Joe Allen thread

[stringvest]

Good clip.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Some of those passes in the second half were great, but fuck me that no-look, spinny-thingy that he made check backwards to slow it down was fucking ace. 4m 13s, I think.

[Brigant Moloch]

Some of those passes in the second half were great, but fuck me that no-look, spinny-thingy that he made check backwards to slow it down was fucking ace. 4m 13s, I think.

 

hah, yes, when he made it I thought "ah fuck, goal kick pass.." Lovely curve

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I'd like to see Spearing do that. Get this boy in the team, get his confidence and match sharpness up, and allow him to put his own stamp on things and develop as a player. We'll be the ones who benefit.

[kalasoma]

Some of those passes in the second half were great, but fuck me that no-look, spinny-thingy that he made check backwards to slow it down was fucking ace. 4m 13s, I think.

 

I thought you were talking about the 'spin thingy' he did when he lost the ball and West Ham ran up the field with it. Luckily, they were useless at finishing. Still, his was a MOTM performance.

 

I don't know about Allen.  People comparing him to Lucas because of the role he played last season when Lucas was out, I get that. I just don't think he's a DM and I don't believe he was purchased to protect the back line. I see him more as an attacking mid, almost like Gerrard (not the same as), who will get the ball forward as quickly as possible, but won't be charging down the field with the ball. Or like a Coutinho, but with a little less creativity, the goal potential or the hair.

[Guest LFD]

Just as I thought. 

 

Tidy passes, 95% of them were simple passes though (which is fine as I don't expect a DM to be a Pirlo or Alonso) their main job is to protect and break up play.  

 

He was did his job defensively and put a good shift in.

 

Good performance.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Just needs to be a midfielder. Midfielders should be able to do a bit of everything. He didn't even play as a DM today. As the video shows, he was superb today, anybody denying it either has a massive agenda or doesn't have the first idea about the midfield positions.

[Guest LFD]

I'd like to see Spearing do that. 

 

Spearing had many good performances for us.  

 

Let's not forget when we were boss under Dalglish when he took over from Hodgson, Spearing was a regular alongside Lucas and they gave Meireles, Suarez, Kuyt and Maxi the platform to play. 

 

Don't see why you need to knock Spearing who was a good player and a good red, just to praise Allen.    

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I'm not knocking him to praise Allen, I'm knocking you and your ridiculous comments about him and Spearing. Who was, BTW, a poor footballer. I honestly don't think you get midfielders.

[Guest LFD]

Just needs to be a midfielder. Midfielders should be able to do a bit of everything. He didn't even play as a DM today. As the video shows, he was superb today, anybody denying it either has a massive agenda or doesn't have the first idea about the midfield positions.

 

He was sometimes deeper, other times he got forward.  I agree, ideally you have a partnership that can sit and go, interchange.  But most partnerships have one sitting and one box to box.

[red6]

 

Lucas was slow as fuck again in his DM position, gave away the ball for the goal for no reason. then he

 

No doubt Jaih-ho and TKMAX will neg me for this, but i don't give a fuck. We saw today what a team without Lucas can do......

 

 

 

 

No need for the personal abuse because he has a different opinion to you.

 

You massive fucking cunt.

 

Right on cue

 

Jai -ho negs me!

 

You follow me around the forum negging me and repping people who disagree with me

 

What was that about people having a different opinion?

 

You're a big fucking dickhead and you don't know much about football, please fuck off

[Guest LFD]

I'm not knocking him to praise Allen, I'm knocking you and your ridiculous comments about him and Spearing. Who was, BTW, a poor footballer. I honestly don't think you get midfielders.

 

I don't think that's fair on Spearing personally.  But you are entitled to your opinion.

 

I get midfielders, no need to belittle or patronise me, it doesn't justify your opinion.

[Brigant Moloch]

Neither are DMs but Allen is far better in this role because his movement is better, he's better on the ball, he's better passer, he's more tactically aware, he doesn't make stupid fouls in dangerous areas, he does not dive into needless tackles all the time, he holds his position, he's better in attack, more intelligent and can shoot better. He's a better player. Lucas is superior in his pressing for example and is more aggressive, but I prefer Allen over Lucas in temporary DM role all day long. 

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I don't think that's fair on Spearing personally.  But you are entitled to your opinion.

 

I get midfielders, no need to belittle or patronise me, it doesn't justify your opinion.

I said it because that's what I think, not to justify my opinion. The opinion of the vast majority on this site, actually. Still, maybe I'll just call you naive or is it just you who gets to call people that? But yeah, in my opinion you don't have the first idea about the positions or midfielders and the roles they play. I think this because of your comments about Allen, Mascherano, Hamann and also Lucas and Spearing. The fact you thought his performance was 'neat' raises quite a few alarms for me. I'd suspected it before, but couldn't quite place it. You totally missed the intelligence in his display today.

[RedKnight]

Neither are DMs but Allen is far better in this role because his movement is better, he's better on the ball, he's better passer, he's more tactically aware, he doesn't make stupid fouls in dangerous areas, he does not dive into needless tackles all the time, he holds his position, he's better in attack, more intelligent and can shoot better. He's a better player. Lucas is superior in his pressing for example and is more aggressive, but I prefer Allen over Lucas in temporary DM role all day long. 

 

He's not been playing the traditional DM role in the last two games alongside Gerrard. I mean ostensibly he is the deeper of the two but not by much. Gerrard gets forward more but Allen wasn't sitting in  front of the defence a lá Lucas.

[moof]

If by 'did his job defensively and put in a good shift' you mean 'controlled the midfield with a lovely passing display and dominated a player that gave our midfield a torrid time last season' then yes, I agree.

 

He really had Diame in his pocket, which is pretty much the last thing people expected. He was brilliant in the second half especially, some of his passing was superb. Our best technical midfield player.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

He's not been playing the traditional DM role in the last two games alongside Gerrard. I mean ostensibly he is the deeper of the two but not by much. Gerrard gets forward more but Allen wasn't sitting in  front of the defence a lá Lucas.

Absolutely. That's why I'm a bit bamboozled by this DM talk. He has been doing it all as a CM.

[Guest LFD]

I said it because that's what I think, not to justify my opinion. The opinion of the vast majority on this site, actually. Still, maybe I'll just call you naive or is it just you who gets to call people that? But yeah, in my opinion you don't have the first idea about the positions or midfielders and the roles they play. I think this because of your comments about Allen, Mascherano, Hamann and also Lucas and Spearing. The fact you thought his performance was 'neat' raises quite a few alarms for me. I'd suspected it before, but couldn't quite place it. You totally missed the intelligence in his display today.

 

I didn't say "neat", I said his passing was tidy - which it was and it wasn't a negative point.

 

He was good, but I think you are going OTT.

[Guest LFD]

If by 'did his job defensively and put in a good shift' you mean 'controlled the midfield with a lovely passing display and dominated a player that gave our midfield a torrid time last season' then yes, I agree.

 

He controlled the midfield along with Gerrard and Coutinho.

 

Wasn't just Allen, just like it wasn't just Lucas vs Fulham, West Brom, Palace...

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

He controlled the midfield along with Gerrard and Coutinho.

 

Wasn't just Allen, just like it wasn't just Lucas vs Fulham, West Brom, Palace...

Lucas was very good against West Brom. The others you're 'OTT'.

 

Something that video doesn't show is that Allen's superb pressing in the West Ham third lead directly to the first goal and indirectly to the second.

[Gnasher]

Over praise is embarrassing, like saying he's the "Welsh Xavi".

 

Why can't people just say he played well and hope he can keep it going?  

 

One thing about Allen, he certainly has bulked up a little since joining us last season, that should help him if he is going to play DM for us more.  He wasn't brushed a side today, like he was last season by Diame - which is a big positive.

Maybe he wasn't feeling the affects of his well documented injury today to be brushed aside?

 

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/mar/18/liverpool-joe-allen-sidelined

 

The opinion of Allen being a bit of a soft touch and easily brushed of the ball is a slightly lazy criticism because of his small frame. He was never easy to shrug off the ball for Swansea or Wales. Allen was superb in the championship when Swansea won promotion and that league is full of imposing, physical players.

[Guest LFD]

Lucas was very good against West Brom. The others you're 'OTT'.

 

Something that video doesn't show is that Allen's superb pressing in the West Ham third lead directly to the first goal and indirectly to the second.

 

I'd say they were similar performances by Lucas in those games as we saw from Allen today.

 

Ultimately I'd like to sign a new midfield and have neither as first choice. 

 

Agree about pressing, I have always said it is Allen's best attribute, another reason why I think he's a box to box player more than a DM.  I think when he partners Lucas it will suit him more.  Gerrard being injured might make him shine.

 

 

The opinion of Allen being a bit of a soft touch and easily brushed of the ball is a slightly lazy criticism because of his small frame. He was never easy to shrug off the ball for Swansea or Wales. 

 

I never watch Wales or Swansea, so couldn't say.  

 

But I saw Allen brushed a side last season far too many times, so it is not lazy criticism.  But I think he has bulked up a little since.  Last season he was bouncing off Diame, I think he showed he was stronger today.

[Jairzinho]

He's not been playing the traditional DM role in the last two games alongside Gerrard. I mean ostensibly he is the deeper of the two but not by much. Gerrard gets forward more but Allen wasn't sitting in  front of the defence a lá Lucas.

 

Agreed.

 

And therefore, in my opinion, the comparisons with Lucas are pointless. We have no idea what instructions the players are given.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I'd say they were similar performances by Lucas in those games as we saw from Allen today.

Right. Well, I totally disagree with that. They probably couldn't be more different, in my view. Different positions, different role, different performances.

[RedKnight]

Agreed.

 

And therefore, in my opinion, the comparisons with Lucas are pointless. We have no idea what instructions the players are given.

 

 

Absolutely. That's why I'm a bit bamboozled by this DM talk. He has been doing it all as a CM.

 

Yep, the comparisons come because he replaced Lucas in the team for the Norwich game but the team's shape was completely different. The position suits Allen and frees Gerrard up to get forward. How it holds up away from home and under sterner opposition is the question.