Total Football

Gerrard and Henderson in the middle isn't a permanent solution. Against a team that transitions quickly with direct threats upfront, in the wings and in the middle, those 2 won't stem the tide. Our total lack of movement upfront gave them a pretty easy game.

well that's not even close to correct is it sheriff?

ok, i'll give you it isn't a permanent solution, but that's due to gerrard's age, meaning we need to find a replacement, probably at the latest by the end of next season.

but the rest of your argument is just wrong. arsenal are a team that transitions quickly and are a direct threat upfront, in the wings and in the middle, ok, more by quick passing of the ball and direct running with the ball, rather than the long ball over the top. and they managed to stem the tide pretty well against your lot.

your lack of movement upfront didn't give us an easy game, it was us stopping you from being able to get any sort of control on the ball, and stopping you getting the ball to your wingers and central midfielders, let alone your strikers, that gave us an easy game.

I noticed that Gerrard after the game he hadn't worked up a sweat mind you none of the Liverpool players had too

but the rest of your argument is just wrong. arsenal are a team that transitions quickly and are a direct threat upfront, in the wings and in the middle, ok, more by quick passing of the ball and direct running with the ball, rather than the long ball over the top. and they managed to stem the tide pretty well against your lot.
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You obviously haven't seen us much in Ramsey and Walcott's absence. Our build-up play is one of the slowest and most tedious in the league. We do everything INFRONT of the opposition and none of our players attempt to break behind the opposing defence. We play midfielders out wide and a statue of a striker upfront. You can't play a throughball to anyone. If you read our board regularly, it's something we've moaned about through December and August.

^^^^^^^^^^
December and January.

your lack of movement upfront didn't give us an easy game, it was us stopping you from being able to get any sort of control on the ball, and stopping you getting the ball to your wingers and central midfielders, let alone your strikers, that gave us an easy game.
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It's still boils down to the fact our lack of pace and movement upfront makes us easy to squeeze and press cos the opposition know we won't get behind them - especially when Walcott doesn't play. The likes of Everton and Southampton's pressing game has exposed us this season before. They just lacked the ruthlessness and firepower of Liverpool to finish the job.

Decent blog. I think this deeper role suits Gerrard perfectly at this stage of his career. His passing can dictate the tempo of the game and his ability to release accurate long balls isn't diminished but enhanced in this role, because he will have more time on the ball. He still has a turn of pace and his physical presence is something that is lacking when Lucas plays. My only concern is when a team put a player (an AM) on Gerrard. I would like to see how he copes when a team tries to counteract the system. I thought Weimann did that effectively for Villa, but granted the system wasn't the same as Coutinho played in a wide role that day and it was more of a 4-4-2.

On Wilshere. I think that Barkley would offer more as the third and most advanced player in this midfield trio for England.

Good article. One thing i like about Gerrard playing inbetween the 2 central defenders is that it allows the full backs to push forward. The 2 centre backs sit at Left & right back and Stevie sits in the middle.