I'm going out on a limb here - Bold prediction
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2005 10:06 pmRight guys. Yes it may only be one game into the league season but already I'm going to go out on a limb here and make a bold prediction.
STEVEN GERRARD WILL SCORE 20+ GOALS THIS SEASON IN ALL COMPETITIONS AND WILL BE THE PFA PLAYER OF THE YEAR.
There, I've said it.
I suppose the latter part of that statement depends a great deal on the team's success. For example, two seasons ago, I would have given the award to Stevie G, because he was OUTSTANDING for virtually the entire season. However looking back, the fact that he singlehandedly carried a poor side at times (and the fact that he doesn't play for a London club) worked against him. Players such as Smicer, Murphy et al just weren't up to it on a consistent basis when push came to shove.
We all know what then ensued over the next two summers. Gerrard's poor showing at Euro 2004 was clearly due to the speculation regarding his future and even when he did eventually decide to stay, the look on the guys face in the press conference told me that he still wasn't entirely happy. Go forward to that night in Istanbul, the "how can I leave now" comment, and the onsuing circus that followed over his new contract signing and we appeared to be back to square one. Whether you love the guy as a person or hate him for what he put us through, with everything put behind him now we have essentially got a new player.
AND WHAT A PLAYER
I know Stevie could essentially go out and break his leg against Sunderland next week, but from what I've seen so far this season, the guy has upped his game another 20% and that is no mean feat considering how good he was anyway. The goals are obviously great. In the past, the one area of his game that I criticised was his goalscoring. He did score a few but they all tended to be cracking long range efforts. Last season he was joint top goalscorer with 13 and he already has seven this. However what has become more prevalent to me is the positions he is getting himself into now. He has developed a tendency to turn up in the box late unnoticed and but for wayward finishing he could already be in double figures for the season.
His movement off the ball is quite exceptional aswell. That's why I think he would thrive even more when Crouch plays because Crouch has the ability to hold the ball up and let others bomb on around him. The unearthing of Sissoko (who looks class by the way) will also benefit Stevie in the long term and give him a lesser share of defensive responsibility to do in games so he can attack more.
All in all, he looks a lot more disciplined in what he's trying to achieve on a football pitch. He's not trying Hollywood balls every five minutes. He's not running around like a headless chicken at times trying to do five people's jobs at once. He's showing signs of putting the final few pieces of the jigsaw togther in becoming what I said he could become, and that is THE BEST central midfielder in the world.
Lets just hope that the rest of the players step up to the plate aswell. I don't like us being labelled as a one man team because we have some fantastic players apart from Stevie, but having seen how he's started the season, if we'd lost him I can't help thinking we'd be in trouble this season. That's how well he's playing right now.
YNWA STEVIE G!
STEVEN GERRARD WILL SCORE 20+ GOALS THIS SEASON IN ALL COMPETITIONS AND WILL BE THE PFA PLAYER OF THE YEAR.
There, I've said it.
I suppose the latter part of that statement depends a great deal on the team's success. For example, two seasons ago, I would have given the award to Stevie G, because he was OUTSTANDING for virtually the entire season. However looking back, the fact that he singlehandedly carried a poor side at times (and the fact that he doesn't play for a London club) worked against him. Players such as Smicer, Murphy et al just weren't up to it on a consistent basis when push came to shove.
We all know what then ensued over the next two summers. Gerrard's poor showing at Euro 2004 was clearly due to the speculation regarding his future and even when he did eventually decide to stay, the look on the guys face in the press conference told me that he still wasn't entirely happy. Go forward to that night in Istanbul, the "how can I leave now" comment, and the onsuing circus that followed over his new contract signing and we appeared to be back to square one. Whether you love the guy as a person or hate him for what he put us through, with everything put behind him now we have essentially got a new player.
AND WHAT A PLAYER
I know Stevie could essentially go out and break his leg against Sunderland next week, but from what I've seen so far this season, the guy has upped his game another 20% and that is no mean feat considering how good he was anyway. The goals are obviously great. In the past, the one area of his game that I criticised was his goalscoring. He did score a few but they all tended to be cracking long range efforts. Last season he was joint top goalscorer with 13 and he already has seven this. However what has become more prevalent to me is the positions he is getting himself into now. He has developed a tendency to turn up in the box late unnoticed and but for wayward finishing he could already be in double figures for the season.
His movement off the ball is quite exceptional aswell. That's why I think he would thrive even more when Crouch plays because Crouch has the ability to hold the ball up and let others bomb on around him. The unearthing of Sissoko (who looks class by the way) will also benefit Stevie in the long term and give him a lesser share of defensive responsibility to do in games so he can attack more.
All in all, he looks a lot more disciplined in what he's trying to achieve on a football pitch. He's not trying Hollywood balls every five minutes. He's not running around like a headless chicken at times trying to do five people's jobs at once. He's showing signs of putting the final few pieces of the jigsaw togther in becoming what I said he could become, and that is THE BEST central midfielder in the world.
Lets just hope that the rest of the players step up to the plate aswell. I don't like us being labelled as a one man team because we have some fantastic players apart from Stevie, but having seen how he's started the season, if we'd lost him I can't help thinking we'd be in trouble this season. That's how well he's playing right now.
YNWA STEVIE G!
is done with,he has indeed gone up 20 percent.....long may it continue
