My mate who is a Liverpool fan said when we signed him we got a steal for the money and was gutted that he left, not because he thought he was a first team player at the time but had the potential to be a very good player in the premiership. He said even though he is not the quality of Gerrard but was in the same mould as him, bar Gerrard is a c@nt, and would have liked him to stay in case of injuries.
When Guthrie signed in the premiership he didn't perform but then he didn't play week in week out, but then most didn't perform. This season he has been stuck out wide and everybody agrees that isn't his best position, and now in the centre of midfield he is showing what he is made of, a decent run, a bit faith in the lad and he will show what he can do in the top flight.
For me it is a tough on on where to play him, either as a holding midfielder or creative midfielder, but think he would be better in the Smith role and then go after somebody who could play the Emre role, with the pace of Lovernkrands, Jonas and Routledge we could be a half decent team, who could counter attack or take the game to other teams.