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The Gerrard Roadshow
I said to myself a few weeks back that id stay away from posting about this ongoing Gerrard saga. Like 99.9% of Liverpool fans the nationwide obsession with discussing the Captain if pissing me off immensely. No game or week seems to go by without his comments being over analysed by all and sundry, or with someone passing comment about why he should leave or stay.
But, following weeks, even months, of post upon post about Stevie, I've decided to throw my two penneth worth into the fray. Obviously, such an emotive subject and one with so many opinions I'm bound to get shot down from some, so it's not a problem. But I just wanna say in advance that I always have been one of his biggest fans, yet at the same time one of his biggest critics.
Steven Gerrard has everything any passionate Liverpool fan would want. He's scouse to the core, he is Red through and through, he is one of the world's best players and is captain of his hometown and boyhood club. He is idolised by thousands and not many people would not want to be in his position. He has almost everything.
Up until the middle of 2004, Steven Gerrard was the one player in recent history who had the ability and attitude to fly past Fowler in the fan stakes and challenge the very best through the history of our great club to becoming one of the true legends of the Kop, both on the pitch and as a fan favourite. The events of last summer soured this for many fans, and the ongoing inability for Gerrard to quash rumours dead with a simple sentence is frustrating from a player who has always previously said he wouldn't ever want to leave Liverpool as long as we were still a strong club and going forward.
True, in the last couple of seasons things were on a slow downturn, yet the arrival of Rafa has put pay to this, and some of the signings must surely prove to Gerrard that we are simply not going to aim to "just make sure we finish 4th". In one season, its impossible for a new manager [especially one from a foreign country] to come in to a club, rid its rotten core of the dead wood and produce a championship challenging side with flair and passion whilst sticking inside a strict transfer kitty, and also make sure that the transition of players is smooth and almost unnoticeable. It never was going to happen, and it never will. Gerrard decided - for whatever reason you want to believe - that he was going to stay at Liverpool and give the new gaffa a chance to prove that they can win things under him, and that he can take us closer to that long awaited "number 19". Now, bearing in mind the impossibility of this season being almost fault free, how could we possibly have done much better given the appalling luck we've also had with injuries? Surely, Gerrard must have realised that one season was never going to be enough to see the development of the squad?
There is no doubting the class and quality of the player – although I just wish he would show more bite and fight as captain [for example, when players are in a spot of bother taking control of situations and defending his team-mates, a la Roy Keane]. Every team in the world would happily accept Stevie onto their books, he is the closest thing to the "all round player" in the world today. But given all his quality, and undoubted class – when has he actually proven it on the world or European stage?
For England, aside from the 5-1 Germany win, can you think of a game when he has controlled the midfield? When England desperately needed him in Euro 2004 to pick the team up, and drag them through games – did he do that? Against the best players in the world, has he come out on top? For Liverpool, has he dominated a European game? And even in the Premiership has he consistently dominated his midfield opposition such as Vieira and Keane as they have done with players over the years?
Is no doubt that he scores important goals, but in those games has he produced performances as well?
I would hate, absolutely hate, to see Steven Gerrard leave Liverpool Football Club [note – but it wouldn't hurt almost near as much as it would have done had he left last summer when I thought he really was a Red for life, but obviously since then that ideal has been kind of ruined] but would it benefit us long term if he were to go? Obviously, the national press and their consistent "he's carried the team" or "Liverpool are a one man side" would instantly think we would really struggle without Gerrard, but those of us who watch him week in week out will notice some of the things he brings, that some people dare not mention in fear of ruining his 'untouchable' image.
I believe their is a "fear factor" surround Gerrard. Players are almost in fear of doing something that he would not be pleased with, their natural games hindered by the thought that Gerrard would not be impressed with what they have attempted to do. Also, sometimes it's as though he doesn't trust those around him, and therefore tries to take on the responsibility of doing their work for them. If you look at Biscan. The games he plays when Gerrard is not in the side, he looks far more confident, assured and relaxed, when he plays alongside Gerrard his job is almost to get the ball and pass it 2 yards to Stevie [or even have him take the ball off his toes] so that Gerrard can get on with the real task of opening up defences and creating the headlines with wonderful football. Its not merely as Biscan is poorer quality, in my opinion players such as Kewell, Garcia, and Smicer have seen similar things happen as Gerrard turns away in disgust at misplaced passes or shots.
Gerrard has sparkled playing alongside a player who neither wants or looks for media attention, or even praise form his own fans. The player being Didi Hamann. His role alongside our captain is to mop up defensively and allow Gerrard to do what he seemingly does best, and make things happen. The fact that Didi was renowned for good passing and drive at Bayern and Newcastle was forgotten as we no longer appeared to need that side of his game cos we had Stevie and his miracle passes. I'm not even gonna repeat the Alonso versus Gerrard stats that we are all more than aware of this season.
Two things have made me think more recently that we could cope with the departure of our captain fantastic:
1 – The quality and form of Xabi Alonso
and
2 – That when Rafa is given suitable transfer kitty, he can buy the quality required.
18 months ago, the very thought of Stevie leaving would have filled me with fear and anger, yet now with all the baggage and ongoing shite week after week, I sometimes think we would be better to allow him to go if he so wishes and replace him with player who work for the other 10 rather than wanting the headlines themselves.
The recent quotes haven't helped forge relationships between Gerrard and the fans, and his inability to say anything like the right thing is frustrating and upsetting. Either he wants to stay or he doesn't, it's that simple. But the last couple of month's performances, couple with his inappropriate comments and poorly times ones at that, have only made fans think even more that he is just seeing out time until the summer to move away to pastures new.
People will no doubt read this and think it's just another "get on his back" thread, but it genuinely isn't. If Gerrard comes out and says he wants to stay, then he would only be doing what I want and expect him to do – and if he decides to go, then I would at least respect him more if he spoke the truth when he does finally go. It wont be a case of "so do you love him again now that he's stayed" – of course I will, that's what I want. But I just think all this shit could be avoided if he genuinely wanted it to. It stinks of some of the modern day players tricks at getting contracts, or moves and that rankles with me and other fans.
Yesterdays own goal was pure unlucky, it could have been anyone – the irony of it being him and against them just rubs the salt in the wounds even more – but if he cant see those cockney wankers and their arrogant ungraceful prick of a manager for all their worth after yesterdays performance then more fool him. Mourinho's annoying attempts to "woo" Gerrard away from us in front of our eyes on the pitch is just plain cockey, and his lapping of handshakes and hugs from the Chelsea rent boys just makes fans more annoyed with the constant feeding of the Gerrard road show. Yeah, he may know them from international duty, they may be his mates – but in front of yer own you just don't show such emotion [in my opinion anyway]. It's like taking yer bird for a meal and then kissing and being overly welcoming to a girl mate when you see them when you're out. You just don't do it, if you wanna keep yer bird happy. It feels slightly worse given his comments today about how they deserved to win it – why not just let it lie?
Either way, whatever happens between now and the end of the season will have a massive impact on how Gerrard is perceived by the Liverpool fans whether he stays or goes. One thing is for sure though; all this annoying shit is only going to get worse.