Joe Allen thread

[WhiskeyJar]

But...but...he's from fucking Swansea! How dare Rodgers stroll in here like he's Rafa Benitez and think that a player from Swansea is worthy enough for Liverpool FC???

 

Despite of the mistakes in the City game, I have not seen us play that well since the aforementioned gentlemen left.

[Whelan]

The one thing Rafa used to talk about all the time was 'mentality', Joe Allen has the right mentality. Intuitively knows what to do, when to do it and how to do it.

[RobbieOR]

A real shame Lucas is injured, meaning Allen is going to act as our out and out holding midfielder and as accomplished as Allen is at passing I don't think his tackling and interceptions are as good as Lucas. I'm actually glad about the international break, meaning Lucas will probably only miss a couple of league games.

 

Sahin and Allen will be the holding midfielders.

[spider-neil]

Sahin and Allen will be the holding midfielders.

 

In general or until Lucas returns?

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

In general or until Lucas returns?

 

Once Allen and Sahin get a partnership going, they're going to be almost impossible to drop.

[spider-neil]

Once Allen and Sahin get a partnership going, they're going to be almost impossible to drop.

 

Even after all this time Lucas is not appreciated. I remember the game where Lucas had Silva in his back pocket the same Silva who was cutting through the whole of the Premiereship like a hot knife through butter. Lucas then went on to dominate the Chelsea midfield. A three game spell where he was nothing less than magnificent and then he got injured. Lucas gets back to that form and no one else in the squad can touch him (as a holding midfielder). Not Sahin. Not Allen. Not Gerrard.

[LFC64]

Even after all this time Lucas is not appreciated. I remember the game where Lucas had Silva in his back pocket the same Silva who was cutting through the whole of the Premiereship like a hot knife through butter. Lucas then went on to dominate the Chelsea midfield. A three game spell where he was nothing less than magnificent and then he got injured. Lucas gets back to that form and no one else in the squad can touch him (as a holding midfielder). Not Sahin. Not Allen. Not Gerrard.

 

This is true. Wouldn't have swapped him for anyone in that role. He looked liked he had bulked up too just before the injury and was hard to shift.

 

Given time I'm sure he'll get back to the same level. Meanwhile Allen and Sahin can look after the midfield quite nicely.

[WhiskeyJar]

Even after all this time Lucas is not appreciated. I remember the game where Lucas had Silva in his back pocket the same Silva who was cutting through the whole of the Premiereship like a hot knife through butter. Lucas then went on to dominate the Chelsea midfield. A three game spell where he was nothing less than magnificent and then he got injured. Lucas gets back to that form and no one else in the squad can touch him (as a holding midfielder). Not Sahin. Not Allen. Not Gerrard.

 

As a Midfield destroyer, I completely agree with you.

 

Also someone mentioned an inverted mid 3 to be more attacking, which will suite all players much better....i.e:

 

 

-----Borini--------Suarez----------Gerrard----

 

----------Sahin---------------Allen-----------

 

--------------------Lucas--------------------

 

---Enrique----Agger-------Skrtel-------Johnson

 

Sterling to start games when we need a bit more pace.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Even after all this time Lucas is not appreciated.

 

 

Threw the entire time he was being taken the piss out of I stood firm as a supporter of Lucas. He had come from a different league, started life in a different country, and had to play a different role.

 

However, during his injury he became a better player every single day he way out. The truth is that he's a very good defence midfielder, but he's limited. That's just obvious. He adds very little other than breaking up the play.

 

Lucas gets back to that form and no one else in the squad can touch him (as a holding midfielder). Not Sahin. Not Allen. Not Gerrard.

 

I'm sorry, I just think that's utter nonsense. Sahin is so much better than Lucas that it's not even funny. The wild overrating of Lucas by a few is, I'm convinced, based on them not seeing many others in his position.

[piscinin]

Even after all this time Lucas is not appreciated. I remember the game where Lucas had Silva in his back pocket the same Silva who was cutting through the whole of the Premiereship like a hot knife through butter. Lucas then went on to dominate the Chelsea midfield. A three game spell where he was nothing less than magnificent and then he got injured. Lucas gets back to that form and no one else in the squad can touch him (as a holding midfielder). Not Sahin. Not Allen. Not Gerrard.

 

It's got little to do with lack of appreciation and more to do with the fact that if you play with 3 and they are not stupid then do you really need a dedicated defensive midfielder. Especially as Rodgers doesn't seem all that keen on defending anyways.

[spider-neil]

Threw the entire time he was being taken the piss out of I stood firm as a supporter of Lucas. He had come from a different league, started life in a different country, and had to play a different role.

 

However, during his injury he became a better player every single day he way out. The truth is that he's a very good defence midfielder, but he's limited. That's just obvious. He adds very little other than breaking up the play.

 

 

 

 

When you are holding a high line the role of 'destroyer' is crucial when teams hit us on the break. I'm not for a moment going to suggest that Lucas will give more going forwards than Sahin, Gerrard and Allen but going the other way (imho) in Lucas, at the peak of his powers we have maybe best destroyer in the league.

[Whelan]

Well I think Lucas is a better player than Busquets (Sorry Silverlining) and both are limited relative to their teammates. So Lucas will have a part to play, and I would be very surprised if Gerrard managers 30 plus games for us this season.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

When you are holding a high line the role of 'destroyer' is crucial when teams hit us on the break. I'm not for a moment going to suggest that Lucas will give more going forwards than Sahin, Gerrard and Allen but going the other way (imho) in Lucas, at the peak of his powers we have maybe best destroyer in the league.

 

Sahin played holding midfielder for best attacking side outside of Barcelona. He's incredible. Give it ten games and we'll come back to this, yeah?

 

Lucas is good, he is, but he's wildly overrated by our own fans and underrated by other fans. He's really good, he breaks up the play well. He has very little else about him, though. In a 4-3-3 it's vital to have midfielders who can do a bit of everything. I'd be shocked if he's first choice over Allen, who we paid fifteen million for, of Sahin who has left Madrid in search for football.

[spider-neil]

Sahin played holding midfielder for best attacking side outside of Barcelona. He's incredible. Give it ten games and we'll come back to this, yeah?

 

Lucas is good, he is, but he's wildly overrated by our own fans and underrated by other fans. He's really good, he breaks up the play well. He has very little else about him, though. In a 4-3-3 it's vital to have midfielders who can do a bit of everything. I'd be shocked if he's first choice over Allen, who we paid fifteen million for, of Sahin who has left Madrid in search for football.

 

Give it 10 games and then let's drag this thread up again. I predict that Gerrard will be a regular in the front three and Lucas will still be regular in the first team.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Give it 10 games and then let's drag this thread up again. I predict that Gerrard will be a regular in the front three and Lucas will still be regular in the first team.

 

I think he'll play fairly regularly. I just think it'll be as a sub more often than not. In the league, at least.

[Evil_Ways]

Personally i think we shall be so lucky to have the choice of putting one of Lucas, Sahin, Allen and Gerrard on the bench. Lucas looks to be out for a bit now. Gerrard will miss games. But should everyone be fit for a big game i would not be surprised to see all 4 in the lineup. Either Gerrard in the front 3 or a diamond formation with 2 up front.

[spider-neil]

I think he'll play fairly regularly. I just think it'll be as a sub more often than not. In the league, at least.

 

That's going to happen anyway because of his massive injury.

It may be an idea to rest Lucas for home games against teams that park the bus, but with that said, if you have virtually the entire team in the opposition half, if the ball breaks for the opposition they will cut you open unless you have a quality holding midfielder.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

That's going to happen anyway because of his massive injury.

 

Fair comment. I meant over the course o the season, but in ten games I bet you prefer Sahin to Lucas.

 

It may be an idea to rest Lucas for home games against teams that park the bus, but with that said, if you have virtually the entire team in the opposition half, if the ball breaks for the opposition they will cut you open unless you have a quality holding midfielder.

 

He is a quality holding midfielder. He's not an out and out defensive midfielder, like Lucas the destroyer, but he is a holding midfield playmaker, and one of the best in the world at it.

[PaulMcC]

It's like when people said we don't need Mascherano in most games. It was bollocks then.

 

If Sahin is brilliant at breaking up play and can stop teams like Chelsea, the Mancs and City play like Lucas can, then Lucas might get left out often.

 

If Sahin could break up play like Lucas and his playmaking is as good as they say, surely he'd be starting for Real?

[Code]

A real shame Lucas is injured, meaning Allen is going to act as our out and out holding midfielder and as accomplished as Allen is at passing I don't think his tackling and interceptions are as good as Lucas. I'm actually glad about the international break, meaning Lucas will probably only miss a couple of league games.

 

Allen is a better tackler than Lucas, so dont worry.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Xabi starts for Real. Xabi is Spanish. Xabi cost 30m.

 

As for Mascherano, he was significantly better for us than Lucas has ever been. The best combination is so clearly Allen and Sahin, in my opinion. We'll have to see how it works out, but I don't think we need to be playing a destroyer in a 4-3-3 against most of the league.

[WhiskeyJar]

Xabi starts for Real. Xabi is Spanish. Xabi cost 30m.

 

As for Mascherano, he was significantly better for us than Lucas has ever been. The best combination is so clearly Allen and Sahin, in my opinion. We'll have to see how it works out, but I don't think we need to be playing a destroyer in a 4-3-3 against most of the league.

 

I disagree, you need a destroyer to sit just in front on the back four sweeping up and stopping the play, allowing others to push up and build the attack.

 

Point in case, Makalele and Carrick often played in that position.

 

If you need more here is a link that another poster gave me:

 

AJAX433- Formation and Playing Roles

[Whelan]

Allen is a better tackler than Lucas, so dont worry.

 

You don't care about tackling though, so obviously that wouldn't be a consideration from your point of view would it?

[Einch]

Might be a moot point if Lucas is out for two months as we could well be settled and really motoring in the league. What worries me most is having to rely on Henderson as the cover now if anything should happen to the other three. If Lucas is only out for two games then it's better for us and we can make a call on this after half a season. How good is Sahin in the air defensively as we will need to make up the drop off in that department as Allen is going to struggle a bit just based on his size?

[spider-neil]

Allen is a better tackler than Lucas, so dont worry.

 

We'll see. I need to see more of Allen but Lucas' tackles last season was absolutely top drawer.