Liverpool FC Forum

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:36 pm**

Taken from LFC.TV - 22/10/07

Steven Gerrard has insisted that winning the derby was more important than any disappointment he may have felt at not completing the full 90 minutes.
The Reds skipper was replaced by Brazilian Lucas Leiva with 20 minutes remaining and although he was frustrated not to play the entire game he admits having the derby bragging rights is what matters most.

"I'm a local lad so the derby is really important to me and I would have liked nothing better than to play the full game and to be on the pitch when we got the winner," said Gerrard.

"But as it turned out I was taken off and Lucas Leiva who replaced me played a crucial role in us getting the winning goal.

"I was hurt and disappointed at being taken off because, like I said, I'm a local lad and the derby means everything to me.

"I'll be speaking to the manager about it just to find out why I was substituted, but I won't be banging on his door or anything like that.

"We'll just have a chat and whatever is said will remain between us. But I've been in the game long enough to know that no-one is going to play every minute of every game and there will be times when I'm taken off like everyone else.

"The most important thing is that we won the game.

"When we lost there last season it left a bad feeling that didn't go away for quite some time, so it is good to get that out of our systems."

By his own admission, the inspirational midfielder has not been in top form in recent weeks, but after receiving some tremendous backing from the travelling fans during an improved display at Goodison Park, he is keen to say thank you for their support.

"The way the fans got behind me was fantastic and I loved it," he said.

"I know I haven't been at my best lately but I'm doing everything I can to get back there and having that kind of backing really does make a difference.

"I'm working back towards my best and knowing the fans are behind me will definitely help me get there much quicker."

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:40 pm**

nice article. good to see
a: gerrard lvoes the derby
b: he was p!ssed to be taken off
c: he knows what his best should be and what the fans expect

u gots to love the guy

:bowdown

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:41 pm**

good to see that he seems to have taken it in the right way, lets hope it inspires him for the rest of the season now.

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:45 pm**

Good article..... nice to see him making all the right noises and has his head screwed on right.

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:46 pm**

very professional from the captain, sets a good example for the rest of the squad;

good lad stevie

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:54 pm**

good lad gerrard is! very well spoken

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:58 pm**

dawson99 wrote:nice article. good to see
a: gerrard lvoes the derby
b: he was p!ssed to be taken off
c: he knows what his best should be and what the fans expect

u gots to love the guy

I agree.

The captain's words are word of a captain. I expect a good professional to be dissapointed when he's subbed.

I also expected he was going to see the big picture, winning the derby is what that matters. Now he'll talk to Rafa, not banging doors, just talking to make the team better.

That's the way it should be.

Fair play to Gerrard, great player, great professional.

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 3:26 pm**

Exactly the response I would expect.

Still wont stop the papers writing sh.it about it though.

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 3:27 pm**

apparently Rafa has spoken to stevie, and there is no big issue as some had predicted, we are blessed to have a captain like stevie and a manager who is not bossed out of his vision for success at the club, it is this simbiotic relationship that at times brings success; it is not in every decision that roy keane and fergie agreed but it is in the shared desire for success that moulded them into a championship winning team

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 4:34 pm**

I am really pleased with his reaction and the fact that he has set the record straight right away, like Leon said it wont stop the press trying to stir things up. But us fans can rest a bit easier knowing he hasnt spat his dummy out. The last thing we would want is a rift to develop between the manager and his captain.

Well in Stevie.

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 4:42 pm**

Ace Ventura wrote:I am really pleased with his reaction and the fact that he has set the record straight right away, like Leon said it wont stop the press trying to stir things up. But us fans can rest a bit easier knowing he hasnt spat his dummy out. The last thing we would want is a rift to develop between the manager and his captain.

Well in Stevie.

It must have been humiliating to be taken off in the derby , but i don't think it was meant that way by rafa.It was purley tactical imo and fair play to the lad for seeing the bigger picture and acting proffessional about it . Well in Steven .

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:50 pm**

Great words to hear from the captain, hopefully we can all just move along from this topic now (though as some have already mentioned, the papers probably won't let it go).

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:45 pm**

Fantastic response from the captain . The turning point for Liverpool to challenge might have started...

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:49 pm**

Elchris wrote:Fantastic response from the captain . The turning point for Liverpool to challenge might have started...

You know...i wondered the same thing at the final whistle. This was a result drenched in relief and not plaudits. Yet, one that left a lingering suspicion that, it might just turn into a catalyst for the remainder of this campaign. Here's hoping.

Posted: **Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:11 pm**

Well however the victory was achieved, whether we were lucky, whether it was in spite of or because of the manager, the fact remains that it was a huge three points taken in the context of our season. By the context of our season, I mean the fact that we have been stuttering a bit, and all of our rivals seem now to have settled into winning runs.

We know from experience that once Man Utd in particular, but Arsenal and Chelsea as well settle into a run they don't drop many points. It is absolutely crucial that we now also go on a run, a couple of defeats in the next few weeks and we will be out of it.

That is why, and I'm going to surprise absolutely nobody here, we must treat this win as a platform. A platform to build something from. What we expressly don't need now is half a dozen pointless little rotations for the Europe game, then the same number back for the league match. For sure if Agger/Torres/Alonso are fit and ready and we think they'll play Sunday, then bring them in. Equally, if we think Lucas did enough in the derby to warrant a period in the team bring him in. If we think Pennant is part of our team against the gooners, if we must then bring him in. But please none of this silliness, this "resting". As it is we are still playing with an absense of any real fluency and we desperately now need to build on our platform.

We have Arsenal next Sunday and based on what we are currently seeing from each team, we will be going into the match in my opinion as underdogs even at Home. We have got a real break in that Van Persie isn't playing (where are those now who didn't rate him at the start of the season) but the fluency and cohesion with which they and Man Utd are playing right now is in a different stratosphere to us. We absolutely must give ourselves every possible chance of winning the game, or at the very least not losing it. Defeat wouldn't be a mortal blow, but it wouldn't be far off it. Please Rafa, please pick the team now, sit on your hands and just let them play.

As an addition, as far as the Gerrard interview is concerned it's nice to see him act with a bit of class befitting the position he is in. For my part I didn't for one second expect him to demand a transfer based on a substitution, but the fact remains the interview by Rafa will have blown up many bridges. The episode won't be featuring in the "how to be good at man-management" book I shouldn't think.

Liverpool FC Forum

Steven Gerrard article from the official site - "Winning the derby is more important"

Steven Gerrard article from the official site - "Winning the derby is more important"