So when Gerrard got injured, we all looked around at our back-up and it left a lot to be desired, but the man who was opted to fill the void was a certain Joe Allen. Often used as a scape goat, and virtually written off, but he had an opportunity to prove his critics wrong coming in to the Christmas period. Started very brightly in his earlier games, but like mentioned the bigger games were yet to come - he started against Spurs and was instrumental in a 5-0 win, our first win at WHL in 5 years. But, the real test was always going to be against this City midfield, Yaya and Fernandinho are currently the best midfield partnership in the league. Did he boss them? Well, no.. But him along with Henderson and Lucas more than held their own. I thought he was fantastic this evening, he played a vital role in being that link between midfield and attack finding the various holes and receiving the ball in tight areas and having the confidence to hold the ball and knock it in to good areas, or receiving the ball and running with it confidently, often riding tackles. He also has a good work rate to his game which is often over looked.. He's by far the finished article but I think Allen has earned at least some recognition and perhaps a re-evaluation of his role and future within the club.
Been defending him (often from behind my hands) for a year or so. Really pleased he's gaining form. Has a lot of valuable attributes. Lovely player to watch when he's on his game.
still unsure to be honest. him and Henderson are growing on me and i see them in the squad going forward, but i just wish they would be more ****ing positive in games, taking the backpass is starting to creep back in.
Henderson is the standout midfielder currently. Lucas (and I'm a huge fan of him) and Allen are playing alright, doing a job quietly but nothing special. As a trio though, they're combining well, keeping the ball and pressing. Wouldn't say he's won me over, wouldn't say he's been playing brilliantly, but good enough to keep on starting even when Gerrard comes back.
Think we should go Allen, Henderson, Gerrard when he comes back. Lucas isn't in brilliant form - would like to think that Henderson and Allen would make up for him between each other. Gerrard has a little extra quality in the final third. Obviously Lucas should return for big games, and I'd like to see Gerrard dropped or all four play in tough away games.
I really wouldn't drop any of them. It works because they're all mobile, all press and can float around the midfield positions. Gerrard with any two of the three just would leave gaps somewhere, reduce the pressing and make it more static. Gerrard can't return to the midfield trio. He should, however, be in the team further forward where it doesn't matter as much where he is. Coutinho, Suarez and Gerrard maybe with Hendo and Allen breaking past Gerrard onto his passes. That still leaves Sturridge looking to get into the team (good news for competition) and Sterling who's looking dangerous despite his poor composure in front of goal (when not having a tap in laid on by Suarez) and warrants a starting spot on form.
It's difficult isn't it. Love the pressing, and it's crucial to the possession game... but we all know Stevie offers qualities we don't really have otherwise, and will come straight back in regardless!
Allen has been good in the last couple of games, but he bottles it at crucial times which makes think if he doubts his own ability . He rotates possession well and much more mobile than Gerrard. But he's not a big game player nor a game changer. We could definitely do better than Allen. But Im not taking away any credit from his last couple of performances, he'd done quite well. But for a side that's aiming for top 4 or even the title(which is not out of our reach by any means) we need a player that's a bigger threat than him.
Allen is NOT good enough. He's been OK since he came back into the 1st 11 but today he was found wanting in terms of skill (speed of thought), physical prowess (too eaisly shoved off the ball) and creative ability (actually picking a pass). He is a good sqaud player nothing more and nothing less!
Dave not only Allen is easily muscled out so is Sterling, Johnson and Couthino, if Allen deserves slating it shouldn't include a frailty shared by a few, I never thought he was a reds type of player and still don't but until someone with a say at the club tells Rodgers his prodigy ain't good enough be prepared to see him on a regular basis.
Allen is a young player who is improving with every game, he may or may not hit the required standard but he's shown enough for us to have patience with him.
People are being very harsh on Allen. He's been excellent since his return, not just "ok". People bash him when he puts in a good performance against teams like Norwich, then he goes and puts in to fantastic performances against both City and Spurs away from home and people still want to bash him. Credit where credit is due. Henderson has been a revelation for us and the patterns aren't too dissimilar to Allens improvements. I said at the start of his return that he would prove people wrong. And I very much stick by that, eventually through gritted teeth people will admit Allen can be a great player for us.
Patience with him has cost us points though gonz, this league waits for no man whether player or manager due to owners wanting success yesterday and sentimentality has no place sadly.
Always rated the lad, there's always a few fans that are quick to write people off before they've had a decent chance.. but the lad, once he had a position defined in the team and got a decent run of games was going to come good, he's got far too much technical ability not to do so.. #keepitgoing
He's been good. Not excellent. He's been good. He has a role in this side and it's kept things ticking with Gerrard out of the squad. But he doesn't have a creative enough mind at the moment. We saw glimpses of it - he started his Liverpool career in that attacking midfielder role between Gerrard and the forwards. Since then though he's just sort of shuffled the ball around. In the past few games that was good enough but I do feel we can upgrade when the time comes (a few days). That shuffling calms the midfield down in the absence of the captain, but it doesn't really ever take control of it. You never feel that with Allen, he'll have time to sit and think about which forward pass to make. We never stamp our mark on the game when he plays, though this isn't only his fault, it's more to do with the game plan. Without the strength and experience of Gerrard we basically try to get it away from our midfielders as much as possible. Since Allen isn't trying incisive passes or forward runs, more often than not he plays the safer route. That safer route is to our defenders who aren't filling anyone with confidence at the moment. It's also important to note, while he is trying and that makes me like the lad - he's not really that young anymore either. In a few months he'll be 24. That's past the rapid learning curve of development. Any improvements are more likely than not to be minor and related to experience. That is what it will boil down to, unfortunately. FSG policy and all that. Lucas is working his socks off and as a defensive midfielder really needs both the defenders to stop being ****e and the midfield to take control of the game ahead of him. He does this better with Gerrard in the side, providing that Gerrard doesn't mope around the halfway line the whole match. Today I was disappointed in the loss but also the manner of the loss. We need some steel in midfield. We don't need any Salah types, we've got enough of them as it is. Priority should be a top left back and a top central midfielder. An upgrade on Johnson would be nice. He was back to his worst today. I do feel positive about the direction of the club but we need a result at Chelsea or we risk falling out of the top 4. That would be a serious blow to the teams confidence and form.
What you guys have to remember is that Allen was being groomed to take over Britton's role with us so him in an advanced position at times is new territory for him, and you can see he still is not fully confident making those movements into the box. Like I've said before lads, give him time, he was out for a while with injuries, he is improving with each game. Next season, if he's still a regular in the team, I'd expect him to improve again and have the same passing influence that Britton has for us.
