Sunday, 27 December 2009

STEVEN GERRARD: Time to give Liverpool FC's skipper a break

Football - West Bromwich Albion v Liverpool Barclays Premier League

I WAS working for the Wolves game so only caught glimpses of the match in between subbing match reports.

But what I did see of the game, and on Match of the Day later, encouraged me in terms of Steven Gerrard. The skipper has come under fire from some fans for his patchy form this season, not helped of course by injury problems. Questioning his form and fitness is fine, but for me some people have gone too far, with fans suggesting he should be stripped of the captaincy and even sold!

Central to these views has been accusations that Gerrard doesn't care, has given up, isn't behind the manager and so on.

I often think Steven pays a price for the fact that he has been so good for so long. Fans now expect an Olympiakos performance every week - anything less and he's criticised and questioned.

He's subject to a different level of scrutiny to every other player at the club.

Against Wolves there were signs that Gerrard's form is taking a step in the right direction. His shooting was better, he flew into a couple of trademark tackles and with the confidence gleaned from his performance, the flicks and tricks started to come off, too.

Then of course there was the goal. For anyone questioning his commitment to the cause, just watch that goal again. It was a tempting and teasing ball from the improved Emiliano Inusa but make no mistake, Gerrard was very much second favourite to reach it, never mind score from it.

The determination to make something of it was etched across his face as he outjumped two Wolves defenders to put the header in. And the celebration too was an outpouring of relief and frustration.

If he didn't want it, he wouldn't have scored, it's that simple.

Has he been feeling the pain of a poor season? Of course he has. This is a club that he has been a key part of for 11 years and supported all his life, why wouldn't he?

Now let's end all this talk of doubting his commitment and hope the skipper is on his way back to his best. A fit and firing Steven Gerrard will go a long way to getting Liverpool back on track.
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Posted by robbohuyton at 12:29

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magnum's avatar

magnum · 794 weeks ago

I agree but one game is not enough to say he is back. Let's see how things go in the Villa match. I'm not sure his groin is actually 100% yet!
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badger's avatar

badger · 794 weeks ago

sentiment aside I think gerrard and carraghar are past there sell buy date
1 reply · active 794 weeks ago
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robbohuyton 61p · 794 weeks ago

Carragher has hardly put a foot wrong since a brilliant performance against Manchester United so I don't know what that is based on. Gerrard, as I said in the post, has suffered with injuries and a loss of form. Past it at 29 though? Don't think so. If he was made available for transfer clubs would be snapping our hands off for him.
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Pommer's avatar

Pommer · 794 weeks ago

Badger you are a joke. Gerrard was the best player in the league last year by a mile and now he is suddenly past it? Idiotic comments from you. He has missed 6 weeks of the season through injury and is still playing catch up. Gerrard is an easy target for abuse.
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Mikemaniac · 794 weeks ago

Play Gerrard in the middle with Aquilani and play Benayoun behind Torres up front. Drop Kuyt and play Kelly or Degen at RB and put Johnson on the right wing instead.
Liverpool have had a terrible season so far, so continuing with the same players in the same formation will achieve very little other than more points dropped and a mid table finish. Liverpool have the players, all we need is a manager prepared to gamble a few times and change things around when as this season things aren't working. I'm sure Gerrard will excel back in the middle of the pitch.
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jonathan · 794 weeks ago

Sell Steve G! whoever say's anything of the sort should be shot in the head. He was, is, and will be the heart beat of this club for some time I hope. Lets not forget that he is now playing in a much more advanced roll so it is a lot harder for him to dictate the game as he used to so easily. He was not needed there with alonso in the middle but i think that that is where he belongs now, thats where we need him reading and dectating the game with great vision and driving passes bursting into the box then getting back to win the ball too. Mikemaniac is 100% Right Gerrard in the middle Lucas (no vision) on the bench.
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Mike's avatar

Mike · 794 weeks ago

Why would anyone think gerrard is past it? He is still one of the best players in the world both him and carragher are once again turning out to be our best players this season. I think carraghers age shows as he is taking longer to get started in the season but now you can see his desire to perform is something i want to see out of all the players. you can see why babel hasn't become the player true fans want to see and why kuyt is.
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robbohuyton 61p · 794 weeks ago

Gary B (via email): I agree with that mate, however I just want to make one slightly related point. It isn’t Gerrard’s fault at all, but consider this scenario. Gerrard plays a misplaced pass or shoots well off target. Majority of the crowd give him encouragement. That’s fine, how it should be, get behind the lads etc. Now if that player was Lucas, the reverse happens.. maybe not as bad as last season, but it still does. Even yesterday, when for periods the players (including Gerrard) were treating the ball like a hot potato, Lucas had a couple of shots from outside the box.. They were both shite, but I thought, “good on you lad, for having a go”, after all if you don’t shoot you don’t score (ask Lampard – of the half of his goals that aren’t pens, half of those are deflected). People around me were screaming blue murder at Lucas for having a shot. I think ALL our players should get support if not playing well (or if not playing to their normal level), not just Gerrard, Carra, Torres and Mascherano. That’s all that seems to happen, everyone else seems to be fair game to the crowd.
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afaris's avatar

afaris · 793 weeks ago

exactly what i thought robbo. if it was torres who had miskick, they would laugh about it,but if was lucas, they would be screaming their heads off.how is that fair?

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