To the ‘why has no one ever put in an offer for him’ remark, well I guess you could say the same for Jamie Carragher, Carlos Puyol, Xavi, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and plenty of other players. Just because they’re happy at the club they’re playing for and haven’t instructed their agent to whore them around Europe so they can get a better contract at home doesn’t mean they’re not valuable.
As for him, not being good enough to play in a Top 4 side, well aside from oncy rubbishing that claim (twice), it’s a fair indication of what the typical British football supporter needs to see in a player in ordfer to value him. If he’s not quick, doesn’t slide about on his arse for half a game, doesn’t provide any assists, and scores fuck all goals – then he’s no use. Look, here’s some Carling Opta stats to prove it too! Charlie Adam has more assists!
The above characteristics, or lack of them are interesting – cos they’d apply to plenty of other footballers around these days too. Busquets. Pirlo. Makalele. Song. Alonso. All shite.
Do a youtube search for ‘Steven Gerrard tackle’ and you get pages of videos. If you watch some of them, we even manage to win a throw in out of them. It’s inspirational stuff. Charlie Adam scored goals and provided assist last season too. We’re currently negotiating with Fulham to get rid of him if reports are to be believed.
In Italy, Spain, Brazil, wherever a player like Lucas would be revered. Wins it back (without launching along on his arse to do so), gets it, keeps it, moves it, and does that again and again. It’s simplistic, and sounds almost workmanlike, but have any of you watched Spain over the last 6 years?
There is no better player in our team as receiving it, keeping it and moving it at the right tempo? No one, not Gerrard, not anyone. There is no better player in our team at winning the ball back. Not Skrtel, not anyone. And there is no better centre midfielder at the club than him. Not Gerrard, you get the picture. There's an art in receiving the ball and passing it at the perfect weight, all the fucking time. If there wasn't, then Charlie Ada would play, or we'd still have Momo Sissoko in the squad. Why are the best teams in the world always the ones that do the simple things better than anyone else? It doesn't have to be complicated, it's football. Do it simply, and do it well.
The best footballers aren't the best footballers cos they can kick the ball harder, or tackle more forcefully, or ping 50 metre passes onto a 50p piece. They're the best cos of what they've got in their head, not their fucking feet.
I find it bizarre that 5 years on we’re still having these debates, and I’m still singing the same message. Perhaps it’s cops people’s long standing grudge against him is difficult to shake, and there’s a need to give it one last hurrah, but it’s fruitless – he’s a top player, and he’s going to be the fulcrum of our midfield for years. Years people, years.
Watch him this year. He was the best midfielder in the league last year before he did his knee. Not just the best defensive midfielder, the best midfielder in the league. And not borne out of a couple of matches against Man City, but him approaching the peak of two years of quality football. He was sublime, and will return to be. If he stays fit, this argument won’t even need to be had in a few months time, cos it’ll be acknowledged without having to say so – cos he’s a class act.
We haven’t even touched on his attitude either, which in a fucking age of absolute cunts (anyone watch the Community Shield yesterday by the way? Whopping cuntathon that thing) is so fucking refreshing to see. Someone who enjoys the game, and loves the club. He puts quite a few of us to shame, me included.
Love him. Always have, always will. Watch him go.
