Time for Benítez to give Gerrard a wide berth

[redlancer]

But for his first few years as a regular Gerrard had all of those things in spades. I remember one game at Old Trafford where he totally dominated the whole Man U team, Keane included. He'd be unquestionably Man of the Match week in, week out, was scoring 30 yard screamers from all over the park, and invariably provided the telling through ball to slice open the opposition defence (typically for Owen to feed on).

In Houllier's last season his efforts were close to unnatural, as if it was a personal mission to achieve Champions League qualification regardless of the sometimes questionable quality of some of his teammates. He didn't just dictate the play, he controlled the game from start to finish, so any suggestion that he is not capable of carrying this off is palpably untrue.

However, we've seen this less and less over the last year or so. Which is odd. Because I'd have thought that playing alongside better players would have inspired Gerrard to greater heights. But his impact has been reduced to sporadic bursts of genius rather than prolonged, walking-with-the-gods, inspiration.

I've not given up hope that the Gerrard of old can re-emerge. Whether it's in the centre or on the wing is, in a sense, academic. It's more important that he plays as we know he can, then we can have the debate as to where he can be most effective.

good points

although when he 1st came on the scene he wasn't able to put back to back games in due to back probs with his hamstrings.

as soon as he went to every game remember thinking his performances suffered.

He liked Ged and was on the same wavelength as Owen, which we saw in the recent England game.

He had Didi as backup

He did seem top boss the midfield with the like Viera and Keane dissapearing at times in some of the big games

so maybe all these factors effect the lad. Under Ged he was a great CM player under Rafa not so.
But he could be our best attacking player a new Kenny a new Aimar.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Stopped reading when this imbecile suggested Gerrard can't spot a clever pass or execute it. And the form of Sissoko and Alonso has been so great hasn't it?

We've spent millions on wide players and people are suggesting putting our best central midfielder there again.

Not that he can't be effective in that position. He can be, but isn't putting him out there continuing to tinker with the team? And really is that going to improve our form, just moving him out there?

Anyone who can't acknowledge that our problems are deeper rooted than that is deluding themselves.

[Shaggy]

But for his first few years as a regular Gerrard had all of those things in spades. I remember one game at Old Trafford where he totally dominated the whole Man U team, Keane included. He'd be unquestionably Man of the Match week in, week out, was scoring 30 yard screamers from all over the park, and invariably provided the telling through ball to slice open the opposition defence (typically for Owen to feed on).

In Houllier's last season his efforts were close to unnatural, as if it was a personal mission to achieve Champions League qualification regardless of the sometimes questionable quality of some of his teammates. He didn't just dictate the play, he controlled the game from start to finish, so any suggestion that he is not capable of carrying this off is palpably untrue.

However, we've seen this less and less over the last year or so. Which is odd. Because I'd have thought that playing alongside better players would have inspired Gerrard to greater heights. But his impact has been reduced to sporadic bursts of genius rather than prolonged, walking-with-the-gods, inspiration.

I've not given up hope that the Gerrard of old can re-emerge. Whether it's in the centre or on the wing is, in a sense, academic. It's more important that he plays as we know he can, then we can have the debate as to where he can be most effective.

I was going much more regularly in those days, indeed I hardly ever missed a home game in Houllier’s time. I remember saying to my Dad, week in week out, “Gerrard was the best player on the park, AGAIN”. I used to tell him he was the best player every week without fail…some kind of superhuman. I used to rave to my old man that he was like Souness and Hoddle rolled in to one. His passing back then was consistently wonderful. I'd never seen such a consistently high level of performance, and to this day still haven't.

These insipid performances over the last 12 months or so, especially lately, couldn’t be further removed from the Gerrard of around 2001-2004.

Whatever has caused this loss of form/transformation/whatever you want to call it….it’s all in his head, IMO.

[CAD]

I was going much more regularly in those days, indeed I hardly ever missed a home game in Houllier’s time. I remember saying to my Dad, week in week out, “Gerrard was the best player on the park, AGAIN”. I used to tell him he was the best player every week without fail…some kind of superhuman. I used to rave to my old man that he was like Souness and Hoddle rolled in to one. His passing back then was consistently wonderful. I'd never seen such a consistently high level of performance, and to this day still haven't.

These insipid performances over the last 12 months or so, especially lately, couldn’t be further removed from the Gerrard of around 2001-2004.

Whatever has caused this loss of form/transformation/whatever you want to call it….it’s all in his head, IMO.

And now you're just fed up?

I think SG has more in him this season. Let's give the lad a chance. I have to admit that I don't really think we have another player at CM who can do what Stevie does when he's on form. I can't see us going places with Stevie sulking on the right and Mascher/Alonso at CM. I think it lacks drive in the long run.

Stevie is the key and must find himself for us to succeed this season.

[Jan Molby]

Far too much writing there for me to read it all, I presume the bulk of it is:
1) stevie is ****
2) stevie is class
3) stevie is so much better on the right
4) but sometimes he's class in the middle
5) but he's not on form
6) but when he is **** me he's wicked
7) rafa hates stevie
8) stevie hates rafa
9) rafa and stevie really respect each other
10) we all love rafa and stevie, but most of all we love LFC!!
something like that?

[alunevans]

i love it how many of the folks who were saying "play Gerrard in the middle" are now thinking, maybe he IS better on the right.

In Rafa's system he is a much more effective player out wide. He doesnt stay out there though, he has the freedom to roam infield.....but the main point is that he's not roaming in the centre of the pitch. He had a cracking season the one before last playing in this role and I really never saw what peoples problem was with it.

Alonso and Masher from now on Rafa

I think its the arrival of Masher that has made people who previously insisted Gerrard must play in the centre that it may be time for him to be out wide.

After all, he was out wide while Zenden was central midfield so its no surprise that people were going crazy at the idea of Gerrard out wide to make room for Zenden, yet are now happier to accommodate the idea of Gerrard out wide to make way for Masher.

[niallers1]

2 years ago when he scored 20 odd goals in the 1st half of the season he played in the middle and got 15 or so of his goals but the team won way more games when he played out right and his goals dried up a bit but he still scored a good few, in conclusion as its a team game i think his best position for our team is out wide. I know you can prove alot with stats but they all point to that conclusion. As long as he plays well wherever he plays and takes that god dam frown off his face back to the guy who he was before he was attacked by an ego.
Stevie=LEGEND

[mick the click]

But for his first few years as a regular Gerrard had all of those things in spades. I remember one game at Old Trafford where he totally dominated the whole Man U team, Keane included. He'd be unquestionably Man of the Match week in, week out, was scoring 30 yard screamers from all over the park, and invariably provided the telling through ball to slice open the opposition defence (typically for Owen to feed on).

In Houllier's last season his efforts were close to unnatural, as if it was a personal mission to achieve Champions League qualification regardless of the sometimes questionable quality of some of his teammates. He didn't just dictate the play, he controlled the game from start to finish, so any suggestion that he is not capable of carrying this off is palpably untrue.

However, we've seen this less and less over the last year or so. Which is odd. Because I'd have thought that playing alongside better players would have inspired Gerrard to greater heights. But his impact has been reduced to sporadic bursts of genius rather than prolonged, walking-with-the-gods, inspiration.

I've not given up hope that the Gerrard of old can re-emerge. Whether it's in the centre or on the wing is, in a sense, academic. It's more important that he plays as we know he can, then we can have the debate as to where he can be most effective.

Sterling stuff!

[jayjay]

---------------Mascherano
Gerrard--------Alonso/Lucas-------Kewell

Together with Luis and Harry in that interchanging trio of attacking mids was Steven at his best, for me anyway. Harry to come to think of it.

[AFII]

Together with Luis and Harry in that interchanging trio of attacking mids was Steven at his best, for me anyway. Harry to come to think of it.

The secret was that all three of them could change positions a lot during the games without any problem. We can't do that now because we don't have clever enough players to do it with Kewell out.

[Icon]

This is all bollocks.

It's a drop in form that players suffer from occasionally?
Did the tit that wrote it watch the FA and CL finals?

A little while ago Xabi was ****.
Pennant is on/off like a whores knickers
Crouch is crap but Benitez plays him still - is Rafa right there too?

Fact is when SG is on form he scrares the bejaysus out of defenders when he's ruuning at them down the middle.

[Parm]

haha, finally Rafa plays Stevie in the middle, after ages of arguing he can play wide right, only to be told he is crap in the middle and should be out wide right. And to top it all of he should look to sell him!

haha, Rafa cant win!!!

[peekay]

But for his first few years as a regular Gerrard had all of those things in spades. I remember one game at Old Trafford where he totally dominated the whole Man U team, Keane included. He'd be unquestionably Man of the Match week in, week out, was scoring 30 yard screamers from all over the park, and invariably provided the telling through ball to slice open the opposition defence (typically for Owen to feed on).

In Houllier's last season his efforts were close to unnatural, as if it was a personal mission to achieve Champions League qualification regardless of the sometimes questionable quality of some of his teammates. He didn't just dictate the play, he controlled the game from start to finish, so any suggestion that he is not capable of carrying this off is palpably untrue.

However, we've seen this less and less over the last year or so. Which is odd. Because I'd have thought that playing alongside better players would have inspired Gerrard to greater heights. But his impact has been reduced to sporadic bursts of genius rather than prolonged, walking-with-the-gods, inspiration.

I've not given up hope that the Gerrard of old can re-emerge. Whether it's in the centre or on the wing is, in a sense, academic. It's more important that he plays as we know he can, then we can have the debate as to where he can be most effective.

Stevie reminds me of Diego Maradona in the sense that he did a good job in a good team ( Barcelona) but became a footballing god when he was in a slightly mediocre team (Argentina 1986 world cup squad, Napoli).

[Parm]

ID say more like:
Reina
Finnan, Carra, Agger, Aurelio
______Mascher, Alonso______
__Gerrard,___ Kuyt,___ Babel
_________Torres

swap kuyt for lucas and we're on!!

[fred_plasticine]

This is all bollocks.

It's a drop in form that players suffer from occasionally?
Did the tit that wrote it watch the FA and CL finals?

A little while ago Xabi was ****.
Pennant is on/off like a whores knickers
Crouch is crap but Benitez plays him still - is Rafa right there too?

Fact is when SG is on form he scrares the bejaysus out of defenders when he's ruuning at them down the middle.

gerrard played cm in the first half only against milan in the cl final and we were run over...