Source: Daily_Mail
Jamie Redknapp's weekend watch: Stop messing with Gerrard, Rafa
Messing with StevieDon't get me wrong, StevenGerrard was not at his bestagain yesterday, but he's hardlybeing given the platform by hismanager Rafa Benitez. I'm not sureif Stevie played in three, or was it fourdifferent positions against United. That's noway to treat your best players. Give him aplatform, trust him with the role and watchhim play. It's not as if he hasn't proved that before.[LNB] Dejected: Gerrard[LNB]Midfield monsters While Gerrard struggled, itwas another imperiousperformance from DarrenFletcher (right). United losttheir past three gamesagainst Liverpool when hewasn't playing and, once again, you couldsee he has become an influential playerfor them. Another Manchester midfielderin good nick is Patrick Vieira. He rolledback the years against a tired Fulham.[LNB]On fire: John Carew[LNB]Finding talent It's not often in the moderngame that Barclays PremierLeague clubs look down thedivisions to find a player. WhenWolves signed ex-Millwall traineeMatt Jarvis from Gillingham itwould barely have made a paragraph in the'Screamer' transfer column in this paper.Jarvis looks like an old-fashioned winger, wholoves to wriggle along the line and is creating chances for his team. [LNB]Checking CarewI'm not sure I'd like to be acentre back trying to markJohn Carew. I know hewas helped by the assistantreferee at Villa Park when hewas offside for one of his goals, butthe man is like a heading machine. When theball is up in the air, he'll win it, so defendershave to work on the second ball. Villa aretoo one-dimensional without Gabby Agbonlahor, though. [LNB]English goalsTwo goals for Darren Bentof Sunderland tookhim to 20 for the season andnow three of the top fourstrikers in the goals list areEnglish; Bent, Wayne Rooney andJermain Defoe. Only Didier Drogba is inamong them. In a World Cup year that hasto be good news for Fabio Capello, althoughBent has the most to do if he's to gatecrash the squad. [LNB]Hapless HammersFour defeats in a row for WestHam, who are in therelegation quicksand. What abig game they have againstWolves tomorrow, when theywill need Premier League-qualitydisplays from their big players, especiallyScott Parker and Carlton Cole, whowere both strangely rested at Arsenal. Mightthey have got a point against 10 men with their best players? [LNB] Clever: Eidur Gudjohnsen [LNB]Gud newsEidur Gudjohnsen is aclever footballer. He plays inthat pocket between thestriker and the midfield andfinds space, just like WayneRooney. He'll be a big player duringthe run-in for Tottenham and that was a bigimpact he made at Stoke, scoring the first goalwith a clinical finish and then a smart dummywhich led to the winner. I'm certain there willbe more to come.[LNB] More from Jamie Redknapp... Jamie Redknapp's Match Plan: Didier Drogba's desire to get close is vital15/03/10 Jamie Redknapp: Tottenham's Gareth Bale finally showing his true colours14/03/10 Jamie Redknapp's Weekend Watch: Theo Walcott needs more than pace07/03/10 JAMIE REDKNAPP: Peter Crouch is an England giant in more ways than one04/03/10 Jamie Redknapp's weekend watch: Unlucky break but Ryan's not to blame28/02/10 JAMIE REDKNAPP'S WEEKEND WATCH: No surprise Pienaar is wanted21/02/10 Jamie Redknapp's weekend watch: O'Hara proves he's a class act14/02/10 Jamie Redknapp's Weekend Watch: Hungry Kuyt's flying for Liverpool07/02/10 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE[LNB] [LNB]
