Joe Allen really is up there with Downing. He is small, weak, slow, no presence and his passing is even crap tbh.
He offers absolutely nothing to the team. Need Hendersons effort, shame we haven't got Sahin's ability anymore.
I've only been saying this for the last 4 months: Allen offers us nothing. He can't defend like Lucas, he can't attack and doesn't have the range of passing as Gerrard and he doesn't press and make box-to-box runs like Henderson. They can all pass just as well as Allen, except most of them pass forward, hence the slightly lower success rate. Allen offers us nothing other than a pointless pivot in the middle which just slows down the play.
Hendo has been great recently. He gets the ball, passes it and moves FORWARD! He presses, he makes runs and creates space all whilst trying to move into the box incase the ball pops his way. He does everything Allen doesn't do.
Surely to have a "debate" you need to be able to argue both sides of the question? I guess the only arguement is, he can't be any worse as an attacking midfielder than a defensive one at the moment?
He was excellent against Sunderland and his constant harrying of defenders and midfielders freed up Gerrard and Suarez throughout the game. Obviously playing United is a different kettle of fish I know, but the advantage of Hendos work rate were there for all to see in this game of all games and he deserved a start. I was amazed to see Allen get the nod. It's so frustrating to see a Liverpool manager get something simple so very wrong. I can understand him starting with Downing in a way simply because Sturridge may not be fully match fit but playing Allen turned out to be the catalyst for a nightmarish first half. He needs to be dragged away from the first team for a good few weeks and given time to develop his game more (and his strength because he's miles off the standard required in that department).
Lol: you mean he's started doing the things we attacked him for not doing last year with the addition of panicking everytime he got the ball like he saw a mouse? His improvement should teach us the lesson not to write a player off too soon I.e. halfway through their first season. However, Allen needs benched for a while. The motto needs to be you're only guaranteed a place if you play your way into it. Hendo has & Allen hasn't at the minute.
He started well but then played more than he is used to, became tired and has lost confidence as a result of this. He is a little like Henderson last season and needs to be pulled out of the firing line for a bit but Henderson was only dropped because the new manager found it easier to drop him as he wasn't his signing. I fear Rodgers won't drop Allen because he wants Allen to prove his value to the owners & fans.
I'm not writing Allen off Frank but no way should he have started today. Allen's young and looks out of his depth, he needs the time away from the team just like Hendo needed it but now he's shown those signs of settling in and learning the ropes then bloody play him. I'm annoyed with Rodgers not Allen. (I realise we're pretty much agreeing on this but allow me my rant mate because we've just lost to them ****ers and I'm not happy that we just handed it to them by making such basic errors before a ball had even been kicked ) #deepbreathsdeepbreaths
Lol: Rant away mate! I did it the whole match. With Hendo improved & Lucas almost back there should be no excuse for BR to persist with an underperforming player. For the players sake as much as teams.
I'm not completely writing him off, I'm talking about currently. And currently, Allen should be nowhere near the first team unless it's an 'easy' game. Hendo is by far more useful to the system, is on better form, and should be starting. Allen must be BR's godson or something, because it's amazing how many chances he gets in important games when it's clear to practically everyone I know or have listened to that he should be dropped for the moment.
Allen's best performances have come when he was sitting deeper in the Lucas role. I haven't seen much to convince me he is a top class attacking talent apart from the Sunderland game. I think he should be sitting alongside Lucas rather than higher up the pitch. But currently, Henderson should be playing ahead of him. People can talk about the fact that Allen is lightweight (and he definitely is) but he does put his body about and fights for the ball. With regards to the comparisons with Xavi, Xavi has more effect in the final 3rd because every team defends deep against Barca therefore Xavi and co have more time and space in the opponents half (Not to mention the fact Xavi is clearly a better player). All in all, the lad is 22 and players in his position often reach their peak at about 28+.
