[quote author=Brendan link=topic=39538.msg1077980#msg1077980 date=1269860800]
I don't think this is fair.
For example, Dreamy was roundly abused for suggesting that Gerrard should play in the middle with Mascherano, with Kuyt/ Casper or whoever pushed forward to play behind Torres.
However he is correct.
But only if the other CM option is to play Lucarse and Masher, a combination that is truly terrible (although that's more Lucarse's fault than Masher's).
Then there's the Aquilani disaster area. Who knows where he should play in relation to Gerrard? He's only played one good game all season, so it's difficult to know how good he is, or where he should ideally play in the team.
The fact of the matter is that if Gerrard does play further back more centrally, (with Masher), then we will certainly see him score less goals. So who can pick up that shortfall? Aquilani certainly can't, even if he was fit, and Casper isn't good enough full stop, really.
So, summing up, if we are going to play Stevie back in CM, then we'll need to spend a lot of money on a top quality attacking player who can make up a shortfall of c.15 goals.
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That more or less summed it up. Good post.
It was great to have our captain back against Sunderland, he looked far more like his own brilliant self and even enjoyed himself out there it seemed.