Captain Carragher your Club needs you!

[rondeco]

Now is the time that the squad needs the captain to step up and lead by example. Like Keane did at utd. But it's just not in Gerrard. He doesn't have the fight for the scraps. Last season we were fighting for the title and he was great but when the chips are down and the players are lost, they have nobody to turn to. Instead of Gerrard berating Babel and Riera last night he should have been encouraging.

 

He didn't try, for me, last night.

[The Chef]

Taking the armband off SG wont do him any good.He is pissed off as it stands(with good reason IMO).

However, drop him for Portsmouth game and see how things turn out.May be a rest from the responsibility off trying to draw us out of this never-ending slump could do his head the world of good.

[AnnaJu14]

The ability of our fans to turn on Gerrard in an instant always entertains me, it's just amazing. You can set your clock to it happening every season, usually at this stage funnily enough:

"Some captain,him"

"Stevie me"

"Thinks he's bigger than the club"

(My personal favourite) " Trying to get Rafa sacked/the sack"

 

Players at our club with half the achievement are never subjected to the same treatment. It has very little to do with his performances, some people dislike him for whatever reason and it would be a lot more productive if they just said so.

 

Spot Fucking On

[dirty_sanchez]

Gerrard needs the armband to perform. Carragher doesn't. Carragher knows he's a leader and he doesn't need a band to prove it. Gerrard on the other hand would sulk about it if he lost it. You might not agree with his reasoning but there it is. I just don't see Rafa giving Carra the armband unless Gerrard wants to hand it over. Plus his recent negative performance doesn't relate to it. I feel he's actually proven a good captain recently by standing up for his players a lot more than he used to. Instead of leading by performance he's actually kept the players calm and spoken to the refs etc. when he was needed to.

 

However, he has been playing like utter dogshit, which I think is the point that the OP was trying to make.

[aws]

No point in taking the armband off him. You either keep him as captain and hope he finds form or you hope he has a good world cup and sell him.

[Malarkey]

How so? I love Gerrard in a hetero way but I was always of the opinion he should have handed the armband over to Carra after Chelski II.

 

If I remember rightly, Stevie said he'd give up the captaincy. But Rafa wanted him to keep it and so did Carra.

 

This thread is fucking ridiculous. You can't blame one man so you blame another.

 

It's human nature to always blame someone, but this takes the piss.

 

How you can expect a player to perform consistently with the shite around him is unbelievable.

[Ezekiel 25:17]

I genuinely think Gerrard is playing within himself because he's had enough and he'll be fucked if he's digging us out of another hole. The morale on the pitch is clearly at an all time low and I think he just wants an end to it, and basically an end to Rafa, obviously I could be wrong. Oh and for the record Gerrard is the right captain and should remian captain till he retires or leaves.

Edited March 12, 2010 by Ezekiel 25:17

[Best Believe It]

If I remember rightly, Stevie said he'd give up the captaincy. But Rafa wanted him to keep it and so did Carra.

 

This thread is fucking ridiculous. You can't blame one man so you blame another.

 

It's human nature to always blame someone, but this takes the piss.

 

How you can expect a player to perform consistently with the shite around him is unbelievable.

 

No-one's expecting him to be in top form. People do expect their captain to put a shift in, which has been missing.

 

He's no way near the only person to blame, but you do look to your captain at times like this, which is why he's being scrutinised.

 

That and the flirtation with Chelsea, which won't really ever leave a lot of people's minds when they think of Gerrard.

[Juan Galonso]

I genuinely think Gerrard is playing within himself because he's had enough and he'll be fucked if he's digging us out of another hole. The morale on the pitch is clearly at an all time low and I think he just wants an end to it, and basically an end to Rafa, obviously I could be wrong.

 

I don't think you are wrong Al.

 

Ironic though that in the desperate days of 03-04 Gerrard did as much as anyone that year and when he was given the captaincy that season he was fucking phenomenal. He really respected GH even though he probably knew we needed a change of manager. Now he just seems bogged down by all the shite and tactical straightjackets the manager has on the team and is thinking his only chance of major glory for the rest of his career is the World Cup in the summer. I have a feeling he will be class in the World Cup.

[hamstrung]

And its acceptable that he's decided to stop playing because he thinks the manager is gone?

 

Assuming, of course, you accept that line of reasoning.

[aws]

I don't think you are wrong Al.

 

Ironic though that in the desperate days of 03-04 Gerrard did as much as anyone that year and when he was given the captaincy that season he was fucking phenomenal. He really respected GH even though he probably knew we needed a change of manager. Now he just seems bogged down by all the shite and tactical straightjackets the manager has on the team and is thinking his only chance of major glory for the rest of his career is the World Cup in the summer. I have a feeling he will be class in the World Cup.

 

Me too, John. If he is, I have a feeling I won't be best impressed.

[Ezekiel 25:17]

Any proper liverpool fan should not need pointing out to them what Gerrard has done for this club. It's fucking disgusting to suggest he has been anything but our best player and a amjor part of the success we have had over the past years. If we were flying, challenging for the league and he stillw wasn't turning it on you could question him, but we're not, far from it. He is still far and away our best player, our most influential player, it would be a sad fucking day if he wasn't here and he is far and away more worthy of that armband than anyone, including Carra.

[Whelan]

If Gerrard is pissed off with the manner that the team is performing then explain why he has been poor from day one? Explain why he was shite against Spurs and Villa. He doesn't look arsed, and fans are queing up to give him carte blanche to do so.

 

Ian Rush started his career alongside Alan Hansen, Kenny, Souness etc, winning European Cups, he ended it alongside Lee Jones, he never stopped putting the effort in. Neither did John Barnes, neither did Fowler so explain to me why Gerrard is allowed to.

 

It isn't his fault by a fucking country mile, but if you think he has done his utmost then I can't be bothered discussing it.

 

He might be feeling low, he might be feeling pissed off but on Monday night he walked out onto a pitch and saw 6000 Liverpool fans who were arsed, and were still there and if anything he should be playing for us.

[Ezekiel 25:17]

And its acceptable that he's decided to stop playing because he thinks the manager is gone?

 

Assuming, of course, you accept that line of reasoning.

 

Well, as I said, it's only my opinion, there could be any number of reasons but if indeed he is withholding himself I don't find it acceptable but completely understandable.

[torahboy]

Gerrard has been poor this season. The standards that he has set have been phenomenal and it can only be expected that he may fail to rise to them from time to time. But there have games and occasions in games when it could reasonably be claimed that Gerrard has been giving less than total commitment. I would never say that any of our players do not try in some games but there has been a diminution in Stevie's enthusiasm for our cause this season.

 

If the World Cup is causing Gerrard to be more cautious in club games then I can only state that, in my opinion, if that were the case, then he would be cheating the fans, his team mates and his manager. I would hate to arrive at that conclusion but Gerrard's fall from form would suggest something else is on his mind during games. If it's England in South Africa then he is a cunt - nothing short. I have absolutely no interest in our fucking national team and have a devout wish for them to be twatted in the summer. It's Liverpool, and only Liverpool for me. and, right now, that is all it should be for Gerrard.

[Walter Matthau]

Gerrard may be looking to the World Cup.

It's his best chance, maybe his last chance to win it with England.

Maybe even captain a World Cup winning team.

He might just want to see out this season, not pick up any niggling injuries and

hit top form in South Africa.

[Ezekiel 25:17]

Gerrard may be looking to the World Cup.

It's his best chance, maybe his last chance to win it with England.

Maybe even captain a World Cup winning team.

He might just want to see out this season, not pick up any niggling injuries and

hit top form in South Africa.

 

That a poem ?

[Hoddy]

I don't think you are wrong Al.

 

Ironic though that in the desperate days of 03-04 Gerrard did as much as anyone that year and when he was given the captaincy that season he was fucking phenomenal. He really respected GH even though he probably knew we needed a change of manager. Now he just seems bogged down by all the shite and tactical straightjackets the manager has on the team and is thinking his only chance of major glory for the rest of his career is the World Cup in the summer. I have a feeling he will be class in the World Cup.

 

Then, if true, that's a complete fucking disgrace (and again, I emphasise the 'if' part, cos no-one except Gerrard knows exactly what's going through his mind).

 

But there seems to be a hypocrisy on these boards when it comes to the demarkation between the manager and his players, and nowhere is this more obvious than when it comes to Steven Gerrard.

 

For example, I keep reading about how Gerrard deserves some slack for playing shit because of all the great games he's played, the great goals he's scored, and all the times he's got us out of the shit ("How dare you slag off Steven Gerrard," I hear people say).

 

Well what about all the games won by the tactical decisions of Benitez?

 

I keep hearing how Gerrard is only playing shit because he dislikes the current manager so much.

 

Yet Benitez shouldn't let his differences with the regime above him affect his ability to manage whatsoever.

 

I keep hearing how Benitez wormed and tricked his way to a super-duper undeserved contract last year.

 

Yet no-one mentions the fact he couldn't buy certain players in the summer because of payrises to a group of players, which included Steven Gerrard.

 

I hear how no-one should expect Gerrard to suddenly become a captain who gees players up with an arm round the shoulder, because Gerrard's never been that sort of skipper.

 

Yet Benitez needs to change his cold and ruthless distance NOW, the stubborn motherfucker.

 

I could go on. The point here isn't that Benitez hasn't got flaws - he clearly has - but there seems to be a view round here lately that all the shit flies in one direction and all roads of blame lead to Benitez. In terms of who'll pay with their job, this is sadly true (as is football's wont) - but it doesn't mean he's responsible for every single thing that happens to Liverpool Football Club.

[Whelan]

Hoddy that's a great post. And spot on to how I feel.

[Dracco]

No reason to take the armband from him. He is having a terrible season but that is not the reason for losing captaincy.

 

Howewer it is the reason to be benched.

 

Carra is past it, he won´t be a regular for us for many longer so he is not the right choice to be a captain. Why wears Scholes never the armband for the Scum?

[ZonkoVille77]

Stevie's attitude stinks. He's not doing his job. If I wasn't doing my job I'd be punished for it, so should he.

 

Give it to Carra.

[Guest PurpleNose]

No reason to take the armband from him. He is having a terrible season but that is not the reason for losing captaincy.

 

Howewer it is the reason to be benched.

 

 

Yes. Just want him dropped at the moment. Play someone who gives a fuck.

[hamstrung]

Well, as I said, it's only my opinion, there could be any number of reasons but if indeed he is withholding himself I don't find it acceptable but completely understandable.

 

Don't see much difference between him being shit or not doing his job, and the manager being shit/not doing his job.

[Juan Galonso]

Yes. Just want him dropped at the moment. Play someone who gives a fuck.

 

The thing is, hardly any of them do. Player power? The same happened under Souness with the more senior players at the time.

[Juan Galonso]

Just makes you think back to THE Henry Winter article back in August now though.