DM for me, yes we have the choice between Gerrard and Lucas but i don't feel that's enough or good enough. Stevie should start being a 60 minute man, but Lucas isnt good enough to replace the tempo stevie can at least manage to give for 60 mins a game.
So apparently united are going to battle real madrid fir suarez. We are all in the wrong careers. Im off to make **** up for one paper or another and get paid for it
I feel Stevie's been fine and when he wasn't available I thought a midfield of Lucas, Allen and Henderson looked really good (Tottenham?), so I'm not overly concerned about that area. I'd like, maybe, a versatile midfielder (Can?) who could play DM but could also go forwards, too. For me, sorting out the LB position is paramount, after that perhaps a decent CB to compete with Agger (if he stays!), Skrtel and Sakho.
Enrique is good, but how much playing time did he get last season? He's coming back to fitness only now (allegedly). Concerns: a) How long will he need to get match-fit? b) Will he be as good? c) Will he be plagued with injury now, as once a player starts getting these sort of injuries then invariably it gets worse.
I think signing a player who is just a DM would be silly. Especially as it is not a role that Rodgers main system contains. Rodgers calls Gerrard a midfield pivot who plays out from the back and creates from deep. He also drops between the center backs creating a back three when needd. I like this.
That was before yet another Lucas injury. He looked awfully leggy in the run in. Each successive injury has taken its accumulative toll on him to the extent that it worries me that he is the only DM backup we have. Combined with Stevie being old enough for carbon dating, I have to agree with Jenners - DM is priority.
Now we are in strong links with Emre Can and Lucas is linked with various Italian clubs. I'd like Sneiderlin, but I also feel sorry for Southampton getting poached.
Call them DM, HM or XMen - that's besides the point. We still need a midfielder that can marshal the space in front and between the two CBs and who is a machine in tracking runs and a boss at nudging, tackling and intercepting. If it were easily to versatilise a CM into a DM, then it would happen more often than just with Pirlo, Xabi Alonso and Gerrard. I don't think Henderson or Allen have the attributes for that upgrade tbh. So, we need to look elsewhere and fast, as Stevie might be injury-prone due to a long season and summer, whilst Lucas could/should be off to a league that is easier on his body.
We definitely need a player in front of the defence. As good as Gerrard has been in terms of set pieces and quick time passes, he cannot protect the back 4 and even his open play contribution is minimal. Lucas is simply a shadow of himself - he can't play as a CM and he doesn't have enough to his game to play deeper. In the right team, he is still very good but he simply doesn't suit our style. We should be looking to sell him off to be honest. I know it's unlikely but I'm using Martinez as an example of the perfect DM for us - offensive, great defensively and can slot into the defence.
I'll be Henderson has.... In Europe what we are looking at is the double pivot, by all means stick Gerrard on his own against lesser sides but when we play a decent outfit we need to have 2 sit not one... It's like this you don't just say pirlo it's pirlo and... (Numerous partners now) Xavi and... Busquets mostly, as an example... We have a work horse in Henderson so he can be made do it and be I think really good at it However,...... Yes Martinez would be death by semen explosion were he to be signed
Even though the names are slightly underwhelming, I think they do address the issues. I think the likes of Lambert and Lallana will integrate well with the English lads and Lovren can strike up a partnership with Sakho (both French speaking). £77m for them all is a lot though but it would be offset with player sales somewhat.