With that team, we would lack width and need the FB's to push on. Even if we don't use them, them being there spreads the play.
I'm not sure we would struggle with width with Sterling & SAS, Hendo would be key in not getting carried away, he would need to help Gerrard out for sure.
well lets just look at two things. 1. defenders who can attack.. arbeloa was under rated. risse was a decent skin... kind of lost his aggression though. 2. full backs who think they are wingers and cannot defend. glen johnson, ashley cole... and the like I would rather see an arbeloa or finnan anyday than glen johnson the way he is playing. if we are looking for cafu, alves, we are mad cos lahm epitomises the ideal for me... great player... maldini, defender first attacker second but sublime at both. City have two dependable bodies in the full back slots having tried the more dynamic types. its a simple fact that if you stand 5 yards off and let crosses in you will concede goals... its sinful when you have a midfielder helping you and you still let them in.
Gerrard as a DM - not a chance. Yesterday, he was pretty good defensively and looked fresh after a nice rest. Come next week, and in a few games time, he will be tired again. Gerrard as the controller/regista (Pirlo/Alonso role) - it could work. Technically, he has it in the locker. However, I think he lacks discipline in both a)positioning as he will want to venture forward leaving a big space and the defence exposed and b) he will always look for the instinctive forward ball. The best registas i.e. Pirlo, Alonso have the ability to control games, the tempo and are capable of playing short and long balls at the right time. The fact that Gerrard is used as a holding mid last night would signal that Lucas better get used to being on the bench once Allen returns.
against chelsea lucas left a huge hole by wandering on off up the pitch at 1:1 result? 2 cbs exposed on quick break and we lost 2-1. if david luiz can learn from mourinho surely if rodgers tried he could get gerrard to not wander off...
It will be interesting. Without any additional players, The issue will be the same with Gerrard as HM (for Mito) as it was in respect of the players around him. FB's losing the ball every time and not chasing back. Will leave the HM and CB's exposed out wide. They still need sorted. Will it solve the gapping issue between the back 3 (DM & CB's ) and rest of midfield? Well Allen, Henderson and Lucas (in whatever combo) should be able to cover the ground better than Gerrard did but do any of them have the positional intelligence to do it? Lucas will be as static as Gerrard I believe put further forward. Allen does not have the presence to dominate that centre area. Hendo appears to not have the psychological strength. He's still Gerrard s bitch. He may grow out of that if BR now states clearly what Gerrard and Hendos roles are. When all fit it will be Lucas who loses out. BR will continue switching the triangle when needed. With Gerrard behind Allen and Hendo when attacking and Allen dropping in beside Gerrard when under pressure. I think this could be the final experiment that includes Gerrard. If it doesn't work we'll get a new player in the summer.
If we play with one "holding" player then it's not a case of wandering off. Positioning can only do so much and a single player in the centre of the pitch is going to do ****all positional wise, they'll just pass it around him. The holding player needs to have legs, he needs acceleration, decent pace and very good reactions, Gerrard perhaps has the latter and therefore would get raped by a counter-attacking side if played there alone. He needs someone alongside him but then, we can't play the pressing game because the team (and each line) need to work together, what good is that if one member can't keep up? Gerrard playing there against the sides that aren't so great at attacking or lack pace up front is great, but it is suicidal against sides that have one or both of those attributes.
I think him being guilty of having to get forward may stop now we actually have decent players in attack. No need for him to do so with SAS, Coutinho, Sterling and Hendo's energy. I think there is a trust now that they are capable whereas in years gone by he wouldn't have had that.
