I think a fit Allen on top form could step up to run our midfield, there's no shame in saying he's much quicker and better at controlling the game than Gerrard, it remains to be seen if he can turn it on against the bigger sides, but its great seeing him strut his stuff against Norwich and West Ham - Various posters have described him as being a "controller" and I think that's spot on. He can dictate tempo and play with his accurate passing and his ability to create space for himself - something that our other mid-fielder's simply don't do enough, one of our main problems at the moment is the lack of midfield control, if you want pinpoint balls to the wings and strikers, and pull your team out of trouble when they need it, then Gerrards your man, but if you want someone to keep the ball well, and control the midfield with pressing, off the ball play and intelligent distribution, then you need someone like Joe Allen, as that isn't really Gerrards skillset, as good a player as he might be. I don't feel Lucas has been the same player as before he was injured. Allen might not be the whole answer to our midfield woes, but he can certainly go some way to regaining a measure of control in our midfield.