Sorry Frank but I disagree (apart from the Hodgson bit). The lad loves playing footy and he loves captaining his country. The simple fact is he's a player who wants to play. Jesus we've had enough ****ers over the last twenty years who don't give a **** about the Red shirt OR their country for that matter and yet when he have a guy who is desperate to play every game we slate him for it. Yes it's entirely his responsibility (once Roy's given him the option) and as far as I'm concerned he of all the players in that squad has earned the right to say he wants to play. If he gets injured playing against Germany then most Reds (on here) will get their wish anyway and we will get to see the wonders of Joe against the blueshite. If the rest of our midfield is propping him up what's the problem if he does get injured? Surely it'd be a blessing then. Would we all be happy if he was rested for the game? Yes I know I would. However when he steps out to face the Germans on Tuesday I hope he has a blinder. If he isn't fit for Saturday then it's Rodgers job to work around it, that's what HE gets paid for.
If he plays it'll be because he wants to - pure & simple. All he'd have to do to get out of it, would be to say he didn't feel right & Hodgson couldn't & wouldn't take a risk with him for a friendly. So your vitriol is misplaced.
I haven't any vitriol towards Hodgson but he does know Gerrard's having an injection so he could have pulled him out of the game. I do agree though that Gerrard could take himself out too and whatever anyone else thinks the decision is theirs to make between them. They know more about his situation than any of us.
I have, and I don't think it's misplaced. Hodgson - or any international manager, for that matter - should just use common sense and overrule him. It's a ****ing friendly, for Christ's sake. Would you have an injection to play in a testimonial? How about trying to shoot a ball through a hole on Soccer AM? Doing some ball-juggling for the latest Pepsi advert? RIDICULOUS, and if there's an adverse reaction, don't be surprised if the clubs are reluctant to help you with future friendlis Roy. These games should be for fringe players to stake a claim, and for building teamplay and tactics next spring in preparation for Brazil. And Tobes, I don't think you'd be so sanguine about it if Baines or Jagielka need an injection a few days before the derby. They've done their bit and have nothing to prove, and just because they want another cap for the mantelpiece doesn't mean you should let them.
Either this thread is misinformed or Sky Sports are, but they are claiming Gerrard is out with a hip injury and Lampard is captain.
That's tonight. he's having a cortisone injection so he can play in the friendly against Germany. read the link and keep up.
My bad, don't see the problem with him playing against Germany. He's a big boy, he can make his own decisions and the club has agreed.
So most posters on here agree. They won't if he's injured for the derby though. You get nothing for nothing in this life, and painkiller/cortisone injections are not a magic bullet - they just allow you a temporary respite during nature's healing process. Your body is sore for a REASON - it wants rest to heal. You override it and it'll take longer to heal properly, especially with tendon strains. Pragmatically, an athlete would have to balance this with the importance of the game; as Shankly once said to a player "That knee belongs to Liverpool Football Club". But in this case there is no need to take any risk whatsoever. The fact that the club are in on it too makes me vomit. If this is some sort of ego trip for Stevie that also makes it worse.
gerrard should grow up for once. he should know himself this is idiotic and that no matter what hodgson will be pikcing him and as capati nso he should for sure be telling them to stuff this one. In short blame gerrard, nobody else. why allow yourself the run around for 90mins by the best team on the planet right now... pride? stupidity more like. lets all stand around and appluad the "true birt" then lets all laugh at LFC when carrick et al are playing for utd and he's out for 3 months.
I agree with this and i am utterly sure that bob paisley and bill shankley would agree to. paisley's quote of "let them age on someone else's pithc" comes to mind. Replace the guy in january cos frankly.... i would not be shocked if we hear in about 2 weeks he's out for 6-8 weeks with a "similar but totally unrelated" injury. I totally beleive he's putting playing germany for his own ego in front of his club here.
I can't blame him until he actually gets inured. Until then its his choice. He's done a lot for club and for country. It would be selfish of us to demand for him not to play. Do I think its a bad idea? Yes. But to be angry at him for wanting to captain his country AND play in the derby is ridiculous. I think it is a waste of effort but who knows what his reasoning is? We are jumping to conclusions about his ego but we don't know what else is going on. Let's see how he plays against Everton and then criticise.
Billy, I have no qualms about any of what you said and I can even accept and respect that Gerrards insistence to play is coming from the right place except for the very fact that he is captain of both teams. A teenager new into the game can throw responsibility out the window in a macho display of bravado, not a seasoned player who knows his importance (important to all who matter: managers, fellow team mates etc as opposed to doubting fans) I'd even applaud it if it was a sacrifice for the cause: a knockout match, giving it all despite risking injury or worse risking not playing in the next round. That is an attitude as you say that we would cry out for. Except in a comparable situation would you be happy if in Rio; Gerrard insisted on playing the last group game despite group already won, injured, drugged up and then missed the next rounds knockout game and England lost? That's what he's risking for Liverpool here. Forget my personal doubts. As you say, his ego getting him injured would give others the chance. Except that's never what I've called for. I've called for 40 minutes a match 100% Gerrard not 90 minutes with 30 in neutral. And certainly not no Gerrard at all. He is still an essential part of our first team. And yes it's both Hodgesons and Rogers jobs to manage a player and team selection but you'd think a player who's at the end of an elite career and captain of both teams wouldn't need to be managed like he's 15. this kind of irresponsible decision making makes him a bad captain at thus moment in time.
He is the England captain. If he isn't willing to play through injuries then how are England ever going to convince anyone else to play through injury for England. Like it or not there aren't many games to test different formations and players, especially with all of your key players so to have Gerrard fit for a game like this is vital for their world cup campaign next year. At least this has given the people who claim not to dislike Gerrard but pop up in every Gerrard topic and criticise him some more ammunition to throw some abuse at him and question his loyalty/ability/blah blah blah.
Abuse? You can criticise decisions and point out shortcomings of players, escpecially players you consider amongst the very best without it being unfounded abuse. The fact that it has increase in regularity and from different sources should indicate something. Much worse I think to accept any decision or any performance level in some type of hero worship fog created from past performances. Our very best managers didn't build winning teams with players who one time in that match were once hero's. I find it disturbing that some people believe that to criticise the here & now or specific actions is somehow a disparraging of an entire career. I havent personally forgotten what he's done for us. I also never forget that it's not exactly fighting in the Somme for us either and that the pay in a week is more than most of the paying customers will see in a life time so words like sacrifice and laid it on the line for the fans sound a little hollow to me (you didn't say that Lucaas) If Gerrard is half the man I consider him to be and I assume those who think he can do no wrong think he is- he would surely be disgusted to be simply surrounded by yes men telling him he's always right and always great.....?
Or maybe because he's played at the top level for nearly 15 years it would be fair to give him some leeway to decide for himself. Perhaps he feels he is being better managed now by his club and he has faith in the medical departments at Anfield and England. Perhaps he feels he owes the fans who will be paying a lot of money to go on Tuesday or he thinks those young players coming in will be better served with experience around them. Perhaps it just all about Stevie Mee as Tobes would say. If he gets injured then criticise but I for one won't blame him for taking the responsibility of captaining his country seriously. It's quite possible if he doesn't get injured that it's better for us in the long run to have a Gerrard who is full of confidence.
England Germany is probably one of the biggest games you can play in as an England International. Can't blame him for wanting to play, especially given he's captain. He obviously thinks he is capable of playing then and for us at the weekend.
Believe it or not, lets hope you are right on all accounts. An injury free,motivated, 100% performing Gerrard is always in the best interest of LFC.
Even ****ing Chile just achieved that, so God help us when the Krauts come to town. And Lucas, all true - EXCEPT THAT IT'S A ****ING FRIENDLY!!!
Isn't it possible that Gerrard sees it more as a world cup warm up game than a friendly. We might not give a **** but is the fact certain players do care such a bad thing.
