Is Steven Gerrard immune from criticism?

[BRIGHT ON Q]

What is he supposed to do? Retire in case he plays well for his club? He's apologised enough times for his part in Wednesday's defeat-including today. If I was in Gerrard's position I'd care more about playing for Liverpool too. Why aren't you people laying into the likes of Joe Cole who skulked off after doing f*** all? Or the defenders who were pathetic? Or Lampard whose only contribution was a penalty.

Oh, I get it now-he's a scouser.

I even reckon Lampard was worse (if thats possible).Man of the match.Hes another one whos a total f***ing waste of space and can f*** right off.

 

[DJ Leon]

What is he supposed to do? Retire in case he plays well for his club? He's apologised enough times for his part in Wednesday's defeat-including today. If I was in Gerrard's position I'd care more about playing for Liverpool too. Why aren't you people laying into the likes of Joe Cole who skulked off after doing f*** all? Or the defenders who were pathetic? Or Lampard whose only contribution was a penalty.

Oh, I get it now-he's a scouser.

Because he was Captain. Because he's always first to talk about 'big' players, playing in 'big games'. Because he endlessly also talks about 'destiny' and us being good enough to win things. Because he loves his status as one of the countries 'best' footballers and finally and most importantly because he IS one of the countries best footballers. For that alone he should feel a deep, deep shame in his role in the qualifying debacle.

Are you also asking why people are picking on poor Steve McClaren?

 

[Nemesis]

Because he was Captain. Because he's always first to talk about 'big' players, playing in 'big games'. Because he endlessly also talks about 'destiny' and us being good enough to win things. Because he loves his status as one of the countries 'best' footballers and finally and most importantly because he IS one of the countries best footballers. For that alone he should feel a deep, deep shame in his role in the qualifying debacle.

Are you also asking why people are picking on poor Steve McClaren?

The WHOLE TEAM was at fault but to read NSC it's as if Gerrard was solely to blame. Why should he feel deep, deep shame more than anybody else? Because he was captain on the night? Is he supposed to single handedly lift 10 other professionals who shouldn't need lifting for a game like that?

Carry on with the witch hunt if you feel better for it.

Just for the record-today he showed that he IS one of the country's best players although no doubt he'll be criticised for having a good game. Ask yourself why this might be? Could be something to do with everybody around him also trying.....

As for the McClaren comment-pathetic.

 

[DJ Leon]

The WHOLE TEAM was at fault but to read NSC it's as if Gerrard was solely to blame. Why should he feel deep, deep shame more than anybody else? Because he was captain on the night? Is he supposed to single handedly lift 10 other professionals who shouldn't need lifting for a game like that?

That's the point of a captain. To lift a team, to drive them forward, to motivate, organise etc. So, yes because he's captain.

Carry on with the witch hunt if you feel better for it.

Just for the record-today he showed that he IS one of the country's best players although no doubt he'll be criticised for having a good game. Ask yourself why this might be? Could be something to do with everybody around him also trying.....

Well no - no-one else made him shank and over-hit every other pass. No one made him make pointless run after pointless run. Crouch played well with no-one else playing well around him? Why not the cream of our so called golden generation? He played well today against a fairly poor Newcastle team, but against teh best that Croatia had to play he was dismal. As he has been for most of the qualification games, that says something about how 'great' a player he is.

As for the McClaren comment-pathetic.

Did Steve make him shank all those passes then?

 

[Yorkie]

Because everyone loves a scapegoat.

 

[DJ Leon]

Because everyone loves a scapegoat.

Eh? How can you possibly absolve blame for the defeat from the players or the manager? Are you seriously suggesting that the players were in no way responsible for the defeat?

 

[Yorkie]

No.

(got to use 4 characters)

 

[Cheshire Cat]

But Gerrard has been the difference for the last few seasons between Liverpool being an under-achieving club and Liverpool being an unachieving club.

The issue for whichever poor sod becomes England manager is not only who to use (given the overall lack of top class English players) but more importantly how to use them. If Scotland and Northern Ireland can nearly qualify with their comparatively limited resource, to a large extent by playing above themselves, then how come England appear so hapless and, by comparison, unmotivated for the fight. If Gerrard and Lampard don't play well together then don't keep playing both in the vain hope that eventually they will click. You need a single team playing cohesively together, not just a collection of talented individuals - which is how Maclaren failed.

 

[Skaville]

unfortunately i feel that is the case about who he cares more for...

when asked if it was his biggest dissapointment in football... he said it was his biggest dissapointment in international football hence hes been more dissapointed with Liverpool

Which game is bigger :

1. A European Championship qualifier for an overrated team with no hope of doing anything in the finals anyway

2. A fairly unfortunate Champions League final defeat for the club you've been with since a boy

Give the bloke a break.

 

[Skaville]

Can't believe he had the nerve to celebrate his goal today (fair enough it was good) after his shambolic performance the other night.

What?! You sound like a Hartlepool fan

 

[SpidersLegs]

Sounds nice in theory but in reality it leaves you with ONE midfielder.

Also I struggle to comprehend why Ferdinand still gets stick? He is the bets defender we have. Easily.

Ferdinand best defender we have? That's the best joke I've heard in ages

 

[Nemesis]

That's the point of a captain. To lift a team, to drive them forward, to motivate, organise etc. So, yes because he's captain.



Well no - no-one else made him shank and over-hit every other pass. No one made him make pointless run after pointless run. Crouch played well with no-one else playing well around him? Why not the cream of our so called golden generation? He played well today against a fairly poor Newcastle team, but against teh best that Croatia had to play he was dismal. As he has been for most of the qualification games, that says something about how 'great' a player he is.



Did Steve make him shank all those passes then?

Would that pile of shite have been any different with Terry as captain? No. There isn't a motivational captain on the planet who could have polished the turd that was England.

Some of you people are desperate for ONE scapegoat and it seems that Gerrard is your choice. Why him I have no idea but if you think the defeat was down to him then you have a seriously blinkered view of what actually happened.

Has anybody heard anything from Joe Cole? Sol Campbell? Carson? That Everton twat whose name escapes me-Joleon Lescott? Lampard? Barry? Richards? Wright-Philips? Bridge? All completely shite on the night and all seem to have disappeared- but Gerrard is supposed to lift these people on his own?

No, you're right: it is all down to Gerrard. Ban him from the England team from now on.

 

[Nemesis]

Can't believe he had the nerve to celebrate his goal today (fair enough it was good) after his shambolic performance the other night.

At least he celebrated in front of the Liverpool fans-if I'd have been him I'd have really pissed the barcodes off and celebrated AT them in response to the non-stop abuse he was getting.

 

[JJ McClure]

Well that's it. I've pretty much decided that I now hate Stevie bloody Gerrard. Just his f***ing grinning face after scoring and providing two assists.
Too late for the rest of the country Gerrard you twat.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Well that's it. I've pretty much decided that I now hate Stevie bloody Gerrard. Just his f***ing grinning face after scoring and providing two assists.
Too late for the rest of the country Gerrard you twat.

It's hard to disagree with those sentiments. Where was he on Wednesday?

Oh yeah, and Alan Shearer on MOTD: "Well, he may have a bad night on Wednesday, but he's made up for it with that performance for his club."

Has he f**k made up for it. Scapegoating? Not really, they're all as culpable apart from Crouch and Beckham.

Basically, in the short term and until they have proved otherwise, our international squad are losers. They are not winners, they are proven losers. You don't become a world-class player by starring against Derby, Sunderland or Newcastle. You do it by shining in qualifiers and tournaments. On this basis no one can be called a world-class player until at least early 2009, when we see how the World Cup campaign is going.

 

[Yorkie]

Has he f**k made up for it. Scapegoating? Not really, they're all as culpable apart from Crouch and Beckham.

Can we have a thread on each then?
Is Carson immune from criticism
Is Barry immune from criticism
Is Cole immune from criticism?

etc etc

 

[Icy Gull]

Can we have a thread on each then?
Is Carson immune from criticism
Is Barry immune from criticism
Is Cole immune from criticism?

etc etc

Barry was SHITE on the night, although one of our best players in recent games

Cole irritates me, flatters to deceive 9 times out of 10

Carson, I had no problem with him being picked but it all went a bit Pete Tong for him.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Can we have a thread on each then?
Is Carson immune from criticism
Is Barry immune from criticism
Is Cole immune from criticism?

etc etc

I have absolutely no idea what point you are making there, Yorkie. Clearly, no they are not immune. If you want to start a thread on each, go ahead. Might be a bit dull. As I said, they are all now officially LOSERS in international terms until they prove otherwise, and unfortunately for anyone who gives a shit that will be a couple of years at least.

 

[DJ Leon]

I have absolutely no idea what point you are making there, Yorkie. Clearly, no they are not immune. If you want to start a thread on each, go ahead. Might be a bit dull. As I said, they are all now officially LOSERS in international terms until they prove otherwise, and unfortunately for anyone who gives a shit that will be a couple of years at least.

Quite. Plus I have already given about 5 valid reasons why he should be singled out anyway. Not least of all because he was CAPTAIN. Or should there be no repsonibility with the position?

 

[Yorkie]

I have absolutely no idea what point you are making there, Yorkie. Clearly, no they are not immune. If you want to start a thread on each, go ahead. Might be a bit dull. As I said, they are all now officially LOSERS in international terms until they prove otherwise, and unfortunately for anyone who gives a shit that will be a couple of years at least.

The point about a scapegoat. It all seems one dimensional at the moment.