I say this reluctantly as he has been our star player and shining light for more than a decade. It is (was) time to prepare for the gradual replacement of Gerrard. He has carried this team for many seasons. But now he just cannot play 2 matches in a week. On top of this to play him as a holding MF, does not work. His instincts have always been attacking. In the last three matches, he has slowed the pace down when the priority was to increase it and not let the opposition regroup. He has tried to mask this by playing more long balls but these get wasted without a Suarez at the end of them, who used to anticipate these 5 seconds before anyone else. Without Suarez our midfield weaknesses are obvious for all to see. We need a more creative midfielder and a proper holding player. Lucas and Gerrard just do not hack it. I hope I am wrong but unless we address this we will be in serious trouble this season,
U Agreed but what options have we got? Lucas...rather keep gerrard Henderson.... Don't see that as his best position Allen...possibly but too lightweight for me Can...most obvious choice but very raw. The fact we didn't sign that physical DM and a more creative one is going to haunt us this season. It's ok pointing at mario as not delivering but just look at the lack of quality into him. Defensively..well I just don't know what's going on. Whoever we sign,whatever combination we play, we make the same mistakes time and again. Sakho is a first choice French international when he turns out for us he looks like Traore...or worse.
Gradual..... That time IMO was 2 years ag. We are at the stage where ferguson gave scholes a whole 14 starts. Gerrard should not be playing every game NOW It doesn't really matter right now what we do as you guys are right about CURRENT options however the mistake is we had the money and bought one 20 year old whom we then bench at the start anyway and now he's injured, again. Basically we've not prepared for it and the issue is so stark we are toast regards this season
lol we did a "spurs last season" Too many changes. Suck it up, Rodgers knew it, he said we won't see the team gel till the 2nd half of the season
I don't think its time to panic just yet - bring the likes of Allen, Coutinho and Sturridge back into the team and I'm positive we'll rediscover our swag and style. At the moment, we have too many new faces which have been forced to start.
Yes we have and obv we exect these new faces to get better Its pprob been said but we miss Studge pressuring opposistion defenders and putting the other team under pressure with decent attacks. The quicker he's back the better but a shame that we're again relying on one player Still, I do think once Markovic, Lallana, Can has settled they will all be alot better. With Ballotelli he will get better but his game is lazy and he needs to change that and help close ther defenders more. Will he? Lets see if BR can come up with some solutions
I think we will turn up in the second half of the season. The energy and intensity will return. Until then,'it just about making sure we keep up with the big boys. Anyone else noticed that we seem to be putting in more crosses? It's as if we're trying to play so many different styles - playing from the back, lovren lumping up top, passing it needlessly around the back, long balls to full backs etc etc. Hopefully we go back to the basics.
Ive heard rodgers os some sort of 'record breaker'. Worst start for liverpool in PL history. #mantlefrommoyes
I disagree there, we all said we needed a new back four which he done so, some wingers, which he done so, a back up attackin midfielder a striker to replace Suarez and he purchased Balotelli. With Spurs case it was hiw many fancied coming to Spurs which resulted in four CAMs.
We clearly improved after changing systems, but wasted our chances and got frustrated. I'm not saying its a great system now you know. Though any thing can work with the right players.
I think Sturridge's injury is showing us that we could do with Origi in the squad right now. from watching Origi I can see he is very similar to Sturridge, though less refined (being younger). When we played Spurs our attack was really good. Playing Balotelli between to fast players (Sturridge and Sterling) got us going really well. Balotelli made a really good centre pin to our attack. But with out Sturridge it does not work as well, so what we really needed yesterday was another Sturridge. Or Origi. Sturridge will get our attack flowing again.
Man City and Chelsea both dropped some silly points last season and still kept in the fight, or won the title in City's case. Still plenty to win this season.
