Luis Garcia, Harry Kewell and Steven Gerrard have all being absent from Rafa's preferred roles for them for the vast majority of the season.
Using Rafa's 2005-06 system as the basis for what he presumably would have done with a fully fit squad this season, we have Mascherano, Sissoko and Xabi being rotated between two central midfield slots, and Gerrard, Kewell and Luis Garcia playing in the two wide-based free role slots going forward.
Kewell has been out all year, Garcia half the year, and Gerrard has spent much of the season covering for other players' absences in the centre of midfield - though some may argue that is his best position, I feel he is at his most dangerous attacking in a free role. Granted, against major opposition, we might want him in the centre of the park, but against 95% of teams, i'd have him on the 'right' hand side, attacking all across the final third.
Perhaps we do need an extra, fourth player to cover this role - of the three we have, there have been occasions when none have been available, but much like the fourth option in the middle (Zenden), we need someone who is willing to bide their time and accept that they are cover.
Unless one of the three (SG, HK, LG) leaves in the summer, I can't see us signing an Aimar or a Tevez, but i'd be interested to see if we can pick up someone who is aging, or a promising, if not quite ready to play week-in-week-out youngster.
