Steven Gerrard was once dubbed as one of England’s ‘golden generation’, but now with Euro 2012 on the horizon his international place cannot be assured. But what about his future at Liverpool ?
So much pressure has been placed on Stevie Gerrard at Liverpool; at times he seemed to be a one-man team. In 2008/09, he was outstanding, almost winning the Premier League for his club through some virtuoso performances, not to mention the Anfield demolition of Real Madrid. The next season, however, his form seriously dipped, and he was wrongly made first choice for the World Cup 2010 midfield – on reputation rather than form.
Last season was a transitional one for Liverpool, and Gerrard often found himself swimming against the tide. Kenny Dalglish breathed new life into the club, however, and he will hope to do the same with Gerrard when he returns from injury later this month.
The expectation is that Gerrard will thrive on competition for places with Charlie Adam, Lucas, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson all vying for midfield spots. The best thing for Gerrard, however, is that he will no longer be expected to do it all alone.
With pressure off this season, Gerrard can enjoy his football again, and could have his best season or two yet under King Kenny. There’s plenty of petrol in the tank yet.
So the remaining question is where does he fit into England’s plans ? Gerrard has more of a chance than either Frank Lampard or Rio Ferdinand remaining a key player next summer, but the debate will rage over where he is best suited in Capello’s new 4-2-3-1 formation. The Gerrard of 2009 would have fit perfectly playing off Wayne Rooney, with Ashley Young and Theo Walcott either side. I wouldn’t bet against him, though, as he has demonstrated time and again that he is made of stern stuff and is a survivor.
Despite the emergence of new players at both club and country level, Gerrard’s quality will surely continue to shine through. If he continues to work hard, and remains injury-free, he could well end up with yet more silverware at Liverpool, and more caps for his country.
image: © etyek
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