Liverpool FC Forum

[scouser 'til I die]

I think Gerrard usually tries to show how "tough" he is in derby matches by going into too many tackles both when he has the ball and when they have the ball. Today he played smart, passed the ball early avoiding having to resist tackles when he had the ball, and just made the tackles he needed to make when they had the ball.

I think he was helped by having good runners to left and right creating space for him as well.

dirty bitter bastards. did yeah see them when gerrard was about to take the corner, singing that song about his wife and kids. shocking. and then when the next corner came and someone else went to take it (cant remember who) they sang "shit house, shit house". really got me that. bitter cunts.

he deserved most the applauds for that game i thought gerrard had a brilliant mature game.

[Lando_Griffin]

What makes me laugh, is that Alonso plays the mature, sensible game day in, day out, and is lambasted as rubbish, and out of form, and too slow...

It really does make me giggle.

[metalhead]

What makes me laugh, is that Alonso plays the mature, sensible game day in, day out, and is lambasted as rubbish, and out of form, and too slow...

It really does make me giggle.

Alonso's passing today was fantastic, I can't recall any stray passes he put in today, quality

but gerrard was phenomenal.

[Zidane]

I think we're shaping up to be a more all around team and it is really going to help stevie, xabi and masch.

[bigmick]

I thought Gerrard was head and shoulders the best player on either team. Absolutely bossed it from start to finsih, even the most bitter of commentators Barry Horne couldn't help but heap praise on the captain.

The thing about Gerrard which lifts him above the norm, is that you got the distinct impression he was always operating well within himself. An absolutely fantastic performance, and hopefully the sign of good things to come and that he's recovered from his recent operation.

[Sabre]

I have to agree with Bigmick.

The only thing I didn't like about Gerrard today is how he had a bit of a bag below his eyes, looked as if he didn't sleep well. Other than that, in the pitch, almost everything was good.

[rafa09]

one word to sum up stevie. LEGEND.......

[Fo Dne]

That was one of the best games he's had in a red shirt in a long time. He done everything, he won the ball all game, he passed, drove the team on and was generally world class. What a difference playing him in the correct position makes and having the right partner and not playing him off the front man where he's completely wasted.

I'd much rather see Gerrard play like that from that position and him score ten goals than play him in a position he's not suited and him score twenty. brilliant today from start to finish.

Also, Alonso, excellent game and his best game for sometime. Everything went through these two, if they continue this form, Mascherano SHOULD find himself sitting on the bench for the majority of the season.

[Fo Dne]

What makes me laugh, is that Alonso plays the mature, sensible game day in, day out, and is lambasted as rubbish, and out of form, and too slow...

It really does make me giggle.

Get ya dick out of his lad.

His forms been patchy over the last few seasons, a blind man can see that. The idiots would have you believe its much worse than it actually was but he's been patchy, no doubt.

The two of them were immense today. Absoloutely immense and near perfect performances from both. Definately our best midfield pairing.

[metalhead]

That was one of the best games he's had in a red shirt in a long time. He done everything, he won the ball all game, he passed, drove the team on and was generally world class. What a difference playing him in the correct position makes and having the right partner and not playing him off the front man where he's completely wasted.

Ditto

[LegBarnes]

I have to agree with Bigmick.

The only thing I didn't like about Gerrard today is how he had a bit of a bag below his eyes, looked as if he didn't sleep well. Other than that, in the pitch, almost everything was good.

He suffors with same thing I do its allergies It can look worst due to rubbing of the eyes or lack of sleep also it can be genetic (weakening of the skin below the eye which shows bruising to the eye) in which case nothing helps.

[JoeTerp]

I thought Gerrard played well, probably better in the 2nd half, but we still struggled to create dangerous goalscoring chances in the 1st half of play and surely some of that blame can be laid upon the central midfield pairing, although some of the touches/crosses of the strikers and widemen did let the team down.

[Bad Bob]

I thought Gerrard played well, probably better in the 2nd half, but we still struggled to create dangerous goalscoring chances in the 1st half of play and surely some of that blame can be laid upon the central midfield pairing, although some of the touches/crosses of the strikers and widemen did let the team down.

Typical derby stuff, though, Joe.  The old cliche that you have to earn the right to play football applies.  The first half was the usual stop-start stuff and Gerrard and Xabi had to patiently wait that out and work to impose themselves on the match.  By the second half we were firmly on top across the midfield and that made the difference in leading to the first goal.

[tubby]

Wasnt he playing deeper back yesteday? Closer to where Masch normally plays.

[Fo Dne]

Bob and Joe, I don't know what game you two lads were watching but in the Goodison derby he was immense for 90 minutes from start to finish.

If I had to pick a game of Gerrard at his best, that would be one I'd look at. He didn't do any of the overated stuff he gets praised for, he actually went and bossed the game from start to finish.

Alonso and himself were outstanding and shown how good they really are. Truely excellent from start to finish.