Leadership

[Arn]

That is what we are missing right now, big time. The players should always give 100% even if they don't like the manager. Our so called leaders Gerrard and Carragher isn't exactly showing the right fighting spirit do they.

We are lacking leadership on the pitch. Our best leader at the moment is probably Reina but he can't do it all himself. We need someone out there on the pitch that would kick some ass if the players aren't showing up. We need someone on the pitch that show that it's totally unacceptable what is happing on the pitch right now with no team spirit at all.

We need a new captain, we need a new leader and we need it now.

[Tee]

Totally agree. Stevie has lost his mojo and is no way inspiring anything out of the team.

Give the armband to Pepe.

[dww]

I'm not sure we need a new captain but I've said for a while that we need more leaders (and different kinds thereof in the team). Players like Gerrard and Carragher are shouters who try and do everything themselves when things go wrong. They are getting older and are less capable of doing that. On the pitch they don't have the appreciation of tactics wider than what is ahead of them and they don't retain their calm.

Losing Alonso and Hyypia has left our squad very light in that area. In a lot of ways I think losing Hyypia was one of the decisions that has had the biggest impact in the last few years - I certainly think he would have got games both last season and (even more so) this.

[DannyMan2006]

I agree the players should be doing better. But the situation at our club is the same as what it will be at every other club in the world. If they don't buy into the managers ideals they won't perform with any great cohesion.

If mourinho was in the trenches at ww2 and told his players at Chelsea or inter to go over the top they would. Under hodgson are players are not just cowering in the trenches, they've thrown the White flag over and have gone running back for cover.

[Pablo]

We used to have leaders all over the pitch a few years ago, not anymore

[red g]

Should give it to Soto and he can crush anyone who doesnt comply with his orders.

In all seriousness leadership comes from above.

Hard to inspire when all around is going to ****. Takes a special player to be able to do that

[JohnDoe]

Gerrard was never the leader, Alonso was.

[Maxiedge]

I believe our previous manager made a point of signing 'captain material' or leaders (before they arrived):

-Riera captain Espaynol
-Benayoun Israel captain
-Kuyt Feyenord captain
-Torres Atletico cpt.
-Lucas Brazil U-21 captain (I think)
-Robbie Keane Spurs captain (Barry Villa captain)

There might be a few more...

[LFCman]

Gerrard hasn't been the same player he once was for a while now.

[Alex]

He is still our best player, and the one giving the best performances every game. He might be **** at the moment, but he is the best **** we have got.

[Shaggy]

Reina is our real leader IMO. The rest of 'em can **** off.

[Frenchie]

Nah Woys team n'all he will pick Poulson his scandi bum chum he gives him a weach awound

[calvoboy]

I'm not sure we need a new captain but I've said for a while that we need more leaders (and different kinds thereof in the team). Players like Gerrard and Carragher are shouters who try and do everything themselves when things go wrong. They are getting older and are less capable of doing that. On the pitch they don't have the appreciation of tactics wider than what is ahead of them and they don't retain their calm.

Losing Alonso and Hyypia has left our squad very light in that area. In a lot of ways I think losing Hyypia was one of the decisions that has had the biggest impact in the last few years - I certainly think he would have got games both last season and (even more so) this.

Aargh....with arguing for Hodgson to get more time and now this, I could get caricatured as the opposite of what I am, but.....here goes:

I really think that this is down to Rafa - he didn't see players as individuals, he saw them as cogs in a machine, so leadership on the pitch wasn't important to him. I think this is why we struggled so much last season, because so few of the players would stand up and be counted, and why we are struggling quite so badly now (though Roy has to take the majority of the blame).

Houllier saw the importance of leaders, and I think that's why we won so many trophies under him. The team wasn't as good as Rafa's, and didn't play as good football as Rafa's, but nearly all of that team would stand up and be counted when it was needed and not retreat into their shells.

[calvoboy]

I believe our previous manager made a point of signing 'captain material' or leaders (before they arrived):

-Riera captain Espaynol
-Benayoun Israel captain
-Kuyt Feyenord captain
-Torres Atletico cpt.
-Lucas Brazil U-21 captain (I think)
-Robbie Keane Spurs captain (Barry Villa captain)

There might be a few more...

There's a big difference between being named captain and being a leader. They may have been captains, but only Kuyt and Torres are really leaders from that list. Possibly Robbie Keane too, but Rafa shipped him out within a few months...