[quote author=Ryan link=topic=45274.msg1330093#msg1330093 date=1304992224]
[quote author=ILD link=topic=45274.msg1329979#msg1329979 date=1304980306]
[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=45274.msg1329948#msg1329948 date=1304979442]
No.
If you replace Meireles, Lucas or Spearing with Gerrard we are a better team.
[/quote]
Word.
Obviously we're a better team with Gerrard in it. It's because he's our best player.
/thread.
[/quote]
Erm, not sure if it's really that black and white to be honest.
Dreamy might actually be onto something.
Take that example above, replace any of those players with Gerrard and automatically you bring in a better player. That's fact fo'sho. Doesn't automatically make you a better team though, it just brings a better player into the team.
I think the difference to how we play sans Stevie is night and day to how we play with him. When he's in the side, for whatever reason, there's a tendency from most fo the team (in particular the lesser lights) to shirk responsibility and leadership. I can certainly see why that's the case, no one's doubting Gerrard's ability, but does it harm how we play? From time to time, yes I think it does.
There's no way Spearing for example would have come on the way he has in the last month had Gerrard been in there beside him. He's actually take the game on, and pressing forward with movement and passing. Has Gerrard been in there I'm not sure he'd have been so inlcined to do so. It's not that they're afraid of Gerrard, more that they're afraid of trying to do what he would most likely do better.
We're playing great football across the pitch right now. Everyone's taking ownership, everyone's playing with freedom, and everyone's enjoying it. Now before anyone cracks in and accuses me of Gerrard stealing the fucking buzz don't; there's a role for Gerrard in that team, and he'll come back into it no doubt when fit, but he has to adapt to the way we're playing now too. We're not the two-man team of 12/18 months ago, as evidenced by the football we're playing, and the goals and threat coming from all over the park that we've seen in the last few months. Increasingly Gerrard's role could and should eveoplve into what Giggs' has for United - still vital, and probably still their most important player, but it's a team role, not an individual one.
I've got faith in Kenny seeing this happens.
Stating "Gerrard's our best player, therefore we're a better team" is naive and uneducated to be honest.
[/quote]
But is that due to the absence of Gerrard or the presence of Kenny?
I agree, it's great to see players waving their hands in the air, wanting the ball and trying to do creative and occasionally risky things with it.
Nobody could have accused Lucas last night of "just passing the ball sideways" and even lil Jay Spearing was showing some adventure and vision - but is that because they're stepping out of Stevie's shadow or because Kenny is instilling belief in them?
