Steven Gerrard

[baitman]

...Aside from that, I don't think Allen and Henderson as the furthest forward midfielders is productive enough in an attacking sense. Ball retention, great, but not enough creativity for me.

allen and henderson are good at pressing but apart from the odd few times from hendo there is little support play or contribution to the attack. there is little or no goal contribution form our midfield as a whole.
we all to often think of our midfield as only the three but playing the wing backs must surely mean we have a midfield 5...
the wing backs make some contribution [johnson ] but it doesnt often lead to goals or assists from them. we get the ball along a bit, then it stutters and the ball then gets played back again.

[magicalbarnes]

I cant see Gerrard playing this DM role (i hope im proven wrong).

For me if we want to prolong his career. He either need to play on the right side of midfield, whipping in crosses in the Beckham role. Unfortunately we dont play a standard 4-4-2 - so i cant see this happening.

If not we could use him in the Sheringham role.

[Phoenix07]

It's really surprising for me that Rodgers is an astute follower of Spanish football, yet he persists with the notion of Gerrard playing defensive midfield.

One thing Guardiola was ruthless at with Barcelona was getting rid of Yaya Toure, because he wasn't disciplined enough, nor had the legs required to play the role which Busquets has.

Gerrard has the technical qualities with the ball, but he doesn't have anything else to play the role. Alonso and Pirlo can get away with it, because they are excellent at positioning themselves on the pitch and knowing when to press.

If Rodgers really wishes to dedicate time to Gerrard on that, it shouldn't be now. That should be left on the training pitch and ready to execute at another time.

[BigChief]

Phoenix, as I've said earlier in the thread no one will listen to Brendan over a club legend. Not the establishment nor the fans. Brendan doesn't have the clout of a Guardiola (yet). Today is hugely pivotal in that they'll almost be requesting Brendan does the necessary.

[RedRum]

I think Brendan would drop Gerrard if he felt it neccessary but I think he reckons Gerrard is still our best midfielder and will adapt to the holding role.

[S-RED]

Gerrard should be next years right back; that said once he was moved forward he was thrice the DM rodgers wants him to be. Right back is his only LFC future.......

[RedRum]

Right Back? Im not sure. His crossing would come in handy but I don't know if he has the legs for it.

[Montana]

The number 10 role as the central player in front three behind the lone striker should be ideal for Gerrard. However, since his groin injuries over the last few years he doesn't seem to be able to have a go at goal from long distance very much. There's a reluctance there, otherwise he should be fine there for a couple of years at least.

[Exiled_red]

I think that we need to go with a two deep midfielder system, - a similar system to Rafa had with Mascherano and Alonso. In such a system, IMO Gerrard would be suited to the Alonso role, but he needs someone like Mascherano in along side him. This doesn't require too much running, or too much defending, it requires good vision and good passing ability which he has and it keeps him on the pitch as a leader and a set piece taker. In the 'easier' games he could be afforded more freedom to move forward when appropriate. For me this seems the ideal solution for both Gerrard and the team.

[Slinky Skills]

I'll tell you what the most depressing part is that many of us slagging off perhaps the single best player to have put on the red shirt for being played in a position he's not used to through no fault of his own.

Nice one lads.

[G]

The way we played while he was injured should be enough to show both him and the manager that going forward he has no place in our midfield.

Instead, for reasons unknown we have a manager trying desperately to shoehorn him into the team. The call needs to be made. He still contributes from set pieces but on the whole it's not enough to keep him in the team unless he's forward. Many times this season he's not tracked runners for goals, today again he's stood beside the scorer watching. What's worse, benching him or watching him turn in ****e performances in a position he's not suited to and doesn't want to play imo.

[Chazza]

I'll tell you what the most depressing part is that many of us slagging off perhaps the single best player to have put on the red shirt for being played in a position he's not used to through no fault of his own.

Nice one lads.

Well said.

I think we all realise that he is on the downward curve of his career but if we look at Scholes he had many a right off and came back. United fans now bemoaning the fact they have never replaced him.

Gerrard assumed the same position for the second half as he he has for the the last 2 seasons, he has copped it from supporters for playing that position as well but players like him come around very rarely and we will all miss him when he is gone.

[Exiled_red]

Well said.

I think we all realise that he is on the downward curve of his career but if we look at Scholes he had many a right off and came back. United fans now bemoaning the fact they have never replaced him.

Gerrard assumed the same position for the second half as he he has for the the last 2 seasons, he has copped it from supporters for playing that position as well but players like him come around very rarely and we will all miss him when he is gone.

I think that the role that Gerrard has been playing most of the season he has been fine in IMO he has put in good performances. The days of him bursting forward and scoring 20 goals a season are gone, but he is still making a good contribution it just isn't visible in as tangible a way. The same thing happened with Scholes at Man Utd, in the last 5 or 6 years he played for them he didn't play the attacking role as he had previously. I'm sure we'd all love to have the Gerrard of 5 years ago but that isn't going to happen and we need to accept that, and we need to judge his performances in different way. IMO we should be looking to use Gerrard in the 'Alonso role' alongside a Mascherano type DM.

[Camble]

I love him but he can't play the DM role. He still likes to get forward but is too lazy to track back when the other team break when he's been on the attack. It leaves our defence so exposed and often outnumbered. He has to play a little further forward or not at all IMO, which makes me a little sad as he's a hero!

[Chazza]

I think that the role that Gerrard has been playing most of the season he has been fine in IMO he has put in good performances. The days of him bursting forward and scoring 20 goals a season are gone, but he is still making a good contribution it just isn't visible in as tangible a way. The same thing happened with Scholes at Man Utd, in the last 5 or 6 years he played for them he didn't play the attacking role as he had previously. I'm sure we'd all love to have the Gerrard of 5 years ago but that isn't going to happen and we need to accept that, and we need to judge his performances in different way. IMO we should be looking to use Gerrard in the 'Alonso role' alongside a Mascherano type DM.

Exactly.

You are far to rational though, he must be burnt :Pitchforks: