James Pearce Q&A

Just remember Rodgers wants "verticality" as in get the ball moving forward. .. Therefore you want a player in there to play it forward not a side shuffler.

Can and henderson can play cm in front of the back 4 just fine.

 

I'd have called Beckham a crosser.

No he's not a traditional winger with a trick and a cross but neither was he a great cm cos he was powder puff

Ferguson tied him to the right wing and even got shut of a real right winger for him.

 

I'm not disputing the label of winger or right sided mid.

I'm disputing the fact that you called Milner a CM who can play RM. (Unless you're referring to his role here at LFC only?)

 

Personally, I think Henderson is a very good squad player for a top 4 team but shouldn't be starting all that often. He's the Milner of Man City.

He's not a specialist - I don't think he's intelligent to play DM although he's got the physicality. Perhaps he can be coached there but I think Can is better in that role or we should buy someone in.

 

In which case, you are wrong. Milner played CM at Leeds and Villa, he's also played the occasionally game at CM for Man City and England too. Just because Man City didn't use him in that position (all the time) doesn't mean he isn't a CM. Besides, players don't have to have one set position either.

I'll use Gerrard as example instead then. In the course of his career, he player RB, CB, DM, CM, AM, CF, RM and LM from what I can recall, was he just a CM...? Suarez played right, left and centrally as well as dropping in the hole. Agger played CB and LB. Carragher played RB, LB, CB and DM. Coutinho plays CM, AM, RM or LM. I could go on and on and on but I think you get the point, players can often play more than one role and for you to claim Milner isn't a CM because he played RM at Man City (most of the time) is just horseshit.

 

He's spent most of his career out on the wing. He's played over 500 games and only a handful at CM - so to suggest he's a natural CM is incorrect in my view because there is little evidence.

Even in his short time at Liverpool, he's shown little in a CM role bar the usual pressing and running. It wasn't until he shifted out to RM did he get more involved in the attacking play.

 

Hold up - maybe I misinterpreted. Yes, Milner can play different roles including CM (not all that great but he still can).

Your previous comment implied that Milner was a natural CM first, and a RM second? Would be more accrual to say he's a RM who can play CM.

 

I disagree totally that he's just a squad player. You forget Jimmy that every team needs more than just flair and skill and that as far as team players go Henderson is THE perfect example of what every top team needs. Talented, hard working, willing to learn and with an "engine" to die for.

Where I agree with you totally is that he is never a defensive midfielder (and never, ever should be). What you need in that position is someone who can read the game constantly. Someone with a totally calm head, someone who won't get bullied and who never tries to overcomplicate things but just does the simple things very well.

 

Yep, I agree you need hard workers but I think he just lacks something for him to be a regular top 4 starter. I think it's the same with Lallana (but not as bad) - technically, he's ok. But there's a fine line between that level and top 4 - to be a top 4 player, you need to be intelligent and have speed of thought.

He certainly has talent and is a capable of great stuff but he's inconsistent. He is young and hopefully he will improve.

But for argument sake - we had to either Can or Henderson for a CM spot, I would pick Can because he can influence the game far better on the ball. Henderson is no doubt the harder worker but for the level we want to be at, we need players who are quality on the ball and influence games.

 

C'mon lads... do you want obi mikey or matic.

Matic is a lot more than just a clogged.

I keep hearing this stuff ever player is wasted back there.

Was Paul scholes?

That's where he played taking it and play making with it...

That's where pirlo sat too.

Henderson can sit back there and can actually ping it 40 yards if he wants to.

That's the whole point. Lucas could not in a wet dream and neither could Allen.

Put a good player there and an even better player box to box... not this Lucas and Allen ****e

Example

Mingolet
Clyne skertl lovern gomez
Henderson
Milner coutinho
Firmino
Sturridge benteke​

 

How do you see it working when Sturridge is back?

I can't see how it can work unless Hendo is dropped
4-3-3
---------------------Can-----------
-----------Milner---------Coutinho------
Sturridge--------Benteke-----Firmino

4-4-2 diamond
----------------Can----------------------
--------Milner-----Coutinho-----------
---------------Firmino-------------------
-------Sturridge-----Benteke---------

I don't see Milner being dropped, he only joined us because he was assured a central starting role. Plus he adds more than Hendo IMHO.

Can't do without Can, we saw how poor we played against Stoke when Hendo is the last man in midfield.
And the others? Can't see Hendo pushing out Coutinho, Firmino, Benteke or Sturridge when all fit :/

I'm hoping Henderson doesn't become "undroppable" by BR, like Gerrard became.

 

Pirlo and Scholes weren't wasted there because that was their best position. Same with Matic.

 

that assumes can is no 1 pick though.....

I'll let billy answer for himself though....

 

I think Henderson and Milner are undroppable in this set up. If anyone is sacrificed, it will be Can.

 

A 433 with Milner and Hendo looks great on paper, I think in reality it will not work until Hendo shows more discipline and improves defensively.

 

The 2 man midfield will never work with those two will never work IMO.

Neither are great defensively and neither can get on the ball and dominate the midfield area. And they struggled to get the ball up the pitch and support the attack.

What they do is press and provide energy - but that alone is not enough.

In 30 mins, Can had done more on the ball than Hendo/Milner did in 90. And that's not a dig at those two - their skillsets require specialists behind and in front them in order for them to succeed.

 

In much the same way that Gerrard and Lampard just never worked, Hendo and Milner won't. They are the same player, except I think Milner adds more through his experience.

 

Pirlo could swap to ACM too depending on who tried to man mark him.

Scholes and keane played as a midfield duo....

Matic could play box to box easily

same for javi martinez and sweinstegier at bayern... at the very top (before guardiola ballsed it up) you could see bayern within a game flip martinez from box to box to sitting...

Thats what i mean... if all henderson can do is aimlessly leg around and not adapt to the tactical requirement of the game and within the game then he's pants.

You want that two sitting at times and at times go two attacking.

Examples:

Henderson
Milner Coutinho
Sturridge Benteke Firmino

I'm playing bournemouth for example.. I want attacking intent

Can
Milner henderson
Firmino Benteke coutinho

I'm playng city...... need a goal

then I flip it.

Can Henderson
Milner
Firmino Benteke coutinho

Or i even ask the two wide to sit off deep.

Can Henderson
firmino Milner coutinho
Benteke ​

In short we need tactical flexibility and ability.... If henderson can only leg it about or lucas can only sit etc etc they aint much use.

This is what I am saying.... this "wasted" stuff is IMO wrong thinking.. sorry. its an 11 man game and players need to be flexible to adapt to get the best result out of all 11.

 

So no creidt to henderson for actually holding position and dealing with stoke when they were not actually tired while milner played much higer alongside lallana who was pants

when stoke had an hour in their legs... and charlie adam off can comes in and henderson moves up beside milner and it looks better.... common factor? henderson? or Lallana not being there?

you decide.

IMO can needs to get fit and stop eating chocolate bars. then rodgers needs to stop the lallana love in....

 

I think Milner's best season was at CM for Villa. He can play on the right but the only reason he played on the right at Man City is because of the quality they had in the middle. Same goes for England when the likes of Gerrard and Lampard etc were central.

Was Kuyt a winger then since most of his games for Liverpool on the right? Was he ****, he was a centre forward that got asked to play on the right.

My point is, players can play more than one role. This conversation started because MITO claimed there were three wingers in the quartet of Hendo, Milner, Coutinho and Firmino, that clearly is a incorrect analysis since none of them are "just wingers", never mind the fact that none of them are capable of playing as out-and-out wingers.

Edit: I will add that I've not seen him play CM as part of a two before though.