I'm as big a fan as you are Doc. When people were talking about him being inconsistent though, I think he's inconsistent within the game itself. First off, I wouldn't give much credit to the notion that he constantly gives the ball away, he tries more than most do to play the killer pass, to spread the play, etc. People forget that Alonso used to lose possession alot aswell if the game wasn't as open as he'd like for his passing to flourish, but in the percentages game he'd begin moves or create chances more than most because he tried it more than most. That's part and parcel of creative players. The Scholes comparison is harsh as they're completely different types of player, Scholes can play the long pass, though he's hardly a specialist, but his strengths were always in making darting runs through the centre and having good movement off the ball. He's also a liability when asked to play the more defensive game, as we've seen countless times down the years. And I don't think Adam benefited from having to alot of spade work in protecting the back four. He gave fouls away needlessly, got bookings, let his head drop and too often played too deep to make a difference.
That said, it wasn't all about positioning. I do think he's fitter than most give him credit for and that he covers the ground. The problem is that his natural game is to sit in the centre of the park, but not too deep. We expect our midfielders to drag wide and cover the gaps, to spend alot of the time off the ball, pressing and harassing (our passing game is still largely being implemented, the side still suffers alot from the mentality of previous managers). I do think he has issues in this respect over his stamina, which in turn has a negative impact on his ability to make an impression on the game. He's not fat, he's just one of those players (like Spud) who lack the natural stamina and capacity to complete the 90's minutes and to cover the ground without it taking it's toll on his energy (and his legs).
He's a good player, but there's a certain degree of compromise in incorporating him into the side. He struggled last season and his set pieces (a big facet of his and one of the reasons we bought him) were well below the standard he set at Blackpool. So as ever, between the players own struggles to make an impression while his Liverpool career is in it's infancy, and fans being impatient and wanting star studded performances week in week out, the actuality rests somewhere in the centre. Does he need to improve? Course he does. Does he deserve time and can he part of a top squad? You only need watch his handy work for the winner at Stamford Bridge again to be reminded of what he can do. But then, you and I knew that already.
