KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum Liverpool Everton ratings

Gerrard, Suarez, and Carroll have started the same game 3 times. We've scored 11 in those 3 games. Ok, 3 of those were own goals by an inept Brighton on the night, but still. What I've found interesting though is how much further up the pitch Gerrard plays when both strikers start. When it was only Carroll or Suarez up front, Gerrard languished on halfway all the time. I'm yet to understand why. To be frank, we need to stick with the ideas from the Everton game, even though they were weakened. Stick with 4-4-2 lead by Carroll and Suarez. Don't play Adam. Let Gerrard roam forward at will rather than keeping him on the leash. Our defence is supposed to be one of the best in the league, so let's trust it a little yeah? Oh, and play Kelly every week. He has about two dozen games under his belt and he's disappointed in exactly 1. If he could improve his crossing a bit I'd pick him ahead of Johnson on both defensive AND offensive ability every time.

To add a few cents to the Henderson debate, he's getting all the game experience in the world, but he really isn't cut out to play as a wide man. He can definitely pick a pass - he's been doing it all season when he finds himself in the middle, and I'm really surprised so few people on these forums give him credit for that. People look at assists and such, but don't look enough at how often Henderson makes a telling contribution in the build-up to a goal; my gut feel is that every assist Bellamy has from open play has come from a pass from Henderson that put him into acres of space. He's also very good at tracking back and putting pressure on the ball carrier. He has the right attributes to be an excellent CM for us in a few years, and I honestly can't understand the criticism he gets when he plays at RM. It's clearly not a natural position for him, so he will struggle, and it's not like he picks himself to play there.

I've seen Spearing get some great forward passes to the wide areas where we can break and damage teams. He is a very limited player at the moment but lets not forget this is the first time he breaks to the senior team this season thanks to the injury of Lucas. I can see him improving and getting a lot better as he gets more games. I will not write him off just yet.

Bit like what happened with Lucas then really?

Absolutely. If players like Adam and Hendersen which have costed us millions need time to adapt than I can't see why Spearing doesn't deserve more time to learn and up his game.

To add a few cents to the Henderson debate, he's getting all the game experience in the world, but he really isn't cut out to play as a wide man. He can definitely pick a pass - he's been doing it all season when he finds himself in the middle, and I'm really surprised so few people on these forums give him credit for that. People look at assists and such, but don't look enough at how often Henderson makes a telling contribution in the build-up to a goal; my gut feel is that every assist Bellamy has from open play has come from a pass from Henderson that put him into acres of space. He's also very good at tracking back and putting pressure on the ball carrier. He has the right attributes to be an excellent CM for us in a few years, and I honestly can't understand the criticism he gets when he plays at RM. It's clearly not a natural position for him, so he will struggle, and it's not like he picks himself to play there.