Funnneeeee 'slams' Gerrard for inability to be a defensive midfielder

[Ranxerox]

 

We have few options, and Rodgers has basically taken his eye off the ball, allowing his personal life to override his professional one. She must be some fucking pussy. This is the exact WRONG time for the manager to have a mid life fucking crisis. However, the buck stops with him. Surely all this was in the submitted dossier, and Henry is ok with it all? Just sayin'.

 

[VladimirIlyich]

The only thing of Gerrard's that's inferior to Lampard is his body mass index.

 

Conclusive proof this thread of why loyalty in football is a load of my arse and only expected to go in one direction. Suarez is in his prime - fuck him for wanting to leave - Gerrard is slowing down - fuck him for wanting to play. Ours when we want you, dismissed when you're slowing down or old. By all means, we should have a DM, Gerrard should only be playing in crucial matches, but (a) none of that is his fault and ( 2) there's a respectful way to approach it. We're talking about him here as though he should just be 'dispensed' with. It's the kind of talk Carra was getting before he packed in and I don't blame him for leaving when he did either. Gerrard probably should have quit with his head high before the World Cup.

I think you are being a bit unfair although I agree completely that its not Gerrard's fault.

I honestly believe Gerrard has plenty still to offer but not in the DM role. Again you are correct in saying Gerrard is a much better player than Lampard so why isnt he getting the chance to show it by playing in a similar role? Lampard would be cack in Stevie's current role himself but who would be stupid enough to play Lampard there?

The Basel game was crying out for a bit of magic from somebody,maybe somebody who almost single handedly won an FA Cup or who was a big part of a European Cup winning team from 3 0 down while playing a chunk of it from right back?

Lets not let one of our best players of all time fade like a low wattage lightbulb,lets polish him like a diamond and put him where he belongs and for all to see.

[therevivalist]

I have less of an issue Gerrard playing that role, but not every game. You pick and choose depending on oppostion and fitness. Of course we needed another midfielder, but Rodgers wanted more attacking players. Last time I checked people on here hammered Hodgson for playing Gerrard and Henderson in a two, but Rodgers does it and it is Gerrard fault.

 

Rodgers needs to stop gushing about Gerrard though, it makes him look weak. Not sure what it does for morale in the squad which is a bigger worry. When one player makes a mistake and gets slated and another gets praised and their faults overlooked.

It makes him look weak or naive or both. Rodgers needs to open his eyes to the elephant in the room. He needs to drop Gerrard as a DM as soon as Can and Allen become available again. For the long term, though, a world class DM should be the priority in the next window. I still believe Rodgers is smart enough to rectify the situation but he needs to act fast. He does not have too much time to dither in this fickle business that has little tolerance for poor results.

[stringvest]

It makes him look weak or naive or both. Rodgers needs to open his eyes to the elephant in the room. He needs to drop Gerrard as a DM as soon as Can and Allen become available again. For the long term, though, a world class DM should be the priority in the next window. I still believe Rodgers is smart enough to rectify the situation but he needs to act fast. He does not have too much time to dither in this fickle business that has little tolerance for poor results.

 

Sadly, he wasn't smart enough to rectify the attacker issue.  

[Section_31]

Sadly, he wasn't smart enough to rectify the attacker issue.

Or the DM one, which has been an issue for years.

[Gym Beglin]

Lets not let one of our best players of all time fade like a low wattage lightbulb,lets polish him like a diamond and put him where he belongs and for all to see.

I agree, Rodgers seems to think that he's doing Gerrard a favour by persisting with this.

 

He's not, he's sullying his name, people like me are asking questions, other teams are laughing, this is a poor choice of exit strategy for someone as gifted as Gerrard with the ball at his feet.

 

This is someone who's scored 197 goals for Liverpool and England, I think we can find a place for him in the attacking part of our team at the moment, for Christs''s' sake's''s

[Mr T]

I think there is some revisionism going on here.

 

Gerrard was turned into our deep-lying play maker because he wasn't able to do the business as part of a two man midfield. This is understandable - very few players have the physicality to play that role nowadays. 

 

Combining him with a mixture of Henderson, Allen, Coutinho and Sterling in some sort of diamond, with Suarez and Sturride infront, meant we could steam roller teams without them coming back at us too much and exposing Gerrard. Now that our attack is effectively blunt and teams are attacking us again we look exposed to fuck with him there. This is nothing new, the Everton game last year at Goodison - an equally gung-ho team tore us to shreds.

 

There's no point just saying "play him further forward" - where? At the tip of a diamond? He's not brilliant with his back to goal. On the side of the diamond? He's got to run back and forth all day long. As a second striker? Really?

 

Now that his engine has gone the spine of the diamond looked the least worst place for him and everyone was saying how it was a masterstroke. But now it's a terrible idea and he should be moved further forwards, ignoring the basic reason he was moved back there in the first place.

 

I'm not saying he has no role or that he should retire. I'm arguing that he shouldn't be an automatic starter and that to a certain extent - wherever he is - the rest of the team will have to carry him a bit in terms of the physicality of the league. That's ok as long as he can make up for it in other areas and that the rest of the team is up for it - if Coutinho is out of form, if Markovich is doing his thing, then we have no chance.

 

 

[KopOut]

Heard that line in the Summer. It's worked out well.

 

It was relevant then, and it still applies. Section is right.

 

It raises the Suarez issue again, imo ; that shirt swapping saga with Stevie showed two players with MUTUAL RESPECT, and a friendship.

 

There's a very good chance that Gerrard is missing the motivation that Suarez gave him. Gerrard loved playing with Luis. He made many statements about his respect for Luis' ability and attitude on the pitch.

 

Later last season, Gerrard like the whole team, was motivated by a deep sniff of number 19, but over the whole season, Suarez was a huge motivation for our Captain, because great players bring out the best in him.

 

Nobody likes the name Torres anymore, but his time at Anfield was marked by a great pairing with Gerrard. Stevie played some of his best football.

 

So far this season Gerrard looks like a player unmotivated. Balotelli isnt Torres, and he isnt Suarez.

 

Maybe Lallana and Gerrard should be looking to work closely.

[George Costanza]

Gerrard needs to earn his position in the team imo.  We also should not be sacrificing other positions just to cover Stevie's frailties.  He still though absolutely has a part to play in the development of this team its just he should have less and less influence on the pitch over time.  Better for him & us

[El Dangerous]

He's not a defensive midfielder though is he. He plays in a defensive position on the pitch but that's only to give him more space to pass. Comparatively and as loathe as I am to use the example, it's like saying a quarterback is a defensive player in American football. Now this would be working if there was a solid defence and goalie behind him and a team of pressing maniacs in front but there's not and he's being terribly exposed. Either fix it or move him somewhere else.

[SlugTrail]

After watching his cameo in the no.10 role, he just has to play there more often,had forgotten just how good he is in that role, fuck this quarter back role, no10 is where he should play.

 

I thought he brought our attacking play to life, it seemed to up everyone else's game around him, even Lallana who was probably the busiest of our attackers today.

[Jairzinho]

He gave a focal point for those in front, behind, and to the side of him. 

 

Rather than having to jog around continuously, he could conserve his energy and pick his moments to burst into space (what Rafa used to talk about).

 

The difference to both his individual contribution, and the fluidity of our attacks, was enormous.

 

If he needs to take a 30 second breather, which is completely understandable, I'd rather he was doing it much nearer their goal than ours.

[Iceman]

He has to be played forward. We'll get so much more games out of him that way, and it's his natural game. He's totally wasted in the 'controller' position.

[Pureblood]

Thought he was very good in both positions today.  

[El Dangerous]

He's always been most effective in that role. I think with Sturridge and Suarez there could have been a case to say he might get in the way a bit but with Luis gone it would deffo be advantageous to have him knocking about the forward positions. Unluckily it would mean having to play Lucas more in the holding role though.

[Jairzinho]

Lucas has played well in his last two appearances.

[El Dangerous]

I don't think Lucas has much to offer us outside the odd cameo.

[Gym Beglin]

Gerrard always gets attracted to the ball, but in that DM role you need to be more aware of space.

 

He was back to his cheeky best when pushed forward, surprise surprise.

[polymerpunkah]

That gif is outstanding.

 

Thanks.

[VladimirIlyich]

Best 25 minutes of his season so far in a more advanced role.

Has to stay there.

[ratcatcher]

 

Hahaha! Fucking brilliant. Have some rep (not much I know!)

[aRdja]

-----------------------Sturridge-----------------------

Lallana---------------Gerrard-----------------Sterling

 

 

Play him there Rodgers!

[Paco]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/31/steven-gerrard-liverpool-new-contract

 

a lot of people will be spunking themselves over this.

 

Gerrard contract up in the summer and no extension offered yet.

[Mark M]

It's pretty sad it's starting to come to stevie having to do an article to force the clubs hand.

 

If rodgers and the club have decided not to extend his contract fine but don't drag it out have private discussions and resolve it.

 

The fact out captain has to call the club out a day before we start a big 3 matches in a week is poor form.

[ZonkoVille77]

Hard to know who started this but it could be all bullshit. So I'm taking it with a pinch of paprika and filing it under couldn't give a fuck.