How Rafa's masterstroke jolted Steven Gerrard back to form

That statement about selling Gerrard in your penultimate paragraph is going to get ypu mauled.

You really do have it in for Gerrard and the Liverpool fans in general don't you? However, to address your article, I think you have rather ignored some other facts about this supposed transformation brought about by "Rafa's masterstroke". The following game was away to Besiktas and Gerrard started. I don't remember him giving a commanding performance leading to a resounding victory for the team. In fact the next League win didn't come for another 3 weeks, when Liverpool finally got the better of the mighty Fulham thanks to the arrival of Torres in the last 15 minutes. I am not convinced that your "story" quite fits the facts. Saying that, I don't have any problem with Rafa's decision to substitute Gerrard. They won so he could say he made the right decision.

And he's responded in the best possible way. All credit to him for that. What has the Besiktas game got to do with it? I'm talking about his Liverpool performances improving on the whole over a period of time. As I recall, he had a fairly decent game v Besiktas, but his impact has snowballed since then, and I firmly believe Rafa's substitution is largely responsible for that. The shock of being subbed has perhaps nforced Gerrard to move it up a gear, fearing that if he doesn't consistently play to a high level, he may get subbed again. Plus, Xabi Alonso will be back soon, giving Benitez even more midfield options. And I do not have it in for Gerrard - I just don't rate him as highly as everyone else. I always give credit where it's due though, and in my article (and in countless articles I've written in the past) I've always praised him as well as criticised.

gerrard is world class, I will not praise him too much because he is part of the best midfield in the world. You name me one big team on the planet that would not buy him right now! Why do liverpool need more creative players? 21 goals in 5 games surely proves we don't need any more creative players, 21 goals shows we are creating. 28 shots at goal against toulouse shows we have creative players. People like you, "armchair experts" make me sick, go out, kiss a girl and write about things you are comofortable talking about, clearly liverpool isn't one of them. you minge!

What a set-up, Kanwar. Everything you write is geared towards supporting your own bias. You make an excellent point about the Merseyside Derby substitution, but then go on to distort it to support your own pathetic obsession with Steven Gerrard. What's your problem, pal? I don't think the sun shines out of Stevie G's a***, but I can appreciate him as a world class player who has the occasional dip in form. He's emotional and connected to the club; emotions mean downs as well as ups, but that's the price of entry when you have sublime talent in your ranks.

I totaly agree with your comment about Stevie G not being world class -I dont know about selling him but i can see were you are coming from- all those reds fans who see things through rose tinted specs when comes to Stevie need to take a closer look- yes we are a good team with Stevie in it but were not to bad with out him also.

Ok Jaimie, for once, the majority of your article makes sense, although selling Gerrard for a world class player? WTF? Who would you get in to replace him? Fat Frank? Especially as you've shown that he's scored 8 in 9, with six assists, I'd like you to find me one other player in the WORLD who has shown that sort of form of late. To consider selling him is just showing your pithy, belligerent hatred of one of the world's most talented players. You are also pointing out how he is matured and rises to the occasion, isn't that the sort of player who you want to embody a team? A home-born player with the potential and the ability to keep your team as title contenders, it defies logic and reason to even consider selling him.

Just ignore the guy's articles from now on.

I can't ignore him. Arguing with retards is a hobby I just can't let go of. It's like crack. Feels good the first time, but then you just shoot it down out of habit.

the fact the team as a whole play a lot better than it did up until a few weeks ago. Gerrard very seldom make us tick when we're out of form, just as he so often prove to be an integral part of whatever success we achieve when the team plays well. Other than that I think the lad's done enough to have to listen to that crap about being sold, altho I think the world class label he enjoy since a few years back is a tad OTT. He is, whether you like it or not or whether you consider him a world class player or not, a very important leader of this team that would be very very difficult to replace.

I thought for once you were going to write a top to bottom objective, honest article, Mr. Kanwar, but you clearly have a personal hatred for Steven Gerrard that severely deludes your opinion of him. To use your Crouch logic against you, Gerrard is responsible for 14 goals in the last 9 games for LFC, that's 56% of the sides goals. I guess Crouch logic only applies to Crouch? How can anyone say Gerrard isn't creative? Are you blind? Did you not see the pass to Torres? He makes at least a dozen passes displaying cunning and brilliance every match. The real reason Benitez took him off in the Everton match was because he wasn't trusting his teammates and trying to do too much.

I know how you feel man, I had to go cold turkey. Now I'm a new man!

I did not say that Gerrard was not creative; I said, if it were down to me, I would sell him and use the money to buy world class creative players, i.e. A world class winger and link man. Liverpool have enough specialist centre mids. I've stated my reasoning for this elsewhere. And as for Crouch logic, In my article *I highlighted Gerrard's goals/assist stats* and stated he was in superb form, so what exactly is your point? Gerrard is playing well now, but the 'when gerrard plays well/bad the team plays well/bad has to stop. We need to be playing well when Gerrard is in a slump, not be dragged down by it.

I was reading through the artical and i thought, yeah i agree Rafa should be praised for the way he handle gerrard espec in a derby, then i got to the bottom where you mention (I dont think gerrard is world class), are you mad, you need to stop drink so many pints at lunchtime as its clouding your judgement, name me five world class mid fielders and if gerrard is not included your a k@*b

you always like to write non value added articles especially using fund from selling gerrard.. who you want to buy???

Lampard is not world Class nor is Terry toweling Captain of Crap. Inteligence dictated that Gerrard has proven himself time and time again on the international front and in Europe. Lampard has not nor Terry. Grow up! No true Red follows, players or managers blindly that would be stupid. If Criticism is needed thay will get it. Its only the parasitic press and Chelsea supporters of MONEY that follow their team IDEAL blindly!

I've explained my reasoning time and time again in this article: http://www.sportingo.com/football/liverpools_steven_ge rrard_is_not/1001,5851 - There is no need for me to go over the same stuff again. In a nutshell though - SG is an excellent premiership player, however, he cannot be considered to be world class UNTIL he has had a consistent, measurable, positive impact on the England national team. Thus far, he has failed in an England shirt.

'I would sell him and use the money to buy real world-class creative players.' So he's not world class, but he is creative? You pick and choose stats where you please, emphasizing to prove a point and ignoring the counter. If you look at the complex stats that highlight whether a player is beneficial to a side or not, such as opportunities created per a possession in the forward zone or percentage of advantages of opportunities taken, you'll truly see the genius of Gerrard, and that's just on the attacking end. Crouch is woeful and wasteful with in-depth analysis of his performances. Your man-love for Crouch is illogical, while your hate for Gerrard is as if he rejected you when you tried to ask him out for a date.

[quote]What has the Besiktas game got to do with it? I'm talking about his Liverpool performances improving on the whole over a period of time.[/quote] The Besiktas game is relevant because the main thrust of the article is that the substitution of Gerrard suddenly turned things around. The line of reasoning employed was 5 of 10 matches drawn before, then the substitution changed things. Besiktas showed it didn't do so immediately, at least not for the team... but maybe Gerrard did pull his socks up at that point and start steadily improving. Trouble the articles reasoning actually weakens the "sell Gerrard" argument. If [quote]the club captain was not playing well at all, and this was reflected in Liverpool’s turgid form[/quote] and now his form has improved the team are performing well again, then surely the conclusion one would draw is that Liverpool are a one-man team and if Gerrard doesn't play well the rest of the team aren't good enough to compensate? You say Rafa is brave, but selling the man that

You say Rafa is brave, but selling the man that dictates the form would approach foolhardy! However, it worked for Arsenal with Henry, so you never know...

Everyone is asking u to name 5 players better than gerrard. If u did sell him then who would u buy with the funds....this should be a laugh guys!

im sure liverpool board and manager are not brainless and if they had believed £35m offer from chelsea was too good to refuse they would have allowed him to leave. on the everton game, a plaer can get subbed any game it doesnt matter what game it is. i believe gerrard reacted unprofessionally to his manager and his team mates.