Midfield the problem?

Think you have to throw Sissoko in there as well, 2 players of steel, 1 of passing class, and the driving force of Gerrard.... those were simpler times! <laugh>

I think we have been missing that trick for a long time in terms of a steel player through the middle. Lucas is very good there but as Gerrez said, with Rodgers system it should probably be two DM. Only Lucas can do that at the moment. Should have looked at Sissoko, Matuidi, Diame and at least picked up one of them on the cheap.

I also think it is a case we have a lot of young midfielders and we also have midfielders who are not up to the grade ( some already got shipped out).

I still think we need new defenders to challenge/straight in to the starting team. Think that has become very stagnant as of late as well.
I agree
Think you have to throw Sissoko in there as well, 2 players of steel, 1 of passing class, and the driving force of Gerrard.... those were simpler times! <laugh>

I think we have been missing that trick for a long time in terms of a steel player through the middle. Lucas is very good there but as Gerrez said, with Rodgers system it should probably be two DM. Only Lucas can do that at the moment. Should have looked at Sissoko, Matuidi, Diame and at least picked up one of them on the cheap.

I also think it is a case we have a lot of young midfielders and we also have midfielders who are not up to the grade ( some already got shipped out).

I still think we need new defenders to challenge/straight in to the starting team. Think that has become very stagnant as of late as well.
I disagree
 
Was it Kenny first half season that he had Lucas and Spearing in there with Meireles and Gerrard in front? Or was it when Adam got injured he got a lot of time and did alright.

His first half season, when we were 2nd in form for the run in and massively moved up the table. Lucas and Spearing in a 4-2-3-1 sytem.

This. Adam didn't join until the following summer either <ok>
 
This. Adam didn't join until the following summer either <ok>

That is what I thought but if I remember Spearing did an OK job when Adam was injured but then Lucas got injured and he got exposed.
 
A lot of our problems happen late in games. Our midfield lacks stamina, or the ability to pace its self. A lot of teams will bring on an extra steel player in these situations to add fresh legs and also muscle. Spearing, though small, could do this. Or we could sign some one who is even better.

The full backs should also hold back more if we are leading and tiring. Create more of a back 4.
 
Having two holding/defensive mids is fine for games like last night but it was Rafas biggest **** up constantly playing two deep at home to a ****ty team who had no intention of even coming out of their own half anyway.

Last night you can call the system whatever you want but it was practically a 4-5-1 anyway Suarez was so isolated at times. Now that should be ok away from home but because our two wide men weren't great the full backs were caught out every time they went forward.

It was weird that at times we had 5 across the middle and yet Zenit just walked through the middle too often. That can ONLY be because either the players aren't good enough or because they simply don't understand their respective roles in the team. Either way it's not good enough for LFC.

However what I will say is had Gerrard stuck his pen away on Monday night and had Suarez not been playing like Stevie Wonder last night we probably wouldn't be having this discussion today <ok>
 
some interesting points here.

i've made views on gerrard well known so no need to labour the point.

I have to say that its a collective thing. no one area of the filed is quite right is it?

again i have to point towards 2009 and jsut look at the team on show.

reina at his height of consistency
Arbeloa functional but sound, a fouling git
Carrgher again at his height
Skertl - average but doign ok
Insua and Auerlio. fighting for the space, youthful exuberance and a crock.

That not a world calss back line! carrgehr was far better than the rest IMO but arbeloa was underrated by many.

Midfield of

maschernao a bit reckless but worker
alonso - fit for first time after fat franks assualts.. cheating chelsea Bs
Gerrard- injuries starting but in his prime
Kuyt - doneky with a heart of gold
rieira average but tsyed wide


forward
torres - injuried also starting.

but you have to see that success was detemrined by keane ebing there and benayounto cover injuries unitl january. and not to mention hyppia's swansong

compare that to today... in many ways on paper you have to see a side with so much potential and yet... singulalry failing. this is why rodgers is questioned.

In 2009 this side lost twice... only twice in the league. why? unbeaten at home thats why.... with mascherano and alonso as screens there was no way in hell sides were having any sort of easy time and if you add in work rate on top of that TACTICAL DISCIPLINE you get A HARD TIME PLAYING LFC... so far rodgers has failed to instil either onto his players... all he's done is make the cbs play tippy tappy to get 60% possession stat.

I for one think theres a lot of imbalance in the squad still... a lot of yuong lads finding their way and a LOT of second striker/small lads there. BUT I think there's huge untapped potential to deliver a lot more than what has been delivered... the issue is theres no fight.
 
some interesting points here.

i've made views on gerrard well known so no need to labour the point.

I have to say that its a collective thing. no one area of the filed is quite right is it?

again i have to point towards 2009 and jsut look at the team on show.

reina at his height of consistency
Arbeloa functional but sound, a fouling git
Carrgher again at his height
Skertl - average but doign ok
Insua and Auerlio. fighting for the space, youthful exuberance and a crock.

That not a world calss back line! carrgehr was far better than the rest IMO but arbeloa was underrated by many.

Midfield of

maschernao a bit reckless but worker
alonso - fit for first time after fat franks assualts.. cheating chelsea Bs
Gerrard- injuries starting but in his prime
Kuyt - doneky with a heart of gold
rieira average but tsyed wide


forward
torres - injuried also starting.

but you have to see that success was detemrined by keane ebing there and benayounto cover injuries unitl january. and not to mention hyppia's swansong

compare that to today... in many ways on paper you have to see a side with so much potential and yet... singulalry failing. this is why rodgers is questioned.

In 2009 this side lost twice... only twice in the league. why? unbeaten at home thats why.... with mascherano and alonso as screens there was no way in hell sides were having any sort of easy time and if you add in work rate on top of that TACTICAL DISCIPLINE you get A HARD TIME PLAYING LFC... so far rodgers has failed to instil either onto his players... all he's done is make the cbs play tippy tappy to get 60% possession stat.

I for one think theres a lot of imbalance in the squad still... a lot of yuong lads finding their way and a LOT of second striker/small lads there. BUT I think there's huge untapped potential to deliver a lot more than what has been delivered... the issue is theres no fight.
 
Can you go back to bullet points MITO? Your posts are far too long and I always get bored halfway through <laugh>
 
Failing to score from chances, good chances, so we can't afford to sit back and close up the space cos we need a goal.

We take some chances and we can go counter attack otherwise we get picked off.

We need another striker. Simple as, look at the last two games without Sturridge. He gets injured and we'll struggle again.
 
Failing to score from chances, good chances, so we can't afford to sit back and close up the space cos we need a goal.

We take some chances and we can go counter attack otherwise we get picked off.

We need another striker. Simple as, look at the last two games without Sturridge. He gets injured and we'll struggle again.

But we have Borini :cry:
 
At least Borini has the right sort of movement a team like this needs. It's just a shame he can't shoot for **** =/

was playing Fifa last night and couldn't score in a brothel...... could only say fair play to FIFA for being so accurate! <laugh>

Would it be safe to say we can blame all of our midfield problems on Spearing?