NOT ALL MONEYBALL IS CREATED EQUAL:

Reds see off Toon (ESPN Soccernet)

Gerrard replaced Adam just before the hour and the captain's first involvement was to whip in a near-post cross which almost picked out Carroll.

When the England midfielder did find the unmarked striker in five yards of space in the penalty area the £35million signing's first touch let him down badly.

Carroll played a decoy role in Liverpool's second goal but the decisive move came from Danny Simpson. [...]

Not to be outdone Gerrard popped up with a trademark third goal in the 77th minute when he ran from deep to collect Henderson's through-ball and side-foot an angled shot past Krul from the left of the penalty area.

It capped an improved second-half performance and helped ease some of the frustration which had been building up at Anfield.

Liverpool fans couldn't help but be curious as the club stockpiled midfielders--and practically nothing else--all Summer. Even curioser was the similarity of the players added. Charlie Adam, Stuart Downing or Jordan Henderson would have made nice additions, but if you play them all at the same time they don't make much sense. They all want to be on the ball and, despite Downing's reputation as a crosser and Adam's from the set piece, haven't provided much service to the forwards. The season-long injury to Gerrard and the later loss of Lucas compounded the problem, taking two very different players out of the midfield and making it all the easier to default to playing the new signings. The problem, of course, is that not only did those three have trouble converting in the offensive end, but it forced Kuyt and Maxi off the field, two serious offensive threats.

But it was only a matter of minutes after the return of Gerrard that you saw how a midfield can work with its forwards, why the club spent on Carroll and why the captain is one of the greats of the game. Every time he touched the ball, Gerrard looked for his big striker. Carroll immediately started getting shots on goal and, while he still lacks the sort of strike partner who will clean up the balls he heads down, that opened room for everyone else, which Gerrard promptly took advantage of for his goal.

A healthy Gerrard and a suspended Suarez offer a golden opportunity to jump-start the Liverpool offense. Put Carroll and Kuyt up front with Gerrard playing just behind them. Rotate Maxi, Downing and Henderson in the middle of the field, with Adam or Spearing filling the Lucas role in front of Agger and Skrtel. Personally, I'd sell Glen Johnson while he's healthy and looking decent, but if you play him on the right and Enrique on the left you have two very dangerous offensive defenders. The rest is just a matter of being confident enough to always be trying to score, instead of hanging on for draws and being satisfied not to lose.