Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has talked today about Steven Gerrard’s move back into central midfield:
“I don’t think Steven has to adjust his game at all. I think he’s more than happy to play in the position he played in. He’s possibly happier and more influential in that position than when he plays as the one behind a striker or in an offensive midfield role. I think Joe’s arrival at the club will help Steven to play in a position where I think we get the best out of him.”
So it looks as though Gerrard will not be playing behind the striker like he did for a large part of Rafa Benitez’s reign. I think the move back into central midfield has some positive and negative aspects. Not to dwell too long on the negative but when he played the offensive midfield role, Gerrard was always in close proximity to Fernando Torres. The two always interchanged and to have your two best players always in close contact to link up was one of the main reasons Benitez chose to pick Stevie in the position. Rafa was also concerned about the Liverpool captain’s ability to be tactically disciplined in the central midfield position, and there were a couple of occasions in the match against Arsenal where he was caught out of position chasing the ball and gave fouls away near the Reds penalty box.
I am kind of playing the devil’s advocate here though because the positive aspects in my view outweigh the negatives by some margin. Gerrard has made no bones about it in recent years that his preferred position is in the centre of midfield. The main reason is because he has more influence over the game. In the middle of the park alongside Mascherano against Arsenal he demonstrated both his ability to track back and make tackles as well as delivering Alonso-esque style long diagonal balls to the flanks. He certainly has the passing range and the tackling ability to play the position.
The arrival of Joe Cole as Roy says will also help Gerrard tremendously. Rather than being the only creative conduit to striker Fernando Torres, he has another outlet to play off and create chances with. In recent seasons, the presence of Alonso in holding midfield position with Gerrard more advanced had the same effect but it will now be Gerrard providing the ammunition for Cole to get the ball and create openings for the forwards. With Cole absent from the next few league games through suspension, you may think that Gerrard should revert to being the second striker, but I believe Alberto Aquilani should be given the chance to shine in the position.
At the end of last season, Benitez swapped Aquilani and Gerrard putting Aqua in a position closer to Torres. The switch paid off as we saw the best of the Italian midfielder as the season drew to a close. If Hodgson picks Aquilani, he should endeavour to keep Gerrard in his central midfield role and allow Aqua to play off either Torres or David Ngog. The partnership between Gerrard and Cole or Gerrard and Aquilani could pay off tremendous dividends by the end of the season. Creatively both combinations could be very interesting but both with Gerrard in a position where I believe he is more influential.
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i believe there is only one player in the world who can replace xabi alonso and that is stevie gerrard!
yes he did very well just off nando the season before last but not to such an extent last season.
i think the addition of joe cole in the middle, perhaps interchanging with SG will give opposing teams nightmares this season but we DO need another striker, darren bent would do nicely for me
teams have caught on how to handle gerrard in his role behind torres so putting him back into central midfield was a logical idea only bentiez was too stubborn to do it
Wise words, I just hope Cole&Torres stay fit & can be as telepathic as Gerard & Torres were in the last 2 seasons….otherwise it may not work out long term.
Also, Aqualani needs to be played in Cole’s absence defo – the guy needs to be trusted & get time on the pitch.
To Steve,
Darren Bent is not a top 4 player, he is not sharp enough for the way ‘pool play. Dunno who to get but it deffo isn’t Bent!!!
Gerrard was “D BOMB” ! Against Arsenal… Stevie’G and Masch were the reasons why Liverpool managed to keep possession in midfield although they were one man down. Looking at hings, I don’t think Masch is going anywhere this season.
And I think Aquilani should be put up for sale. It’s official ! Italians don’t belong to the Premier League. And plus he doesn’t get to play. I admit. He is a good player but the English Premier League just isn’t his thing.
When the takeover deals are done, Roy should get some funds to purchase one last player.
I would say Yoann Gourcuff. Then, we can play on a 4-4-1-1 basis.
_______________________REINA______________________
______________CARRAGHER______AGGER/SKRTEL_________
JOHNSON____________________________________AURELIO
______________MASCHERANO_____GERRARD______________
COLE_____________________________________JOVA/MAXI
_____________________GOURCUFF_____________________
______________________TORRES______________________
FULLSTOP !
Absolutely agree with Roy and your good self.
Big mistake moving Gerrard back. Benitez turned him into one of the best players in the world in that position behind the striker, realising that’s the place to utilise his strengths to maximum effect. He loses so much further back. If Hodgson is going to play him there then he’s made his first huge mistake of his Liverpool managerial career.
Gerrard’s best position is indisputably in the hole behind Torres.
As a central midfielder with more defensive and tactical requirements Gerrard is often found wanting. Houllier, Erickson, McClaren and Cappello have all learned Gerrard’s positional ill discipline the hard way.
However Gerrard can pass, can tackle, has vision and drive like very few others of his generation. I suspect that his failures often stem from an overweaning desire to drive and inspire the team. His partnership with Torres is the best forward pairing since Dalglish and Rush. Torres has himself said that Gerrard is the best strike partner he’s ever played with, that includes players such a Villa, Silva and Aguero. Gerrard’s touch, creative vision and drive makes him an outstanding player in the hole and shorn of his defensive responsibilities he thrived in the role.
He’s the best since Dalglish without a doubt. In fact to me he combines the best of Dalglish and McDermott into one.
Yet last season saw him ineffective because without Alonso dictating play and initiating moves, Gerrard couldn’t get the ball. With that Gerrard was neutered and so too was Torres. Until a player comes in who can control the tempo and initiate play from midfield Gerrard has to go back there. I hope that Aquilani can fill the role as Gerrard is best in that special role, forward, between the lines where he is unstoppable. He is way better than Cole ever will be in that position.
gerrard has to play an offensive midfield role, its a no brainer
——–———————-—–Reina————————–———-
Glen—––Carragher-—-–Agger/Skrtel—––Riise
—–Gerrard——Poulsen/Aquilani——Babel/Jova
———-———-–————Cole—————–———–——-
———–————Kuyt————-Torres——–——
akash i think you’re playing an old version of football manager
Akash, when did we re-sign Riise?
I have to agree in the main with what you say David, but I hope there will be a level of flexibility. As you stated Gerrard and Torres link up real well and I believe that allowing an interchange between Cole and Steve would make it more difficult for teams to mark either player out of the game as well as allow that partnership to re-ignite.
The main thing though is to get a DM that Stevie can trust, we see in the England set up that Gerrards lack of trust in Lampards defensive abilities means he feels locked down and this is not what you want from one of the worlds best attacking midfielders
Liverpool ONLY sign John Arne Riise. No more other players.
KEEPER:
Reina
Jones
Gulacsi
LEFT BACK:
Riise
Aurelio
RIGHT BACK:
Glen Johnson
Martin Kelly
CENTRE DEFENDER:
Carragher
Agger
Skrtel
Wilson
LEFT WING:
Ryan Babel
Jovanovic
RIGHT WING:
Maxi
DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD:
Poulsen
Lucas
HOLDING MIDFIELD:
Aquilani (can do dangerous passing for attact)
ATTACKING MIDFIELD:
Gerrard
Joe Cole
STRIKER:
Torres
Kuyt
——————————————–
JOVA can play left winger & striker
GERRARD can play Centre midfield & attacking midfield
MAXI can play left wing & right wing
AGGER can play central defend & Left back
BABEL can play left wing & forward
COLE can play left wing/cenrte midfield & behind striker
KUYT can play right wing & Striker.
YOUNG PLYERS:
Jonjo
Kelly
Pacheco
AND MORE young talent players…
Soooo Why Still Liverpool Want To Sign More Players???
ONLY SIGN John Arne RIISE..
Everything Will Settle…!!!
PLEASE Roy DONT do benitez’s same mistake.. I saw ur mistake when ur dormation Vs Arsenal.
THANKS…
He did’nt try last year letting the Manager and the fans down I would let him go, any Liverpool player should give 100% at all time SG did not last season.
Im glad Gerrard has been moved back into central midfield because when we had Lucas and Mascherano last season playing there our passing was terrible, and our possesion and control of the ball was terrible as well.
With the intelligence of Gerrard and his passing ability and range, we will be able to create a hell of a lot more chances for the more advanced players, and should be able to split the defence of the opposition easier.
ROFL at Bob. Are you for real? Let Gerrard go because YOU think he didn’t try hard enough last season? What planet are you from??? Please tell me you were just being sarcastic!
Gerrard will be superb in the more controlling role in the centre of midfield so i am more than happy to put Cole in the ‘hole’ and let SG control the tempo, formation and attacks from there. He hasn’t, will not and never will let the Liverpool fans down!
Red