Stephen Gerrard

[dfx-]

I'm afraid, as a Liverpool follower, I agree wholeheartedly with the Bohemian FC-Avatared OP.

Far too often Gerrard adopts his "I'll win this all by myself then" mode and it's lost cause if he in a 2-man midfield. Galatasaray at home in the CL was clear as day with respect to this. He wanted his first goal of the season when 3-0 up and so camped in the Gala box completely forgetting the defensive aspect.

Gala go 5 in midfield, leaving Alonso back outnumbered 3 v 1, score now 3-2 and Benitez has to bring on Sissoko to shore it up.

[stojkovic]

Ive been getting hammered from all my Liverpool fan mates for years for saying those exact things... delighted to finally see that someone has the same opinion

I've been saying it for years too and told that im mad but I will never change my opinion. Saw Keane ****, sh1t and puke all over 'Stevie G' at Anfield in Jan 2005 when Keano was past his best.

Gerard cannot be effective playing centre midfield in a 442.

He is most effective behind a striker with Alonso and Masch behind him to cover up his shortcomings.

People talk about Istanbul but if Gerard had done his job in the first half on Kaka we would not have been 3 down. And it was Hamann coming on that changed the game NOT Gerard.

[old git]

I've been saying it for years too and told that im mad but I will never change my opinion. Saw Keane ****, sh1t and puke all over 'Stevie G' at Anfield in Jan 2005 when Keano was past his best.

Gerard cannot be effective playing centre midfield in a 442.

He is most effective behind a striker with Alonso and Masch behind him to cover up his shortcomings.

People talk about Istanbul but if Gerard had done his job in the first half on Kaka we would not have been 3 down. And it was Hamann coming on that changed the game NOT Gerard.

plus gerard ended up playing full back in second half !!... he is a great player going forward scoring cracking goals ,.. but totally overated as complete midfielder by english press & pool fans ,,, not a patch of the real deal and legend graham souness

[see's it]

so your saying 1 player controls the whole game?

[drinkfeckarse]

Despite his occasional heriocs, he does have the tendancy to go missing in some of the big games e.g. the Man Utd game at Old Trafford last season and the CL semi.

That's not really making any point at all IMO Metrostars. Name me a top player who hasn't gone missing in some big games!? Do you honestly think Zidane, Scholes, Keane etc were superb in every game they played in. It's impossible to be at the top of your game in every game.

[Emmet]

People talk about Istanbul but if Gerard had done his job in the first half on Kaka we would not have been 3 down. And it was Hamann coming on that changed the game NOT Gerard.

That's not actually what happened stojkovic: Kaka ran rings around Finnan in the first half. Finnan was taken off at half-time because of an injury, Hamann came on and took Gerrard's place in midfield and Gerrard went to right-back and marked Kaka for the remainder of the match. Kaka was everywhere in the first 45 minutes - from the start of the second-half onwards he was anonymous. Oh and his name is actually spelt 'Gerrard' !!

Gerrard's achievements: PFA Young Player of the Year, PFA Player of the Year, European Midfielder of the year (astonishing really when you take into account the fact that he can't play there), Premier League Most Valuable Player (twice), and UEFA Most Valuable Player. He has been nominated three times for the FIFA Player of the Year, in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Just imagine what he would have achieved if he could play in centre-midfield and control a game

[stojkovic]

That's not actually what happened stojkovic: Kaka ran rings around Finnan in the first half. Finnan was taken off at half-time because of an injury, Hamann came on and took Gerrard's place in midfield and Gerrard went to right-back and marked Kaka for the remainder of the match. Kaka was everywhere in the first 45 minutes - from the start of the second-half onwards he was anonymous. Oh and his name is actually spelt 'Gerrard' !!

Wrong wrong wrong. Thats wrong spelt W R O N G.

Kewell was playing behind Baros when he got 'injured'. Smicer replaced him. Gerrard was playing centre mid. When Hamman replaced Finnan at half time they effectively went 3-4-3 with Gerrard and Smicer playing off Baros up front.

Gerrard only went back to right full after it was 3-3 and not when it was 3-0 as you state.

Kaka's pass for Crespo's second goal was played from a central position ten yards inside his own half - Finnan territory ?

All hail Stevie G.

[stojkovic]

Gerrard's achievements: ..... He has been nominated three times for the FIFA Player of the Year, in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Just imagine what he would have achieved if he could play in centre-midfield and control a game

Yes he might actually win it.

Like say Zidane, Ronaldinho or Kaka.

[newbie]

Ryan Giggs has just named him in the toughest 11 hes ever played against. but what would giggs know in fairness. or Benitez,or Capello,or Mourinho who loves him or etc etc etc.

whoever said he went to RB at HT in the final is wrong also. Liverpool went 352 in the 2nd half with SG droppin into RB to mark the Braziliian lad who came on (cant remem his name),who was fresh as a daisy. if this was Keane who was going into unknown position and markin a fresh player out of the game and makin tackle after tackle,we would not hear the end of it.

Gerrard doesnt control games coz he is not asked to. there are more than one type of midfielder! thats what Alonso,Macha etc is there for. to protect while he runs the show in the other half of the pitch. but he is more than capable of defending if he has to. If united had SG then we would be hearing about how hes the best in the world blah blah blah.

Fabregas...where was he when United hammered Arsenal 4-0? when Liverpool knocked them out of Europe? are these not big games? does this mean he was crap?

[Emmet]

Yes he might actually win it.

Like say Zidane, Ronaldinho or Kaka.

Hang on - so now you're saying not being an 'effective midfielder' is when you don't meet the same standards as those three? Based on that ridiculous criteria there would only be two, three, maybe four 'effective mdfielders' on the whole planet!

ps - well done on the spelling

[stojkovic]

ps - well done on the spelling

Thanks. Sometimes I lower my standards on here so that the illiterati can understand.

[brianw82]

Let me put it this way:
Liverpool
Steve Gerrard=Goalscoring, All Action Midfielder.
Xabi Alonso= All round technically gifted Midfielder.
Chelsea
Frank Lampard=Goalscoring All Action Midfielder.
Michael Ballack=All round technically gifted Midfielder.

Truer words. I just cannot understand they the Lampard/Gerrard debate is STILL going on. The two of them can't play together - fact.
Put Gerrard in there with Carrick or Barry, who are more in the 'classic' central midfield mode. They are certainly not the world's best midfielders, but probably the best England have if they insist on playing Gerrard as on of the central midfielders.

[Emmet]

Thanks. Sometimes I lower my standards on here so that the illiterati can understand.

Fair enough

I'm not saying Gerrard is the best player to have ever played the game but he is (in my opinion) one of the best players of his generation. I think he lacks confidence in himself sometimes - if he had the self-belief that someone like Roy Keane had then he would be a much better player. I think the reason he doesn't play as a holding midfielder is because he offers so much more - to have him sitting playing five, ten yard passes wouldn't be the best way of using him.

[seanfhear]

Fair enough

I'm not saying Gerrard is the best player to have ever played the game but he is (in my opinion) one of the best players of his generation. I think he lacks confidence in himself sometimes - if he had the self-belief that someone like Roy Keane had then he would be a much better player. I think the reason he doesn't play as a holding midfielder is because he offers so much more - to have him sitting playing five, ten yard passes wouldn't be the best way of using him.

You maybe right.I dont know why but he always has a worried expression on his face.Sometimes it looks as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders.

[gaiscíoch]

You maybe right.I dont know why but he always has a worried expression on his face

That's because he is worried about the old bill arresting him over the car stereo he robbed last night?

Sometimes it looks as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders.

I would argue that most scouse people are that way by nature???

[beautifulrock]

That's because he is worried about the old bill arresting him over the car stereo he robbed last night?



I would argue that most scouse people are that way by nature???

Axeman, this post is one of the reasons why this forum is getting worse by the day

[seanfhear]

Axeman, this post is one of the reasons why this forum is getting worse by the day

scousers are famous for their sense of humour except stephen gerard[on tv anyway]

[gaiscíoch]

Axeman, this post is one of the reasons why this forum is getting worse by the day

I'm sorry but what does Steven Gerrard have to worry about. Maybe "a pressured look" analogy would have been a better word. A 100,000 a week footballer worried give me a break....

[seanfhear]

I'm sorry but what does Steven Gerrard have to worry about. Maybe "a pressured look" analogy would have been a better word. A 100,000 a week footballer worried give me a break....

I think I was the one that said the worried look.I dont think that he has much to worry about.I think he is just one of those people that has a worried expression on his face most of the time.For all I know he may be as happy as larry without a care in the world .Good luck to the lad.A fine footballer and we would all be delighted if he was an Irish player worried or not.

[bellavistaman]

Im a big Man Utd fan but do feel Gerrard is the best central midfielder in England, 2nd in theworld to kaka if youd call kaka a central midfielder