Reds legend David Fairclough has called on Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers to play reserve team striker Adam Morgan against West Ham in the Premier League this weekend.
With top scorer Luis Suarez suspended for the game (after his embarrassing attempt to score with his hand against Southampton last weekend), Liverpool have no other first team strikers available to take his place.
Jonjo Shelvey has played up front a couple of times this season, but Fairclough - who won three European Cups during his time at Anfield - believes Morgan is ready. He told LFC TV:
"I think away from home you can take a risk on Adam Morgan. He’s a 'lone ranger' who will give his all. Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen started off in away games, and so did I. Why not just give him a chance, and tell him to get on the end of everything he can".
Ex-Reds defender Mark Wright was a little more cautious than Fairclough. He noted:
"I think the boy has a future. He’s a natural goalscorer; he gets into the box into good positions. It’s a major step up from the reserves to the first team. Is he ready? If he’s to play as a sole striker, he perhaps needs to hold the ball up better, and bring others into the game more"
Fairclough isn't the only ex-Red who's rooting for Morgan. Former Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie is a fan of the youngster, and recently made a flattering comparison to another Anfield great. He enthused:
"I've likened him [Morgan] to John Aldridge more than anyone else I've seen. Every time I've watched him, whether it's live or on TV, he's always in and around the 18 yard box to score goals. As a striker, that's a great trait to have, and he looks as if he's got it".
Morgan is not just a goal-poacher though, he has other qualities to his game, as Gillespie explained:
"There's other things to his game too; he's got two good feet; his workrate is pretty good; he'll run the channels for you and close people down".
Michael Owen was only 17 when he made his first-team debut for Liverpool, and the young trio of Andre Wisdom, Raheem Sterling and Suso have done well in the pressurised environment of the Premier League.
I don't see the sense in playing a midfielder out of position up front. How are players like Morgan going to progress if they're ignored when enticing opportunities arise?
Suarez plays through the middle as a central striker, as does Morgan, so he would fit right into the team, and finally get a chance in his preferred position.
If, on the day, it's not working, then just sub him off. After all, as we saw with Suso recently, Rodgers has no compunction about subbing off young players in the first half of games.
Whether it's Morgan, Yesil or some other young player, I hope we see a striker covering the striker's role on Sunday.
Jaimie Kanwar
With top scorer Luis Suarez suspended for the game (after his embarrassing attempt to score with his hand against Southampton last weekend), Liverpool have no other first team strikers available to take his place.
Jonjo Shelvey has played up front a couple of times this season, but Fairclough - who won three European Cups during his time at Anfield - believes Morgan is ready. He told LFC TV:
"I think away from home you can take a risk on Adam Morgan. He’s a 'lone ranger' who will give his all. Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen started off in away games, and so did I. Why not just give him a chance, and tell him to get on the end of everything he can".
Ex-Reds defender Mark Wright was a little more cautious than Fairclough. He noted:
"I think the boy has a future. He’s a natural goalscorer; he gets into the box into good positions. It’s a major step up from the reserves to the first team. Is he ready? If he’s to play as a sole striker, he perhaps needs to hold the ball up better, and bring others into the game more"
Fairclough isn't the only ex-Red who's rooting for Morgan. Former Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie is a fan of the youngster, and recently made a flattering comparison to another Anfield great. He enthused:
"I've likened him [Morgan] to John Aldridge more than anyone else I've seen. Every time I've watched him, whether it's live or on TV, he's always in and around the 18 yard box to score goals. As a striker, that's a great trait to have, and he looks as if he's got it".
Morgan is not just a goal-poacher though, he has other qualities to his game, as Gillespie explained:
"There's other things to his game too; he's got two good feet; his workrate is pretty good; he'll run the channels for you and close people down".
Michael Owen was only 17 when he made his first-team debut for Liverpool, and the young trio of Andre Wisdom, Raheem Sterling and Suso have done well in the pressurised environment of the Premier League.
I don't see the sense in playing a midfielder out of position up front. How are players like Morgan going to progress if they're ignored when enticing opportunities arise?
Suarez plays through the middle as a central striker, as does Morgan, so he would fit right into the team, and finally get a chance in his preferred position.
If, on the day, it's not working, then just sub him off. After all, as we saw with Suso recently, Rodgers has no compunction about subbing off young players in the first half of games.
Whether it's Morgan, Yesil or some other young player, I hope we see a striker covering the striker's role on Sunday.
Jaimie Kanwar
i think yesil is the better one of those two, but we have so many young players i cant wait to see whos striking !! So many young talantet players :)
ReplyDeleteRogers didn't take any of those two to Italy- only Suarez, I think we'll go for false no9(Shelvey).
ReplyDeleteWould prefer natural attacker from the youth squad, but I think someone telling him what to do is actually counterproductive, and of course if nobody does he'll just do what he thinks, so we are left with the hope he'll get it right...
And Shelvey false 9 isn't such a bad idea after all..
Anti-Liverpool minister of propaganda Jimmy K*ntwar strikes again.
ReplyDeleteNgoo looks promising, should've taken him to Italy to try him out if the occasion arose...
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with him!
ReplyDeleteI have seen Morgan play many times for the reserves and i don't think he is ready yet, instead i would like to see Ngoo getting a chance. Ngoo has been only striker in the reserves who has played consistently well.
ReplyDeleteMorgan is scoring goals but that is down to the Adorjan and Pacheco who are creating ridiculous amounts of chances for him.
Surely it will be Yesil ahead of Morgan.
ReplyDeleteCool name, but you're banned nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteYou bothered to put an *, didn't see the ban coming?
ReplyDeleteDont get why u always have to put a little dug in about luis instead of just stating the guy is banned, totally disagree on that comment, as a sunday league player of many years myself i know a bit about playing the game & what luis did was just pure instict, give the guy a break jamie & lets hear something positive about this awesome playet
ReplyDeleteNeither Morgan or Yesil are ready... waste of a sub, Jonjo all the way!!!
ReplyDeletepure instinct like luis did in the world cup in South Africa where he thought he suddenly was the goal keeper and used his hands to stop a goal from Ghana? Respect Luis Suarez yeah i do but i will be brutally honest to say that he has momentary lapses of concentration.
ReplyDeleteHilarious Jaimie, love it!!!!
ReplyDeleteJonjo Shelvey with Gerrard playing off him in a 3-5-2 formation.
ReplyDeleteS Africa was a choice- let them score or do something against rules, get punished and maybe benefit from it. It is no different than a "smart foul" on the midfield- just bigger consequence, and as it turned out biggest benefit...
ReplyDeleteIn those 5 you've got 2 on flanks, Lucas, Allen and?
ReplyDeleteEnrique and Johnson. If we need to we can change the system 2nd half and bring on a fresh Sterling
ReplyDeletelol oh you RAWK-ites and your paranoia
ReplyDeletethey are on the flanks, plus allen, lucas, i asked for the fifth.
ReplyDeleteSahin.
ReplyDeletegood one, with suso and sterling coming in the second if needed...
ReplyDeletewould be great to see sterling come off the bench...
ReplyDelete