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

[Gazmo1]

I think there is a real danger of reading too much into these interviews. What he said is fair enough even if I like you think that a CL win would make the season a good one even if the failure in the league has been very disappointing. I'm not sure players should come out to back managers it just makes everything harder, especially if the manager does go. The place to back the manager is out on the pitch.

I agree with you about Gerrard as captain. He doesn't seem to lead other people very well which is a problem as if you aim to lead by example whenever your form dips your ability to lead goes too. In terms of football and understanding of people Mascher and Carragher seem to be much better communicators than Gerrard.

I guess the captains armband is largely symbolic but I do feel our squad lacks a leader with experience in the forward areas which should really be Gerrards role.

Would you not agree that Gerrard leads (tries) by example rather than by leading as a communicator?

[dww]

Would you not agree that Gerrard leads (tries) by example rather than by leading as a communicator?

He does but I think the problem with it is that it works when he is playing well but becomes a problem when he isn't. This season at times his personal form has been a bit up and down and his on pitch demeanor has not looked inspiring which is a problem. Part of the problem may be that his style of leadership isn't what the current batch of players we have need rather than an inherent problem in Gerrard as a captain.

Possibly he just needs to gain more different experiences, such as that of winning a league title to give him more knowledge of what is needed. I think a lot of our players have suffered in the PL over the years as none of the squad has experience of winning a league and what that would take.

[Elvis]

Most of them clips were from last season and seasons before, we're talking about NOW. He isn't performing so i would say to him to keep his mouth shot, worry about getting his own form back and worry about how as Captain of the club he can inspire the team to recapture there form.
I don't see what good these comments of his are doing.
Does he think we as fans don't already know it's been a **** season so far??

That's probably because the video wasn't made last week. He's done plenty of good stuff this season - including being one of the main reasons Torres gets good service (e.g. Nando's goal against Chelsea). Even when he's poor he's better than most of our team!

[BFG]

I don't see an awful lot wrong with what Stevie says. I think sometimes he's misinterpreted as he's, well a bit thick really and quite dull and boring.

That said there isn't a lot 'right' about what he says either. We all know we can do better but I don't think his own form has been good enough so it just comes across as a moan. We should let Javier write his interviews for him. Who could fail to be inspired by a short arse Argie magician?

[AFII]

I would give Masch the captaincy without any doubt at all.

Stevie is only our captain because it's better for our business and that he would **** off to another club if Rafa stripped him of the captaincy IMO.

A Captain acts like a captain on the pitch in every game, week in week out, Masch has done that, not Stevie.

[Elvis]

I would give Masch the captaincy without any doubt at all.

Stevie is only our captain because it's better for our business and that he would **** off to another club if Rafa stripped him of the captaincy IMO.

A Captain acts like a captain on the pitch in every game, week in week out, Masch has done that, not Stevie.

Except Masch has done it for the proverbial ten minutes - and another ref would have sent him off at the weekend for "raising his hand" - would his temperament be sound under sustained pressure of being the team's figurehead? The speed with which some of you write off Gerrard's contribution amazes me....

[Craig_H]

What was torres like as captain at Atletico? Did he drag players up by the scruff of the neck? Was he a vocal leader? Cant imagine it.

[Shaggy]

Yeah, it seems to be being forgotten here that Gerrard's scored 15 or 16 goals this season. I agree that his performances have been very much hit and miss but his goal contribution cannot be ignored.

Someone made a great point earlier - Gerrard needs to run games rather than save them. He used to run games in the Houllier-era - when he was an all-action, tough-tackling midfielder.

Now, he seems to think he's above tackling and saves his annual tackle for the derby every year - usually on Phil Neville.

[Craig_H]

I just think people now expect superman performances every game and it's not realistic or fair. When he doesnt deliver them, people say he should be sold.

His poor performances are still better than everyone else's average/decent ones (barring Torres).

Selling Gerrard would be selling HALF of our goal threat. We already dont have enough of one.

[badpiggy]

just becase SG isn't officer material doesn't make him a bad player or a traitor or a ****** - you can't make someone into something they're not and at 27 Sg isn't going to become an inspirational captain all of a sudden. it's rafa's job to get the best out of him but this doesn't mean he has to indulge him. let him do what he's good at. a sterile, distant managerial style won't work with everyone.

consider this as a managerial choice: player scomes to training every day for a week. out if sorts, disinterested, awkward - murmurings of problems in his personal life.
as manger do you

(a) look at the computer statistics of his performance during the week, see that they are poor, drop him from the next game and totally ignore his off the field difficulties

or

(b) take some sort of interest in the player and his difficulties, make sure he knows his standing in the club, realise that the best thing to do might be to play him that week and ignore the ****ing computer.

option (b) not to be used all the time but at a time when a good manager knows when it's needed.

[MattB]

Someone made a great point earlier - Gerrard needs to run games rather than save them. He used to run games in the Houllier-era - when he was an all-action, tough-tackling midfielder.

Now, he seems to think he's above tackling and saves his annual tackle for the derby every year - usually on Phil Neville.

Do you not think that might have something to do with the way Rafa wants him to play? He said often enough in the early days that gerrard needed to play more with his head than his heart and be more tactically disciplined. To me that means not trying to make every tackle, score every goal etc etc, but fitting more into an overall pattern of play (which is clearly still a work in progress, judging by the table)

[Shaggy]

Do you not think that might have something to do with the way Rafa wants him to play? He said often enough in the early days that gerrard needed to play more with his head than his heart and be more tactically disciplined. To me that means not trying to make every tackle, score every goal etc etc, but fitting more into an overall pattern of play (which is clearly still a work in progress, judging by the table)

Yep, that might have something to do with it.

[dww]

I'm not sure that a good manager has to do that sort of thing himself. However the manager is responsible for ensuring there is someone there to do it.

I think the two arguments about Gerrard have become confused in this thread. His failure to be 'officer material' does not prevent him from being a top player or mean he should be sold. It does however mean that there is a gap in our team for someone with those qualities in addition to Gerrard.

I don't even think the problem is as simple as us expecting too much. I think the problem is that he seems to demand a central role for himself and in our current tactics that is not where he is best suited and at times that means that he doesn't bring as much to the team as a player of his talent should do as a good player in the right position will bring out the best in others. Gerrard playing where he does works well for Torres but less well for a number of our other players.

[Mattshark]

I'm sorry but wtf?? Goodnight babes? Seriously, get a grip of yourself and stop talking out of your arse.

Did you not know Sarah, Nic is the number one genius on here. If you don't agree with him you simply just don't understand the point he has made and he'll need to describe step by step.

[Shaggy]

Nonsense. Torres has looked far better playing with Kuyt than he has playing with Crouch. Our worst performances of the season where when Crouch and Torres were paired together - Marsielle at Anfield and away at Reading.

Crouch wasn't paired up front with Torres at Reading.