[quote author=Judge Jules link=topic=43794.msg1261038#msg1261038 date=1295883704]
Hello again Wizardry! Would pick up a few things:
1. As you probably recall, I too consider George Best the greatest footballer ever. He could do more things to a higher standard than any other player I've ever seen or ever expect to see.
2. Where I would differ from you is over what would have happened had Stevie taken Chelsea's shilling. It was plain at the time (and is all the more so from his book) that he was utterly torn by the prospect of leaving and, quite unlike you, I don't think his form would ever have fully recovered. The trophies he'd have won would have been only partial consolation so, money aside, IMHO it would have been the wrong move for him to have made.
3. Keegan was a tremendous player and, like all of us, I wondered how or indeed if we'd manage to replace him. However, he was perhaps the best example I've ever seen of a player who made the best of what he had - and did it to magnificent effect - despite fundamentally not being as talented as a number of his contemporaries (in fact I'm pretty sure the man himself has said as much in his time). So zero apology, I'm afraid, for not (quite) including him in the top five LFC players. It's hardly a criticism after all.
4. None either for preferring Souey - just - to Stevie, at least for the moment. If Souey had had the benefit of modern training, nutrition and preparation (the only sensible basis on which one can make these comparisons) I simply don't agree that he wouldn't have handled Stevie and I specifically disagree with your comparison in respect of passing - Souey's short passing was as far in advance of Stevie's as Stevie's long passing is ahead of his, perhaps more so.
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Just to set the record straight, JJ; I wasn't suggesting that the best thing for Stevie would have been to move to Chelsea. He would have regretted it, IMO, for his whole life. My point relates only to general football perception of his standing and I think he would have dominated that Chelsea team and therefore ended with several titles with one of the best teams in Europe of his time. Would he have stood out in the team with Kenny and co? Not so sure but he would still have dominated some of the great teams.
As for Souness. One of my favourite ever players but I don't believe for one second that he had a passing game close to Stevie's. He was certainly the toughest and hardest I've seen in an LFC shirt - maybe ever in any shirt. He also could shoot with wonderous power at a time when the ball was far heavier. But there is no way he was as versatile as Gerrard, never (no matter what he ate) was he as fast as Gerrard, he never looked able to create a partnership the way Stevie has with Torres, Owen and Didi in his time and, good as it was, he couldn't take Gerrard on shooting capacity. I just think, perhaps, you remember the way Souness would put his body on the line for the team; the epitomy of a mans man on the pitch and it's difficult to not love that. But when it comes to "best footballer" I think Gerrard has it over him. I think Souness would agree with it as well.
