"We Need To Talk About Gerrard."

I don't think anyone has actually said that.
Mostly it's been a case of having someone share the load or do the leg work.
It's also been suggested that we might want to rest him on occasion.

Having said that, seeing as we only have one game a week up until Christmas it may already be an obsolete argument.

Was thinking the same thing.

I still think he's carrying a niggle that is affecting him, but hopefully it's on the mend (if he does indeed have one) and we'll see the best of him again soon.

Gerrard is not the same player he was 10 years ago how can he be he's 33 now.
Some people have to realise we are not going to see the 'best of him again soon'.

Gerrard as i've previously said is playing the role we need him to play already.
We are well covered further up the park that's the primary reason Gerrard is playing
the role he's playing.

What we need is someone who can play the role he used to play.
Unfortunately we don't have anyone capable of doing that at the minute.

His influence is as great as it's ever been it's just deployed in a different way.
All great players especially rampaging midfielders have to adapt there games
as they get older.

Franz Beckenbaur (a huge admirer of Gerrard) was once a marauding midfielder
himself but after he turned 30 he turned himself into the best sweeper the game
has probably ever seen.

Luckily Brendan a true scholar of the game obviously appreciates these things.
Gerrard is already back to his best a different best, but it's every bit as important to the team.

We should take a step back and just enjoy Stevie the footballer ,a player it has been a joy to watch ,to say he wanders around half arsed and don,t care is fcking tosh , he cares alright ,we have no idea how he feels when he see,s players fcking up and he cant quite carry the team like he used to ,players like him  dont come around too often, lets just enjoy whats left, he will come good of that i have no doubt .

If Brendan read some of the posts in here and said "you know what, they've got a point" and stuck Stevie on the market for a few million in Jan, the whole of the Premier League would take him. At the front of the queue would be Mourinho at Chelsea and Wenger at Arsenal, Moyes would take him as would every other manager. The notion that he is now "a substitute" is absolutely laughable. 

Thats just it Mick if we put him up for sale there would be no shortage of takers , some people are spoilt , and some you can never please.

If Brendan read some of the posts in here and said "you know what, they've got a point" and stuck Stevie on the market for a few million in Jan, the whole of the Premier League would take him. At the front of the queue would be Mourinho at Chelsea and Wenger at Arsenal, Moyes would take him as would every other manager. The notion that he is now "a substitute" is absolutely laughable.

Add PSG, Real and Napoli to that list. He's still one of the world's best and we had all this sh*te last year. Gerrard went on to have a great season.

He deserves to lead out the lads in Brasil. That'll be his swan song. If it is detrimental to LFCs interest, we'll just have to suck it up. Unfortunate, but that's what it is.

F**k England and F**k the FA.

If Brendan read some of the posts in here and said "you know what, they've got a point" and stuck Stevie on the market for a few million in Jan, the whole of the Premier League would take him. At the front of the queue would be Mourinho at Chelsea and Wenger at Arsenal, Moyes would take him as would every other manager. The notion that he is now "a substitute" is absolutely laughable. 

I'm not sure anyone has said he should be sold or a permanent substitute.

Just that he shouldn't be an automatic pick no matter what.

The notion that he is now "a substitute" is absolutely laughable.

Mick I think you're taking a very simplistic view of the discussion if the above quote is what you've gleaned from the topic.

For me there are some games where Stevie just doesn't need to start and if we are to get the best out of him for the remainder of his career then his time on the pitch needs to be managed better.  None of us are disputing his quality, his influence or his record. 

Of course there would be managers all over Europe fighting for his signature if he was put up for sale but that doesn't mean those managers would play him in every game.

Mick I think you're taking a very simplistic view of the discussion if the above quote is what you've gleaned from the topic.

For me there are some games where Stevie just doesn't need to start and if we are to get the best out of him for the remainder of his career then his time on the pitch needs to be managed better.  None of us are disputing his quality, his influence or his record. 

Of course there would be managers all over Europe fighting for his signature if he was put up for sale but that doesn't mean those managers would play him in every game.

I hear what you're saying, but I don't think Gerrard is at that stage yet when he's 33. Take note that we'll have considerably less games this year anyway, with no euro or league cup action.

I hear what you're saying, but I don't think Gerrard is at that stage yet when he's 33. Take note that we'll have considerably less games this year anyway, with no euro or league cup action.

True, but every time he plays for england he comes backed fu**ed.

True, but every time he plays for england he comes backed fu**ed.

Also mate if his swansong is leading England out in Brazil next summer then he's going to want to make sure he's fit and that means doing his best to not get injured.

I know we couldn't give a f**k about that but he is extremely proud of captaining his country, this will be his last major tournament he won't want to miss it.

best player in a RED shirt and that's not my view its the view of some very well respected ex players and managers.
His experience alone is enough to play him but with his abilities as well get used to him being here for at least another 3 seasons.
I really haven't seen him play badly after coming back from England either what is going on with this site these days yesterday it was Jamie wasn't  much of a player and this constant examining of Stevies every move.

True, but every time he plays for england he comes backed fu**ed.

The lad's his own worst enemy.

Also mate if his swansong is leading England out in Brazil next summer then he's going to want to make sure he's fit and that means doing his best to not get injured.

I know we couldn't give a f**k about that but he is extremely proud of captaining his country, this will be his last major tournament he won't want to miss it.

oh crap, that just reminded me of Mcmanamans last season for us

It therefore follows as sure as eggs is eggs that we are going to need to find a midfielder who can do what Gerrard did, even to some extent.

That's the elephant in the room as far as I'm concerned 'mick. Sooner, rather than later, we are going to have to find someone to fill that role (if not his boots). When we do the decision must be made to move Stevie into another role.

To be honest I think that is where most people's thinking may be at crossed purpose. It's not Stevie's place that should be in doubt (to my mind) but his role. Personally speaking I wouldn't be afraid to move Lucas aside and bring Henderson in beside Stevie, as that 'box to box' player, just to see what happens.

That's the elephant in the room as far as I'm concerned 'mick. Sooner, rather than later, we are going to have to find someone to fill that role (if not his boots). When we do the decision must be made to move Stevie into another role.

To be honest I think that is where most people's thinking may be at crossed purpose. It's not Stevie's place that should be in doubt (to my mind) but his role. Personally speaking I wouldn't be afraid to move Lucas aside and bring Henderson in beside Stevie, as that 'box to box' player, just to see what happens.

 Me either mate, or Alberto or Allen. The fact though (or at least I believe it so therefore it's a fact to me  ) is that Gerrard is far better in the holding role than Lucas ever was or ever will be. Given that, we either play with two holders who don't get up and down (not an option), we move Lucas forward (ditto) or we find someone else. It's the last one all day for me.

I'm not sure anyone has said he should be sold or a permanent substitute.

Just that he shouldn't be an automatic pick no matter what.

Agree, no one has said he should be sold, it's just natural with aging, that his great games are becoming further apart and we can't expect the lung busting, game saving Gerrard of old and to be fair, most don't. 

I know we're all fond of quoting our great managers and as one said, paraphrased, you sell a player when you think his legs will go for his next boss, not you.  With only a game a week, until the Xmas fixture pile up, nowhere near being a problem for us and using Gerrard sensibly and differently from his hay day will prolong his career with us.

The fact though (or at least I believe it so therefore it's a fact to me  ) is that Gerrard is far better in the holding role than Lucas ever was or ever will be.

As you know Mick, I'm not convinced he is. He's a much better all round footballer than lucas, of that there is no doubt, but as a more specialised holding midfielder I think Lucas is still the better in that position.

I do agree though that Henderson alongside Gerrard is something that I do see can wokr and give us a better blend in the two than we currently have and am keen to see how well they get on together tomorrow.

I'd play Alberto just ahead of them as I think as a three they'd work very well together at least until Phil gets back.

Gerrard is still the player we would miss most if he got injured.
He's the only one we don't have a similar quality back-up for.
No way he is past it - he is 2 years younger than Lampard, 6 younger than Giggs, has put his injury worries behind him ( touches wood) and his overall fitness looks fine.
So no way we should drop him.
What we could do with is high quality back-up. (My personal choice would be MIchu)

I think the problem is the pairing of Gerrard & Lucas, not necessarily the one individual. With Gerrard getting older, he's becoming less mobile and appears to lack stamina too, playing the other side of 32 hasn't flattered him like it did Scholes. That said, he's still one of our best players on his day, unfortunately those days are becoming less. For me, he still has an important role in our team (as contradictory as this post may sound) but not alongside Lucas IMO. The pair together, lack recovery-pace/stamina and this for me is another reason we have tended to drop deeper in games, even though at Old Toilet last night this trend differed. Their midfield (the skanks) wasn't all that either, Giggs and Jones in the middle.

One of either Lucas or Gerrard needs replacing to the bench to add depth to our shallow midfield options and bring in someone of Wanyama's ilk to provide the energy. With Gerrard in the twilight of his years, I'd still pick him over Lucas before he retires merely because he has the tools to pick out penetrating passes and has the ability to make something happen. Then, haul him off around the 70th minute mark for Lucas (if we're winning) and play like this.

Midfield was a worry for me and I shat myself in the summer because we never reinforced this area adequately.

Looking at his options and after last night, Rodgers may earmark Henderson for that role to provide the energy, the defensive cover isn't quite there without Lucas but Gerrard can sit and still do a job while Henderson marauds. I think this is an avenue Rodgers should be looking at to get this midfield moving up the pitch and imposing itself upon opponents,.

 

They used to call them box to box midfielders, and the fact that Man Utd have Tom Cleverley would seem to indicate there aren't many of them around in this country. That's what we need though, then we'll have a midfield again.

Yaya Toure

Yaya Toure

Aren't many Yaya Toure's around though.

Gerrard has improved over the last couple of games, and while some blindly defend him, we seriously do need to purchase a central midfielder or two because we are weak in midfield.

Gerrard will be our best midfielder no matter who we buy, but we need options. We need competition.

The Lucas Gerrard partnership is just not clicking that often, and Henderson is untested there. We need more options to select from.

In my opinion I think we have the weakest central midfield out of the top 6, excluding United.