On the
training pitches of Melwood and in Brendan Rodgers’s office, Steven
Gerrard is busy trying to reinvent the wheels of his career yet again.
Shorn of Luis Suarez, this is a different Liverpool this season. So far, it’s a flawed version.
It’s
a different Gerrard too. It has to be. After the success of last
season’s step backwards towards a holding-midfield role, the Liverpool
captain has found himself hunted quarry this time and, as he looks to
prolong his Anfield career, it has been time for a rethink.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has had to rethink his game under Brendan Rodgers this season
Gerrard celebrates scoring a free-kick in the Merseyside derby which ended 1-1 last month
Gerrard, challenged by Stewart Downing, was man-marked in defeats by West Ham and Aston Villa
The 34-year-old revealed he has worked on his positioning with Liverpool boss Rodgers (above)
‘It’s
been different this season,’ said Gerrard. ‘A couple of teams have set
up to man-mark me and stifle me. Against Villa (Gabriel) Agbonlahor
wasn’t remotely interested in the ball or the game, only in following
me. The other one was at West Ham, but Sam Allardyce has always done
that with me.
‘In
those two games I found it hard to influence things so I’ve had loads
of chats with Brendan about how to counter that if it happens, whether
it’s by moving out of position or moving further forward into a ‘10’
position.
‘We
did that in a recent game and it worked really well and my form has
actually been a lot better since people started to try and stifle me.
‘I think you will see changes in my game. Brendan and I have worked some things out.’
Gerrard, laughing in training, is confident he has a remedy for opponents attempting to stifle him during games
Mario Balotelli talks with Gerrard, Fabio Borini (left) and Kolo Toure (right) during Liverpool training
Playing for
Liverpool is hard. The really big clubs — Manchester United, Barcelona,
Bayern Munich — don’t suit everybody and Liverpool sit firmly in that
group.
Gerrard — in his 17th season at Anfield now — told Sportsmail:
‘We have a huge following all over the world. People watch us. The
pressure is on us to perform all the time, every single game. We are on
the TV every three days, not once a month like most. You can’t hide,
being a Liverpool player.
‘We
are being judged all the time and you have to accept it and embrace it
and enjoy the pressure. That’s what I have learned to do ever since I
was 19. I had to. There is no hiding place. People will point fingers.’
Gerrard believes his team-mates must 'embrace' and 'enjoy the pressure' that comes with playing at Anfield
Balotelli has endured a difficult start to his Liverpool career since joining the club in the summer
VIDEO Rodgers dismisses Baloteeli questions with a smile
There is a point to this part of the conversation. The point is called Mario Balotelli.
The
Barclays Premier League’s latest enfant terrible is back for his second
stint in England and is trying to find a home at Anfield.
Former
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher — a friend of Gerrard’s — watched
Balotelli toil in the recent home defeat by Real Madrid and subsequently
told TV audiences he was a ‘panic buy’ who may be sold in January.
Gerrard
is having none of that but, equally, as captain of his football club he
knows what Balotelli must do if he is to succeed. I ask him if he feels
the No 9 shirt — metaphorically speaking — weighs heavy at Anfield,
given those who have passed before.
Jamie Carragher (above) believes Liverpool's £16million move for Balotelli was a 'panic buy'
The Italian striker celebrates scoring his first Liverpool goal against Ludogorets in the Champions League
‘Yes it does,’ was the blunt reply.
‘That
shirt does weigh heavy. But so does (my) No 8. So do most of the
numbers. With social media and the way the general media has gone there
is so much criticism and opinion out there that if the No 9 weighed
heavy 10 years ago it weighs even heavier now.’
Balotelli
— who actually wears No 45 — has certainly felt that weight, even if he
did score his second Liverpool goal in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Swansea
in the Capital One Cup. At half-time that night, Kenny Dalglish and
Robbie Fowler were on the field. Ian Rush was in the directors’ box.
It’s hard to escape the past at Anfield.
Balotelli struggled to make an impact during Liverpool's 3-0 Champions League defeat against Real Madrid
‘I
like Balotelli…he likes being the main man up front. If he wants that
at Liverpool you have to score goals. He will know that.’
‘To
be a main striker at Liverpool you have to expect the pressure and the
responsibility and embrace it,’ added Gerrard. ‘Our fans have seen so
many quality forwards over the years they expect new ones to be quality
in every game. Above everything else you will have to score goals and
score them regularly.
‘Look
at the ones I have played with — Fowler, Owen, Suarez, Torres. They
have always been consistent with goals and that’s what has made them the
superstars they are. You have to respect Jamie’s opinion. He knows
football but it’s too early to get on Mario’s back.
‘He
just needs time to score the goals he needs to prove to people he is
worthy of staying here. I am not gonna judge him after 10 games. To come
in after Suarez was always going to be a big ask and he’s not feeling
sorry for himself. He is working hard, doing extra shooting sessions.
Gerrard admits that Balotelli has a tough task following the likes of Fernando Torres (left) and Luis Suarez
‘I’ve
actually been impressed the way he goes about his work. You hear all
kinds of stories and rumours before you meet him, but he does all the
work. I like the guy.
‘Yes,
it seems he likes the attention, he likes being the main man up front.
He loves the social media and loves talking to supporters and if he
wants that at Liverpool you have to score goals. He will know that. And
if he didn’t know it coming in then he will know it now.’
The Reds skipper 'can't believe' that former Liverpool striker Suarez isn't on the Ballon d'Or shortlist
‘Suarez
scored 31 goals and was voted best player in the hardest league in the
world. So you tell me how he’s not on the Ballon D’Or list. Incredible.’
Rodgers admitted recently that he built his team around Suarez last season and Gerrard (below) doesn’t disagree.
He
thinks it was ridiculous that his former team-mate wasn’t included on
the shortlist for this year’s World Footballer of the Year. ‘I can’t
believe it but that’s politics in football isn’t it?’ he said.
‘He
scored 31 goals and was voted best player in the hardest league in the
world. So you tell me how he’s not on the Ballon d’Or list. Incredible.
He should be fighting Cristiano Ronaldo for it. That’s a fact.’
Suarez should be Cristiano Ronaldo's (above) closest challenger for this year's Ballon d'Or, claims Gerrard
Gerrard made
his debut for Liverpool in November 1998. He played 39 times during
last season’s buccaneering campaign but, as peculiar as it sounds, this
one could be his last.
Out
of contract next summer, Gerrard would like to stay but has yet to be
approached for talks by the club. ‘I can only worry about this season
'cos I’m only contracted until May,’ he said candidly.
‘As
it stands at the moment, I’m here until the end of the season and want
to make the most of it. I certainly won’t be retiring this summer. I
will play beyond this season. We will have to wait and see if that’s at
Liverpool or somewhere else. That’s Liverpool’s decision. If they don’t
come then I will see what’s out there.’
A young Gerrard making his Liverpool debut against Blackburn Rovers in November 1998
What
is clear is that Gerrard feels he has unfinished business at his one
and only club. After last season’s crushing disappointment, it’s hard to
blame him. Liverpool looked set to win the Premier League until they
lost to Chelsea at Anfield. Fast forward a few months and those chants
and songs follow him wherever he goes.
‘Do I hear it?’ he asked with a wry smile. ‘Of course. There are thousands of them singing it!
‘Does
it affect me? No, it drives me on to perform better. It has taken time
to recover from last season, of course. For players and supporters. It
was a huge setback when we fell short. It hit me hard.
‘I’m
not looking for excuses but there are collective reasons for our
stuttering start this time. We lost a key player, we’ve had a key player
injured and other Premier League sides have improved.
The Anfield icon has a very specific fitness regime to keep himself in shape throughout the season
‘That’s why we’re not sitting top of the league with everything rosy.’
Gerrard’s admiration for Suarez is ongoing. Interestingly, though, he feels the Uruguayan’s natural heir is already at the club.
‘For me, when you talk about potential in this country, Daniel Sturridge is the player with the most,’ he said.
‘Ability-wise
he is possibly the No 1 (English) striker I’ve played with, when you
talk about speed, sharpness and skill and different types of goals. Some
of the things he does in training blow me away. He could go as far as
he wants to go.
Liverpool looked set to win the Premier League until they lost 2-0 against Chelsea at Anfield last season
Gerrard slips to let in Chelsea's Demba Ba and opposition fans have not let him forget it
Gerrard has named Daniel Sturridge (right) as 'possibly the No 1' English striker he has played with
‘Last
year he was in Luis’s shadow and now he is not there it’s for Daniel to
be Liverpool’s iconic No 9 for many years. We need him at the moment.
We need him back from injury as soon as possible.’
Sturridge
will not be back for Saturday’s game at Newcastle, nor for a
forthcoming meeting with Chelsea. Gerrard and Liverpool must simply hope
to defend better.
Conceding
goals was a problem last season and it has continued this time. Their
captain has been publicly critical at times, calling his team-mates
‘soft’ on TV after a Champions League defeat at Basle. ‘We were soft in
Basle,’ he said without blinking. ‘No-one (on the team) has addressed it
with me so I presume they agree.
‘I
think when you are captain and you’re asked a question in front of the
cameras you have to be honest, or what is the point in speaking? Players
who say the wrong thing, or lie, or twist what is really happening out
there . . . what is the point? I’d rather not go and speak. Basle was an
honest appraisal.
‘To
get into the top four we have to stop conceding stupid goals. But that
is something Brendan is addressing and I can assure all the Liverpool
fans out there we will improve and we will get better.’
Sturridge wheels away in celebration after giving Liverpool a 2-1 lead against Southampton in August
The former England captain is hoping Sturridge can become Liverpool's next iconic No 9
Gerrard admitted his team were 'soft' during their 1-0 Champions League defeat against Basle
Saturday
brings a trip to Newcastle but next week it’s Real Madrid and the
Champions League. Liverpool’s 3-0 home defeat by the European champions
nine days ago was chastening and Gerrard won’t hide from it. Nor will he
attempt to play down the enduring genius of Ronaldo.
‘Coaches have always said to me there are times no tactics, or anything you can do, will stop quality football,’ he reflected.
‘That
first Madrid goal (at Anfield), very few in the world can finish that. I
applaud that goal, a magical goal by a magical player.
Ronaldo scored Real Madrid's first goal against Liverpool - which Gerrard admits was unstoppable
Ronaldo celebrates giving Madrid a 1-0 lead at Anfield in the Champions League Group B clash
'I
think Ronaldo has changed from being an individual player out wide – a
showman who sometimes did skill that didn’t always hurt you – to being
more direct and lethal.’
‘The
first I saw Ronaldo was in a friendly against Manchester United, for
Sporting Lisbon. He tore the back out of John O’Shea. I felt sorry for
him. It’s been interesting to see him progress, improving year by year. I
think he has changed from being an individual player out wide — a
showman who sometimes did skill that didn’t always hurt you — to being
more direct and lethal.
‘In the old days he could be stopped.I saw Ashley Cole mark him out of the game. John Arne Riise used to do well against him.
‘Now
he does all his work around the box, between the lines where you can’t
pick him. I’ve never seen a player improve year by year so quickly.’
As
odd as it sounds, it will soon be 10 years since Gerrard led Liverpool
to that remarkable Champions League victory in Istanbul in 2005. From
3-0 down to a ‘hands on the trophy’ moment and all kick-started by a
Gerrard header.
‘It doesn’t seem that long, does it?’ he smiled. I ask if he gets sentimental and he says the right thing.
‘Football works in cycles,’ he said. ‘You can’t get close to Champions League finals every single year, it just doesn’t happen.
Gerrard insists his main focus is on being successful with Liverpool over the next seven months
‘There
have been times since then when we have fallen short and I expected us
to do better and it’s been unfortunate. But the past is the past and we
move forward.
‘As
I stand I have seven months left and I want that to be successful.
That’s my focus, not what could have been 10 years ago. I don’t look
back.’
But, I ask, do you ever reflect and wonder just how you did it that night in Istanbul?
‘Yep,’ he admits. ‘Most days, most days.'
Gerrard heads Liverpool's opening goal against Milan in 2005 and sparks that remarkable comeback
Gerrard admits he still wonders 'most days' about how Liverpool won the Champions League in 2005
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