by simic_ie » Fri Feb 11, 2005 1:53 am
I think this is an excellent Stevie article and I truly hope that Stevie reads this. Top Class
Last weekend, with the sort of theatrical flourish not deployed by a television football commentator since David "One-Nil" Coleman last announced an FA Cup final goal, John Motson emitted a startling banshee-like wail which seemed to be wrought in the pit of his very soul: "Sssccccrrrrrreeeeeeeamerrrrrrrr!"
It's a screamer!
A screamer?
What actually happened was this: in a dull match between Liverpool and Fulham, Steven Gerrard lightly sliced the underside of a dropping ball and sent it meekly backspinning about 15 feet over the bar.
Now go back a couple of weeks, and Liverpool are "playing" Southampton at St Mary's. Midway through the second half, the away side launch what would be their only half-arsed attack of the match, a move which culminates in one of their midfielders sending the ball flying at a speed of up to 1mph along the floor. Who could it be!
"NOW THAT'S MORE LIKE IT FROM STEVIE G!!!" the commentator cried out using audible bold italics and a WWF-announcer-on-Viagra-and-'roids-and-six-pints-of-Stella-Artois macho rasp.
Mix in, among other things, rabid Evertonian Andy Gray's bid for Most Disingenuous Celebration Of All Time - that ridiculous "Ya beeeeeauty!" as "Stevie G" "rescued the day" against Olympiakos in the Champions League - and a repeat howl from Motson during Sven's latest snooze-athon on Wednesday night after a Gerrard into-the-stand ankle-shank, and I think we can safely say we have a problem.
And that's because everyone seems to be suffering from an inexplicable lack of perspective when it comes to Gerrard. It was bad enough last season, but at least then he was practically dragging Ged Houllier's lumpen team into the Champions League places of a dreadful division by himself. This season he's been doing no such thing, and - while there's nearly a wondrous player in there somewhere - quite frankly it's all getting totally out of hand.
Blame that goal against Olympiakos. A superb strike from 25 yards, hit at such a dramatic time during the progress of a big tournament that you could set its worth in millions. As such, and in summary, well done. Very well done! But the way the media reacted afterwards, as the clip was shown on loop on a separate dedicated channel throughout the month of December, you could have sworn Gerrard had been the sole architect of this particular legend.
"Gerrard was outstanding," thundered the Telegraph, "leading by example, thrilling the Kop with his patent commitment to the cause!"
"The performance of a lifetime!" telegraphed the Thunderer.
Meantime a bloke from the Mirror who, going by his picture byline, appears to be one of the blokes who used to be in Cast (oh all right it's David Maddock) added: "There are times when big men must stand up to be counted. Gerrard went to the top of a mountain to answer his calling last night."
Not bad when, in reality, he had been nigh on invisible for most of the game, unable to impose himself against workaday midfield opposition. The real heroes of a three-goal, second-half blitz were Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Neil Mellor, who both scored one and brilliantly set up another. Indeed Mellor, on the pitch for a full 11 minutes, may have stopped to wonder how some get all the credit for contributing 50% as much in over 400% the time.
The media's disproportionate reaction to Gerrard's performances isn't the player's fault. But journalists aren't the only ones getting things wildly out of whack. Constantly threatening to leave - "I want to win things with this club, but I haven't got time on my side" - or witlessly screaming "I'm the man" at his own fans (while celebrating a goal against ... Portsmouth) suggest it's time for everyone to return to earth.
Because Stevie G, it seems, is not actually "the man". As of now, Liverpool have won a higher percentage of their games this season without him in the side than with. And lost a lower percentage. When he's not in the team, they score, on average, more than half-a-goal a game more, while picking up a higher average of Premiership points per match. Luis Garcia has a better goals-to-shots ratio than our hero. And as for which Liverpool player is highest up the Opta rankings? Well it's ...
...actually, you already know the answer, don't you? It's a strange state of affairs when one of the Best Players In The World™ isn't even the best midfielder at his club, but there it is. In the run up to Christmas, with Xabi Alonso artfully pulling the strings from deep and allowing Gerrard to concentrate simply on attack, Liverpool were beginning to emerge (admittedly slowly and erratically) as a proper footballing side for the first time in years. But since Alonso was clattered by Chelsea's Frank Lampard, the team have relied on Gerrard as their playmaking force. There have been a couple of reasonable results - and plenty of overly-ambitious shots and passes sprayed into touch - but not one truly good performance since.
This isn't helped by Gerrard's increasing belief that he has to do everything - perhaps understandable given the amount of disproportionate bumf his ego is fed. A player can get away with pulling the team out of shape with headless-chicken running against teams like Olympiakos, Portsmouth and Watford, especially when he pops up with a saviour's goal. But it's harder to look like the midfield general when you're on the same park as a player like Roy "He Actually Is The Man" Keane (and he was on the same park as Keane last month at Anfield, honest). True, Gerrard did well against Patrick Vieira recently - but he had Alonso behind him to free him up.
A comparison with David Beckham's famous and tactically-bereft performance against Greece might also be instructive, if only to view how perspective on a player's true contribution is soon regained when the wonder goals dry up, as Beckham's did in Euro 2004. Gerrard should take notes.
The received wisdom seems to be that this summer's inevitable snatch of Gerrard by Chelsea is a very, very bad thing for Liverpool. But look at it this way: Liverpool, down on their uppers at present, get upwards of £30m for a player who cost nothing; they may even get a Joe Cole or a Scott Parker thrown in; and Rafael Benitez can set about using a lorryload of cash to shape a team. (Forget all the jury-out Josemis and Antonio Nunezes he's bought; when he's had ready money to spend, he's bought true quality in Alonso and Fernando Morientes.)
Chelsea meanwhile will be able to replicate England's Gerrard-Lampard midfield axis that wowed 'em so at Euro 2004. And who should be worried about this summer's transfer window swinging open again? Whatever happens, it's unlikely Rafa will be spending the next few months in a cold sweat.
Having said all that dept: Anyone counselling Gerrard on his next move should still tell him that the best thing to do is stay at Liverpool. Because Benitez hasn't been given nearly enough credit for giving Gerrard a more flattering framework for his not-quite-there talents to shine in. Put another way, there's that ultra-promising partnership with Alonso to develop. And hey, maybe even poor little Garcia will teach him how to shoot. If Gerrard stays and learns, Anfield could be a happy place next season.
So does The Man deserve such opprobrium? As a player who obviously has true talent and never gives less than everything for the team he's always loved, no. As a lad who's dangling the sword of Damocles over his employers heads while running round screaming egotistical claptrap at his own supporters, yes.
As for the commentators: the next time Gerrard scores a goal, just remember the old boy Coleman and settle for a simple "1-0" (scoreline permitting). Because if this guy's given a chance to keep his feet on the ground, he might actually become the player he clearly could be. Rather than the player most insist he already is.
© Scott Murray for The Guardian
Last edited by
simic_ie on Fri Feb 11, 2005 1:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
“It was my first of the season, my last of the season, my best of the season and the one I will remember for ever.”
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"I'm not a believer in fate..... until tonight, they're going to win it!"
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