Souness was Majestic. In crowded midfields, on muddy pitches he created all the time in the world, he had an arrogance, that only the truly great have, he'd take a half glance at opponents with utter disdain as they attempted to tackle him, as if to say what the fuck are you doing, you're not in my league, lad, and the thing was they knew it, you'd see the best crumble under that sideways look of dominance, because deep down they knew he was right, they weren't fit to lace his boots, they knew no matter how good they were, they were imposters in his company.
He's known for poleaxing players, probably the hardest I've seen on a football pitch but the word I'd associate him with is beauty, his movement, his anticipation, he did things you didn't think possible, he could stroke forty yard passes with the flair of an artist, or play simple passes no one else could see, because he read the game so well, he'd see the runs, he created time and space in the middle of mayhem and delivered time after time, a genius with a football, he was also unselfish, it could have been all about him, he was that good but he was always a team player, he made everyone around him look good. Never have I seen a footballer more like a manager on the pitch, he slowed it down, speeded it up, instinctively he dictated the tempo, knew what to do and when to do it., he should have had a baton he was in that much control. I'd argue a more complete football player than Gerrard. Remember him putting Jimmy Case on the floor when he was playing for Borough, he shocked Anfield, there was a collective intake of breathe around the ground, we were shocked and taken aback, you didn't do that to Case he was a hard man, hardest we had and souness had him on the floor, begging him to get up for a bit more on his home turf. Borough beat us two nil and I couldn't take my eyes of Souness he ran the game, two seasons later Paisley signed him. You always had the feeling Gerrard no matter how good, never quite knew his role in the team, he was the best player and led by example, where as Souness , never doubted his role and and lead the team.
Don't be fooled by the pundit or his managerial failure, he was the nearest I've seen to the complete footballer, a true leader who was wouldn't let standards slip but was generous of spirit, sense if someone was struggling and would pull them out the shit, move over cover their position as well, play two positions if needed, he invented cheating on positions, it's a real pity loads of our games weren't televised and most of the YouTube clips emphasise how hard he was because he was poetic at times and yes the same fella would have laughed at the likes of Keane and what went for a hardman later, before snapping him in two without a thought, but what is often missed is the beauty, his football genius. Souness the player I'd argue was the greatest I've seen in a Liverpool shirt, although for a season I did hear the siren call of Suarez, but that's is like comparing a firework to a bombfire one catches the eye for a while but one is so much more substantial in everyway
