Quality Midfield.....5 Years on

ynwa wrote:Sahin is not a Liverpool player yet.

Henderson, Allen, Lucas, Suso, Shelvey and Gerrard is a great midfield though - with great potential. Add Sahin to that and it's immense.

Adam and Spearing have no future in the midfield of Liverpool in my opinion.

iftikhar wrote:One thing keeps bothering is what will happen to Joe if Sahin is signed. Not only they fill the same spot (though not in similar style), we can field only three MF with Lucas & Gerrard taking two of those.

I have a soft spot for Jay but Adam must leave in case Sahin does come.

RedOranje wrote:I would expect Lucas, Gerrard, Sahin, and Allen to all start together much of the time. Otherwise it will likely be Sahin and Gerrard rotating due to Gerrard's injury issues in the past couple of seasons.

iftikhar wrote:

RedOranje wrote:I would expect Lucas, Gerrard, Sahin, and Allen to all start together much of the time. Otherwise it will likely be Sahin and Gerrard rotating due to Gerrard's injury issues in the past couple of seasons.

How can four MF feature in 433! Are you suggesting Gerrard will be part of attack (SS as in days of Torres) along with Suarez & Borini!

RedOranje wrote:I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see Gerrard start in one of the free-floating wide forward roles at times. I also wouldn't be surprised to see a tweaked formation at times, with the line-up being somewhere between a 4-1-2-1-2 and 4-3-3 at times, with Gerrard in behind to the two more forward attackers.

Le Samourai wrote:Do you think it would be completely crazy to try Gerrard as a CF?


He would still roam...it would just require he score more goals.

Stevie and me! Gerrard's a role model who's guided me from day one, says Liverpool's rising star Shelvey
By Dominic King
PUBLISHED: 21:30 GMT, 7 September 2012 | UPDATED: 21:30 GMT, 7 September 2012

Jonjo Shelvey was savouring the finest night of his fledgling England career when talk switched to his first meeting with the current senior captain.

The Liverpool midfielder does not lack for confidence and there was a noticeable swagger in his step on Thursday night after he played a starring role for the Under-21s, scoring one and creating the other in a crucial 2-0 win over Azerbaijan.

When Steven Gerrard’s name cropped up, though, there was a noticeable, respectful shift in his tone, one that compelled him to tell a story about an encounter on his first day at Anfield that left an indelible, inspiring mark.

‘When I first joined Liverpool, I went up to see what the place was like and have a good look around the training ground,’ recalled Shelvey, who cost Liverpool £2million when they signed him from Charlton in May 2010.
‘We were on the tour and I had just met Rafa Benitez, when I was told to walk into one of the changing rooms. All of a sudden, Stevie is standing there, waiting to say “hello”.

'I’d grown up watching him, so to see him in front of me I was thinking “jeez, is this for real?”
‘A few months later we were playing against a great Napoli side in the Europa League. We were losing 1-0 and he came on and scored a hat-trick in 45 minutes. It was unbelievable. He’s the same off the pitch, a great man.’

Such have been the strides Shelvey has taken in the past two years, he has gone from an awestruck teenager to one of Gerrard’s regular golfing partners at their local course – “I’ve beaten him a few times,” he says with a mischievous smile – but this is not a relationship he takes for granted.
Shelvey is ambitious and clearly has belief he will one day graduate from the Under 21s to join the senior set up but daily training sessions alongside a man who last night in Moldova represented his country for the 97th time provide a sobering a reminder of how far he has to go.

‘Stevie is a great role model,’ said Shelvey, whose career began in the Academies of Arsenal and West Ham before he joined Charlton.
‘He’s been doing it for club and country for years. The way he plays is fantastic and to have him as my captain is immense. He is a lot different to Jamie Carragher.

‘You hear Carra a lot more on the pitch and that may leave some people saying “why is Stevie captain and not Carra?” But he is just different.

'He leads by example. It’s those times when we have been searching for a crucial goal and he’s dug in to get us out of difficulty.’

Given how influential Shelvey was in Baku, with his subtle range of passing and precise set plays, he is odds-on to retain his starting place against Norway on Monday in Chesterfield, when England will aim to secure the victory that will enhance their prospects of reaching Euro 2013.
For the 20-year-old, who was born in Romford, it will provide another opportunity to build on the encouraging start he has made to the campaign, as Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has looked to give him, and other youngsters Martin Kelly and Raheem Sterling, more responsibility.

‘It was important to try and show the gaffer what I can do and it was nice to be involved with the goals,’ said Shelvey. ‘I want to play when I come on these trips.

'There is nothing worse than leaving your family behind, training all week and then not getting selected.
‘I haven’t started too many games for the Under-21s (Thursday was only his fifth appearance), so it was nice to get the goal and set the other (for Steven Caulker) up.
‘I’ve had a good summer and the new manager at Liverpool has shown that he is going to give young players a lot of opportunities. It’s going to benefit me, Kells, Raheem and Hendo (Jordan Henderson).

'The past year has been very good but it is not something that you can rest on.

One day... Shelvey hopes to graduate to the senior setup at England
‘I was watching the Euros during the summer and it just makes you want to get to that level. It was great that Hendo and Kells travelled with the team and were part of that. It’s not every day you see your mates play for England.

'But you need to push yourself and I want to get to that level.’
Those words will be well received, both at Anfield and St George’s Park, as Pearce believes Shelvey has reached an age now where he has got to start imposing himself on games and setting the tone.

His efforts in Baku, then, were certainly a step forward.
‘Without being too critical or putting too much pressure on him, let’s say it’s time for Jonjo to deliver,’ said Pearce.

‘He has had a good pre-season and has caught Brendan’s eye. I was looking forward to see him play against Azerbaijan and he did very well.
‘He got a goal and it is now a case of discovering what type of player he is. He needs to decide how he is best going to influence matches.

'There is plenty to work with. He is a real keen lad, who wants to improve. I’m blessed as there are so many like that in the squad.’