Once Liverpool had gotten FIFA to agree, getting the FA to nod its head was a formality – and now they have Mascherano lined up to strut his stuff for the Anfield faithful.
The shocker (for me at least) is the lack of fanfare that will surround this – everyone is waiting to see what Mascherano does for Liverpool before placing any bets. After his spectacular failure to get a chance to perform at West Ham, the wild hype that had surrounded Mascherano last summer has finally died down.
Mascherano will be competing for one of the two (or three) central midfield berths, and as such that causes two problems:
- Mascherano is a defensive midfielder, less ‘hack-you-down’ than Sissoko but also less silky than Alonso. He’s a team player and works hard in midfield, somewhat in the Hargreaves mould if you want a direct comparison. His presence will give Liverpool much needed backup but also reinforce Rafa’s rotational policy, which will NOT help them win the title next season.
- Another central midfielder means that Gerrard will now be shunted permanently to the right, which is bad for England and potentially bad for Liverpool as well.
What do you guys think?
What can Mascherano bring to the pitch for Liverpool that they’ve lacked before?
Is more rotation a good thing?
Should Gerrard play on the right or in the middle?
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