Think someone had already said above that Allen, Henderson and Lucas in the middle has brought our best performances, that sort of fits in with what you guys are saying and I agree. However, we all know that won't happen whilst Gerrard is fit and available for selection.
But it's enough to get top 4 this year off United, MITO. In the summer, we'll revisit in more ways than one I'm sure.
And that's when we'll need the six or seven players that have been talked about. Not only will we need to improve the first team, we'll need to improve squad numbers too to be able to cope with the extra demands the European football brings to the fixture list. Of course, we have a few that can come back from loan (Wisdom, Assaidi, Borini, Robinson) but we also lose two (Cissokho and Moses) that are here on loan.
You're absolutely right when you say that we're in 4th spot. But I maintain, that is purely down to our attack. The defence and midfield (bar Henderson and Coutinho and also Migs) do not deserve credit for this achievement. Lucas, Hendo and Allen are our best trio but are they good enough to take us to the next level? They are very good squad players but they will never compete with Alonso, Mascherano and Gerrard in their prime. I'm sorry but that is the benchmark that I set.
Migs saved our skin against Stoke so you're not having that lol. But fair enough - you can have the other TWO games out of 24.
He did very well with some good saves including the penalty but you can't just dismiss the defence and midfield. If they were that ****, Stoke would have battered us regardless of what Migs did, it's a team game and that was my (albeit, sarcastically put) point. Our attack is evidently better and the reason we are where we are in the league. But to say it is purely down to the attack is just arrogant and wrong. You may as well agree with the people that call us SAS FC since you are simply dismissing the other players (bar Coutinho) efforts!
When I say the attack has carried us, I would include SAS, Coutinho and Henderson (Sterling to some degree). Take out SAS and we're not the same team. That's not arrogant - the same applies to any team when you take the best players. Difference is, the better teams will be able to defend and least control matches, and snatch a single goal to earn the scrappy wins. With our defence and midfield, we need to be scoring 2-3 goals every game in order to be comfortable. I do feel sorry for the defence as it is hampered with injuries but more to the point that they do not have adequate protection.
I wouldn't play Gerrard with Lucas fit either. Rodgers should at least rotate him (at CM) when Lucas comes back. I know you're a huge Hendo fan, but do you realise that he's rarely shouldered the full load of the box-to-box CM role like a Ramires, Toure or Wilshere/Ox/Rosicky does? He made me wish for Mulumbu this last game. He does really well some aspects of the role, but others he neglects or is not properly assigned to. He excelled in a few games supported by Allen in the absence of Sturridge as there was space forward to run to and had Allen behind to cover. That was him outside of what the role traditionally requires however.
Okay, what you're saying now is slightly different to your first comment and actually fits in with what I was arguing
I'm not a hugh Henderson fan. I'm not a hugh anyone fan bar Liverpool Football Club. I support and criticise players as I see fit; for example, I've slated Skrtel for two years but this year I've been defending him because i think he's playing well. I've defended Henderson throughout because he puts the effort in and never gives up. However, I've also said I don't think he is a first choice player for a top four side, never mind title challenging. I certainly wouldn't be looking to sell him, plus he could get better still yet. I think the exact same for Lucas too. I'd love a player like Mulumbu. I think Bluff (BCR) constantly went on about us signing him last summer too.
well then, a pesky brown nose that hugh is. You can't defend Henderson just by virtue of him trying hard and running harder. He's got ball-carrying and play-calming responsabilities which without extra support in CM he can rarely manage. If he cannot develop the ball playing skills a CM needs, then we have to look for a new CM in the summer and use him off the bench. Currently our box-to-box CM is a Frankenstein of Gerrard's vision, Henderson's pace, and Allen's skill
I never said I defend him purely for that, but that is very much a starting point that most fans appreciate. Like with Lucas and Kuyt, I felt he got unfair stick. I felt the ability was there and he just needed time to develop. Seems to be proving the case. Still, not one of them was of title challenging ability IMO although Kuyt did a pretty good job when we finished second. I think Henderson, Lucas and Allen works very well. None of them are world beaters but that doesn't matter if they work as a unit. Its not about the individuals, its a team game. I've had numerous arguments on here about players such as Ben Arfa, Walcott and Adam Johnson; they are all good players that would at some point or other improved our team but I didn't want them based on their injury record and/or attitude. I'd rather have a Kuyt, Lucas or Henderson who is prepared to put the effort in every day of the week.
Let's have some reality here. For goodness sake MITO, Liverpool never have and (if we retain the present owners club strategy) won't have had a team of what you refer to as Top 4 players. The real strength of great Liverpool sides of the past was that there was a blend of great players an absolutely first class workmen. We are not City or the Chavs (thank goodness) and we will have to build a side rather than buy one. So we keep developing the side by buying players with potential and the occasional 'star'. Now, we have a young side, some of whom will/may develop into stars supporting a small mix of 'star' players. It is therefore essential that our manager uses these resources to the best and that our committee finds the potential that we need.
