Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that midfielder Tom Cleverley will miss the side’s next two games, as he will not be rushed back to action after picking up an ankle injury.
The England under-21 star had a promising start to the season at Old Trafford, starting the majority of the Premier League champions’ games until being injured against Bolton in September.
Despite recovering from that knock, he picked up a new ailment in the 1-0 win over Everton at the weekend.
His Scottish coach has indicated that the player will be given the required time to fully recover, and will not play against Otelul Galati in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“Tom won’t play,” the United manager told reporters ahead of the European fixture.
“It is not serious. He got a little tweak on Saturday but we have to take the long view.
“We need to make sure he will be available for a long period, rather than play him again and the decision comes back to haunt us, so I think he will miss the Saturday game (against Sunderland) also,” he concluded.
The United manager also called the game against the Romanian minnows a ‘must win game’, as the English side do not want to lose ground on current group leaders Benfica.
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Stoke boss Tony Pulis wants his side to reach the 40-point mark as soon as possible but claims it will not guarantee Premier League safety.Champions Chelsea visit the Britannia Stadium this weekend and a win for Stoke would see them reach Pulis’ target.
However, despite Stoke currently sitting mid-table in tenth, they are only five points above the drop zone.
“You have to get to 40 points as quick as you can and then you can take things from there,” Pulis said.
“Getting to 40 points is a watershed for us at this football club – but you might need more than this and that’s why it’s important to get there as quickly as possible.”
“It’s so much in the balance this year in the league and it’s been interesting – not just at the bottom but at the top of the table as well.”
With five points separating nine teams, Pulis believes it is vital not to get distracted by other side’s results.
“We don’t get involved in who’s doing what or who’s saying what – we’ll just do our own job,” continued Pulis.
“The only thing you can affect is yourselves. I can’t influence what other people do but I can influence and affect what happens at this football club.”
Anything but a loss on Saturday against Chelsea would take Stoke’s unbeaten home run to nine games in all competitions.
“I am very proud of that record,” Pulis said.
“Since we defeated West Ham (at the beginning of March) the place has taken off. There is a sense of togetherness at the Britannia and around the city.”
“That feeling will be important for the last four games here.”
On-loan striker John Carew is expected to return for Saturday’s clash after overcoming a back injury, but Abdoulaye Faye remains out with a hamstring problem.
Mamady Sidibe is out for the season with an Achilles problem.
Soon to be confirmed West Ham signing, Pablo Barrera, has already upset fans potentially by declaring that he intends to use the club as simply a stepping stone to further his career.
A work permit is the only thing stopping Barrera’s announcement from being official as he completes the move from Mexican side Pumas UNAM for £4m. However the 23-year-old has said about the move to East London:
“To perform for West Ham and then move to a bigger team in Europe are my goals. I want to show what I’m made of and then succeed in Europe.”
He added: “My agent told me they are signing players to get better. For me, it’s just cool to play football in Europe because it’s a dream I have had since before the World Cup.” (Sun)
Hammers fans have already been frustrated by the amount of players the club has been linked with and failed to sign and this comment by Barrera doesn’t help matters. In all probability if the Mexican comes to West Ham and plays really well then chances are he may join another side, but he didn’t need to say this and should have shown more respect towards the club. A lot of players have relished the chance to pull on the claret and blue shirt and Barrera should be no exception. West Ham have already had their share of prima donnas and they don’t need yet another one.
The Mexican is only the club’s second summer signing and they have found it very difficult to attract players to the club so far. The squad needs a lot of work done to it after the team very narrowly avoided relegation last season, manager Avram Grant will be keen to get new players in as soon as he can so he can start to work with a settled group of players.
Players have in the past moved to clubs in the Premiership and proclaimed to use them as a stepping stone and it can lead them trying too hard to impress others and not playing their usual game, and subsequently not playing well. Dennis Rommedahl made similar comments when he joined Charlton Athletic in 2004 and became a Premiership flop, so Pablo Barrera will be eager not to follow in the Dane’s footsteps.
Barrera has the potential to be a great player for West Ham as he looked like a very skilful and tricky winger at the World Cup for Mexico. Hammers fans like an exciting player and the Mexican is just that and he could become a real fans favourite, but he must learn to keep his mouth shut and think about the now which is West Ham rather than what could be in the future.
What do you make of Pablo Barrera’s comments?
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Click on image to see a gallery of the BEST BABES at the World Cup this summer
A flood of goals are expected at Craven Cottage as in-form Tottenham travel to face their former boss Martin Jol and his Fulham side who are looking to make it back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
Jol spent a successful three year spell at White Hart Lane in the mid-noughties taking the club to within a whisker of the Champions League in the 2005/06 season. After leaving North London he had spells at Hamburg and Ajax before being tempted back to the Premier League by Mohammed Al Fayed in the summer. He’s endured a difficult spell on the Thames thus far but last weeks 2-0 win over rock bottom Wigan will have given the Cottagers fans hope of pushing on after a slow start to the campaign. The Europa League has played it’s part in that with their 4-1 win over Wisla Krakow being their 23rd fixture of a season that started way back in June. It’s astonishing that the squad has yet to succumb to fatigue and Jol will have been extremely pleased with his sides performance on Thursday night with Andy Johnson scoring twice and shining throughout. His return to full fitness after an injury laden last few years has been a big plus and his pace and selfless running will be key to beating Spurs for the first time since November 2008 in a run that has seen them win just one in their last 10 league meetings. Another man who has started to find his form again is Clint Dempsey with his goal against Wigan last week putting him level with Brian McBride as the highest scoring American in the top flight on 36 goals.
Becoming the record holder might prove difficult up against a Tottenham side who are riding the crest of a wave at the moment although they will be without Harry Redknapp in the dugout after his heart surgery in midweek. They are unbeaten in the last seven league games since losing their opening two against the two Manchester clubs and a win could send them into the top four if results go their way. Emmanuel Adebayor’s arrival on loan from Manchester City coincided with the upturn in form with the Togo striker scoring three in two games after his move. He’s failed to find the net since the 4-0 win over Liverpool at White Hart Lane on 18th September but it’s his all round performances that have been a delight. His energy and link up play with midfield has given the side an extra dimension and certainly made Spurs more fearsome i the final third. The goals are flowing for Rafael Van Der Vaart though with the Dutchman looking to find the net for the 6th successive game. Should he score he will become the seventh player in Spurs history to do so in six or more consecutive games with Garth Crooks the last player achieve such a feat back back in the 1984/85 season.
Key Players
Danny Murphy – Managed by Jol at Tottenham and now at Fulham the experienced midfielder is key to the way Fulham attack. His knowledge and guile in the centre of midfield is second to none and if he is afforded time and space he can pick out a telling pass like the best of them.
Rafael Van Der Vaart – Many thought the Dutchman would be heading out of North London in the summer but quite the contrary has happened. The former Real Madrid man has stepped up his game superbly since the opening weeks of the season providing a goalscoring threat and link between attack and midfield. Watch out for his intelligent movement in-between the lines on Sunday.
Prediction: 2-3
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Clint Dempsey’s three goals have come from 30 attempts at goal with 63% on target, and he has also contributed three assists Midfielder Dempsey has also been supporting in defensive play, making 20 interceptions and winning 74% of 19 tackles attempted this season Rafael van der Vaart broke the Manchester stranglehold on the top three spots on the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index by scoring his 6th goal in 5 Barclays Premier League games to go 2nd in the index Van der Vaart has scored 6 goals and contributed 2 assists this season, meaning he has had a hand in one in three of Spurs’ goals
Striker Adam Kwasnik scored the only goal as Central Coast qualified for their third grand final in six A-League seasons on Saturday.After missing a host of great chances, the Mariners finally found the back of the net in the 75th minute when Kwasnik scored his 10th goal of the season against Gold Coast United in the preliminary final.Midfielder Michael McGlinchey had a shot blocked by a Gold Coast defender and Kwasnik was in the right spot to capitalise and send the Mariners into a grand final against Brisbane next Sunday. Despite scoring, the Mariners still had plenty of anxious moments in the final 15 minutes. Teenage goalkeeper Mathew Ryan ensured the home team stayed in front with a brilliant double save from Joel Porter and Bruce Djite in the 78th minute.The Mariners went into the match as slight favourites and had a great opportunity to open the scoring after only three minutes, but striker Daniel McBreen appeared to stumble as he was about to shoot from close range.Ryan denied Djite in the 13th minute before the Mariners started to dominate.Defender Joshua Rose and midfielder Oliver Bozanic both had long range attempts saved and in the 44th minute Patricio Perez had a curling shot just miss the target.Young defender Trent Sainsbury, who had a tough time in the first half, should have at least hit the target in first half injury time, but miss-hit a volley from a Bozanic cross, much to the frustration of Mariners coach Graham Arnold.Chances were few and far between in the second half.The Mariners came close to opening the scoring in the 69th minute when Patrick Zwaanswijk headed a corner on to the crossbar and a minute later Bozanic sent a glancing header over the bar.Despite failing to put the Queenslanders away earlier the Mariners deserved the win and now get a chance to win a grand final for the first time.
The world’s best player, Lionel Messi, has given England and Arsenal fans a major boost for the future by claiming that Theo Walcott is one of the most dangerous players he has ever come up against…doubters avert your eyes now.
The Barcelona playmaker believes that Walcott has the ability to rattle defenders with his blistering pace and was totally amazed not to see the forwards name in the final 23-man England World Cup squad this summer. Messi told the Daily Star this past Sunday (4th of July) of the bad decision Fabio Capello made:
“I must say that at the time I thought it was a bad decision to leave Theo Walcott at home, and I think that has been proved right. I can only speak from experience but he was one of the most dangerous players I have ever played against.”
The Argentine wizard came up against the Arsenal speed merchant when the Gunners met Barcelona last season in the Champion’s Leagues quarter final. During the first leg at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal trailed Barca 2-0, which forced Wenger to make a few changes, one being the introduction of Theo Walcott to the game. Walcott’s incredible pace sparked a remarkable fight-back which led to the Gunners salvaging a 2-2 draw; Messi along with his fellow Catalan team-mates knew that the England international was the key threat that night:
“Barcelona players are not scared easily but I can tell you that when we played Arsenal last season he truly worried us. When we were playing Arsenal at the Emirates, we were so in control of the game at 2-0 – with all respect, Arsenal were not even in the game – then Theo came on and changed the game. He pretty much single-handedly salvaged a draw against Barcelona that night.”
Messi went on to speak about the second leg at the Nou Camp, stating:
“Even in the return leg, our manager Pep Guardiola was telling us he was the player to watch out for, and the best players in the world like Xavi and Gerard Pique were telling us to watch out for him. The truth is that he really rattled him.”
With this being said, if the best player in the world has accredited Walcott’s ability, then why has the 21-yeard-old Arsenal man drawn so many doubters in recent seasons? It’s fair to say that the explosive striker make shift winger, has not lived up to the fans expectations since making the switch to the Emirates in 2006. However, the youngster has picked up a number of injuries which has no doubt stunted his development regime. However, not many fans have doubted the player’s talent.
Walcott has the right attributes to become a great player for club and country, but has not yet channelled it in the correct way, which is a really good reason for supporters to feel aggravated and frustrated with the Arsenal forward.
Many Three Lion fans were shocked to find out that the 21-year-old was not picked to take part in the World Cup finals in South Africa this summer. Others would have thought it was the right decision as he was not able to keep fit, and as a result, never played enough games to board the plane to the tournament. Lionel Messi (along with other English fans) believed that Walcott should have made the 23-man squad even if he were to play a substitute role during the competition. The Argentine explained to the Star, that if Walcott was able to turn Arsenal’s fortunes around against Barca when the two sides met earlier in the year, then who knows what he could have done in the World Cup finals:
“If he could do that against Barcelona, think what he could have done against Germany and Algeria. Even if he didn’t start, he would still have been very important for England. Along with Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Aguero, he would have been the best impact player at the World Cup.”
Of course Messi’s recent statement will no doubt have England fans talking and would probably have reinforced their on views on the player becoming a great player for the future. However, without the Argentine knowing, Messi may have heaped even more pressure on the young Englishman performing for the upcoming season for club and country. Although, if the best player in the world regards Walcott as ‘dangerous’, then surely doubters of the Arsenal mans talent will have to change their minds on the player in the near future.
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Click on image below to see the ITALIAN babes at the World Cup
The Carlos Tevez saga is still droning on, as he is currently serving a two week suspension for Tevez-gate (are we calling it that yet?), while Manchester City investigate the matter. This week his agent/lackey/minion Kia Joorabchian has come out and stated that Tevez didn’t refuse to play and that his post-match comments were simply mistranslated by the club interpreter. The fact that he has been in England for five years and still needs a translator says just about all you need to know about his attitude.
We wouldn’t even we debating the issue if Tevez could converse in English, as nothing could be claimed to be misunderstood. However, this excuse of miscommunication between himself and the manager is ridiculous. Even if he isn’t fluent, after five years here he can surely understand an order to get up and play. Obviously players are played to do their talking on the pitch, but you would like to think that Tevez had at least picked up some basic English along the way. It makes you wonder how he actually conversed with his teammates and manager, and how on earth he managed as the club captain. Pablo Zabaleta has been at City for half the time Tevez has, yet he speaks almost fluent English. Although he doesn’t appear to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, surely Tevez could have made more of an effort.
I don’t want to come over all Daily Mail here, but clearly his lack of any attempt to learn even basic English despite his vast wealth and time, characterises his laziness, and the fact that he is a very self-centred individual, reliant on those around him to speak on his behalf. He has clearly been manipulated by these agents and third parties who have made a load of cash out of him, and it has had a very negative effect on him.
He has continually rocked the boat at every club he has been at, and he was obviously not interested in being at Manchester City from the off this season. The only reason he went back there was to collect his ridiculous pay check, which he has proved he is totally undeserving of. His actions speak louder than any words, and what he did that night in Munich proved what he truly thought of the club and the fans.
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Unfortunately, he is surrounded by people, like his agent, who have him believing his own hype, and it is frankly pathetic that he still needs his minions to talk for him. He is a complete prima donna and sadly a true example of what fame and money can do to a person. He suddenly encapsulates everything abhorrent about the modern footballer, and his refusal to play in front of loyal supporters who have spent their hard earned cash to watch the game, shows how truly self-centred he is. He is in a bubble completely separated from reality.
The fact that he was even welcomed back to the club after his comments during the summer regarding the club and the city was enough, but this is just a further insult. He probably wouldn’t have had such a rough time in the country and found more than two decent restaurants in Manchester, had he actually bothered to learn the language. It clearly would have helped him to settle into this country better, but he is obviously too spoiled to make any effort. He hasn’t tried anywhere near hard enough, and his poor attitude has been noticeable throughout his time in the country, so this latest scandal is simply not surprising at all.
Do you think we should really be surprised by Tevez’s actions? Let me know your thoughts by commenting below, or following me on Twitter @LaurenRutter for more comment and debate.
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Arsenal defender Johan Djourou has backed his team-mates to stifle Barcelona star Lionel Messi in their Champions League clash on Wednesday.
The Swiss international missed last season’s quarter-final defeat to Barca through injury, but remains confident that the English side can get past Barcelona at the second attempt.
“I think we all know about Barcelona. They are a great team and we all know about Lionel Messi, but don’t think it’s only about him, because he has great service from other great players like Xavi or Iniesta,” Djourou said.
“Also, I think that we have to be focused as a group, as eleven players ready to get behind the ball when we have to defend and move together – because I don’t think it’s all (the responsibility) of the defenders, but how we block the space to not give him (Messi) space to run into.”
Djourou admitted it was painful watching from the sidelines as Barca ran riot against the Gunners in last season’s quarter-final, with Messi scoring four goals in a 4-1 win at the Nou Camp.
“Of course, for me it was difficult because I was injured, but I have to say that they really gave us a good game over the two ties,” Djourou said.
“I think that it you look again we had a couple of chances when we played here at home. I think we could have scored before they did, but it’s going to be an exciting game and we’re really looking forward to it.”
Messi will no doubt be the focus of Arsenal’s defensive attentions, but Djourou said it was important not to ignore other potential threats.
“I have to say he’s just a great player. He’s a great exuberant player. He’s shown (his skill) all over the world, but I don’t think you have to be scared,” Djourou said.
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“You have to be excited because it’s going to be a great game.”
“As I said before, it’s going to be a team performance to defend, because he’s shown that he’s very good in the one-against-one. But I think that as long as we have cover we can be hard to beat.”
Now we’ve all heard of the novel and film adaptation of Brian Clough’s unsuccessful 44-day tenure as Leeds United manager in 1974, entitled ‘The Damned United’. But just who were ‘The Damned United’? And where are they now?
Goalkeeper: David Harvey
The Scotsman went on to make 354 appearances for Leeds in two spells at the club. Harvey turned professional at the club as a 17-year-old and went on to make his debut at the same age. He has played under three of his former teammates – Allan Clarke, Eddie Gray and Billy Bremner; statically he is Scotland’s most successful post-war goalkeeper. He currently works as a farmer and a postman on Sanday in the Orkney Islands.
Right Back: Paul Reaney
Reaney played for 15 years at Leeds making 745 appearances, before moving on to Bradford City and the Australian team Newcastle KB United. During his peak years he was known as the only player who was able to mark George Best out of a game, which the great man acknowledged himself. Leeds fans remember Reaney for his crossing ability, surging runs and goal-line clearances. Today Reaney can found running coaching sessions for kids at Potters Leisure Resort in Norfolk.
Centre Back: Gordon McQueen
McQueen played in 140 games for Leeds United before making the controversial switch to Manchester United where he claimed that ‘99% of players want to play for Manchester United and the rest are liars.’ He now currently works as an assistant scout for Middlesbrough and is an occasional pundit on Sky Sports.
Centre Back: Norman Hunter
Nicknamed ‘Bite Yer Legs’ Hunter, for his strong tackling-ability, Norman Hunter was arguably one of the greatest defenders to ever play for Leeds. He became the first ever winner of the PFA Players’ Player Of The Year award, receiving it at the end of the 1973-74 season. After retiring in 1982 he tried his hand at management with Barnsley, Rotherham and Leeds on a caretaker basis. Now Hunter works as summariser for Leeds games for BBC Radio Leeds and Yorkshire Radio where he has held the job since 1993.
Left Back: Trevor Cherry
Cherry played over 350 games for Leeds and was capped 27 times by England. He was voted the 30th best ever Leeds player by the fans. Interestingly to this day he still remains the only England player to be sent off during a friendly match against Argentina when he fouled a player called Daniel Bertoni from behind. Bertoni then retaliated by punching Cherry in the mouth causing him to lose two front teeth. Today he is a very active man running a promotions and hospitality company in Huddersfield, a waste paper company and a five-a-side football centre.
Continue reading on Page 2 to see how the midfield lined up
Right Wing: Peter Lorimer
Incredibly Lorimer made his debut for Leeds United at the age of 15! He was a regular in the side at the age of 19 and went on to make over 500 appearances for the club. He earned nicknames like HotShot and Thunderboots due to his powerful shooting, a penalty he once took had a recorded speed of 107mph. After his retirement he has remained very active with the club, and is on the board of directors as a fans’ representative. He writes a column in the club’s matchday programme and acts as a summariser on every Leeds away game for Yorkshire Radio, he also owns a pub in the Holbeck area of Leeds.
Centre Midfield: Johnny Giles
Before Brian Clough was appointed Leeds manager, Don Revie who was his predecessor had recommended that Giles who was nearly 34 at the time be given the job when Revie became England manager. However the board went for Clough and one of the main reasons why Clough was dismissed was because the players had wanted Giles to be in charge. Now Giles works as a pundit for RTE’s Premier Soccer Saturday back in his homeland of Ireland, he is also the leading football analyst on Irish radio station Newstalk 106.
Centre Midfield: Billy Bremner
Voted Leeds’ greatest player of all-time, the football world was in deep mourning when he died in December 1997. In his honour a statue was erected outside Elland Road, which has become a prominent part of the ground. The Scotsman made over 550 appearances for the club and has been inducted into both the English Football Hall Of Fame and the Scottish Football Hall Of Fame. Bremner was a tenacious player and gave everything he could every time he pulled on a Leeds shirt.
Left Wing: Eddie Gray
Gray was very much a ‘one-club man’ spending his entire career at Elland Road, which lasted 18 years. He scored what many people call to be the greatest ever Leeds goal against Burnley, which was solo run from the byline by using a combination of tricks. After he hung up his boots, being a ‘one-club man’ he naturally went on to manage Leeds but resigned after three years, he went on to manage Whitby Town, Rochdale and Hull before return to manage Leeds once again as a caretaker manger in 2003. When the club were relegated from the Premiership he again left Leeds and now he works for Yorkshire Radio as a matchday analyst.
Continue reading on Page 3 to see how the strikers lined up
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Striker: Allan Clarke
Recognised as one of English football’s greatest ever goalscorers, he made over 250 appearances for the club. When he tried his hand in football management in 1978 as a player-manager of Barnsley and then moved on to his former club Leeds but unfortunately they were relegated under his leadership in 1982. He then had spells managing Scunthorpe, Barnsley again and finally Lincoln City in 1990; from 1993 he pursued business interests being a travelling salesman for West Yorkshire firm MTS Nationwide.
Striker: Joe Jordan
The man they famously called ‘Jaws’ due to his lack of front teeth, Joe Jordan spent eight years at Leeds before enjoying spells at Manchester United and AC Milan. He was never really a prolific scorer but his presence upfront is what made him such an asset, he is the only Scottish player to have scored in three World Cups – 1974, 1978 and 1982. Currently is the assistant manager of Tottenham and previously worked with Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth as part of his coaching staff.
Liverpool look set to welcome the return of captain Steven Gerrard shortly after the England midfielder spent an extended period on the sidelines with a serious groin injury, but how will his return effect the shape of the side? With Suarez now unquestionably top dog, will Carroll be the one to make way in this Liverpool side’s ever-evolving line-up?
Kenny Dalglish has shown himself to be an extremely difficult manager to read when it comes to team selection since his return to the managerial seat at Anfield. While many may have questioned whether his ethos had become outdated during his time away from the game, he’s actually been rather proactive and versatile when it comes to individual selections and the formations he’s picked, with the Scot never afraid to mix it up and do the unexpected.
Liverpool, for my money at least, have performed best with Suarez as the focal point of their attack. Having a false number nine up top has brought the best out those around him.
With Andy Carroll in the side, though, Liverpool have looked, ponderous, slow in possession and lacking in ideas going forward. This is not entirely down to the Geordie front man alone, it’s just that his style of play seems to be in direct contrast to what gets the best out of the rest of the side at the moment.
Carroll still looks to be struggling for fitness on top of that and dare I say it, carrying an extra pound or two to truly trouble a defender in anything other than the air at the moment. While I may not place too much stock in the premature talk of him being a ‘flop’, he does look short of match fitness and a tad on the leggy side. Dropping him from the starting eleven may not be what’s best for him, but at the moment it may be what’s best for the rest of the side.
In his absence, Suarez took up the mantle and ran with it. The diminutive Uruguayan managed to bring the best out of Dirk Kuyt as an attacking force and the two’s link play has been simply superb at times. Although the Dutchman‘s starting place has most often been taken away at the expense of Carroll when he‘s started, he‘s both a hard-working defensive winger that offers a threat going forward and should be a regular starter.
Stewart Downing’s ability to deliver from both wings, coupled with his work ethic should ensure that his stay in the starting eleven is a prolonged one. He can frustratingly drift in and out of game at the moment, but on the whole, his form has been decent.
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The middle of midfield is where the true selection headache lies, with two of Lucas, Henderson, Adam and the returning skipper Gerrard to pick from. It well and truly depends on whether Dalglish persists with Carroll and Suarez up top for the time being. Should he choose to drop Carroll for now, an extra spot opens up and with it, a place for Gerrard.
Lucas will most certainly get the nod due to his dependability both positionally and in the tackle, with the fact that he’s the club’s only recognised holding midfielder surely not going unnoticed. He’s been an ever-present since Dalglish’s return and the Scot is thought to rate him highly.
Charlie Adam always seems to make some sort of mark on the game and his passing ability from the middle and vision to spot the darting runs of Downing and Suarez further forward add an extra dimension to Liverpool’s attacking play.
Henderson offers versatility, dynamism and vision, however, he is yet to fully lay down his marker in the side. His versatility, while his biggest strength and part of the reason why Dalglish pursued his signature with such vigour in the summer, could also turn out to be his biggest hindrance. He lacks positional discipline, partly due to his inexperience and he as such, he lacks a discernible role in the side as yet.
Gerrard has shown himself to be a more than capable second-striker, particularly during his destructive partnership with Fernando Torres. He is perhaps the best one-on-one finisher in the country and he’d be ideally suited, in the years to come, to eventually becoming a predatory striker.
During the ill-fated Hodgson reign, Gerrard tried to reinvent himself as a Xabi-Alonso styled player. A deep-lying playmaker of sorts. The result was that in order to try and drop back and instigate play, Gerrard left a Gerrard-shaped hole further forward up the pitch to finish off these moves off. The arrival and emergence of Suarez has now changed this. So too has the arrival of Charlie Adam, though, and the need for Gerrard the quarterback is no more.
The England midfielder has often seen himself as a conventional central midfielder, but his best form of his career for both club and country has come either on the right wing, in a free role or as a second striker. He’s simply not the player he wants to be. The temptation to try the ‘Hollywood’ pass at every given opportunity means his strengths don’t suit those traditionally associated with that of a quarterbacking midfielder.
Liverpool are still a side going through a transitional phase. Results such as the deeply disappointing defeat to Spurs at the weekend are not uncommon through such a period and there will be more of them over the course of a long campaign.
The temptation to thrust an unfit Gerrard into the team will be great, but so far Dalglish has sensibly erred on the side of caution. However, there will come a time in the near future when Gerrard is raring to go and a decision will need to be made.
The club has often been derided in the past as a one-man or two-man team. With the emergence of Luis Suarez as a key figure over the last few months, Liverpool’s best performances have coincided with him as the lone front man.
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Whether that makes them a one-man team again remains to be seen, but the Liverpool of old appears to have gone and in order to get the best out the talent available, Gerrard may have to adjust, albeit in a familiar role, to the new one-man team at the club, even if that means leaving £35m worth of striker on the bench for the foreseeable future.
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