That's all fine and well but you've all missed the most important thing... Rio during that interview please log in to view this image
Perish the thought of a footballer who sits on the bench itching to play.....that really won't do in this day and age will it JS.......what we need are more players like Balotelli and Sterling instead eh
There's a difference between itching to play, and wanting to leave at the first sign of being dropped. Like I said before, we lost 3-0 when he started, and only 1-0 without him. He should have been grateful that he played as many games as he has done under Rodgers because he didn't deserve them - he's been mediocre for 3-4 years.
It wasn't the first sign of being dropped. He'd been dropped previous to that game and he wasn't really dropped for that game either, the whole "first team" was rested for some crazy insane reason
That's a crazy statement, you're a poster who's comments I like reading and you have a good knowledge on footy that I respect but to say that is just silly.
To be fair to jimmy as an opposition fan i was delighted to see gerrard on the field in the last 2 years. 3/4 years ago he had a fairly injury hit season. These 2 years gerrards been off the pace. Yea he still has his passing range but he just doesnt have the legs anymore...or the shot. More importantly rodgers insisted on playing him at dm where he just doesnt do the defensive work that lucas gets through. I dont think its a coincidence that you guys seem to lose/draw more recently with him in the team than without him. People can point to his assists and goalscoring record the year before an ld even this year but when you take all the penalties and corners (how many times do we hear a match thread that he cant beat the first man) and sasas win penalties left right and centre then your goals stats will get padded
I may be a bit harsh but he has been poor since 2009 IMO. His main attribute was his engine, power and pace. He lost that with age so it was natural. Not sure what the stats are but I'm pretty positive that we've been a better team without him and if not, then it's a lot closer than what some would have you believe. Last year, he was awful. The year before wasn't much better - the only difference is that he had a world class attack ahead of him to compensate for the goals we conceded that he was partially responsible A stronger manager would not have played him as much as he should have over the past few years.
That I agree with. The rest I don't at all, yes he wasn't the player of the past but to call him mediocre is silly even in the season prior to last he was effective in a lot of the areas on the pitch although at times he wasn't suited to some of the games and should have been used more effectivley by the manager he still performed and was one of the best players in the PL. So you have a point to a degree that he shouldn't have played as much but again your choice of words is very much wrong. To call him mediocre prior to that season is getting beyond silly.
You shouldn't under estimate their importance either though, as his goals were worth 9 points for you last season.
You're on crack mate. Even me, as a fully paid up member of the Gerrard haters club, has to say that's total bollocks. He was still in his prime in '09. He started to wane 3 years ago, but had an Indian summer in the Suarez season.
