The midfield, money and the whole shabang

[mark1975]

Why do I get the feeling Rodgers is going to completely revamp not just the defense but also the midfield? It's pretty obvious we need competition or possibly even a replacement for Lucas, but we seem to be getting linked with a few intelligent central midfielders too. I think we're going to spend relatively big again, maybe not in terms of £20m signings, but certainly a few potential bracket £8m players, and going by the links there's a relative level of excitement there in terms of what they could be for the future of the club.

I reckon come August we're going to have a fresh and hungry squad to work with and one that could have the potential to dominate over the next few seasons if it clicks into gear and the likes of Coutinho continue to improve.

If we get the defense sorted then we could be some team, but it's a BIG if.

 

[Buddha]

I share your optimism about the direction we're taking under Rodgers and players linked with, but it's a stretch to imagine we'll "dominate" given the ridiculous spending of City, Chelsea etc.

That said, I'm hopeful we'll be a top 4 side again and challenging before too long.

 

[red_maradona]

Am excited by the number or attacking players we are linked with.

 

[King Binny]

I hope Joe Allen will step up and fulfill the promises/potential befitting of his fee and Rodger's effort in bringing him in. You'd like to think Rodger had him for a (major) role in his plans given how he served him at Swansea and having showered him with praises since then.

 

[dmishra]

I don't know. We've been linked with Ericksen, Mkhitaryan, Alberto and Grenier, who're all attacking midfielders. That's not really a position we desperately need to strengthen. Coutinho, Gerrard and Suarez can all play there.

I'm more concerned about the lack of quality in central midfield. Lucas, Allen and Henderson aren't exactly world beaters.

We should be looking at the likes of Song, Wanyama, Strootman, Badelj etc.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Hopefully the plethora of AM's we're linked with are just red herring for Spurs to chase while we swoop in and snatch that uber DM faster than Terry can change into his kit.

 

[keniget]

I don't know. We've been linked with Ericksen, Mkhitaryan, Alberto and Grenier, who're all attacking midfielders. That's not really a position we desperately need to strengthen. Coutinho, Gerrard and Suarez can all play there.

I'm more concerned about the lack of quality in central midfield. Lucas, Allen and Henderson aren't exactly world beaters.

I agree. A fantastic AM will be a great addition to the squad but we've seen time and again this season that the midfield does struggle to impose it's will on the game and we can lean a little too heavily on the attack to tip the balance in our favour.

As Binny said, the Allen dilemma needs resolving and ideally we could do with an alternative to Lucas.

 

[King Binny]

Btw, there was a similar post regarding our midfield here

 

[Glen C]

I really hope our midfield does get a revamp because it's not good enough.hendo, lucas and allen all need to be on the bench as they're all very average. Only gerrard deserves to be in the team. He's the only midfielder we have who imposes his presence in matches.

 

[mark1975]

Yes, well this is what I was eluding to and what I think Rodgers is doing, we're being linked with alot of central midfielders, which suggests that he's less than satisfied with what we've got. I do think we have alot of potential in there, but aside from Henderson we lack anyone with genuine athleticism and what we lack most of all is a bit of bite and control.

 

[gkmacca]

He must have been concerned with how often the midfield was bullied last season. It's an ambiguous moment now, as I suppose he could gamble on Lucas coming back fit and ready to regain his top form and Allen finally fit to play a more positive attacking role and Gerrard fit enough to be the ever-present he was this season, but he doesn't really have the luxury of placing so much faith on all of that happening, and there's surely not much doubt that the current midfield is lacking dynamism and someone with a much more aggressive attitude, so hopefully the changes will happen.

 

[Rosco]

I'm fine with Henderson being part of our midfield. He's a very decent all rounder.

I hope Allen can be too.

I'd bin Lucas at the earliest opportunity, he's too limited.

I wouldn't rely on Gerrard in a deeper role because he tends to switch off too much. I've said it before but I'd be reducing his role in the team. Padding out his stats against shit teams when we had nothing to play for made it look like he was better this season than he actually was.

So I understand why Rodgers feels he needs to reshape the middle. The problems for me are:

a) we can't sell Gerrard - will he now accept being a role player in this team rather than being the main man?

b) Allen was poor overall - what's his value now? Would Rodgers sell him or would to do so make him look foolish - bearing in mind his other deals didn't work out well.

c) Lucas should be less shit than in the season gone by - it might be better to wait until the end of next season to sell him since he may establish some value. But the new contract has probably made getting rid of him more difficult, just like it has with Skrtel.

 

[Glen C]

I'm fine with Henderson being part of our midfield. He's a very decent all rounder.

I hope Allen can be too.

I'd bin Lucas at the earliest opportunity, he's too limited.

I wouldn't rely on Gerrard in a deeper role because he tends to switch off too much. I've said it before but I'd be reducing his role in the team. Padding out his stats against shit teams when we had nothing to play for made it look like he was better this season than he actually was.

So I understand why Rodgers feels he needs to reshape the middle. The problems for me are:

a) we can't sell Gerrard - will he now accept being a role player in this team rather than being the main man?

b) Allen was poor overall - what's his value now? Would Rodgers sell him or would to do so make him look foolish - bearing in mind his other deals didn't work out well.

c) Lucas should be less shit than in the season gone by - it might be better to wait until the end of next season to sell him since he may establish some value. But the new contract has probably made getting rid of him more difficult, just like it has with Skrtel.

He was easily by far our best midfielder and the only one who actually tried to dominate the midfield. No way should gerrard role be reduced.

I wouldn't be surprised if hendo is sold in the summer. Rodgers tried selling him last summer. Plus he favours allen over him and he's normally the first one taken out when rodgers is trying to change the game.

 

[gkmacca]

I think Rafa was right when he predicted that Gerrard would flourish late on his career not in a deeper position but rather playing further forward. If a younger player was pulling the strings in CM, Gerrard, without the weight of the world on his shoulders, would surely have plenty still to give if he was free to attack and have fun.

 

[Squiggles]

I don't mind Gerrard in a deeper role, but he needs someone better alongside him.

He's not needed further forward any more and best suited to a Xabi(ish) role further back - picking and choosing when he can venture further forward. Some of this passing is brilliant and I see him as the best link we have between the midfield and attack.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDJyGYG8EqQ

 

[Molbystwin]

I don't mind Gerrard in a deeper role, but he needs someone better alongside him.

He's not needed further forward any more and best suited to a Xabi(ish) role further back - picking and choosing when he can venture further forward. Some of this passing is brilliant and I see him as the best link we have between the midfield and attack.


View:
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDJyGYG8EqQ

Its not his passing shich is in doubt I cant help but wonder where his long range shooting ability has dissapeared to.

 

[StevieM]

I think Rodgers needs to be careful.

It's great that we're getting linked to all these attacking players and talking about getting more mobility in the centre of the park, but there's a danger here.

We know Rodgers likes to play with a bank of 3 attacking midfielders behind the striker, but he also likes the full backs to push on and give the width.

That leaves 2 Centre Backs and 2 midfielders who have to be disciplined enough to sit.

We know Agger likes to go off on one of his wee runs up the park and the one past criticism if Gerrard was that he didn't have the discipline required to hold - and not should he because he can and has had greater effect further forward. Gerrard certainly has improved his discipline so keeping him in the midfield is fine.

Lucas, I feel sorry for - if he doesn't hold back then we're fucked and we get raped on the counter-attack. He is a limited player - he's the modern day Dunga to the Ronario's & Ronaldo's; he's the midfield water carrier, the Deschamps that allows the Zidane's the space to get forward.

Lucas is not irreplaceable - but we need to replace him with someone that will hold that position, not necessarily an attacking talent.

 

[juniormember]

I don't mind Gerrard in a deeper role, but he needs someone better alongside him.

He's not needed further forward any more and best suited to a Xabi(ish) role further back - picking and choosing when he can venture further forward. Some of this passing is brilliant and I see him as the best link we have between the midfield and attack.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDJyGYG8EqQ

Bloody hell.. 2:10 in is typical Gerrard, that low, diagonal, ultra quick pass to the guy making the run. I think Gerrard can be fantastic in the sitting role next to another holding player next season. But that player has to be very athletic. Lucas and Allen unfortunately aren't the players that can make it work. Neither is Henderson. We need a Mascherano type, desperately.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I mentioned his in the other thread on who we sign - I wonder if Rodgers is looking at using Gerrard to play as the deep-lying (defensive) centre mid in the coming seasons, i.e. taking Lucas' spot. While his runs are less powerful now, his distribution from deep is still fantastic, and on the occasions when he chose to impose himself, he could still be a menace in harassing and tackling opponents in midfield.

With Allen too small to fill that role, Lucas not hitting his pre-injury form, us seemingly linked with every AM under the sun and no other obvious DM candidate after Lucas right now (Coady is still untested and I think Henderson plays better further up), it does seem like Gerrard would be the obvious and ideal candidate for that role if he wants it and commits himself to hold his position (and I bet he can do a better job than Lucas if he wanted the role). I remember him mentioning in the past that he'd be playing deeper in the years as he ages, so I'm wondering if we'll start to see that next season.

That'll then free up two slots in midfield, with Allen / Henderson taking one, and Coutinho / <insert creative AM> taking the other. Seems like a workable plan to me.

 

[Whirly]

I think what is going to end up being the most interesting thing is how far up Luis Alberto and/or Aspas play. If they are limited to being attacking mid's, there's definitely a glut there, but if they can lead the line then buying an established attacking mid would work wonderfully.

 

[Insignificance]

We need a Xabi signing. A general dictating play! !

 

[Molbystwin]

I'm optimistic as well but it's hard to shake the feeling that we are being linked to so many potentially exciting players because we have decided to cash in on Luis.
FSG cannot be criticised for not having backed the team financially but we spunked so much money on poor choices and our opponents are still much better placed than us. My optimism is tinged with a healthy splattering of Seventh. The sublime forward play that we flashed last season was so brilliant that in combination with our general desperation of recent years we can miss,the fact that our season never actually got started at all and we were fucking shit far too often. We were fucking miles off and its gonna take some fixing.
IMO we must keep Luis, he is the reason we played well when we actually did play well and we must hope that we can make two or three more signings in the same vein as Coutinho. A big club needs big players IMO, players who can do magic, and Luis is firmly in that category. If we were to sell him it would be the first time in my lifetime that we didn't have a superstar player. I'm not for pride over common sense but i am dead against selling.

We don't have time for Downings and Allens and we certainly cannot afford any more Carrolls.

I don't quite buy into the hyperbolic press assessment of us as a busted flush condemned to suffer as our best players lose faith, football is a cyclical and ancient game however much they make you think purely in terms of cash, we still however 20 fucking years on, need to get that stadium finished and pronto.

lets see if these yanks really are as clever as they said they were.

 

[doctor_mac]

I think Rodgers needs to be careful.

It's great that we're getting linked to all these attacking players and talking about getting more mobility in the centre of the park, but there's a danger here.

We know Rodgers likes to play with a bank of 3 attacking midfielders behind the striker, but he also likes the full backs to push on and give the width.

That leaves 2 Centre Backs and 2 midfielders who have to be disciplined enough to sit.

We know Agger likes to go off on one of his wee runs up the park and the one past criticism if Gerrard was that he didn't have the discipline required to hold - and not should he because he can and has had greater effect further forward. Gerrard certainly has improved his discipline so keeping him in the midfield is fine.

Lucas, I feel sorry for - if he doesn't hold back then we're fucked and we get raped on the counter-attack. He is a limited player - he's the modern day Dunga to the Ronario's & Ronaldo's; he's the midfield water carrier, the Deschamps that allows the Zidane's the space to get forward.

Lucas is not irreplaceable - but we need to replace him with someone that will hold that position, not necessarily an attacking talent.

A Mascherano type would do me.

 

[dmishra]

Ideally, the midfield needs multiple reinforcements. A DM, a CM and an AM. But if I had to sign just one player, I'd go all out for Song.

I think he's a top holding mid, and also an excellent passer. He'd be a fantastic replacement for Lucas, and help get the best out of Allen as a CM playmaker.

 

[Rafiagra]

What struck me last season was that for the first part, we were leaving massive gaps in midfield and getting hammered when we lost possession. Rodgers abandoned those tactics and whilst we weren't as committed in attack, we were much less vulnerable as a result.

I wonder if that was a product of not having the players or the tactics. If that was how Rodgers wants us to play then I believe he would need some reinforcements.

There is a huge question mark of Joe Allen. He was Rodgers prime target out of anyone (within reason) in world football when he got the job, so surely he is not going to abandon that. However, where does he fit in? And who can you play with him?

 

[juniormember]

I see him playing in Gerrard's position. Nowhere near as good in the advanced midfield role as Coutinho (or Gerrard), and nowhere near good enough to become the new holding midfielder (I prefer Lucas).
And Gerrard is Gerrard. So Allen is fucked.

 

[Hansern]

I think Rodgers will play 4-3-3 a lot when he has the right players.
There is a role in a system like that for Allen.

I hope he proves a lot of people wrong this season

 

[Glen C]

I think Rodgers will play 4-3-3 a lot when he has the right players.
There is a role in a system like that for Allen.

I hope he proves a lot of people wrong this season

We have better balance when we play 4231. With the lightweight midfield we have we look too open with 433. Rodgers for the most part seems happy with lucas and allen so I don't see how 433 will work with us. If we had wanyama instead of Lucas it could.

 

[King Binny]

Ideally, the midfield needs multiple reinforcements. A DM, a CM and an AM. But if I had to sign just one player, I'd go all out for Song.

I think he's a top holding mid, and also an excellent passer. He'd be a fantastic replacement for Lucas, and help get the best out of Allen as a CM playmaker.

Just came across this infographic.

The assists and chances created look impressive for Song (might be due to the team he was playing in though).