Liverpool FC Forum

by **BOODIDDY** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 10:39 am

stevie will play should play. How stu the blue can say he hasn't been in the right frame of mind for these big games is unbelievable. His last big game? Olympiakos need i say more? The guys immense he breathes liverpool. Stu the blue keep quiet.

by **JBG** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 10:41 am

Gerrard had a dreadful game against Olympiakos but scored the wonder goal which took us through.

He was lucky to be on the pitch after his dreadful fouls early in the second half.

by **El Guapo** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:05 am

I agree with the point that Gerrard hasn't played well recently (and he was having a nightmare against Olympiakos until he scored the goal) but I would still start him ahead of Biscuit. Yes, Biscuit played well against Leverkusen (although he was a lot better in the first half than the second half) but for some here to say Biscuit is a great

player is ridiculous.

by **andy_g** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:13 am

on the one hand i can see stu's logic in talking about the psychological effect of bringing on a class player when the opposition are tiring. sure - that would work. but it also contradicts (as has been mentioned) the rule about playing your best 11. in fact i'm sure stu has championed this rule himself many times in the past.

maybe there is a way of looking at it that allows the best 11 to the most psychologically effective 11, but psychology is not the most important part of the game. the most important part of the game is getting the 11 best players on the pitch and beating the opposition. as disgruntled as i am with gerrard we have to have in on from the start. i don't imagine him having an apathetic game. he wants everyone to see him perform on the big stage, thats what his career is now about.

by **haps** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:39 am

You make some good points Stu, no doubt. But here's a thought. Say this three times in a row.
'Lets leave a fit Gerrard on the bench. Lets play Igor Biscan instead'.
That'll learn those sausage-munching upstarts.

by **Boocity** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:43 am

I am sorry but I cannot agree with this. Gerrard must start against BL. Igor had a good game on Tuesday but lets not go over the top. Remember how ineffectual he has been in some games this season, against Burnley he was absolutely awful. At least with SG you know he is going to give his all in such an important game.

by **Big Niall** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:54 am

Did you guys see the clip of SG in the crowd about a minute before half time. He was reading the programme notes (probably looking for his picture).

I'd still pick him though.

by **Paul C** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:57 am

woof woof ! wrote:Unless you rate Biscan as a better player than Gerrard I fail to see any logic in starting him ahead of Gerrard .

Admittedly Biscan had a fine game the other night ,so what ? all of a sudden from being laughed at by many fans for most of his time at lfc he's now a "great player" who should get the nod ahead of Gerrard ?

What I'm saying is that Gerrard isn't exatly playing out of his skin lately, Biscan played well and should get the chance, just because it's Steven "I'm the f**kin man" Gerrard it doesn't mean he is just expected to be picked, if someone is playing well in his position he will have to earn his place like any other player!!

by **Scottbot** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 12:45 pm

A decent thought provoking post Stu but surely it is no more than that. Agree you have raised some valid points but the fact is - Steven Gerrard is our best player (even if his form has been poor since Christmas) and this is arguably our biggest game of the season (depending on how you view the League Cup).

I fail to see how the player could be in a better frame of mind coming off the the bench. How often does a manager drop the captain?

This has a certain 'teach Gerrard a lesson, how dare he believe he is bigger than the club' undertone to it. I'm not saying we can't get a result without him, Wednesday proves that but, he's the Captain, he's our best player and i would rather have him in my team when the chips are down.

by **109-1105722616** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 12:50 pm

rest him for the second leg cos the lads on tuesday done their job well, and they seemed to be quite comfortable. we dont want to alter a winning team.

saying that, leverkusan are very strong at home, so bring gerrard back and put kewell on the bench and play 5 in midfield, get the first goal and then we are through

by **stmichael** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 12:54 pm

stu_the_red wrote:1. Firstly, a comment made today by the Leverkusen manager about fearing Gerrard and him being the heart beat and brains (which he certainly isn't) behind this Liverpool side. To me this sounds like reverse psychology. Maybe he's saying this in the hope that Gerrard does play and our team mentallity is that we can't lose because Gerrard's playing... which would cause us problems.

2. Think about the attitude of the players who are playing in the game. They won't want to come off, so they're going to give it 100% percent and Hamann and Biscan this season have shown they can both do a job together, they both protect the back four well and don't leave gapping wholes by chasing the ball down like a headless chicken.

3. Should we need Gerrard, he'll be coming off the bench and should be fired up to go on and prove the manager that he was wrong to leave him out. This in turn could bring uot the best of him and we all know how good he is at his best. His recent performances haven't warrented a starting place anyways in all honesty, Igor and Didi gave us more against Bayer than Stevie has for the last 4 or 5 games now.

4. Imagine the impact it would have on Leverkusen, Gerrard isn't playing, we have every chance, is it a motivation? Possibley... its also something which could cause an over confidence and frustration if things don't go there way from the start.

5. Imagine the Leverkusen players seeing him coming off the bench, i know, for me personally, if i was to see a player i knew was class coming onto a pitch full of tired players i'd be gutted!!

Something to think about there i think.

NONSENSE. you play your strongest team in a match of this importance.

I'm getting nervous about all the gloating about the other English teams struggling in first legs. Lets enjoy it when we've completed the job.

We conceded 4 goals to BL in QF 2nd leg just 3 years ago with what was arguably a stronger team than we have now - that team chased Arsenal all the way to the last 2 or 3 games of the season and we finished second with 80 points or so.
It was one of my most painful experiences as a Liverpool fan. Owen missed at least 3 one on ones and then Houllier took off Hamann (when he was our most valuable player on the night) and brought on Smicer when we were defending for our lives and they needed to score 2 more!! That substitution still gives me nightmares, we'd have been in the semi final if it wasnt for that.

My point is that the team 3 years ago was far more solid defensively than the team we have now and we still conceded 4. BL are strong at home and unless we score first its gonna be a hell of a tense night. Having said that I think Bayer are weaker than they were 3 years ago. I think we'll do it but lets not crow too much. Plenty of ties turn around in the 2nd leg and its still possible that a couple of English teams get through an

by **Sean** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 1:14 pm

Never mind Gerrard and Biscan....was that our Diarra playing for Lyon last night ? How about a midfield of Gerrard, Diarra and Alonzo next season ?

by **Paul C** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 1:24 pm

Sean wrote:Never mind Gerrard and Biscan....was that our Diarra playing for Lyon last night ? How about a midfield of Gerrard, Diarra and Alonzo next season ?

Nope, this is their Diarra http://skysports.planetfootball.com/player.....cpid=24

by **JBG** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 1:25 pm

Bayer will absolutely blitz us at the Bay Arena. Anyone who has followed them will know that they are notoriously strong at home. They will play very far up the pitch at a very high tempo and at times they will run us ragged. However, they will take risks at the back and I think its the kind of game where Steven Gerrard in particular can punish them, as they'll leave a lot of holes for him to run into and play his fast early balls to the forwards.

I'd play a 5 man midfield with Baros on his own up front, but with Garcia and Gerrard raiding to support.

by **115-1073096938** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 1:28 pm

stevie will play should play. How stu the blue can say he hasn't been in the right frame of mind for these big games is unbelievable. His last big game? Olympiakos need i say more? The guys immense he breathes liverpool. Stu the blue keep quiet.

Olympiakos... Yellow? Did you even watch the game? Where you from lad? Another aisian red who's never been to a game in ya life?

wouldn't suprise me in the slightest.

Lets look at our other big games this season... Man Utd home and away and Everton... Were was he in those games?

The answer... strolling around pitch thinking he was some sort of god. He was absoloutely shocking in all of these games, it wasn't until Hamann came on for him at old trafford we looked the better side. He didn't even put the effort in, he was just rubbish in these games from start to finish.

The lads so overated its unreal, he produces his best form 3 every 10 games and then supporters think he's some sort of genius. In terms of ability he's got it all, absoloutely everything, he's got world class ability with the exception of consistency. Last season he was consistent and starting to convince me he was the player people said he was, at the start of the season this year he continued that form, since christmas though, i'd rather have had Alonso and Hamann in the middle as apose to Stevie. I'd be very suprised if he doesn't start against Leverkusen and i'd also be very pleasantly suprised if he doesn't have a stinker and we get knocked out.

If i'm wrong, after the game i'll hold my hands up, but i have a a feeling that away goal was scored for a purpose. They always are.

then Houllier took off Hamann (when he was our most valuable player on the night) and brought on Smicer when we were defending for our lives and they needed to score 2 more!! That substitution still gives me nightmares, we'd have been in the semi final if it wasnt for that.

Did you even go to that match? I'm sick to death of hearing this. Taking Hamann of wasn't the problem. There system was a 3-6-1, there was ****** all any two central midfielders could have done against there midfield. Abosoloutely ****** all. Hamann was having a SHOCKING match, he was playing poorly and he got dragged off for it. The mistake wasn't going to three at the back, and man for man in midfield, not taking Hamann off. I'm so sick of hearing this ****** excuse.

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Why i wouldn't start gerrard against leverkusen!

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