QUOTE(Duke Red @ Nov 27 2012, 04:44 PM)
I came across this article which brings me back to what I posted yesterday about us not having a proper defensive midfielder, and about playing Joe Allen higher up the pitch as he did for Swansea. Look at these statistics.
http://paisleygates.com/?p=10863While I agree that having a fit Lucas will be key to bringing the best out of Allen, I do wonder if we are being over-reliant on our Brazilian midfielder. There's a good chance that he will take time to regain his form and I would rather we ease him back into the team than to risk another injury. Rather than just hope for the best, it's perhaps best for the team that we look at the options we have first.
Since the start of the season BR has pick n mix midfielders, trying various combinations but none stuck. Allen & Gerrard are the only mainstays but we can't strike a balance with the 3rd player. With Sahin playing we are often caught short of numbers at the back and Allen has to work double time to make up for lost ground. The problem though isn't Sahin.
Imo it's our Stevie G. The fact that he's our captain and BR doesn't look like he'll dropping him any soon. With our lack of firepower this season, I thought that Gerrard would be best utilized when he's played further upfront. Trouble is, in the beginning of this season, both him and Suarez were throwing away possession faster than our Harimaus last week. We've progressed since then with Sterling & Suarez starting to develop an understanding, thus I reckon we should give it another try - putting Gerrard behind Suarez. If there's a player other than Suarez who's likely to get us goals, it's Gerrard. I trust he still has the vision and skills to score >10 a season, the closer he is to the opponent's goal, the better.
Moreover, this will give us more options in the middle:
1) Many have pointed out that Sahin is a deep lying playmaker. While I have doubts on his workrate and pressing, why not give it a try and move Allen to his natural role?
Or
2) We could play Shelvey or Henderson next to Allen. We all know BR is trying to mold Shelvey into a number 10, but it isn't working very well so far. One match, he would turn in a solid display; the next he could be completely lost. Give each of them a try in a role next to Allen and see. Both of them have shown massive potential but there's no better time than now to step up the game and make the starting spot theirs.
Added on November 27, 2012, 5:15 pmQUOTE(dillonyong @ Nov 27 2012, 04:47 PM)
Alamak. I actually dont mind going for boxing day match but who else can make it?
Can other guys come?
Nah, you guys go ahead with the QPR match. Don't forget that the day after Boxing Day is still a working day.
This post has been edited by led_zep_freak: Nov 27 2012, 05:15 PM