Is Gerrard a footballing genius?

[ElRobbie]

I can't honestly believe some of the drivel I have read on this topic, people suggesting that Gerrard won't be considered one of our greatest players?? Are you for real? Also some people even having a debate whether he will go down as a club legend or not????

The word genius is just too generic and not really relevant, what he doesn't have in terms of flair or intelligence he makes up for with other attributes.

If he had to stop playing next week due to a bad injury he would go down as one of our greatest, absolutely, he is already in the top 5 best players to play for this club, ever, in terms of ability and what he has done on the pitch, without question.

If he had played in a team as good as some of the teams we had in the 70s and 80s then he would have achieved/won so much more obviously, but bear in mind the amount of times he has carried the team and single handilidly won us games and dragged us out of the ****, not just in league matches but in cup finals and massively important cup games, its unreal.

He is also just about to join the 100 goals for us club, now take a look at the list..... NOTE not many midfielders in that list and he's still only 28, he could well pass Michael Owen, Fowler and Kenny for goals scored in the next 4/5 years. I would certainly expect him to bag another 50 goals realisticly.

The 100 Club (all competitions)

Ian Rush 346, Roger Hunt 286, Gordon Hodgson 241, Billy Liddell 228, Robbie Fowler 176, Kenny Dalglish 172, Michael Owen 158, Harry Chambers 151, Jack Parkinson 130, Sam Raybould 128, Dick Forshaw 124, Ian St John 118, Jack Balmer 111, John Barnes 108, Kevin Keegan 100

He is also our top scorer in european competition, clear by 5 goals at the moment.

Anyone who says he isn't one of our greatest is deluded or just bitter about him nearly leaving when that was the fault of the club.

[kop-al-74]

If you mean he will go down as a club legend when his career is over then i would say definitely, based on his on-the-field performances, the goals hes got and his contribution to the team as a whole.

He wont be thought of in such high regard as the players you menyion for 2 reasons, 1 would be the Chelsea farce, as someone said earlier that upset a lot of people at the time and nobody forgets - 2 would be that he isnt close to the players you mention in terms of ability and character, he'll never be considered a better player than any of them, and certainly not Kenny

I think were split on that opinion.I would put him at the very top personally.Listen,it doesn't take anything away from players such as Barnes and Dalglish.But,you have to admit those guys were surrounded by world class players,playing world class football under world class guidance.And they were winning everything in sight.Half of Gerrards career has been playing in a negative frame of mind unable to truly express himself under Houllier with really poor team mates.

[Tee]

I can't honestly believe some of the drivel I have read on this topic, people suggesting that Gerrard won't be considered one of our greatest players?? Are you for real? Also some people even having a debate whether he will go down as a club legend or not????

The word genius is just too generic and not really relevant, what he doesn't have in terms of flair or intelligence he makes up for with other attributes.

If he had to stop playing next week due to a bad injury he would go down as one of our greatest, absolutely, he is already in the top 5 best players to play for this club, ever, in terms of ability and what he has done on the pitch, without question.

If he had played in a team as good as some of the teams we had in the 70s and 80s then he would have achieved/won so much more obviously, but bear in mind the amount of times he has carried the team and single handilidly won us games and dragged us out of the ****, not just in league matches but in cup finals and massively important cup games, its unreal.

He is also just about to join the 100 goals for us club, now take a look at the list..... NOTE not many midfielders in that list and he's still only 28, he could well pass Michael Owen, Fowler and Kenny for goals scored in the next 4/5 years. I would certainly expect him to bag another 50 goals realisticly.

The 100 Club (all competitions)

Ian Rush 346, Roger Hunt 286, Gordon Hodgson 241, Billy Liddell 228, Robbie Fowler 176, Kenny Dalglish 172, Michael Owen 158, Harry Chambers 151, Jack Parkinson 130, Sam Raybould 128, Dick Forshaw 124, Ian St John 118, Jack Balmer 111, John Barnes 108, Kevin Keegan 100

He is also our top scorer in european competition, clear by 5 goals at the moment.

Anyone who says he isn't one of our greatest is deluded or just bitter about him nearly leaving when that was the fault of the club.

John Barnes was an atonishingly good player looking at those stats - I never realised he scored so many.

He is seriously underated I feel in terms of our greatest ever players. Right up there IMO with Dalglsih and Rush (and Stevie G of course).

[yukpo]

I can't honestly believe some of the drivel I have read on this topic, people suggesting that Gerrard won't be considered one of our greatest players?? Are you for real? Also some people even having a debate whether he will go down as a club legend or not????

The word genius is just too generic and not really relevant, what he doesn't have in terms of flair or intelligence he makes up for with other attributes.

If he had to stop playing next week due to a bad injury he would go down as one of our greatest, absolutely, he is already in the top 5 best players to play for this club, ever, in terms of ability and what he has done on the pitch, without question.

If he had played in a team as good as some of the teams we had in the 70s and 80s then he would have achieved/won so much more obviously, but bear in mind the amount of times he has carried the team and single handilidly won us games and dragged us out of the ****, not just in league matches but in cup finals and massively important cup games, its unreal.

He is also just about to join the 100 goals for us club, now take a look at the list..... NOTE not many midfielders in that list and he's still only 28, he could well pass Michael Owen, Fowler and Kenny for goals scored in the next 4/5 years. I would certainly expect him to bag another 50 goals realisticly.

The 100 Club (all competitions)

Ian Rush 346, Roger Hunt 286, Gordon Hodgson 241, Billy Liddell 228, Robbie Fowler 176, Kenny Dalglish 172, Michael Owen 158, Harry Chambers 151, Jack Parkinson 130, Sam Raybould 128, Dick Forshaw 124, Ian St John 118, Jack Balmer 111, John Barnes 108, Kevin Keegan 100

He is also our top scorer in european competition, clear by 5 goals at the moment.

Anyone who says he isn't one of our greatest is deluded or just bitter about him nearly leaving when that was the fault of the club.

amazing post

and he is still here, nearly doesnt count. he's still here, still ours and still putting in world class performances. i just dont get how it should be absolutely impossible for him to consider going to another club, when you put the kind of money on the table that chelsea did anyone would have their head turned.

but his love for liverpool prevailed, so i dont get why people keep bringing it up

[Tee]

amazing post

and he is still here, nearly doesnt count. he's still here, still ours and still putting in world class performances. i just dont get how it should be absolutely impossible for him to consider going to another club, when you put the kind of money on the table that chelsea did anyone would have their head turned.

but his love for liverpool prevailed, so i dont get why people keep bringing it up

Some people get off on the fact he flirted with leaving - but what about the circumstances around it though - a shambles typical of Parry.

Rushie is considered a hero but he left and no one ever talks about him being anything other than a Liverpool player/legend??

It could be argued that Kenny left us at a time when we needed him most, but he is never ever considered anything other than a legend, the King, and quite rightly so.

As I said before, Steven Gerrard is the best player we have ever had IMO.

[kop-al-74]

Some people get off on the fact he flirted with leaving - but what about the circumstances around it though - a shambles typical of Parry.

Rushie is considered a hero but he left and no one ever talks about him being anything other than a Liverpool player/legend??

It could be argued that Kenny left us at a time when we needed him most, but he is never ever considered anything other than a legend, the King, and quite rightly so.

As I said before, Steven Gerrard is the best player we have ever had IMO.

[The Birdman]

Gerrard is a world class player who has played the majority of his career in average club sides.
Like others have posted, had he played in the team of the 80's (and he would have been an automatic pick) then he would be revered, have medals galore and probably another 40 odd goals (based on 5 more goals a season in a successful team over 8 years)

[Shaggy]

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has hailed his captain Steven Gerrard as the best midfielder in the world.

Gerrard needs just one goal to reach a century of strikes for the club, but Benitez feels he can go on to eclipse that mark.

He said: "We are lucky to have the best midfielder in the world. He scores great goals that few others can manage.

"But he can score a lot more. Once he has scored his 100th, then we will give him the objective of maybe 150."

Liverpool remain unbeaten in all competitions this season, and Benitez has backed Gerrard to help the team extend that record against Stoke City tomorrow.

He said: "The way to win is to play our own football. To keep possession, keep passing and keep it on the ground.

"We must match them physically, and also make sure the technical aspects of our game and our tactics prevail.

"But we have Gerrard. His goals tally is outstanding for a midfielder who can play anywhere. There are maybe only two or three players in the world who can score the sort of strike managed in Marseille.

"He did it again today in training, so we know he can score like that again.

"He can score a lot more for us, maybe get near to doubling his current tally if he takes the penalties too!

"But to do that he must play in a good team, but it is possible he could achieve a record of goals for a midfielder."

[Rich]

He's a ****ing mooooooooooooooonster!

Booooooom

[friedk]

I can assure you that there is not a single team in world football that would not want Gerrard in their side.

The myth that he is not a big game player is incredible considering his record of scoring in League Cup, FA Cup, UEFA Cup and European Cup finals.

It is true that against top sides he often has a quiet game, but that can also be said about most of the best players in the world, because the top sides have better players and better managers to deal with the main threats their opponents have to offer. Sometime you also have to give credit where credit's due. Messi is, in most peoples' opinion, an incredible player. The fact that he had a quiet game against us, doesn't mean he does not have big match temperament, it means Arbeloa did his job brilliantly and Rafa got his tactics spot on.

Gerrard's flirting with Chelsea did leave a bad taste, but the pain he went through and the demons he faced before deciding to stay were plain for all to see. Remember he offered to give up the club captaincy, but it was turned down. It's often said Carra should be captain, but ask him if he would want to take it off Gerrard and you can be sure the answer will be no. Gerrard and Carra are a team on the pitch, both leaders with mutual respect for each other. Because Carra doesn't wear an arm band doesn't lessen his influence on the pitch.

To win a league title you need a top class squad and some world class players, there can be no doubt whatsoever, that Gerrard is world class.

Deciding if he's the best ever is something I would rather save for when he retires, at the moment I'll just be happy that he's ours.

[ElRobbie]

Thought this might be a good time to bring this back up, scores his 100th goal with another tap in and moves 6 goals clear as our top scorer in European competition

Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 286
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
Robbie Fowler 183
Kenny Dalglish 172
Michael Owen 158
Harry Chambers 151
Sam Raybould 130
Jack Parkinson 129
Dick Forshaw 124
Ian St John 118
Jack Balmer 111
John Barnes 108
Kevin Keegan 100
Steven Gerrard 100

[donpisci]

He'll quite easily score more than God before he retires.
However, you have to wonder how many goals a God would have scored for us if he had stayed with us.

[Red Chilli]

He'll quite easily score more than God before he retires.
However, you have to wonder how many goals a God would have scored for us if he had stayed with us.

That's a bold prediction mate

[Skillz]

That's a bold prediction mate

It is.

He might do it but it will not be easy.

[BG1973]

dunno.. to me there have only ever been a couple of real geniuses and that's Maradonna and Zindane, certainly in my lifetime (35). They were just on another level altogether esp ZZ.

Stevie will never scale those heights although he would make my current world 11 every time.