 

Because he knows more about what he is or isn't capable of than we do.

 

experimenting with it when you're fourth in the league in january is not the f***ing time to try it though. it's mental.

 

Maybe.

 

But I suspect it is a product of us not being able to bring anyone in January - for whatever reason, probably money - who is a specialist in that role.

[Cheesecake]

But I suspect it is a product of us not being able to bring anyone in January - for whatever reason, probably money - who is a specialist in that role.

 

ok, loads gun, aims at foot...

[Kop_on]

He needs to be in the middle of the three behind Sturridge.

 

That is until he can't play that role for a full game. At that point he needs to be an impact player off the bench like Giggs.

 

The two in front of the back four need to be clones of Xabi-Marcherano axis as much as possible. Stevie is neither of those.

 

Agreed, with added caveat that I think we're already at the point where we need to start managing his game time in that position. He's now a 60/30 player who needs to play supporting the attack. Either centrally or on the right hand side (rotate with Sterling).

 

People saying we're writing him off as an anchor/deeper midfielder after two games are pretty much ignoring all the evidence from the last 18 months under Rodgers. Teams have been able to waltz through our midfield pretty easily. I thought Lucas' return from injury would help this, and it has, just not to the extent I had hoped/anticipated.

[Billy Dane]

Didn't Rafa say in his first season with us that Stevie didn't have the nous to play as a defensive midfielder? Not seen anything since then to disagree with that view. His tremendous skill lies in being the driving force behind the attack.

 

Play 4-2-3-1 and use him at the centre of the 3 (as NYR suggests). That will get the best out of him and be prepared to take him off after an hour.

 

If he wants to practise being the "new Pirlo" let him do it with England.

[yellow jumper]

it's not just a problem defensively in that position, that's always been in his game, there's a physical issue that's going to be noticed wherever he plays if we want to press intensely. there's also a significant difference between how he uses ball in comparison to most of the options we have been deploying in their positions, bar maybe henderson.

[Conrad]

Kop 205, Surf and Yellow Jumper are all right.

 

Gerrard still gives us enough to warrant BR fitting him in. The pass for the penalty was classic Gerrard.

 

He needs to play in a 3. Not in a holding role, and not where he played under Rafa, and not in a free role. But with less responsibility for covering ground than the other 2 midfielders.

[scoose]

Didn't Rafa say in his first season with us that Stevie didn't have the nous to play as a defensive midfielder? Not seen anything since then to disagree with that view. His tremendous skill lies in being the driving force behind the attack.

 

Play 4-2-3-1 and use him at the centre of the 3 (as NYR suggests). That will get the best out of him and be prepared to take him off after an hour.

 

If he wants to practise being the "new Pirlo" let him do it with England.

 

I would play him in the right of the 3 with suarez in the middle and coutinho on the left. Sterling to come on when teams are tired. Sturridge up front.

[Conrad]

I would play him in the right of the 3 with suarez in the middle and coutinho on the left. Sterling to come on when teams are tired. Sturridge up front.

 

You can't play him there. He hasn't go the legs to play there. And you negate most of the best parts of his game.

[Swan Red]

He needs to play in a 3. Not in a holding role, and not where he played under Rafa, and not in a free role. But with less responsibility for covering ground than the other 2 midfielders.

 

That becomes a pretty difficult position to define.