Winning the Champs L would be no consolation for another terrible season, rages Ste G

[BobTheCharmer]

I am not talkjng about history, I am talking about this season. Captains are supposed to lead by example regardless of who is chosen to play any given game. He has been piss poor as a Captain this season, except for a couple of Cameo roles Someone is going to go off big style soon

so you discount history? why? is it not possible to cut him some slack for some poor games this season on the back of the fact he's carried us for years?

Could some of his quieter games not be on instruction from Rafa to not try and win games on his own? its all about the team after all. It seems he's vilified by some when he gets greedy and shoots on sight or gets caught out of position yet when he pops up with another point saving goal he's the hero.

[robbielad9]

Gerrard has his faults, but he must see some of his 10 teammates and think 'Christ, either i rescue this or nobody will'

He does have his faults, and i'd rather he was the local hero who "ran" the games, rather than "saving" the ****ing games when we've gone behind. I think on most occasions that Gerrard doesnt have faith in Rafas selections and it shows in his body language.

[BobTheCharmer]

I think on most occasions that Gerrard doesnt have faith in Rafas selections and it shows in his body language.

I think that goes for Carra & Crouch too.

Plus all the great managers of the past have known how to get the best from their players, ie arm round the shoulder, encouragement or a right old bollocking. I'm not sure Rafa works along those lines.

[Assassin]

there's another way of looking at this and i'm afraid it only points to another flaw in rafa - gerrard is being badly mismanaged.

rafa's man management is so poor that he can't see beyond gerrard as captain and thinks that in itself is enough of a compliment to get gerrard going.

regardless of SG's opinion of his own best position, he really doesn't know what rafa wants from him and what his actual position on the pitch is. does he have freedom to attack? what are his defensive responsibilities? where are the other ****in midfielders? why is kuyt always behind him and out on the right wing?

Sg said that after the fa cup win against hammers rafa only pointed out his mistakes and that he would work as hard as he could to get a compliment out of the manager - in reality Sg does not have the correct psyche to do this. he needs something that rafa can't give and despite the fact that i've disagreed with people about his best position and don't really like gerrard's neediness, only a very foolish manager would ignore it. which is what rafa is doing and could well see SG leaving the club. i honestly think that regardless of what he says, SG could well leave us if rafa stayed. i've changed my mind on this a bit - some players need the "arm round the shoulder" and some manger's get far more out of average palyers by a willingness to do this - cf moyes at everton.

i hate to say this but imagine what a motivator like mourinho could get out of SG.

Man up - I have been working for managers like this all my life, Sulky G needs an arm around his shoulder he shouldnt be Captain Looks like I got a lively one here LOL

[BobTheCharmer]

Man up - I have been working for managers like this all my life, Sulky G needs an arm around his shoulder he shouldnt be Captain Looks like I got a lively one here LOL

ok strip him of the captaincy. problem solved. we'll be champions.

thanks for getting me to see the light.

[Craig_H]

He does have his faults, and i'd rather he was the local hero who "ran" the games, rather than "saving" the ****ing games when we've gone behind. I think on most occasions that Gerrard doesnt have faith in Rafas selections and it shows in his body language.

Fair comment.

[Assassin]

so you discount history? why? is it not possible to cut him some slack for some poor games this season on the back of the fact he's carried us for years?

Could some of his quieter games not be on instruction from Rafa to not try and win games on his own? its all about the team after all. It seems he's vilified by some when he gets greedy and shoots on sight or gets caught out of position yet when he pops up with another point saving goal he's the hero.

History is something to be enjoyed, so I dont discount it.

Like I said we are not talking about history, he is payed to perform and make sure the other players perform and quite frankly he isnt doing a good job this season Bob is ready to really kick off now

[Assassin]

Well thats it for me today, thanks for the entertainment ;handshake;

[badpiggy]

Man up - I have been working for managers like this all my life, Sulky G needs an arm around his shoulder he shouldnt be Captain Looks like I got a lively one here LOL

no he shouldn't be captain and the whole point is that SG seems to be one of those people that does need a bit of encouragement and direction - this doesn't make him a bad footballer or a crap human being. it just means he's not like you when it comes to managers.

[Vermilion]

A thing i have noticed about Gerrard is he never seems to talk tactics, post match interviews etc, he never says....We beat them because we did this or that, i don't see him as a captain that can tell players what to do or where to be, i suppose he leads by example when on form though, but good captains have more about them.

He does'nt come across as a connoisseur of the beautiful game. i just hope this is'nt the start of him trying to be unpopular thus making a move away easier for him in the summer. Time will tell. Whatever his faults, the talents he does have easily out weigh them. imo.

Also he could be more supportive to the manager, we often hear players waxing lyrical about their gaffer, a bit more fighting talk at the start, not picking our faults when the title has gone. I still would'nt swap him though. But still believe he harbour's doubts about not joining the chavs. Just hope he does'nt start sulking about it.

But how can he say what he said, not many players end a career with 2 Champions league winners medals.

[barnes10]

gerrard is the captain of lfc for the same reason beckham was captain of england. and its not because of his tactical astuteness and leadership qualities.

sure gerrard is the 'emblem' of the team and the roy of the rovers of our side. lets be fair to the lad, at times he's nothing short of a super hero and for this he will always be deservedly loved. BUT, a captain is also about morale, tactical nouse, all round leadership (including by example which stevie is great at) and of course self sacrifice. Gerrard seems too self indulgent and can sulk and go missing too often for my liking. And he's not a great captain because of it.

All in all, I don't see anyone in our team who would clearly be a GREAT captain. Possibly carragher and because of that would say carragher should have a season long chance to prove himself as club captain as he's defo got the potential.

Its not a slight against SG but the captain is a big job to play on the park and SG needs to focus totally on what SG does best and that is terrorising the opposition. Not thinking and observing everything and everyone around him to identify and put right any of the team's problems.

[Sarb]

Gerrard is absolutely spot on. Love the honesty that comes from Gerrard and Carra. They know we've been **** this season and it's good to have a bit of realism. The League is our bread and butter and we've been absolutely ****e in it

[Vermilion]

Gerrard is absolutely spot on. Love the honesty that comes from Gerrard and Carra. They know we've been **** this season and it's good to have a bit of realism. The League is our bread and butter and we've been absolutely ****e in it

Sure, but to me he's just stating the obvious, tell it to the players in the dressing room not the media, they have more than enough sticks to beat us with.

[Slinky Skills]

Noticed the article didnt include this bit which is included in the article on the official site...:

"We've not gone backwards. There's no way that's the case. I look around the dressing room at Melwood and there's much more quality and depth in the squad than we had this time last year. It's not even up for debate.

"How could you say signing players of the calibre of Torres and Babel is a sign of a team going in any other direction than forwards?

"We've only lost three games all season in the league, but we've drawn too many games."
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drill...80227-1646.htm

This is why I reckon we'll win a lot more next season. We've drawn way too much this year but our away form is a lot better.

Next year it will all come together.

[Craig_H]

What's to stop us going back to ****e away form next year slinky?

"it will all be ok" seems to be what you're saying, but you dont say why it will.