New times for Liverpool
Losing 3-0 against West Bromwich in the season premiere it doesn't say much for Liverpools chances against Manchester City today. My dad Sven just shakes his head and wonders what happened to his club. Personally, I think Brendan Rodgers should try Steven Gerrard in the role of "holding" midfielder.
Both me and my dad have been Liverpool fans since the club's heyday in the 1980s, but the Liverpool we see today is a long way from the top tier. Liverpool simply can not lose with 0-3 against a team like West Bromwich in a Premier League debut. It's so bad. The preparations were not good enough.
Although they have a good coach in Brendan Rodgers, but the defensive game faltered. In the marking game the players were anything but coordinated. And they seemed to have poor communication when the opposition got set pieces.
Gerrard is the complete player...
Manchester City are obviously clear favorites today, but it is not easy to come to Anfield. There you have the best atmosphere in the whole of England - and even if they have not been good in recent seasons, Liverpool are basically always a difficult team to mplay at Anfield. If they get a lead and little wind at their backs.
I have studied Liverpool and noted that Rodgers last used Joe Allen, Steven Gerrard and Lucas Leiva as a midfielder in a 4-3-3 formation. I think that he should continue. But perhaps Rodgers should try Gerrard as a bit more of a holding, defensive midfielder, I feel that this is his best position. I had several conversations with him about that during my time as a coach in England. Steven has a bit too much energy, he wants to be where the ball is and therefore play an offensive role. But I always told him that "sooner or later you'll become a pure ball winner in the middle" He never responded, but just smiled.
Whether or not he plays there his passing game is so good that he would always be a part of the offensive. He is complete as a footballer - once I had him as a right-back in England for 45 minutes and he was absolutely amazing - and hits great passing game of both five and 50 meters.
... And a grumpy loser
Steven Gerrard's only problem is that he lacks patience. The times I had him as a defensive midfielder in the squad it always broke down because he wouldn't saty in the role, he sometimes disappeared forward or became a free ranging midfielder on a wing sending in crosses. It was not optimal.
And one reason that Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard were not so successful together in the national team was that Gerrard, wether he played on the right or left of midfield, would not stay there either, but wanted to get into the middle, in the mix. He wanted to go forward - and then he ended up on the same surface as Lampard.
And Lampard you would not use as a defensive midfielder, he scores too many goals, that guy. But Gerrard should be perfect there.
As a person, Steven also calm and collected, he's rarely stressed. In the national team, I could bounce ideas off of him in private. It could be controversial things like selection or how our offensive game would actually work.
He is certainly a fighter which was clear duing training matches. There was swearing at everything and everyone, but afterward he was as calm as usual. A grumpy loser with great leadership, you might say.
Much needs to change
When he missed his penalty against Portugal in the 2006 World Cup, he took it hard. He came into the dressing room with his head and apologized, I remember it so well: "I'm sorry, boys," he said. He thought that everything was his fault, but many great players have missed important penalties.
Steven Gerrard is "Mr Liverpool" and has won almost everything: the Champions League, Super Cup, FA Cup, League Cup. But the question is whether he will ever win a Premier League title.
As it looks now - absolutely not. And if that is to happen, a lot of things change in Liverpool: The American owners have to pump in more money - and buy the right players. Carroll and Downing have been such expensive signings, but did not make a success of the red shirt.
One must also recruit more high rollers. When I look at their team today, I find only three players of world-class: Pepe Reina in goal, Steven Gerrard and Luis Suárez. Re,move them and a Champions League place is very far away. I would not begrudge such a good guy as Steven winning the Premier League, but maybe he needs to change clubs if he wants to add that title to his resumé. The question is whether that will ever happen.
