A question...

[JudgeRed]

If Rafa had brought Stevie through the club ranks instead of Houllier, do you think Stevie would have been a better player than he is now? Discuss.

[The Wolfman]

lol this went down well...

[paulcooper4]

lol this went down well...

so did yer bird last night. you might want to get her to brush her teeth fella, unless you like edam flavoured breath

[JudgeRed]

Just tryin to add a different slant to this rafa/stevie debate. i personally think that Stevie would ve been more tactically aware, but that it may have taken a lot of the 'all action' style away from his play.

oh well back to the lurking.

[paulcooper4]

Just tryin to add a different slant to this rafa/stevie debate. i personally think that Stevie would ve been more tactically aware, but that it may have taken a lot of the 'all action' style away from his play.

oh well back to the lurking.

I think youre right about him being more tactically aware if rafa had moulded him. This is something thats glaringly missing from steveys game. Good post fella, dont go back to lurking, just takes people by surprise when theres a good post made, were not used to it

[anfieldanfield]

If Rafa had brought Stevie through the club ranks instead of Houllier, do you think Stevie would have been a better player than he is now? Discuss.

No.

Houllier put an arm round the young lad's shoulder, instilled new levels of confidence in Stevie, played him in his best position and gave him the captain's armband at the perfect time. I'll never forget the last six months of Houllier's reign, which is the best I've ever seen Gerrard play, and that includes last season.

[Rich]

Maybe Gerrard performs best being the big fish in a relative small pond? If so, it's a problem for him and the club as Rafa looks to stop us being labelled a one-man team.

[JudgeRed]

yes i agree to a certain extent Anfield.. but i get the feeling that Houllier probably told Stevie to go out onto the pitch and play his game, whereas sometimes the team requires that Stevie to do something else other than play his natural game. i think Benitez would ve instilled that quality into Stevies game and all this 'my best position..' arguement would not exist. i mean you dont see Carra scowling if he has to play at right back do you?

[Morph]

Houlier was probably too easy on him and made him belive his own hype, thus he has had a hard time of trying to play under a different manager, who wan't to use in differrent ways than what uncle Ged wanted to use him in.

I predict he'd be a flop in another country, asside from maybe Germany.

[Red_Polo]

No.

Houllier put an arm round the young lad's shoulder, instilled new levels of confidence in Stevie, played him in his best position and gave him the captain's armband at the perfect time. I'll never forget the last six months of Houllier's reign, which is the best I've ever seen Gerrard play, and that includes last season.

I concur

[redlancer]

No.

Houllier put an arm round the young lad's shoulder, instilled new levels of confidence in Stevie, played him in his best position and gave him the captain's armband at the perfect time. I'll never forget the last six months of Houllier's reign, which is the best I've ever seen Gerrard play, and that includes last season.

Ged still got the sack.

maybe he could get the best out of Stevie, but not the team. Maybe the 2 don't go together!

has Ged created a player that thrives when the chips are down.

Stevie has gotten us out of many a lost cause.
BUT shouldn't we be building a team that shouldn't be in that position.
And is it this vision or team that Steive doesn't fit into.

Still think his comments re quiting if Ged got the sack are still relavent now.

[The Wolfman]

so did yer bird last night. you might want to get her to brush her teeth fella, unless you like edam flavoured breath

she's your wife mate....

[Red Chilli]

I don't think Houllier himself did much to influence Gerrard's development but he likes to tell everyone he did.

[JudgeRed]

So...based on whats been said, Houllier allowed Stevie to flourish to develop his 'dynamic' style. In contrast I think Benitez would have developed him more as a highly talented footballer who knew his place in the team and his specific job.

Under Houllier- a talented individual with the team shaped around him

Under Benitez- a talented team player with role that would allow the team to function at its optimum.

feel free to shoot me down.

[bazza76]

yes i agree to a certain extent Anfield.. but i get the feeling that Houllier probably told Stevie to go out onto the pitch and play his game, whereas sometimes the team requires that Stevie to do something else other than play his natural game. i think Benitez would ve instilled that quality into Stevies game and all this 'my best position..' arguement would not exist. i mean you dont see Carra scowling if he has to play at right back do you?

Houllier never told Stevie to cut it out with his Hollywood passes, so yes you are right to a degree, he felt saying this to him would stunt his growth as a footballer, so he let Stevie play them, which is almost his trademark now.
But, Rafa is one for letting people trying the unexpected, so I dont think Rafa would have told him to stop that kind of thing either, as we see with Xabi, Rafa is trying to make Stevie to complete midfielder, by letting him play different positions to imporve his alround game, which IMO he is doing albeit very much un-noticed. Stevie even said this not so long ago himself.