Players Who Can Run With the Ball at Pace...

[Leo No.8]

...Apart from Gerrard, we so desperately lack players who can run with the ball at the opposition.

 

Kewell has been starting to look like the player he once was, but it's too early in his comeback to look to rely on him again yet.

 

So still, as it has for years now, it comes down to Gerrard to run at defences; Birmingham in midweek it was him as ever, and even yesterday when he wasn't at the top of his form he was still the only player to actually run at the Chelsea defence and cut the ball back across goal. Practically every time we score in open play its down to him in some way or another.

 

That little c*** Robben looked frightening when he got on the ball yesterday; when we played Chelsea at home Drogba ran at us and wreaked havoc. Every time we play Arsenal Thierry Henry gets at us, Rooney caused the panic which eventually led to their goal by running at us again and again at Old Trafford; we desperately need a striker who can beat players, as well as an attacking midfielder with pace to do the same.

 

Our woeful attempts to bring in a right winger and missing out on Owen are going to prove the difference between pushing Chelsea and finishing a distant third. In the chess games of Europe, it doesn't affect us, but at home it is our biggest problem.

 

If we want to challenge next season, this must be addressed properly with a big wad of cash.

[Stevie H]

we've lacked decent ball-carriers for several seasons now.

[Kenny_]

I think Gonzales, when he comes, can help us in this area or am I way off here?

[LondonLiverpoolFan]

McManaman was the last player we had that could run at someone with pace and beat them. Vladi was able to do it when he was at Lens but never quite managed to do it on a regular enough basis for us.

[Leo No.8]

we've lacked decent ball-carriers for several seasons now.

 

I think its the one area Rafa hasn't addressed properly since taking over from Gerard.

 

I agree Viking that Gonzalez will help us there - he's lightning quick, but it'd be a lot of pressure on him in his first season in England to expect all that much.

 

Thing is, players with this kind of ability guaranteed cost a lot of money. Simple as that.

[Stevie H]

I think its the one area Rafa hasn't addressed properly since taking over from Gerard.

 

I agree Viking that Gonzalez will help us there - he's lightning quick, but it'd be a lot of pressure on him in his first season in England to expect all that much.

 

Thing is, players with this kind of ability guaranteed cost a lot of money. Simple as that.

 

disagree. we missed out on several players recently who could have addressed this. aaron lennon for one, routledge for another, pennant is another. . . .that's just off the top of my head. lennon would've been a cracking signing from leeds.

[Hassony]

disagree. we missed out on several players recently who could have addressed this. aaron lennon for one, routledge for another, pennant is another. . . .that's just off the top of my head. lennon would've been a cracking signing from leeds.

lennon is a good buy, but routledge hasn't done anything of note at spurs, and there was no way that liverpool would have gone for pennant after all his problems at arsenal, now that he has had a good season at brum, and seems to have sorted his head out it than maybe we should go for him in the summer.

 

Jaquain is another option, but probably too expensive and not consistant enough.

[alias75]

The footage that is available of Gonzalez shows him running very quickly with the ball. The stuff i watched reminded me a lot of Giggs, whos just as quick when running with the ball as he is without it.

 

It does take a lot of pressure off the team when you have players capable of running half the length of the pitch at pace with the ball.

[Owen1978]

Someone quickly do a FM search

 

type in

 

Pace 15 to 20

Dribbling 15 to 20

Determination 15 to 20

Strength 15 to 20

 

Who did you get?

Edited February 6, 2006 by Owen1978

[Leo No.8]

Someone quickly do a FM search

 

type in

 

Pace 15 to 20

Dribbling 15 to 20

Determination 15 to 20

Strength 15 to 20

 

Who did you get?

 

Cherno Samba...

[matty]

Someone quickly do a FM search

 

type in

 

Pace 15 to 20

Dribbling 15 to 20

Determination 15 to 20

Strength 15 to 20

 

Who did you get?

 

Regi bLINKER.

[Leo No.8]

Regi bLINKER.

 

sIgN BlinKING aNYonE!

[Ombudsam]

Agree with the initial post. it's something we're crying out for. I think Kewell will get to that level again and we'll sign a rm along with gonzalez. I can't see us bringing in a striker who can do it like rooney and Henry though. Closest we've got is pongy but i don't think he can get away from players

[maldini11]

Someone quickly do a FM search

 

type in

 

Pace 15 to 20

Dribbling 15 to 20

Determination 15 to 20

Strength 15 to 20

 

Who did you get?

 

 

Djibril Cisse

John Arne Riise

Mark Gonzalez

Didier Drobga

Paulo Ferrieira

[_00_deathscar]

There once was a certain Milan....

[WillG]

There once was a certain Milan....

 

who wore a dodgy headban'

[Guest Scot]

Sign Anders Limpar

[Bootle Buck]

What hurts us more is we have never had full backs who naturally go forward. Someone in the mold of an Ashley Cole, Wayne Bridge or Gabriel Heinze. If you watch how many times the likes of these and players like Gary Neville get forward and provide lots of crosses. Finnan has strated to get forward more often but still doesn't do so as much as we need.

[_00_deathscar]

Marcus Babbel?

[Earl Hafler]

We have had fullbacks who go forward - Zeige ( essentially a midfielder ) and Stig to name just two but neither were defensively sound. Then we've had Carra, Wright and Traore who are basically makeshift fullbacks, although Carra did very well as the defensive full back to Babbel's swashbuckling right back.

 

Babbel was awesome but players like that don't go on trees and signing them on a free is just Roy Of The Rovers last minute Cup winner material.

[pjwy]

lennon is a good buy, but routledge hasn't done anything of note at spurs, and there was no way that liverpool would have gone for pennant after all his problems at arsenal, now that he has had a good season at brum, and seems to have sorted his head out it than maybe we should go for him in the summer.

 

Jaquain is another option, but probably too expensive and not consistant enough.

 

I dont really see why we would not have gone for Pennant..he seems to have settled down well after his problems some time ago.Anyway,we should not be overly concerned with that latest episode imho.He looks a really good right sided player and he gave Riise,for one, a torrid time at Anfield last week..he was MOTM I reckon.

[R A Softlad]

lennon is a good buy, but routledge hasn't done anything of note at spurs, and there was no way that liverpool would have gone for pennant after all his problems at arsenal, now that he has had a good season at brum, and seems to have sorted his head out it than maybe we should go for him in the summer.

 

Jaquain is another option, but probably too expensive and not consistant enough.

 

Rumours that Routledge will be shipped on in the summer.

[growler]

What hurts us more is we have never had full backs who naturally go forward. Someone in the mold of an Ashley Cole, Wayne Bridge or Gabriel Heinze. If you watch how many times the likes of these and players like Gary Neville get forward and provide lots of crosses. Finnan has strated to get forward more often but still doesn't do so as much as we need.

 

what are you on? Heggem, bjornebye, babbel, riise to name four. As for Finnan, he's always gotten forward, and sometimes used to play RM for us too.

[Bootle Buck]

what are you on? Heggem, bjornebye, babbel, riise to name four. As for Finnan, he's always gotten forward, and sometimes used to play RM for us too.

 

I'm talking the past 3/4 years since Babbel left. Riise when he plays FB doesn't get forward as much as he could. Finnan as I acknowledged does get forward but in a different way to those I mentioned earlier. He is not one to run at people rather he waits for the opportunity and gets forward after the bakll is played around first. The others are more direct and tend to bomb forward more often.