Gerrard's last six months: What's the best course of action?

If they don't respect Stevie at this point then it's them who should be in the reserves.

I'd play him as much as possible, but in the middle of the back 3 if we're going to stick with that. Aside from his passing ability he's stronger in the air then any of our centre halfs and probably a better tackler to

Can he play in goal? I'd bet a pound to a penny on he's better at it that either of our two other options.

We got to see Gerrard in a more advanced position today. Two goals, albeit against a side 70-odd places below us. Still, two goals that see us through.

Looking at our squad, there isn't a single player on the team that can hit a decent free kick. No one else would have scored his second. Stevie's set piece delivery is something that will need to be addressed because we're going to really miss it next season.

Stevie's set piece delivery is something that will need to be addressed because we're going to really miss it next season.

Apart from the corners.  Lallana and Coutinho both take better corners than him.  Hard to say that no one else in the team would have scored from a free kick because no one else really gets a go do they?  I'd imagine the two aforementioned could have a go.  No idea about Markovic, Balotelli etc.

This might sound crazy.

But i think Gerrard actually wants to go. He wants to try something new while he still can. He wants a break from the high pressure of playing for Liverpool. Sounds crazy i know. But he's a liverpool boy, playing for liverpool. At some point it must just be boring living in your home town your whole life.

As a brit living in america, moving here was exciting, a new adventure. I imagine his wife and kids are excited about moving to LA and enjoying the nice weather all year round. He might even be able to be 'fairly' anonymous. Go food shopping with his kids without a minder. Go to the park without a CIA style entourage.

I dont know. Call me crazy!

Apart from the corners.  Lallana and Coutinho both take better corners than him.  Hard to say that no one else in the team would have scored from a free kick because no one else really gets a go do they?  I'd imagine the two aforementioned could have a go.  No idea about Markovic, Balotelli etc.

Coutinho never beats the first man on his corners. Agree on Lallana's corners though -- they're quality.

We saw Suarez take free kicks ahead of Gerrard plenty of times, to be fair. In the matches Gerrard didn't play and others took free kicks, they were terrible. Henderson thinks he can take him, but he can't. Balotelli is probably the next best option as he used to take them at City and AC Milan -- that's assuming he's still going to be a Liverpool player next season, of course.

balo takes good freekicks and pens
 

We got to see Gerrard in a more advanced position today. Two goals, albeit against a side 70-odd places below us. Still, two goals that see us through.

Looking at our squad, there isn't a single player on the team that can hit a decent free kick. No one else would have scored his second. Stevie's set piece delivery is something that will need to be addressed because we're going to really miss it next season.

It WAS against a lower team mate, but who else would have scored them if he hadn't? In my opinion he's the only player at the club (with the possible exception of Sturridge) who would have scored the first. We have absolutely NOBODY who attacks the space like he did there. I still see some people calling Lucas "the most important player at the club", or other players as the "next big thing" as well as saying Gerrard's "past it". The uncomfortable truth though is that Gerrard is still capable of doing things which the vast majority of our other players aren't.

I think its interesting though out this whole season up until the end of the last prem league game most people were saying DONT START GERRARD ! HES PART IT THE TEAM LOOK BETTER WITHOUT HIM. Him and Lucas are too slow in CM, he's past it etc etc etc

Now suddenly we're gonna be relegation fodder without him.

I mean there is really no middle ground with footie fans!

Well in all honesty it would have been far better if he just left now, how much respect will he command as captain when they all know he has half an eye on his new life in the US. He should have showed some class and waited until the end of the season instead of acting like a spoiled child and throwing his toys out of the pram just because the club don't want to keep him as the highest earner. Add to this the fact that he just gets worse and worse and the reserves might actually be an ok option.

Your opinion is w*nk.

Gerrard's last six months: What's the best course of action?

How about

Get on their knees,
Tell him they are sorry they didn't think it appropriate to have a contract waiting for our greatest ever player when he returned from the World Cup
Explain they are sorry they didn't see fit to bring up the subject of a new contract even after the skipper announced he was quitting international football to prolong his commitment to LFC
Offer him a 2 year deal
Pay him what he's worth
Oh and say sorry....

It WAS against a lower team mate, but who else would have scored them if he hadn't? In my opinion he's the only player at the club (with the possible exception of Sturridge) who would have scored the first. We have absolutely NOBODY who attacks the space like he did there. I still see some people calling Lucas "the most important player at the club", or other players as the "next big thing" as well as saying Gerrard's "past it". The uncomfortable truth though is that Gerrard is still capable of doing things which the vast majority of our other players aren't.

And yet bizarrely so many of the posters on here seem to think it's for the best that he goes or go crazy when he starts games.

Well in all honesty it would have been far better if he just left now, how much respect will he command as captain when they all know he has half an eye on his new life in the US. He should have showed some class and waited until the end of the season instead of acting like a spoiled child and throwing his toys out of the pram just because the club don't want to keep him as the highest earner. Add to this the fact that he just gets worse and worse and the reserves might actually be an ok option.

I wouldn't interpret it like that at all and I'm surprised that you have. The speculation would have raged on for the rest of the season if he hadn't announced his plans to play in the MLS. He would have been asked the question repeatedly, as would the manager and clubs from abroad would be making advances (and leaking them to press) to try to sign him as soon as we got into January. As for your comments about being the highest earner, it's speculation isn't it? You don't know that is what he was demanding. Maybe he wanted a two year deal? Maybe he wanted more money than was being offered? Maybe the offer they made was very low and he considered it to be an insult. It's all speculative. But for my mind the club have made a mess of it, they could have dealt with it far far better. It was clear in the summer that he wanted to stay, was looking forward to it, was waiting for the club to sort something out and now he is leaving.