08 Sep 2023 11:34:34
Hey Ed001, if you are around. What's your take on Gerrard? Did you think he fulfilled his potential?
I only caught the latter years of his career, but from the highlights it doesn't seem there was anything he couldn't do. Maybe perhaps, he didn't have the super elite ball control of someone like Bernardo Silva, but apart from that I can't see any weakness in his game. He could pass, shoot, dribble, run all day, rise up to the occasion. I somehow feel he should have gone down as one of the greatest ever players to play the game, but I don't think he actually ended at that level. Perhaps, it's also a consequence of being part of poor teams which left his trophy cabinet relatively bare.

{Ed001's Note - he had two problems imo. One was his ego. He was constantly told how great he was and it went to his head. The club would involve him in decisions, even to the point where he was choosing managers. That also caused him to refuse to play on the right for Liverpool because he thought he should play in the middle, even though he probably had the best season of his career on the right. That also led to the second issue.

His defensive awareness was almost non-existent. Everyone will rave about his last-ditch tackles, but completely ignore the fact that he was caught out not doing the defensive work in the first place which required him to make a needless tackle. If he had been alert to his defensive responsibilities, then the danger would have been averted long before it got into the box. It meant he was not as well-rounded a player as he could have been, as he was all about the glory and did not do enough to learn how to play defensively. As we saw when Rodgers attempted to play him deep, he was hopeless at defending, even though he was a very capable defender when he first emerged. So it was not a lack of ability that stopped him.

Actually there was one other thing that could be seen as a weakness, though at times it was also a strength. His tendency to shoot at every opportunity from all over the pitch. That desire for the glory that overrode what was best for the team. Yes it produced some incredible strikes, but most of the time it just wasted good possession by gifting it back to the opposition, though very few people remember the ones that missed. There were so many times that we would have a stack of people totally unmarked because the defence was rushing out to close him down knowing he would shoot. If he just had passed some of those times, it would have been better for everyone. Not just would it have created better opportunities for his teammates in better positions, but also the times he did shoot would have been easier for him because the defence wouldn't have closed down the space. They would have had to make sure to stick with the players in the box in more dangerous positions, giving him just that moment longer to make sure he hit his shot correctly.

For me he never achieved his potential. He should have been head and shoulders above any midfielder we ever had, but he never reached it. That was, imo, the club's fault for handling him with such kid gloves and treating him like he was the lord and master of all he surveyed, rather than just an incredibly talented footballer. He should never have been allowed to dictate his position to Rafa, he never attempted to do that for England. He played anywhere they asked, usually on the left out of position to accomodate the lesser talent of Lampard in the middle. If only he had felt the same way about playing for Liverpool and remembered it was a privilege not a right we might well be discussing whether he was in the top 10 of players all-time. Talent-wise there should never even be an argument about him, Scholes or Lampard, as Gerrard had the talent to do everything they could do and much, much more, as well as having the physicality that those two lacked.}

1.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 12:22:57
His attempts to go for glory, probably also stemmed from the lack of trust in his teammates at most times. But yeah, seems a very well rounded summary. Thanks.
He will always be a Liverpool legend, but I just always get that feeling that he could have been much more.

{Ed001's Note - good point.}

2.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 13:26:28
I always preferred Alonso myself. Thought he was world class and didn’t have the ego of Gerrard. Some might say this is blasphemy, but imagine the team we could have had if the club had sold Gerrard to Chelsea for a huge fee and let Rafa spend the money. Don’t forget we had Momo, Alonso and Mascherano as well so could have strengthened other areas. My son is of the generation that sees Gerrard as a god, but I’m old enough to remember some real legends like Rush, Kenny, Souness, Barnes. In that company he doesn’t seem much of a legend to me. Also I keep telling my son there is only one god. Thank Folwer for that.

3.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 13:56:07
I disagree Bobby. He might have not fulfilled his potential, but he is still one of the best players to have ever played for us. He is among our top three players ever.

4.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 13:20:11
Ed001 that’s a big problem when you have a player like that over a team of players working for each other. This has started happening more and more in football where certain players are being treat as bigger than clubs. Ronaldo had it at Madrid Messi at Barcelona in the end I think it’s not good for team spirit. The shooting was like that with Coutinho everybody raved about 25yarder he scored but seemed to ignore the other 30 he had before that went in when players were in space.
It’s only early to make this statement but for me szoboszlai like Gerrard with a far better team ethic and better football brain.
Fergy let Cantona get away with more than most but he never let it happen with Beckham and a few others. The Manager all ways has to be the biggest most important person otherwise the lunatics will take over the Asylum.

{Ed001's Note - Szoboszlai should be fine as he had a grounding at RB where it is always team first.}

5.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 13:50:34
Ed, what was his best season for LFC and what other player formed the best partnership with him?

{Ed001's Note - his best season was on the right wing. Though playing behind Torres for a couple of seasons were close and it is arguable over which was better.}

6.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 14:02:00
Trust Rafa! The same guy who forced Alonso out because he thought Gareth, Barry was better?

7.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 14:23:31
You prefer Alonso who probably only had one good season for us over someone who carried the whole club on his shoulder for almost a decade. My god. If Gerrard had gone to Chelsea the guy would have won the Blon dor and 2-3 PL titles himself. for ten good years he was the face of the club. from Jude Bellingham to Alex OX Chamberlin, players idlozes Gerrard even today.
How can you forget that bullet header against Milan or that 40 yards strike against West Ham in the Cup final.
Gearrd was the most complete midfielder ever to play for us with the execption of Souness.

8.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 14:35:44
I had to write a few more lines
For more than a decade with helsea, arsenal and UTD were dominating the league and we were under the leadership of legedary Hicks and Gillets. Gearrard was the only saving grace.
The man had to work with utter drosses for his entire footballing career execpt of few years (08/ 09 and 13/ 14). There is not a thing Gerrard couldn't do on a footabll pitch.
Talent wise the guy was head and shoulders above everyone in the league.
No wonder Carlo, Jose and other countless managers tried to sign him for more than one occasion.

No Liverpool fan would ever forget Steven Gerrard goal against Olympikaos (Watch it and tears will roll) .

9.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 14:40:05
@thekoparmy - none of us are qualified to comment on the best Liverpool players ever unless you are about 160 years old. There is absolutely no way that Gerard is in the best 3 ever - he would struggle big time to make the top 10 in the last 50 - 60 years (the period I’ve been watching) .

10.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 14:43:48
'Sell Gerrard and give the money to Rafa. '. I wouldn't rust Rafa with £10, let alone a few million, he was pretty awful in the transfer market!
Whilst I agree a lot with what Ed001 said, I also feel Gerrard gets unnecessary stick for playing in a terrible team. We were always 1 or 2 players short of a title winning team around that time which meant Gerrard carrying the team most of the time.
If money had been better spent, I think he would have flourished even more. Plus, he gave us some absolute belting moments!
He is also a very nice guy if you ever meet him in private.

11.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 15:21:59
Gerrard probably thought that playing on the right might damage his england career, but I agree that season on the right he was amazing.

12.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 15:40:24
Rafa was fine in the transfer market when he took a more active role in scouting himself. Even if the player didn't work out, they usually did enough that they could be re-sold at the same or a slightly greater transfer fee.

When he started delegating more of it to Eduardo Macia, he was in trouble. He apparently had never seen Dossena play a full game (just highlights) and couldn't believe how bad a player he was once he arrived.

As for Gerrard, it's hard to disagree with what Ed001 says. He had neither the positional sense or patience on the ball for a deep lying position. Not only did Rafa avoid putting him there, so did Houllier. He played on the right (nominally at least. Houllier wasn't known for having his midfield stretch the pitch) more often for Houllier, and when he was central, he usually had Hamann there to do the basics for him.

Comparatively free of defensive responsibilities though, either as a no. 10 or on the right, he was absolutely class and would rack up the thick end of 40 goals/ assists a season.

13.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 16:00:28
Did my hodgson penalty miss not go through? Getting that man sacked and Kenny back probably saved us from relegation that season.

14.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 16:02:23
Habibi, Alonso had more than one good season with us and proved he was world class during his career. Tosh66, Rafa didn’t force him out because he thought Barry was better. He pushed him out because he was subborn and fell out with him. I agree with www3, no way is Gerrard top 3. Who in their right mind would put him above Rush, Kenny, Barnes, souness or Hansen? So he doesn’t even get in the top 5.

I just don’t get this Gerrard love in, but I must admit, I can’t stand selfish players. Football is a team game and it is just not possible for one player to carry a team.

15.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 16:48:46
Imagine he was making his debut next weekend.

Imagine what he could become in this team.

His legacy and work. its a big reason why we are successful today.

He kept the liverpool brand alive. As did the fans but having Gerrard. The best English midfielder out of Scholes and lampard and all the rest was massive for us.

Big reason why we have trent now for example. It all mattered. he kept us relevant. a lot more relevant than our teams had the right to be. - not the club. YNWA.

16.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 16:59:16
Gerrard almost single-handedly delivered the 2005 champions league - remember the late strike to go through against olympiakos, and then the final itself? In that CL final, running back after one of the games, Gerrard was waving his arms to gear up the team and the crowd. You could see the team believing in him, and the fear in the AC Milan players faces.

That was Gerard in a team with a crook Harry Kewell, Baros, Djimi Traore…. vs an AC Milan squad with the likes of Nesta, Gattuso, Maldini, Seedorf, Kaka, Shevchenko etc.

He gave Liverpool belief through many dark years, holding things together with his quality. Yes there were the likes of Alonso and others during his time, but none stated for as long or so feared in my view.

That’s why he’s a legend to me.

17.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 17:14:41
If I recall correctly Gerrard was voted by the fans as the second best player after Kenny on the LFC channel.
Brilliant player in his prime but stayed a season or two longer than he should.

18.) 08 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 17:33:27
@TopG That penalty miss vs. Blackburn in Hodgson's last game was hilarious.

He looks at the bench. Back at the goal. Back at the bench. Fiddles with the badge on his chest for a few seconds. And then scoops the ball over the bar when he usually sent his penalties low. And Dirk gives him a rub on the head, as if to say: "Well done, Stevie. "

19.) 09 Sep 2023
08 Sep 2023 23:10:55
There are always confusions between ‘best’ and ‘favourite’ and between ‘ever’ and ‘the x number of years I’ve been a Liverpool fan’.

20.) 09 Sep 2023
09 Sep 2023 00:29:57
Perhaps the lack of real quality around him was the main problem. Imagine him having a Kante playing behind him, or a makalele, Roy Keane.

21.) 09 Sep 2023
09 Sep 2023 00:56:55
Gerrard was very good; very good.
He wasn't Souness but he was very good.
And he did play with some top midfielders. Alonso, Mascherano, Sissoko, Hamann etc.
I think he was at his best when he played behind Torres. He had more freedom.
And let's not be giving Rafa loads of stick; especially about Alonso. Alonso was superb but he didn't hit it off straight at Liverpool and he had his injury worries. I think he got injured early on in his career with us against Chelsea (? ) and that didn't help him.

22.) 09 Sep 2023
09 Sep 2023 11:03:39
Xabi started well at Liverpool and had little bit of a mid-career lull.

07/ 08 was his worst season in terms of form (and it wasn't exactly terrible) before he picked it up again in 08/ 09 and more fans than would admit it subsequently were in favour of selling him and bringing in Barry like Rafa wanted. Remember reading well into November of his last season stuff like: "Barry would've done everything Alonso did today and more. "

23.) 09 Sep 2023
09 Sep 2023 12:29:28
We laud the LFC teams of the 70’s and 80’s. Great teams that won the lot. We laud Klopp and our recent teams for winning the lot.
If we put his personal accolades aside, which were extensive, Gerrard with LFC won everything that could be won except the league, in an era where Utd were dominant, Arsenal were a major force and money started to make competition more fierce with City and Chelsea buying everything up. That he won everything except the league basically on his own and came close second 3 times I believe in his LFC career, speaks for itself. Yeah there were a few great players here and there but he was the constant driving force that kept us in the conversation as a big club. I genuinely think that if Gerrard hadn’t of existed, LFC would have faded badly and wouldn’t even of been in a position to attract a manager of Klopp's calibre when we did.
He may not have reached his true potential, but I still don’t think that detracts from what he did achieve. Best LFC player ever for me. Just my opinion though.

24.) 09 Sep 2023
09 Sep 2023 21:45:00
Supporting lfc about 35 years. gerrards the best i've seen, just ahead of Barnes.