Interesting articles in the Sunday Telegraph today

[RSM]

Interesting articles in the Sunday Telegraph today. Two articles on the same page regarding our captain.

 

Arrigo Sacchi - Why Gerrard fails the test of a great player (whole article).

Arrigo Sacchi never had much faith in marquee players.A dispute with Marco vanBasten was the major factor in the Italians departure from AC Milan in 1991 and, as National coach, he had a notoriously strained relationship with Roberto Baggio. Of Steven Gerrard and his role at Liverpool, he is equally suspicious."When I was director of football at Real Madrid I had to evaluate the players coming through the youth ranks" he said. "We had some who were very good footballers. They had technique, they had athleticism, they had drive, they were hungry. But they lacked what I call knowing-how-to-play-football. They lacked decision making. They lacked positioning.They didn't have the subtle sensitivity of football: how a player should move within the collective.And for many, I wasn't sure they were going to learn. You see, strenght, passion, technique, athleticism, all of these are very important. But they are a means to an end, not an end in itself.They help you reach your goal, which is putting your talent at the service of the team and, by doing this, making both of you and the team greater. In situations like that, I just have to say, Gerrard's a great footballer, but perhaps not a great player."

 

Gerrard Houllier's article is longer, but covers the same subject (part).

After the 2005 Final, "I went up to him and asked him if this would become the best memory of his career.His answer always struck me - it sums up why Gerrard really something special. He said that the best memory had always been when I first made him captain of the Liverpool team in a European matchwhen he was just 22 years old.That is a measure of how committed and dedicated he is to everything he does: responsibility before glory.You have to consider three qualities with Gerrard.First, he is a world class player, a big-game player, a player who has a sense of occasion.Second he is a team player who employs his technique to the greater efficiency of the team rather than to be a showman. Thirdly he is a player and a man you can trust. That is why I made him my captain and why he should be captain of England.....He has this ability to think tactically and see what is happening across the pitch.

 

 

Slightly differing views here, but I'm more inclined to agree with Sacchi. Most importantly I think Rafa very much see's it the way same as Sacchi.

 

Granted Gerrard is a superbly talented footballer (and is very much "World Class") - our best player, someone who's dragged us out of the mire countless times through sheer force of will. However his occasional lack of awareness of how to operate as a part of the team, and his desire to do everything on the pitch at once rather than trusting his team mates is something that has let him down at times.

 

I've always put it down as a side affect of the Houllier era - the way we became so set up for Gerrard to always play the final ball over the top for Owen. That was the start of the 'Hollywood ball' with Gerrard, and it's something he's never quite shaken. In GH's last season, Gerrard was incredible to watch, seeing him almost play every position on the pitch in one game, seemingly knowing that no-one else could/would step up to the plate. But when it comes to playing as a part of a team, that marauding element to his play just won't work - especially in a two-man central midfield, where it ruins our shape.

 

Nicked from RAWK.

 

I agree with the sentiments above.

[Hermes]

Totally dominated the game again today from start to finish. When he becomes tactically aware he'll be some player.

[DomL]

Rafa probably does see him players and football in the same way as Sacchi he was a great teacher to Rafa and has given him all the tools as well as the ambition to be the very good manager that he is today.

 

I can see whare Sacchi is coming from and do tend agree with some parts not all though

[ratcatcher]

I think most managers would disagree with Sacchi. Still if he doesnt think Van Basten and Baggio EDIT weren't good enough, I guess our Stevie is in good company.

[Spy Bee]

Gerrard is awesome. If he was any better he would be the best player ever to play the game. Fuck showboating and all that, he influences games a lot. And often.

[spider-neil]

I think gerrard tries too much because he 'can' and often because he HAS TO.

I often think gerrard charges around like a blue arsed fly, a headless chicken but I think that is a lack of trust of his team mates, if (for example) ronaldo was on the right he wouldn't feel the need to drift to the right.

 

reminds me of the becksey wecksy show v greece, unbeliebable, outstanding, covering every blade of grass because to a man the rest of his team mates were SHITE, all well and good but I'd rather have an outstanding TEAM performance and some players to accept some fucking responsiblity even if it means skying a shot into row z and having the crowd on their back.

 

in short imho gerrard is a torch shining a wide beam of light effective but unfocused but if the players around him improve he can become a lazer and contrate his running and efforts more become more focused that is truly when you'll see the best of gerrard.

[Dirk]

The truth probably lies somewhere between the two.

[DomL]

Catcher he knew they were great players, like Rafa he doesnt appreciate players he see themselves abouve the game, abouve the team themselves no matter how good they are.

 

Sacchi created a team out of indivudal fantastic players all with ego's and all with an attitude of they rule the world and to control and make the team he did deserves alot of repsect.

 

Some people say he is overated as a manager but he along with Cappelo he is probably the greatest manager i have seen.

[ratcatcher]

Catcher he knew they were great players, like Rafa he doesnt appreciate players he see themselves abouve the game, abouve the team themselves no matter how good they are.

 

Sacchi created a team out of indivudal fantastic players all with ego's and all with an attitude of they rule the world and to control and make the team he did deserves alot of repsect.

 

Some people say he is overated as a manager but he along with Cappelo he is probably the greatest manager i have seen.

 

I know Sacchi modelled his sides, to a degree, on Liverpool's great European teams. But one of the greatest manager? Im not convinced.

[WeAreTheBest]

Saachi succhi cock

[DomL]

Far enough catcher, i still think he is and should allways be listend to he has a commom sense approach to the game that many managers dont seem to grasp

[bobhorse]

More bolloxs if you ask me

 

There isnt a side in the world who wouldnt have Gerrard in Midfield end of debate as far as im concerned

[Brownie]

I think it's a crock of shit myself.

 

How many goals does he both score and create? How many chances does he create?

 

If that's not servicing the team, then what the fuck is?

 

The one thing Gerrard has, is end product.

[Rashid]

Agreed Hermes, when he starts paying for the team and becomes tactically aware he really will be a good player for now we have to make do with the half player he is today.

[Brownie]

Agreed Hermes, when he starts paying for the team and becomes tactically aware he really will be a good player for now we have to make do with the half player he is today.

 

Don't forget the passion - he needs to stop playing with it and start using his brain more as well, remember.

[Rashid]

Don't forget the passion - he needs to stop playing with it and start using his brain more as well, remember.

 

Yep that too... and don't forget Alonso is more important to the team and in2005 we should have sold him as we had our Xabi... (not disrespecting Xabi here by the way but you get my point)

 

Football is about a few things for me - passion, creativity and goals with the ability to stop the opposition too. Stevie sets up more and scores than any other midfielder we have - what does Sacchi want exactly?

[silverlining]

Agreed Hermes, when he starts paying for the team and becomes tactically aware he really will be a good player for now we have to make do with the half player he is today.

 

Yeah, it's a real shame, but beggars can't be choosers.

[Ramjet]

Sachi wants perfection, and not necessarily perfection of the player but perfection of the team. A perfect player could be on the losing side many times but the perfect team should never lose.

[Red Nick]

Houllier is most defo right and Rafa is the wrong manager for Gerrard, If Gerrard was playing for Mourinho, Wenger or Ferguson he would be an even better player however a player like Xabi would play better for Rafa

[Rashid]

Fergie described Gerrard as the most influential player in the Premiership bar none but what does he know when measured against the "great Sacchi"....

[aws]

Don't forget the passion - he needs to stop playing with it and start using his brain more as well, remember.

 

Agree with that 100%.

[john23liverpool]

I think he is talking out of his wrinkly old arse.

 

How tactically aware were Pele, Maradona, George Best, King Kenny, Cruyff?

 

Exactly.

[Tom R]

I think he is talking out of his wrinkly old arse.

 

How tactically aware were Pele, Maradona, George Best, King Kenny, Cruyff?

Exactly.

 

Er, extremely?

[RSM]

I think he is talking out of his wrinkly old arse.

 

How tactically aware were Pele, Maradona, George Best, King Kenny, Cruyff?

 

Exactly.

 

Just a little bit.

[James Dean]

Sacchi hits nail on head. Sacchi a wise old fart.

 

We'd be better off with the £50M Gerrard would've generated. Yes, he has saved us with crucial goals more than once, but without him we probabaly wouldn't have needed those goals in the first place.

 

He has attracted the likes of Torres and Mascherano to the club though, both of them believing the hype of our "passionate" captain. For that I'm grateful.