Current midfield options = zero chance of CL football

[Nathanzx]

our current central midfield options of spearing, adam, henderson and shelvey are all decent players BUT nowhere near good enough to deliver CL football, compare that four with the central midfield options of our rivals for CL football and we're lagging, compare our foursome with midtable sides and it's still in doubt if we are superior

 

midfield is key in football, play flows through it and opposition play is stopped there - we need to buy a world class central midfield player in January or we have sfa chance of CL

 

Losing Lucas is a hammer blow, he was flying it and approaching world class levels in recent times - he will leave a huge hole and it needs to be filled

 

Gerrard needs to get fit but he is not the solution, we need to spend 20-30 million on a world class central midfielder preferably who can break up play and pass the ball, commonly linked names are m'vila, matuidi, de rossi, martinez but there are other less well-known player that can do a job - Comolli needs to step it up because this has the potential to develop into a crisis

 

so we must now add defensive midfielder to right-winger and goal poacher on our January shopping list, 60 million should do it Mr. Henry, otherwise forget CL

[Guest TK-421]

Nobody wanted or liked holding midfielders anyway. Not since the suave Christian Purslow made his hi-larious "because he doesn't have three" jibe. Let's see how we get on now that we haven't got any.

[LFC 6 Times]

Think Jay can do a good job, really trust him as a player.

[18-5]

Agree but then again I look at United's midfield and I go hmm...

[Scousa Tomo]

[Guest LFD]

I'm hopeful we won't miss him - but I am slightly worried.

 

Let's see how we get on, before seeing if we need renforcements in Janaury.

[Section_31]

A fit Gerrard would be a massive boost. The fact we've coped for so long without him speaks volumes for Dalglish's quality.

[Guest LFD]

A fit Gerrard would be a massive boost. The fact we've coped for so long without him speaks volumes for Dalglish's quality.

 

But do we want him in centre midfield when he returns?

 

We have the play maker in centre midfield with Adam. I don't think Gerrard is disciplined to play the Lucas role and more importantly I think he is wasted doing that role - as he is a match winner.

 

I think Spearing is our best bet of having a ball winner centrally, what Lucas was doing.

 

I'd put Gerrard behind Suarez when he is fit and hope they 'click' - infact I'm sure they will if Gerrard stays fit!

[Guest ShoePiss]

Gerrard isn't fucking stupid, he can execute instructions just fine. I hate this "he isn't disciplined" bollocks like he's some headless chicken bouncing off the walls.

 

It would be a waste of his strongest attributes though I agree.

[FidelMurphy]

Completely agree about Gerrard, he done the job against united last year at Anfield although he was carrying an injury. I see it as the role Stevie will end up playing anyway as his style of play will have to change as he gets older.

[DooooodekNo5]

our current central midfield options of spearing, adam, henderson and shelvey are all decent players BUT nowhere near good enough to deliver CL football, compare that four with the central midfield options of our rivals for CL football and we're lagging, compare our foursome with midtable sides and it's still in doubt if we are superior

 

midfield is key in football, play flows through it and opposition play is stopped there - we need to buy a world class central midfield player in January or we have sfa chance of CL

 

Losing Lucas is a hammer blow, he was flying it and approaching world class levels in recent times - he will leave a huge hole and it needs to be filled

 

Gerrard needs to get fit but he is not the solution, we need to spend 20-30 million on a world class central midfielder preferably who can break up play and pass the ball, commonly linked names are m'vila, matuidi, de rossi, martinez but there are other less well-known player that can do a job - Comolli needs to step it up because this has the potential to develop into a crisis

 

so we must now add defensive midfielder to right-winger and goal poacher on our January shopping list, 60 million should do it Mr. Henry, otherwise forget CL

 

This whole post is fantasy land especially the last bit.

 

Spearing will be fine to stand in for Lucas , he'll be chomping at the bit to go just like he was last night and last season.

[Guest LFD]

Gerrard isn't fucking stupid, he can execute instructions just fine. I hate this "he isn't disciplined" bollocks like he's some headless chicken bouncing off the walls.

 

Fair point, it is a role he has done before with success and can do again.

 

But he has been known to show less hunger to defend than attack the last few years. Also with him picking up more injuries do we want to see him crashing into tackles all the time?

 

I think he'd be protected more higher up the field and can be a match winner near Suarez.

 

Let Adam, Spearing, Shelvey and Henderson do the ugly stuff.

[Section_31]

Gerrard can do pretty much anything he puts his mind to. He's still probably the best right back we've ever had.

[piscinin]

Gerrard can do pretty much anything he puts his mind to. He's still probably the best right back we've ever had.

 

Except play CM for a manager who demands tactical discipline.

[Rafiagra]

So Lucas is the difference between us finishing in the top 4 or not?

 

I really don't think so. He's been superb this season but dont see him as SO good to make that much of a difference. We've got decent options who can come in and it will be interesting to see how Henderson, Spearing or Shelvey equip themselves, particularly as they are all better going forward than Lucas IMO.

 

I am gutted for Lucas as its horribly unfair to sustain an injury like this at any time, but particularly when he had really started shining.

[piscinin]

So Lucas is the difference between us finishing in the top 4 or not?

 

I really don't think so. He's been superb this season but dont see him as SO good to make that much of a difference. We've got decent options who can come in and it will be interesting to see how Henderson, Spearing or Shelvey equip themselves, particularly as they are all better going forward than Lucas IMO.

 

I am gutted for Lucas as its horribly unfair to sustain an injury like this at any time, but particularly when he had really started shining.

 

I reckon we'll be OK too. Agger, Skrtel, Johnson, Adam and Spearing will all need to raise their games a little to compensate but they have it in them.

[Guest LFD]

If we were going to buy someone - Tiote would be the man for me.

 

But I don't think we will.

[Guest ShoePiss]

If this situation turns into the worst outcome and he's out for an extended period of time (looking likely) then the owners will have to buy a suitable replacement or reset the expectations (which has been stated as 4th place) for the season.

 

We have some players who can fill in and do a decent job but we don't have a player of Lucas' standard.

 

They can't have it both ways and neither can we.

[Il Fenomeno]

If this situation turns into the worst outcome and he's out for an extended period of time (looking likely) then the owners will have to buy a suitable replacement or reset the expectations (which has been stated as 4th place) for the season.

 

We have some players who can fill in and do a decent job but we don't have a player of Lucas' standard.

 

They can't have it both ways and neither can we.

 

Do we actually need to buy a player for only half a season ( January to the end of the season) though, wouldn't it be better to stick to what we've been doing succesfully under Dalglish thus far and replacing Lucas with a youngster who has a point to prove, like what happened with Flanagan, Kelly, Robinson and Spearing himself.

[Guest ShoePiss]

Do we actually need to buy a player for only half a season ( January to the end of the season) though, wouldn't it be better to stick to what we've been doing succesfully under Dalglish thus far and replacing Lucas with a youngster who has a point to prove, like what happened with Flanagan, Kelly, Robinson and Spearing himself.

 

It might be better from a immediate financial point of view. No one can deny now what Lucas brings to the team and with him gone there's a chance we will not get some results we would have with him playing.

 

All I'm saying is that if we don't replace him with someone equally as good then Kenny shouldn't be measured in the same way i.e 4th place being the minimum.

 

This was what happened with Benitez, the expectation was the same regardless of the level of playing staff on hand either through injury or sale. This should not be allowed to happen to Kenny.

[Redder Lurtz]

[/b]

 

This whole post is fantasy land especially the last bit.

 

Spearing will be fine to stand in for Lucas , he'll be chomping at the bit to go just like he was last night and last season.

 

[Guest ShoePiss]

Stop being a wool lurtzy, oh and that picture didn't work.

 

I knew you'd be chomping at the bit to respond to this thread.

[Guest LFD]

No doubt RAWk are probably saying get Aquilani back on loan!

[Skidfingers McGonical]

No doubt RAWk are probably saying get Aquilani back on loan!

 

He's out on loan isn't he?

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Spearing will come in and do a job, I've seen enough since Kenny took over, Jay has the skills to slot in and do a decent job.

Hopefully Shelvey can step up a bit after his run of games for Blackpool.

 

Gutted for Lucas, but I'm still confident of our season continuing in the good form it has done so far.