Home > Football > Why Liverpool's Steven Gerrard is a better England skipper than Chelsea's John Terry
by Oscar Alphara on 22 August 2008
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There aren't many things worse than being an English Spurs fan. My national team throw things away on a biennial basis - or in some cases don't even make it to the party, while the domestic side I follow seem to be the masters of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
I have no more faith in the England team at all, cannot be arsed to watch the friendlies - especially at Wembley where any time England fall behind, moronic fans/corporate whores boo the same team they paid (well, the ones without suits on anyway) to watch.
After having endured Steve McClaren and Sven Goran Eriksson using the tried and failed method of playing Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard together in the same team, our new manager appears to be going the same way. WHY?
It is patently obvious that it does not work as they both play in similar roles for their clubs. One plays in the middle, the other (usually Gerrard, as he is more versatile) has to play out of position, which leads to an imbalance.
Say what you like about McClaren's tenure, but at least he dropped one of them, he just couldn't pick a goalie (if Carson plays for England again, I will stand naked for a day on the empty plinth at Trafalgar Square).
And another thing - why has he picked John Terry as his captain? Admittedly, he did not get a fair crack of the whip last time out as he was injured for key parts of the campaign, but that decision alone tells me that we are in for more of the same under Fabio Capello, except in a 4-5-1 formation as opposed to 4-4-2.
I did feel for him in the Champions League final, but the guy is a loser, same as Michael Ballack. They may be harsh words about a Premier League-winning captain, but look at his form since he took the armband. England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and Chelsea lost everything.
While I understand that Gerrard has never won the Prem, he is the ideal choice to be captain. The reason why we haven't seen the best of him for England is because he is moved aside to accommodate someone else, either playing on the wings or sitting too deep.
Making him captain would solve the midfield conundrum, and may bring out the best in the player. Liverpool is built around Gerrard which is why he plays so well for them.
He drags them by the scruff of the neck when they are down and scores vital goals in big games (Olympiakos in 2005, West Ham in 2006, AC Milan in 2005 and against Germany in 2001). This man should be the captain of our country, without exception. John Terry, while a top centre-back and an able skipper at club level, lacks the ability to influence a game by the very nature of his position.
He lacks the ability to turn games and rally players by giving an inspired performance in all areas of the pitch. I fear that the glory days of the national side are some way off, and these recent events have, if anything, contributed to our wait for success.
Comments (13)
by ron davies on August 22, 2008
you conveniently forget gerrard's masterclass as stand in captain furing england's defeat to croatia in the euro qualifiers. Really inspired england there didn't he! jesus mate, do some research before you write any more rubbish
by ross wilkins on August 22, 2008
i think your talking abit out your arse mate. you say look at terrys form since taking the arm band...what leading chelsea to a champs league final and losing the last day of the prem. yeah sure he might of lost them both but what was stevie g doing during may...trying to make sure his club even made the champs league! you talk about how under jts rein we didnt qualify....when we lost to croatia Gerrard was captin and JT wasnt on the pitch. Suley if captin marval is so good, why didnt he take the team by the scruf of the neck and win the game...why did he miss the easiest chance of the whole match, all while playing in his fav position...that he appreantly never gets to play in! Most of the qualifiers it was gerrard and barry cm as lampard was injured! Im not blaming him, everyone under performed. Just dont try and blame JT for it or lampard for making him play out wide. Perhaps if he put in the odd good performance while in an england shirt he might get to play in the mid all the time.
by chelsea retards fat frank on August 22, 2008
john terry is a muppet, he has no respect for ref's, so how in hell is he a good mentor for the younger players and role models for kids, he;s been seen to grab ref;s, shout and abuse themm, he is in no way a captain. he lead chelsea to the champions league Final, im afriad he didnt, John Riise did that, giving chelsea the away goal advantage. then when the big moment came for Terry to take the penalty, he fell over and missed, and then cried like a girl, a real leader would of stood up tall, he didnt, so you chelsea retards, get your facts right, hes a muppet
by David White on August 22, 2008
The England team needs to be built around Steven Gerrard, just like LFC. Then you would see the true Stevie G. For england he plays in any of 5 positions. All of you assholes that complain about him not duplicating his club form for the national team need to realize one thing. Fat Frank can only play one position. In fact, there are not to many national team players that can play multiple positions.
by Alan Delaney on August 22, 2008
This article is almost such utter nonsense that it is barely worth replying to. Terry has been an inspirational captain for Chelsea and has led by example on so many occasions - and just look at the consistency of Chelsea to see how he has helped to inspire such a winning mentality. And for Gerrard? He's a headless chicken who runs around and occasionally "grabs a game by its horns" but more often is hopefully out of position and incidental to the game - look at the big games vs Chelsea, Man U. Where is Gerrard. I think Capello should drop the bloke as he is not a team player. As for captain ... laughable.
by James Jackson on August 22, 2008
I agreee with chelsea retard fat frank Terry is a bad role model, shut him out of your grand childrens lives. Don't let him set them an example.
by Dan Adamson on August 22, 2008
With Abramoviche's funding Chelsea dont need a captain just some one to say which multi millionaires are playing on the day.. Terry = car park cheating on girl friend for the 9th time. Car parking in disabled car park space and when he is not crying he is giving refs the verbal. James is right, don't let your grand children see him as a role modelhe is abad example. Oh I forgot his earlier night club court appearance
by James jackson on August 22, 2008
Of the three candidates for captain the best example for our kids based onpast history is clearly Gerrard. He is the right kind of example and does not cheat on his girl friend or mis drug tests. He is also the one that cover the most ground and the hardest worker. I could ask my son to follow in his footsteps even when he is in a car park.
by liverpudian on August 22, 2008
How the hell can you call Terry and Ballack losers when compared to Gerrard? Just one champions league win makes Gerrard better than Ballack/Terry??? The argument itself is flawed. Maybe Gerrard is a better captain than Terry. But your reasoning is absolute BS.
by Ian B on August 22, 2008
OK.... Chelsea k no bs ..... stick Gerrard in your team you'd of won the PL and CL for the last three years. No problem. So with the Chelsea team bought with the 300+ million including Gerrard (as captain) would be the best on the planet. So Gerrard would be Englands captain because he won the PL ... right? Total crap. He'd be England captain cause he is the best man for the job. So why isn't he now England capt? Media bias ... probably ... FA bias .... probably ... England manager doesn't know what he's doing ... probably. So the reasons why Gerrard is above all other players see " http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1047 805/Were-wasting-special-talent-Steven-Gerrard.html " ....... Gerrard is 'Bryan Robson' to Terry's 'Tony Adams' ..... so tell me again which of you idiots think Terry should be captain before Gerrard. You are having a laugh! Terry is a limited footballer. Gerrard is the ultimate footballer. You are lined up on the grass and you have a choice who to pick for your team ...... Terry or Gerrard ..... No contest. Wake up and see England will go nowhere until we have a true talented leader on the pitch. A matchwinner and a force to be reckoned with on the international stage, played in his true position. Come on lets build a team worthy for the England fans to watch..... starting with the Captain STEVEN GERRARD.
by n n on August 23, 2008
England need a decent striker other than rooney, until then you ain't going anywhere, even if you have captain planet leading your team. For the record Gerrard is the best choice for a captain most people could dream of, he may dive and get no flak about it, he may say the occasional silly thing, but he stands heads, shoulders, knees and toes above anyone else. In 2005 Gerrard got a mediocre liverpool side through the group stages with one of the greatest strikes in history, scored in the final of the CL and won a penalty. 12 months later he set up 1 goal, scored 2 more including yet again one of the greatest strikes in the tournament's history to pull a slightly improved Liverpool side through the game and win the FA cup for them. Terry on the other has been playing consistently in of the most talented and expensive squads in the world, last year he had a chance to become greater than Gerrard in terms of winners medals, he had the opportunity at his feet and he ended up on his ass. As an Arsenal fan who loves attractive football, i hate Liverpool and feel they are a disgrace and i only respect 2 liverpool players, Torres, and Gerrard. Ferdinand by the way is a drug cheat. My opinion hasn't, by the way taken into consideration any supposed off-field scandals.
by yu yu on September 03, 2008
I totally agree with you.
on September 08, 2008 on September 08, 2008
BRAVO STEVEN GERRARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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