Quantcast
View from the Kop

Gerrard and Carragher: Untouchable? Hopefully not.

|

Secondly, with one of the worst displays I’ve seen from any club captain in the last couple of years, Steven Gerrard. After strutting about the pitch for 94 minutes having no more than a shot and a couple of flicks, Gerrard embodied his last two seasons. As I said with Carragher, these performances don’t ‘grind my gears’ individually, it’s the combination of people being unwilling to question the ‘icon’. Those most guilty of this are the pundits we see on every live match, paid to be critical, but forever taking the easy road out.

Quick to lay into the smaller fish out there for Liverpool, not undeservedly, it’s the unwillingness by the likes of Jamie Redknapp, Phil Thompson, Paul Merson, and anybody who seems to have a say on Liverpool, to really see the gaping hole that Steven Gerrard leaves behind when played in his ‘favourite role’. Rafa Benitez could see it, and so could Fabio Capello. Gerrard, although a great player in his own right, Gerrard does not do the ‘team’ any justice. Tactically he leaves gaps. This is the main driving force behind Benitez deploying Gerrard up front, free of any responsibility, the ‘influential hero’ could do what he liked, and he did it very well.

The press, it seems, were adamant Benitez had it wrong and only in central midfield would we see the true Steven Gerrard. Well, if this is the true Steven Gerrard, throw him back up front, please. In the West Ham defeat, once Meireles went off, Lucas Leiva was left to deal with three midfield runners. An impossible task. The Brazilian wasn’t helped by his skippers absence in the game and duly took the criticism for a poor performance. Silly old Lucas, didn’t you get the memo? You’re in a no-win situation.

This is becoming an all too familiar sight now at Anfield and on the road. 2008-2009 saw Gerrard undoubtedly hit his peak. His partnership with Torres during that season was the most prolific in Liverpool history and both players looked fired up all season. Since then, the captain has looked a nomad lost in a talentless desert. I’m not sure what it is that makes Gerrard tick, whether it’s proper motivation from a manager or what’s going on in his family life, but the skipper has not looked the player he was for a long time now, and that brings into question his worth to the team.

Our current squad dictates that both he and Jamie Carragher have their places almost guaranteed, but this comes from a lack of competition which for me, could be the reason their performances are so indifferent. When it comes to summer dealing and planning, traditionally, managers have not felt the need to look into signing direct competition for these players, they simply buy ‘reinforcements’. This has, over time, become a dangerous strategy. It seems to me, dear reader, that both Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher have become too big at Liverpool, they are now untouchable. We need someone at the helm who is bigger than them both, and can hold sway in any power struggle, luckily, that man is already there.

Kenny Dalglish, you’ve got a few big decisions to make come the summer. Rant, over.

Follow us on twitter @live4Liverpool or like us on Facebook

Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at live4liverpool@snack-media.com

[bet_365 type=’generic’ size=’468′ af_code=’365_061434′]

Its live fantasy football! Become part of Liverpool matches and play Picklive for FREE. A Free Trial for every reader here

Share this article

30 comments

  • dj says:

    Good article!

    I have exhausted my ideas on these pages about Carragher and Gerrard, but for the benefit of discussion I will air them again. In my opinion Carra should only be used when we need him and should not be first choice. Carragher plays to deep because of his lack of pace which causes major problems for us, often leaving large gaps between our defence and midfield, and his composure and passing have long since left him. This is compounded even more when Gerrard is playing in front of him in the centre midfield when they both play in the same team together. As I said many time before, Gerrard is tactically inept and his ball retention is very poor. He often goes missing from his position at the wrong times and that leaves us wide open because Carragher is always playing to deep.

    I would prefer to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, and with the players we currently have, and I would play them in the following positions barring injuries and suspension.

    GK=REINA best goalkeeper in the country

    RB=KELLY good prospect, definite future centre half, tactically aware, good pace.
    CH=SKRYTL good no nonsense centre half.
    CH=AGGER best ball playing defender in the country when fit.
    LB=JOHNSON good attacking fullback, done well at left back.

    CM=LUCAS most tactically aware player we have, good passer with high completion.
    CM=MEIRELES showing good quality, tactically better than Gerrard.

    AML=SUAREZ better coming from wide left as he did for Ajax.
    AMC=GERRARD better when he doesn’t have to think and just plays, instinctually brilliant.
    AMR=MAXI or KUYT both reliable, Maxi better technically and retains ball better.

    ST=CARROL can’t wait for him to play, perfect for this role.

    The side below is the team I would like to see, and with only two more big signings. It might be difficult to persuade Aquilani, but it’s worth a try. This team would be well balanced and would also be technically and tactically proficient with a lot of intelligence. In the forward positions they would be able to interchange with each other which would be a great attacking threat.

    Gk= Reina (Cpt)

    RB= Johnson
    CH= Kelly, the lad is nearly ready to play centre half
    CH= Agger
    LB= Fabio Coentrao?????

    CM=Lucas
    CM= Meireles

    AML= Suarez
    AMC= Aquilani
    AMR= Eden Hazard?????

    ST= Carrol

    Most importantly there would be no old guard to frown at them so they could play with freedom. I think that’s one more negative of having Gerrard and Carragher in the team. They seem to have the same effect on the team that Henry had on the Arsenal players before he left.

    Some bold decisions have to be made at the end of the season. One of them maybe, is it time that we let Gerrard go? I would sell him if we get a good offer. Carragher in turn should also be allowed to leave if he cannot accept the fact he will not be first choice. Joe Cole should also be sold along with a few others to free up some funds for re-investment.

Comments are closed.