KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum Coutinho out for 6 weeks :(

Gerrard and Lucas are the only two who don't have serious competition for places perhaps why their performances have been less than adequate in recent games (we've been out muscled in the midfield quite easily). Look what competition for places has done to the likes of Skirtle and Henderson (who I never rated at the beginning but is gradually proving me wrong) they know they cant afford to be slack and the same should be applied to DM. An injury to any of them and we'll be in trouble. Gerrard doesn't have the legs anymore and Lucas has become complacent. IMO this needs to change, hopefully in Jan we can sign a good DM, someone like Cheick Tiote I fancy him, bags of energy and prem experience should be able to slot in with ease.

I disagree, i feel there is competition, Allen is very hungry to play and he can play there, as can Toure. I wouldn't mind us strengthening the position, dont get me wrong, it would be great, i just feel a top CAM is a priority. Also, if we were to go for a DM i think we need much better than Tiote or Wanyama type players, we need Alonso-esque players. Someone like Nemanja Matić from Benfica, although i think he has a 40 mil price tag on his head....

I also think that such a price tag is beyond our FSG's means

FSG would faint if you told them a player was £40m

Allen started well but has fissled out (could be the injuries I dunno) but then again for me he is not the Alonzo-esque player we need, he is just too light weight IMO and as a midfield enforcer, I'd take Tiote over him any day. Toure hasnt played DM for ages and at 32 he is probably passed it playing the role.

I actually watched Southampton's game against West Ham specifically to check out Wanyama, and he actually bossed the midfield, I was impressed, not that we should sign him but he is better than many DM's around and he will do well for them. I see him goin on to a bigger club soon. Havent seen Nemanja but if he's good enaf then we should make a move for him.

I just worry that if either of Gerrard or Lucas got injured, we would be in real danger. Considering their below par performances so far, the manager has kept them in the team which makes you wonder how poor their competitors are.

While I agree that we also need a CAM, I feel that maybe its not that urgent? Gerrard, Hendo, Suarez could play there.

Really, how many assists/goals has Henderson got in the last 2 years?
I'm not having a pop, I've always defended him, but he just doesn't seem to either have the confidence, or make the right decisions to play there. I'd like to see Allen given another go soon but I don't think Hendo/Allen should play in the same team, there's no finesse there. Hendersons main attribute seems to be his 'engine'.

Gerrard playing there with Lucas/Henderson behind him means he shouldn't need to be flying box to box like he used to. Youth or not he's still a class above and it's a much more influential position in the team at the moment.

I'd also be happy with Alberto given a start too.