The Steven Gerrard Effect

I have been hesitant to post this over the last couple of days, as a result of being accused of being "A secret Manc". 

But, this is something that has really niggled me over the last few weeks. Steven Gerrard: Last year one of the top 5 players in the world, and imo Liverpool's player of the season. This season however his performances have declined rapidly imo. Yes he has struck 3 goals, but one of those was a penalty and the other an absolute fluke vs Hull. Now, I'm not usually a negative fan, but I am willing to stick my neck out on this occasion and say that Steven Gerrard is really losing his effect on this liverpool side and within the next few months, I think fans and critics alike will be saying Stevie is unfortunately "past it".

I know everybody is now going to start the tonguelashing and accuse me of being a Manc, but I am only venting my frustration at what has really been an abismal start to the season by Stevie G.

Thoughts?

Í'll give my few cents on this.

Gerrard has been consistently performing at the top level since the turn of the century, 10 years of distinguished service he leads the Reds out. Admittedly Gerrard has blomssomed into arguably Liverpool's finest player of all time (alongside with King Kenny). His influence on this game today and on the Reds is second to none, his influence on the team is so great that no captain can come close to matching.

Gerrard has been putting in 8-9/10 performances for nearly every game he plays in, the standard he sets for himself is so high, out of this world and you can see a standout on the pitch. When he isn't doing well, having a off day or is off-form, a slight decline in his performance will result in people sitting up and say 'Take note', is he past it?

When you have set the bar so high for yourself, and have been performing at the highest level it is only fair to say that when a little dip in performance/form, everyone will be pointing fingers at you. The drop gets obvious.

In fact, I have no worries for Steven because he is yet to hit his peak. 29 years old yes, he isn't that fast, with that drive or that flexible as compared when he was 24, but he still has that impact on us. Midfielders only hit their peak at 29-31, so it's fair to say Steven is not past it yet.

After 8 games it is unfair to say that Gerrard is losing his effect. It isn't the case. Just like the whole team it is a bad start to the season and Gerrard is just another bad performer.

I have utmost faith in Gerrard to emerge in the second half, up his standard and drive the Reds to glory.

Í'll give my few cents on this.

Gerrard has been consistently performing at the top level since the turn of the century, 10 years of distinguished service he leads the Reds out. Admittedly Gerrard has blomssomed into arguably Liverpool's finest player of all time (alongside with King Kenny). His influence on this game today and on the Reds is second to none, his influence on the team is so great that no captain can come close to matching.

Gerrard has been putting in 8-9/10 performances for nearly every game he plays in, the standard he sets for himself is so high, out of this world and you can see a standout on the pitch. When he isn't doing well, having a off day or is off-form, a slight decline in his performance will result in people sitting up and say 'Take note', is he past it?

When you have set the bar so high for yourself, and have been performing at the highest level it is only fair to say that when a little dip in performance/form, everyone will be pointing fingers at you. The drop gets obvious.

In fact, I have no worries for Steven because he is yet to hit his peak. 29 years old yes, he isn't that fast, with that drive or that flexible as compared when he was 24, but he still has that impact on us. Midfielders only hit their peak at 29-31, so it's fair to say Steven is not past it yet.

After 8 games it is unfair to say that Gerrard is losing his effect. It isn't the case. Just like the whole team it is a bad start to the season and Gerrard is just another bad performer.

I have utmost faith in Gerrard to emerge in the second half, up his standard and drive the Reds to glory.

Good post mate, but I just think he's struggling for form at the minute and tbh he has never had as bad a start to a season before. As regards the 8-9/10 rating per match. Well, that has declined rapidly now imo. The chelsea game for instance, I would give him a 6, same with the Villa and Fiorentina games......

Now, I'm not usually a negative fan

And Im Jesus Christ.

Well,

First of all, I think Steven Gerrard excelled in the past is due to the presence of Alonso. Whether he's beside or in front of him, Stevie would perform well as we have seen him excel as a right winger in 2004/2005, a centre midfielder beside Alonso is other seasons and in front of Alonso (or just behind the lone striker) in 2007 to 2009. I am not putting down Lucas or Mascherano but IMO, Alonso was in a class of his own. That quality of a range of passing and vision second to none and being able to keep his composure while under pressure most of the time has made Xabi Alonso a pretty reliable man in the centre of the park and players like this don't come often. Alonso lacks the sliding tackle ability but he has quick feet and we have seen that many times. He's also pretty influential in games.

Furthermore, Xabi Alonso plays forward passed be it to the centre, left or right more than Lucas and Mascherano does. I know Xabi Alonso is gone and we should move on, but I just thought this would be a reason, not entirely but one of it that has contributed to our indifferent start to the league. I just feel that with Lucas and Mascherano behind him and they are not Xabi Alonso, Stevie at times had to take the job of putting in that killer ball. Having said that, at times he needed to be drop back and there's a hole between the striker and the centre.

Next, it isn't easy for a human to put on a great performance, week in week out, for 15 years especially once you've hit the late twenties and approaching the early thirties. I know Stevie had his best season in a Red shirt last season and it's pretty a difficult achievement to reach when he isn't getting any younger. As a person gets older, they tend to become less flexible in movements. Stevie is 29, and that's why I don't think he dribbles alot anymore. He used to even burst into the box with pace when he was 18,19,20,21 ... 27.
I just feel it's unfair to expect a great performance from him every game especially with the fact that he's getting older.

However, I don't think he's past his prime just yet. I believe he can go on for at least another 3 years. We probably just have to be patient and I believe he and the team would start performing once again when Aquilani comes into the side.

I think the criticism that Gerrard has received of late has been totally over the top.  Collectively the team have made a sloppy start to the season but I think Gerrard has been unfairly singled out. I believe the main reason for his and our teams mixed start is simply down to Alonso going to Madrid.
Look at the amount of assits Alonso produced for Gerrard and Torres last season. They have lost that creativity in midfield. We are having to play a different system now. We can't rely on Gerrard to win every game for us.
He's been outstanding this last few seasons.

I think to even suggest he's past it is madness.
I for one still think he is the most complete all round footballer in the world.

Firstly, good post there redsonfire.

Personally I think Gerrard has become one of the most influential players in the world. He is what Puyol and Raul are to their respective clubs; a talismatic and enigmatic leader plus a loyal servant to the club. Gerrard I knew has rapidly transformed from a wild tackler into a player full of respect and discipline in his game.

To say that Gerrard has declining in his performance is quite an accusation. Last season we had Alonso covering the midfield area thus we seldom saw Gerrard hovering around trying to pick up passes or initiate them. All he has to do was to provide Torres with equal chance to score or to draw players away from him so that he could score. Gerrard also has been instrumental in every Liverpool attacking flow last season providing Alonso doing all the passings and the commanding in the midfield. With Mascherano along side Alonso, it was fair to say that we had 2 type of players in midfield; one who did all the hard work defending and making sure opponents didn't get the chance to dominate the midfield and other while doing the same thing he also provided the necessary passes and movement for our attackers.

This season with Alonso gone, Lucas has to step in and unfortunately, he's the same player as Mascherano is. Too much defending and don't have the passing flair and great movement. By saying that, instead of helping Torres Gerrard also has to be constantly in the central pitch to pick up passes and initiate move to other players. This for me has restricted his ability to push forward and putting pressure on the opponent. You see, last season, we succeeded most because of Torres-Gerrard partnership but this season we have to break the link just because our midfield couldn't provide the necessary passes and that usual flow needed. If you're saying that Gerrard has lost his mojo because of his dip in form, then you're way off mate. You should take into consideration last season and this season performance and where did he operate last season compared to this season. If you really analyze, you could tell that last season, Gerrard always has been operating up front and rarely hovered in central pitch. This season, it was a different tune. He has and I say HAS to be more central because we got 2 similar midfielder in Masch and Lucas. Being the lesser of them, someone has to provide Lucas with some cover.

That's why Rafa bought Aquilani because he realized that now Alonso's gone, he needed somebody with Alonso's mould that could maintain that typical Liverpool approach and freeing Gerrard into upfront. He knew and always knew how potent Gerrard is when given the ball. And providing him with a player of Aquilani caliber is essential because now the link between Torres and Gerrard now can be re-establish once more. Last season it always Gerrard to Torres to back of the net but now it's Gerrard to someone then Torres. Benayoun could be the answer right now but could he link with Torres? I don't think so. I always imagine Benayoun as the one who can break through tough defense but not who can be Torres main striking partner. So by end of this October we could see Liverpool playing their usual game with Aquilani giving the extra support in midfield while Gerrard continues to wreck havoc alongside Torres.

A fluke against Hull? I think Lampard is the master of flukes. How many of his goal came from deflection?

He is not as influentual to us as he used to be. Thankfully the team isn't as reliable on him as we used to be. We have Torres, benayoun and sometimes even kuyt and Johnson to save us games. Gerrards form has been down, but so has everyone elses. He is the captain though, he has to bear responsibility that if the team is playing bad, they will look to him to produce, and he just has this season. I think rafa's tactics are to blame as well, nobody is getting any service. Its too early to say anything though, we'll wait till aqua gets fit and see how it goes.

He needs to improve yes, but at the end of the day the lad's only human.

He's still one of the world's best (if not the best) and even if he isn't performing at 100% he still has an influence on the team. We don't rely on him as much as before but that's not tos ay Gerrard is on the decline but more the fact we've got other players who can step up when it matters the most.

He'll be integral to Liverpool's success in the next four years, for sure.

I think he just needs to find his form, as they say form is temporary class is permanent and when you take into consideration Gerrard did not get much of a pre-season behind him and he's playing alongside other players who are struggling for form and he himself has not found his best form as yet, but as the season progress's I'm sure we'll get to see what Steven Gerrard is all about as he never fails to deliver.

Ah-em, er, the season is only 8 games in, there are a few players not playing like they were last season, YET.

Ive noticed the team as a whole hasn't hit the heights of last season, YET.

I don't hold with this 'he's not playing well' so we'll drop him, why not look at Gerrard from another angle, he has played so well over the last 10 yrs that when plays like an ordinary guy he becomes just another player, one that most teams would have in their team even playing like an ordinary mortal...

Every one has its ups and downs and so does Gerrard. Just don't make a fuss about it.

Hmmm bit harsh on steven this,F**k me how many times has the lad dragged liverpool football club(and i mean the entire club not just the team)up and up literally on his own............i think he,s allowed a few mediocre games now and then ....for gods sake without gerrard there would have been no istanbul 2005 fa cup victory 2006 champs league final 2007......

sorry fella but just think youve got this arse about tit..............

I don't think it would be a bad idea to drop him back into central midfield and run a few games for us from there just perhaps to get him back on the pace and either play dirk, yossi or babel as second striker and see how that pans out.

Stevie is a force to be reckoned with and where better to be the main cog in the machine than in the middle of the park.

I have been hesitant to post this over the last couple of days, as a result of being accused of being "A secret Manc". 

But, this is something that has really niggled me over the last few weeks. Steven Gerrard: Last year one of the top 5 players in the world, and imo Liverpool's player of the season. This season however his performances have declined rapidly imo. Yes he has struck 3 goals, but one of those was a penalty and the other an absolute fluke vs Hull. Now, I'm not usually a negative fan, but I am willing to stick my neck out on this occasion and say that Steven Gerrard is really losing his effect on this liverpool side and within the next few months, I think fans and critics alike will be saying Stevie is unfortunately "past it".

I know everybody is now going to start the tonguelashing and accuse me of being a Manc, but I am only venting my frustration at what has really been an abismal start to the season by Stevie G.

Thoughts?

I think it's quite early to be predicting that Stevie's losing his influence on the side, and definitely too early to be saying he's past it. We've had a bit of a bad patch in general, aside from the couple of games where we have scored freely, and I'm confident the team, including Gerrard, will kick it up a gear and have all their critics eating their words. Whether we are still in with a shot in May or not.

It could also be said that instead of Gerrard sticking out so much and dragging us out of the sh*t, we've had other players step up to the plate and grab winners without having that 'Roy of the Rovers' label.

You Manc b*stard.

this is out of hand now.who out of the liverpool team did play well against Chelsea?the team hasn't had a sustained run of form yet this season so....lets blame Gerrard for not scoring and creating all of liverpools goals!!get a life.
we shouldn't be so dependant on him anyway.we have eleven players out there and its a team game.
oh and if you really are a manc you should remember yourself booing Ryan giggs at the same point of his career and look at him now,arguably on of uniteds most important players.

I think we'll see a return to the Steven Gerrard of old once Aquilani has settled into the side.

Being captain he's naturally shouldered the burden left by the departure of Xabi and is trying his utmost to drag the team forwards and he's struggling immensely, a top 5 in the world midfielder he may be but he's not Superman. I think he's beating himself up under the weight of expectation levelled at this team, we were tipped by almost everybody prior to the season starting to run away with the EPL title.

I have no doubt at all that Aquilani will settle in next to Masch very quickly and once that happens expect to see Steven Gerrard back to his attacking best. Guaranteed.

lets blame Gerrard for not scoring and creating all of liverpools goals!!get a life.

well said, but.....who would you all blame if gerrard was injured?? Torres, Carra, Masch???

We are just in a blip at the beginning of this season, just like we were in 84-85, going from top 5 in September to 3rd from bottom by the end of October. Things will defininitly pick up as Agger & Aqua come back from injuries.

I've said this in another thread and I will say it again, our midfield has been pretty poor this season, there is not one midfielder that has gave a breath taking performance in any game barring Yossi and we have missed Alonso's range of passing and vision any team in the world would he is without doubt one of the best passers of a football  in the modern game. Now its easy to jump up and be critical of Gerrard and Torres for our performances and not getting us goals, but what you have to bear in mind in the two most pivotal games where we have lost Chelsea and Fiorentina most notably our midfield simply did not create enough chances for us to win the games.

Now people will say we had 3 good chances against Chelsea, I would argue how often do you see a %100 conversion rate in football ?, so therefore we did not create enough chances to win the game, now I'm not saying we were sh*t against Chelsea our midfield did a good job of stopping Chelsea play through them but offered us very little in terms of creativity. In both games against Chelsea and Fiorentina for large periods of the games both Gerrard and Torres were Isolated and were having to come deep to get involved in the game. If our midfield are not performing and creating chances for our front two to put away then they will struggle, any forward in the world would, as a forward is only as good as the service he recieves.

So in conclusion until the likes of Kuyt, Riera, Masch & Lucas get there arses into gear and start offering us some real creativity and industry against the better teams, our forwards are going to struggle to make any real impact in them games and Gerrard and Torres can not be held fully accountable for that as for the games against the lesser clubs where chances are in abundance, barring Villa and Tottenham, they have been banging them away.

I've said this in another thread and I will say it again, our midfield has been pretty poor this season, there is not one midfielder that has gave a breath taking performance in any game barring Yossi and we have missed Alonso's range of passing and vision any team in the world would he is without doubt one of the best passers of a football  in the modern game. Now its easy to jump up and be critical of Gerrard and Torres for our performances and not getting us goals, but what you have to bear in mind in the two most pivotal games where we have lost Chelsea and Fiorentina most notably our midfield simply did not create enough chances for us to win the games.

Now people will say we had 3 good chances against Chelsea, I would argue how often do you see a %100 conversion rate in football ?, so therefore we did not create enough chances to win the game, now I'm not saying we were sh*t against Chelsea our midfield did a good job of stopping Chelsea play through them but offered us very little in terms of creativity. In both games against Chelsea and Fiorentina for large periods of the games both Gerrard and Torres were Isolated and were having to come deep to get involved in the game. If our midfield are not performing and creating chances for our front two to put away then they will struggle, any forward in the world would, as a forward is only as good as the service he recieves.

So in conclusion until the likes of Kuyt, Riera, Masch & Lucas get there arses into gear and start offering us some real creativity and industry against the better teams, our forwards are going to struggle to make any real impact in them games and Gerrard and Torres can not be held fully accountable for that as for the games against the lesser clubs where chances are in abundance, barring Villa and Tottenham, they have been banging them away.

Spot on for me that mate.

Spot on for me that mate.

likewise

He may not have had the best start to this season but he's still the most influential player in the team.

Give him a break will you, he'll know himself that he's not playing to the best of his strengths, but mark my words he'll come good.

....and that goal against Hull was absolutely bloody brilliant.

It goes without saying that our midfield ,noticably Stevie G hasn't started well this season ,I also think everyone is entitled to a bad patch sometime in their life/career, Stevie G is the ultimate player and professional and i have no doubts that he will raise his game . Obviously after playing the midfield general with Xabi for a few years he has to change his style to accomodate the present team around him ...he will be back to himself i'm sure