[video=youtube;h982bmhBdH8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h982bmhBdH8[/video] Interesting analysis on young Joe. Your thoughts?
Pretty much what I think also. I don't understand the raving about Allen when he does very little with the ball other than knock it around in a 20yard circle. I understand BR wants to keep possession, but you can move the ball forward to the final third and keep it whilst at least waiting for an opening.
Exactly. It's funny how they didn't comment on Gerrard's constant misplaced passes. It wasn't Allen's best performance but I have seen him play the ball forward numerous times on previous occasions.
I agree with the assessment of Allen so far, BUT... I feel that given how quickly Sunderland were closing down yesterday that sometimes he made the right decision by passing it elsewhere. He was constantly trying to create pace by passing and moving into space, but unfortunately everyone was so far up the field and Gerrard was so close on his right that it often resulted in a side or back pass. His main focus, and why he was brought in was to keep the ball and he does that very well. Having said that, I believe his game will start to change as time goes on. Perhaps when he feels more comfortable with the team he'll try those longer forward passes, I think he's a great little player and given that he's only 22 (and he's a deep lying playmaker) he's got 7 or 8 more years before he peaks in his position. Look at Xabi as an example, he's 30 now and has probably only just passed his peak.
This. ^^ Allen's role is to keep the ball moving to open the spaces up in the forward areas, Gerrard's is to exploit those holes. If you don't see the bigger picture you'd accuse Allen of having good possession but being unadventurous (not creative) or you'd accuse Gerrard of being too adventurous (but creative) and wasteful at times. Even in the clip (if you watch it back), when Allen passes to Gerrard he even points out a forward pass to Gerrard! It's a system we haven't quite got right, yet, but I see a lot of potential.
Shearer's talking as a frustrated forward and Hansen agrees as frustrated defender. A midfield player might have seen it differently.
BR has made it clear this is not Allens intended role & that he's filling in for Lucas: which in his own way I think he is doing successfully. BR sees him further up the pitch. Shearer will never get it; he's a glaring example of a total lack of understanding of how the game for now anyway, has moved away from his preferred style. Maybe when BR gets the players that can actually compliment him (still hoping shelvey can round those edges) we'll see him at his best. Gerrard is making Allen look pointless at the moment and that is not a compliment to Gerrard.
I was going to make an article on this. I think that what Shearer said does more to prove why Gerrard shouldn't be dropped than knocking Allen. Allen had better forward passing options which he missed or ignored. But he is young and will learn. Maybe he saw Shearer's words and will take not. Gerrard was making those forward passes and helping us create chances. Gerrard's experience helps him here.
It was an analysis of Joe Allen that's probably why he didn't mention Gerrard. As for Allen he's settled in ok so far. He's obviously being asked to fulfil a certain role and seems to be doing it pretty well. I think once Lucas is back in the deeper role we will then be able to judge his attacking abilities more fairly. Not his greatest game yesterday with a few misplaced passes (as with most others) but no issues with him so far. A young lad who has good solid basics to his game. Yes he will need to be pushed to develop further but getting the basics right is the most important thing at his age. Add to this the fact that he seems very calm even when being hunted down then this lad can play for us at first team level for many years to come. Well done young Joe, keep up the good work.
My gripe is that it was a biased analysis, highlighting Gerrard's strengths and Allen's weaknesses. As mentioned previously, Allen is playing a holding role so playing the adventurous passes is not for him to do, it was gerrard's job hence why you saw SG attempt more defence splitting passes. They showed some examples where Allen could have played the ball forward which was spot on but I have seen Allen play these balls in previous games so I was quite surprised. As you say, not his best performance but hopefully once Lucas comes back, we will see Allen become more adventurous alongside Sahin.
The annoying thing was that Shearer was only concerned with Allen immediately going forwards. There were several times yesterday when he took the ball in a pressurised area and played a simple ball into a clear area which allowed another player, say Daniel Agger, to then stride forward.
Joe has done what, well.. He's come in to a new team in a big move for him and has looked composed disciplined can get stuck in can win headers.. all in a few weeks. I am not sure what else can be expected. The chap looks to have a good future if he keeps improving. Shearer is an idiot. Even with TV pundit video replay hindsight he still talks bollox. Allen has done well, keeps it simple can pass and looks an intelligent player. Experience will benefit this lad more than most.
Wait until the next England game where Shearer will be bemoaning the fact England cannot keep the ball and are conceding possession too easily. He doesn't understand that every team needs a guy that passes the ball around simply, ideally this would be Lucas' role but because of his injury, as has been mentioned earlier in the thread, Allen is having to fill in that role. You can imagine Shearer criticising Busquets if Barcelona played in the premier league for not going for the spectacular 35 yard ball everytime he's in possession.
The mainstay of a midfielders work on the ball is retention and providing an option and your opponent cannot score if you have the ball. Keep it simple stupi... Shearer
isn't part of the point that you don't have two players trying hollywood passes- allen retains the ball and ensures it gets to a liverpool player because he's the last midfielder, gerrard takes more risks as allen is there to cover him if he makes a bad pass
Your mostly all acting like big Jessies! Shearer does have a point regarding Allen in that he rarely looks for an incisive forward balls. That view has to be counter-balanced with Allen's ability to ensure ball retention. Both are important if we are improve. For me the biggest disappointment with Allen came against Arsenal when he looked like a rabbit in the headlights when he ventured into the final 3rd in the second half. He's still a young player and improving his game. He's also covering for Lucas at the present. It will be interesting to see how things develop when we can put the 2 together. BTW as for Gerrard. How the hell can you complain about his pass completion yesterday when he was the only one of our players who was seriously engineering attacking passes.
I can't critcise Joe Allen for passing backwards and sideways after I spent years defending Lucas, when those who'd suck Joe Allen's cock criticised him for exactly the same thing.
This. I don't agree with harsh criticisms of the young Joe Allen but I also don't agree with the extreme defense. At the moment Liverpool's midfield are trying to fill the Lucas gap which I appreciate, but there is no hiding when the fact was that even I, yesterday found it frustration when there WAS space, and he failed to pass forward. Go ahead and attack my tactical knowledge but with any system if space is not being created (Clearly wasn't as we found out yesterday), he has to look forward and attempt a pass. Having said that, I also appreciate the difference in roles between Gerrard and Allen, also the experience gap, so I will still back Joe Allen for the next game and beyond, keeping things simple with patience and looking for a real opening. I've recently started thinking if this system will really work in the fast-paced Premier League where counter attacks (Kick+rush style) happen so often are teams are constantly willing to take risks, this somewhat proved yesterday when I our passing style wasn't producing an end product and Sunderland hit back and scored. Perfect 'Plan B' sort of game where Andy Carroll could have made a difference..
