I think Adam is far too slow and he does not have enough technical ability to compensate like Alonso did. Not trying to compare him to Alonso, he is more like a poor mans Scholes IMO. He is good at passing and shooting but awful when it comes to tackling, as already highlighted he is not the quickest either. Adam can (supposedly) deliver a deadball whereas Scholes had more energy. Both like a booking or two.
The one thing that he hasn't had this season is to influence the style of play to maximise his skills. He's always been having to play somebody-else's game. Give him the opportunity to play with Gerrard in the hole in front of him and I beleive that you will see a very different Adam.
Adam was bought in as a squad player to play in a 3 man midfield in the bigger games and be a back up to Gerrard. He wasn't actually bought in to start every game. Our first choice midfield in the majority of games was always going to be Gerrard-Lucas. Adam did well in covering Gerrard at the start of the season and we were on course to finish in the top 4, it was when Lucas was injured his form and confidence dipped dramatically. Also I wish people would stop putting Gerrard on the right of formations. He's obviously never going to play there for us ever again. Its like the whole "try Lucas at attacking midfield" stuff.
I agree with the top part, but the bottom part, didn't Gerrard have one of his best seasons playing out on the right? I know he won't now but could be used there in some capacity. Try Lucas at AM, well he was bought as an AM that could score from Gremio, a big reason it took so long for him to get going, having to learn a new position, in a new league, speak a new language, etc. I don't think he would have a problem if deployed there but he looks good as our CM so wouldn't change that.
Why wouldn't Gerrard play on the right? He has said in the past that he prefers the middle but he has also said he will play wherever it best suits the team. I think if he was asked then he would play on the right but I don't think that is where Kenny wants to see him. Gerrard is a massive influence on games and you want him in the middle getting involved. Especially if your pushing out wide to accommodate Charlie ****ing Adam!
I know he played there for most of the 05/06 season (including the final), but that was when he was a much more dynamic player at the peak of his physical powers. I think if Kenny ever wanted Gerrard to play off the right then he would've played him there at least once or twice this season seeing as we don't have much other options there at the minute with most of our players who are supposed to play there massively lacking in confidence. People were saying it 2 years after Lucas had joined though! And it was obvious Rafa had no interest in playing him at attacking midfield and to be fair he hasn't shown a reason since to ever include him in the team as an attacking mid. His best work is done off the ball and although good in possession when deep in midfield, he always seems to forget how to play football when he gets into the las third of the pitch bar one or two bits in the last 5 years of his time at the club. Answered your own question there mate.
Lucaaas, was giving the why some would say they want to see this and that, but forgetting that that player is no more ( Gerrard the engine and Lucas the AM from Gremio). it was weird though, Lucas was known for his box to box, scoring goals as an AM and then he came and DM, strange but Rafa saw something and it turned out to be right.
Haha! I think he was one of the worlds best defensive midfielders before his injury, I just don't think attacking is a big, or succesful, part of his game. And to be fair, it isn't and wasn't for the likes of Busquets, Makelele, Mascherano, Hamann etc
I remember the time a few of us opted to change our names to contain Lucas in it, was the birth of Lucas Destroyer & Creator. Rauuul to Lucaaas and Milk to Lucas Milk. He never came back.
It was Sea Hoke from 606, wasn't it? Was the Lucas gang falling apart one of the main factors in Lucas getting injured?? We may have accidentally ruined the season
Adam was actually getting better with each game when playing alongside Lucas, which is why I put him in my best 11. The loss of Lucas coincided with his drop in form. Regarding Gerrard on the right, I don't feel he has the athleticism (sp?) to play there. Sure, Scholes and Giggs don't either, but Gerrard's strength is in moving around, finding the ball and utilising the space. Right now, he doesn't have the legs to get back into position when 5 years ago, he did. On the right, he can drift around much more without leaving huge gaps in the middle of the pitch. I also think he's got the best cross in the whole squad, so he'd work well with Carroll. Just my thoughts though :>
If you play gerrard now then I think you have to play him in the hole behind a front 2 with a pass-maker like Adam behind him.
for me i do not disagree with much said here. I think the OP is pretty much close with his first 11. honestly downing ought to be in there over bellamy but gerrard should indeed move wide cos he has not got the legs to do anything else. i don't really agree with the interim manager thing as thats not the way i see henry working. that said if you replace all thats said you would in effect merely be doing precisely what we should expect and need to be doing anyway... i just think there's zero patience on show from some fans for sure here. We're doing our best and you know and fa cup to go with the carling cup and some guys will look very silly indeed. my view is: 1. kenny will be there next year. 2. we were NOT passive last summer, we did as much as we could. we bought a good amount of players and adding more would probably have made it worse not better 3. we will spend something like 50mil this summer. don't know what net but i expect it to be at least as much as last year. 4. a summer of big changes is required butfrankly we should be expecting that as big changes were ALWAYS needed. we did all we could in one window, we didn't see a special player available in january so now we need to do a lot of work this summer. there's a big gap between our squad and that of the top clubs. our 11 might compete on a day but over a season? we need another 6-7 players
MITO, Your points 2 and 4 are contradictory. Further, your assumption that "there's a big gap between our squad and that of the top clubs" is simply not true. Our squad does need the addition of more quality to match that of the quality that already exists and to compensate for the potential that is yet to flourish. To my mind that does not entail big changes.
-------------Reina------------- Johnson--Skrtel--Agger--Enrique ??????--Lucas--Gerrard--Bellamy -------Suarez--??????--------- That's all we need imo, Sterling to cover when Bellamy can't play, Downing cover on the right, Kelly for Johnson Spearing for Gerrard (his best position imo) Cover needed for Lucas. Less pressure on Carroll with a striker in place. 2 players needed but we also need cover for Lucas and getting a specialist to sit on the bench will be difficult.
Of our current squad, it'd be Spearing covering for Lucas and Shelvey covering for Gerrard. Those are the two pairs that are most alike. If not Shelvey, then Henderson.
