Liverpool FC Forum

by **115-1073096938** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 5:21 pm

Why don't people pick up on the fact that Steven Gerrard gives the ball away a rediculous amount of times trying stupid passes and panicing during games? His ball retention at the best of times is slightly above average but so far this season and against Bolton in the last game i can honestly say i think he's passed to the opposition more times than someone on his own team...

Danny Murphy used to get slated for this every game... why don't people say the same about Gerrard who is far worse in this area of his game?

by **taff** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 5:28 pm

Because he is better than Murphy

Because weve all gone on about how great he is and now nobody will dare to criticise him for fear of retribution

Oh read St Mikes post about his captaincy that was quite good

Bottom line is he carried us last season and is developing into arguably the best midfielder in the country but truthfully a year ago he was nowhere near that which makes the transfer thing hard as now hes arriving he might go

He has gone into the habit of Ill do it Im the only one good enough (remember him running back to take the ball off Traore embarrassing ) and his passing is good but he has to realise that there are others in the team and hopefully the spanish boys will make him realise that

Can you imagine Zidane and Figo putting up with his one man show but can you also imagine a "top" club having so much reliance on one man

This is not neccessarily SG's fault as he plays to the best of his ability but that midfield needs someone to go Oi Im here as well and in fact I reckon Im better than you so over to me

by **supersub** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 5:35 pm

I totally agree with you stu.Steven Gerrard has this crazy urge to look for the long,ridiculous cross-field pass.Even his short pass can be under-hit at times.It's a side of his game I'm sure Benitez will strive to change,but I think to achieve the SG performances we want to see he has to be in the middle and not pushed out to the flanks to accomodate other players.

by **who the hell is diarra** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 6:47 pm

Stevie has just gotta try to settle down and not tryin to win games himself, unlike he had do last year. If we really want to develop into a top class team everybody has to play their part. The addition of better players around him will hopefully see a change.

I would however never critise Stevie though he is our best player by far and the heartbeat of our team. :;):

by **Gunnar Vals** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:35 pm

First we cry for him to stay at the club. Now we critise him?

by **who the hell is diarra** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:47 pm

Gunnar Vals wrote:First we cry for him to stay at the club. Now we critise him?

I dont think anyone is really critising Stevie , rather pointing out than at times he is simply trying to hard, :;):

, Stevie really wants Liverpool to be a sucsess so he can be a part of it. Gerrard is a tremendously gifted player capable of playing some supreme balls, and running a midfield, his partnership with Alonso is vital to how we perform this season. Communication will have been difficult against Bolton with 3 new faces in the team, but over the season this will improve. More intelligent running from the front two, especially Milan Baros, would also help the midfield. Baros has been like a headless chicken at times, it must be impossible to anticipate his runs. Confident well get it right though.

by **supersub** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:47 pm

Steven Gerrard is not perfect but that doesn't mean I want him to leave.He is a young man whose game will improve under the guidance of Rafa Benitez.Even Rafa himself said Gerrard has to control the tempo of his play to benefit the team and his own well being.

by **Gunnar Vals** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:56 pm

by **madred** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:30 pm

He seemed to have a much calmer head on him tonight in the England game. He wasnt trying to spray all those long balls around and seemed much more composed and played well.

by **Matt*Lfc** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 11:19 pm

If we had better players and people in our club stood up to be counted he would not feel the need to do it all himself , benitez is slowly sorting this out ,and as things develop in our `team` i think stevies game will develop too.

by **taff** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 11:28 pm

Matt*Lfc wrote:If we had better players and people in our club stood up to be counted he would not feel the need to do it all himself , benitez is slowly sorting this out ,and as things develop in our `team` i think stevies game will develop too.

Agree

Im looking forward to defenders worrying about the other midfielders and the left and right backs attacking then let SG cause chaos

by **laza** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 1:17 am

Rafa stated at the start of the season Stevie wasnt the finished article
Last year performances while showing how good a player Steve is also sadly were highlighting how underperforming so many of his teammates were. That hype has only been magnified by certain sections now that MO has gone to Real, transfer of adulation.
Hopefully the hope and hype surrounding arrival of Spanish players will be realised and Stevie game will improve as a result

by **azriahmad** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 3:56 am

If anything, Gerrard is guilty of trying to make openings for his team mates. In the seasons past, this was the way Liverpool played because we have dud passers in midfield and one of the regular strikers is a big guy (who obviously don't knoe how to use this asses of his or has simply lost the ability) while Owen has been tasked to chase long balls with the hope of making something out of them - sometimes they work with Stevie usually being the passer. This became a necessity either because Liverpool was very blunt in creatind chances from passing and movement of the midfield and the attacking players or Houllier and Thommo has strictky advocated this tactics. Perhaps it has become a habbit for him.

Now, Gerrard has team mates who are better at playing with the ball, but perhaps he is reverting to this old habbit simply without much thought as this has been his playing style all along. He has also still tends to try and make openings all by himself as he usually does in the past and ends up giving the ball away often. I think Benithez will try to change this part of his game. In spite of his obvious abilities, he has not quite managed to maximize them more intelligently. This is why he is not in the same class as Viera yet.

He is still young and should be able to improve. The other players must show improvement also as our midfield has been ineffective when faced with industrious and energetic midfield opposition.

by **azriahmad** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 4:00 am

I have to correct myself, when I said "...a big guy (who obviously don't knoe how to use this asses of his or has simply lost the ability)", I meant "(...don't know how to use this ASSETS of his...)"

Over-exuberence on the keyboard....

by **Bruno Zidane!** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 9:08 am

stu_the_red wrote:Why don't people pick up on the fact that Steven Gerrard gives the ball away a rediculous amount of times trying stupid passes and panicing during games? His ball retention at the best of times is slightly above average but so far this season and against Bolton in the last game i can honestly say i think he's passed to the opposition more times than someone on his own team...

Danny Murphy used to get slated for this every game... why don't people say the same about Gerrard who is far worse in this area of his game?

Stu, ive thought this for a while now, Gerrard does have this urge to try a 50 yard pass which isnt on or he trys to many first time balls instead of taking a touch 1st. When these balls come off they look great but he just needs to settled down a bit as sometimes hes lookin for the final pass a bit to early, Just last night watchin england he had the ball with about 30 yards off space infront of him to drive into but he tried this long ball which faied to reach its target.....I think benitez got it spot on when he said Gerrard needs to be a lot cleverer with his runs,instead of tryin a 40 yard pass when hes got space in front of him he should be runnin with it 20 yards and turning it into a much easier pass, but sayin that, Gerrards got everything in his locker and over the next 18 months we will be lookin at the best center mid whos played in the premiership. i Garantee you that!

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