KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum Glenn Johnson....

1. It is to defend, clue is in the name. I believe the discussion was about pushing him forward when I entered into it.
2. How many people are in the box? How many options does he have? How many people are loosing defenders? I have never suggested he was anything special, he isn't someone who will pick you out time after time therefore he is not an ideal choice. He is someone that has the ability to go past 1 or 2 players and knock something in the box. No one else has that out wide. Cole doesn't have the pace to do it defenders get back in front of him. Same with Kuyt.
3.I think it is worth a try as no one else is offering anything else out wide. And if it's all the same to you I will rely on my own experience as I am not an idiot and am fully aware that a forward plays a different game to a defender.

For me the most worrying thing about him is that he has lost some of his pace and picked up some weight. But i still think Having Kuyt and Cole on the wings makes us far too central and with 0 pace they cant pull defenders out wide. I think this is one of our biggest issues and for the time being Johnson might be able to help with it. I also certainly don't think Johnson has been any worse than anyone else in the team, and if the team had some creativiy we would get the best out of him again.

I agree with all those who think he should be played as right winger or right midfield whatever you want to say.

My reasons are as follows:

1. He has shown he has more effect on the game in advanced positions
2. he can beat people
3. he can deliver a good ball (not adam johnson quality but decent enough to cause problems and give another dimension to the teams play),
4. it gives kelly more opportunity to develop
5. Kuyt can be used as 2nd striker or to strengthen the bench
6. The best season he had in his career (pompy) he played there

Listen let's not get 2 far ahead of ourselves. Johnson gets loads of chances to get forward yet he fails to deliver the final ball. On saturday he beat is player hot to the bar line an turned bk an got tackled, there was players in the box he just didn't no what to do with it. Me personally would of chipped a delightful ball to the back post where we had cole lurking but he ain't got the vision as an attacking player or the nouse.

Your right about kuyt and cole arnt the quickest of players, fair point but what they do when playing on the wings and coming inside frees up space for which r full backs can run into. Rafa liked this and Roy does, hence the reason he liked playing duff right wing, and to a certain extent I am sometimes. That was the reason rafa paid the money he did , cus johnson was performing for Portsmouth. But with us it's a different matter he's been consistently shiite for a while now and his defending badly needs to improved

Redphil1974 you fail to notice that on your point 6 that it's a different ball game for playing for Portsmouth than for Liverpool. While teams will go looking for some kind of result (draw or win) at there ground and go out with not the intention of getting 10 men behind the ball and actually play. It's different when it's at anfield or away, teams fear us, shut up shop and defend in numbers. That's why he's not having the same position as he might of done a few times then.

The team as a collective has been consistently [oops] so I dont see why digging out certain players be it Konchesky, Kuyt, Johnson whoever... is gonna help. What should be done is finding a way of getting more out of them and if this means a shuffle of the pack so be it, it might just make a difference cos using Glen Johnson as an example he wont take to the pitch worrying that he's gonna cock up and cost us a goal.

LFC1984RHll I do know what you are saying and agree. Although I think more teams now come to Anfield and fancy their chances than ever before.

We have been far too critical of Johnson in this thread. Yes, he came with a huge price tag. Yes, he aint playing that well at the moment. Yes, he cant defend very well.

His form is a problem but the club and the team has larger problems as a whole.

I say - If you want to see a better Johnson, stick him him on as a RWB or RM.

Completely agree, thats how they are trying to set liverpool up. But as you also rightly said, Johnson (and Konchesky) don't have the talent to be so integral to the team in those positions. They will never be able to fill two roles, provide width in attack and defend adequately. My other issue with that set up is that I don't think you can have that on both flanks, neither cole or Kuyt will get to the by-line. So the ball will normally come central. Makes us even more predictable and means theres less room in the centre for the creative players to pick out passes and make stuff happen. I think if Johnson, limited as he might be is on the right wing, a defender won't know if hes going to go down the line or cut inside, with Kuyt I don't think they have to think about this in the same way. And even if we watch liverpool week in week out at that games, and we know he isnt at his best, I garuntee you a full back won't like Johnson running at him cause they know he's got enough in his locker to do some damage. This often causes indecision and can open up that little bit of space, and also can force another defender to come over and support freeing up space in another area of the pitch. I think having Kuyt and Cole wide is huge reason we don't get this space and lack balls into the box. It limits our options and means defenders know what to expect therefore easier to defend against. I wont go on about it cause you seem to play footie and know what you're talking about so I don't wanna patronise you stating the obvious. But for me, Johnson as an interim right winger would just add something we don't have in our locker right now, and at the very least would stretch opponents more, freeing up space and he would have some pace to counter attack, something that gets me so angry when i see our two wide men failing to do because they just can't run any faster than opposition central defenders.

Looks Aldo wants to see Kelly at RB, with Johnson RM and Kuyt with Torres, Raul and Gerrard in the centre and Cole on the left. Have to say I agree and I think many people on here do.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool...00252-27354215/

It was called (rockin asia) i think, your right it was a terrible night out mate haha. Ive been before and it wasn't as bad the last time.

He came in and went to the VIP area at the back.