The royal baby has been named after him to. Now on to a more truthful article: Good article. He makes a few good points. With signings like Luis Alberto and Coutinho I can see Rodger's really pushing the pretty passing next season, which could really help to boost Allen next seaon, playing to his strengths. ---------------Lucas-------------- --------------------Gerrard-------- -----------Allen------------------- --Luis Alberto-----------Coutinho-- ---------------Suarez------------- Though I cannot see that being a main 11 next season. It is a future plan. Thoughts?
I've backed Allen from the start but his form did drop and I understand the critics. The article is very much over the top, yes he's a talented player but we are yet to know whether he will improve enough to be a main cog in our team. Work is to be done if Allen is to be the fulcrum in a Liverpool midfield. Like it sates in the article he is a young lad and has time to improve, unfortunately Liverpool do not have time so Allen may well find himself on the fringe of the team.
I'm willing to give him time as it was obvious what he can bring to the team at the start of last season. Agree with Luv though - the article is way over the top. I do think he will be an important player for us.
My god, I've never read an article with so many analogies and cliches with so few points. Allen was dire. When the team played well, he played ok. When they team were struggling, he couldn't hold the game and keep possession like he should. Lucas and Gerrard start. With who? Vast majority of people will say Hendo, why? Because he can do more than just knock a ball around. Allen doesn't tackle, isn't strong, doesn't unlock a defense, doesn't make forward runs or score - he does his one job decently. He does it sitting in the pockets which Lucas wants to sit in rather than further upfield which just clutters our midfield around the CBs. We don't need two players sitting 10yards from the CB, it reduces our options in attack. Lucas, Gerrard and Hendo has great balance as does Lucas, Gerrard and Coutinho. He's a trier, and I like players who put in the effort for the shirt, but he's average. There are at least 6 other players I'd like to see playing ahead of him (assuming other 5 are Gerrard, Lucas, Coutinho, Sturridge and Suarez); Henderson, Sterling, Alberto, Aspas, Ibe and Downing. Yes, Downing. At least he makes space by pulling a defender wide and helps defensively - he also keeps the ball just as well with those lovely backpasses
The thread title is as truthful as that drivel. The footballing brain of Luis Suarez? Metronome? I'd be vomitting if I could stop laughing
allen was decent at the start of the seaosn, no question but i personally found him tactically naive in his positioning and he was doing a lot of chasing back where he should have been better placed so he needs to learn that. His passing was good but towards the end it was so bad as to put him in the sissoko, can't pass 5 yards camp. In short..... he might improve and shold at least get back to fitness and sme form but is he all that... to use names like suarez and alonso is just plain ridiculous. lets start with joe allen, go prove what you can do and see where it goes
Sorry but Allen is the big Rodgers mistake of last season. He may have given the impression of being the Welsh version of Xavi when playing for Swansea but he was soon found out when he was required to do more than merely pass sideways and backwards at Liverpool. He can't tackle; he gets a nose-bleed as he approaches their box and he hasn't got a creative pass in him. None of that will change this season so I therefore see him being little more than a fringe player this season.
Just like Lucas and Henderson, I think Allen has a very good foundation on which to build up on and will get better.
I do agree that Allen has a very good footballing brain. His problems are else where. He lacks muscle, grit and physicality. He also needs to be a bit more daring.
I think so too. Allen hasn't lived up to promise so far and looked overwhelmed by the step up last year but he's young enough and talented enough to start easing his way in and gelling. He sort of carries the burden, if you can call it that, of being the only player who knows BRs system and therefore responsible for trying to teach from within if that makes sense. Obviously he hasn't have full confidence to do that, yet.
Having a football brain is a bit like being good at chess; you need to know where all the pieces are and what move they could make next. Allen is not a great tackler and needs to fill the spaces / gaps to help the team defend rather than trying to do a DM's or defenders job. IMO, he is hopelessly out of position most of the time when it comes to defending which suggests to me that he doesn't have a great footballing brain. He does have good awareness in possession of the ball though, he usually knows where a teammate is without having to look (knowing where his own chess pieces are) so maybe in time his footballing brain could develop?
We'd be miles better off with Spearing in the squad than Allen. He can pass sideways but can also tackle, win the odd header and has a decent shot. Plus he plays well next to Lucas too AND we'd get a better price for JA to reinvest AND I bet his wages are lower.
I backed Lucas and Henderson 100% from the beginning because I could see the work ethic they had and I could see they had the ability that needed developing. Although I'm not against Allen, I don't see him in the same light
I think sometimes managers over-estimate the effect their previous players will have on the new team, BR's done this with both Allen and Borini. They both have the talent but do we have the patience? Having cleared out nearly all of his predecessors buys, he's unlikely to start clearing out his own so soon.
Licking a physical ability has been proved to not matter in England anymore as long as you are tactically aware. He lacks defensive positional sense and therefore, IMO, shows he lacks defensive intelligence. All part and parcel of a footballing brain
I used to stand up for Rafa when he did this. I don't think selling your own buys is a bad thing, it shows they are willing to accept they've made a mistake and sentiment isn't going to stop them trying to correct it. Of course, we all want 100% success with buys but that's never going to happen. Better to accept defeat early and change it than stick it out with a failed product I agree with you that BR will be more like Kenny and show loyalty to the players though.
