When I say tactical intelligence, from an attacking sense, some of the things I'm talking about are things like moving into pockets of space, drawing defenders out of position, being a few steps ahead of the play, the type of things you see from pretty much all our current front three, especially Firmino. These are not things Gerrard was ever overly interested in. His lung busting runs from midfield were predominantly made with the intention of him getting on the ball. You obviously agree with the his deficiencies on the defensive side of things, so won't get into that.
Not really. This is completely revisionist. He was definitely interested in spaces, not in the same way as Firmino obviously because they were different players. But he often played one-twos with other players in attack while moving into spaces that got him through. He has scored and setup players by making runs into space and finding balls into space for other attackers to take advantage. Comparing him with our front three is absurd, considering he wasn't an inside forward or a false 9, so his game was obviously different. His game was putting through forwards through his passes and through-balls, making little one-twos to progress the game forward and switching play - all of these are tactical parts of the game which are essential. You cannot criticize Salah for his lack of tactical intelligence because he is not good in Switching Play. His areas of strengths are in making runs behind the defenders with clever movement. You're basically confusing style of attack with tactical intelligence.
Also disagree on the short passing part. Gerrard was a medium/long ball specialist. Sure he could engage in short passing, but you would rarely see him unlock a defense with the quality of his short passes opening space, or triangle play. It was his medium/long balls. This is linked to the fact that his technique in tight spaces was proficient, but not anywhere close to world class. Keita has the opportunity to be far superior in this area of the game, and IMO, an elite short passer is always preferable to an elite long passer.
Apologies for the Off-Topic content, but I thought this had to be on to clear air on some 'perceived' weaknesses of one of our greatest players one final time as part of this discussion and the comparison. I think I owe him that much, but if required it can moved to a different thread.
Gerrard was exceptionally good in medium/long passing which clouded people into thinking he did not use the short passing game. This is negated by the fact that Rafa, in his own blog mentioned that Gerrard, Kuyt and Torres were his main weapons in terms of triangulation. They played frequent triangles between them (sometimes players like Benayoun got involved) to get through the opposition defense. Gerrard's combination play was as good as anyone in attack. Gerrrard's range has proved to have covered the entire pitch, so I have no idea why you think his Short Passing was not that good. He used the short passing game well, only he was looking forward. Statistically, I'm sure Gerrard played in and around as many/more Short Passes in a game than Keita is playing now (Obviously Opta was not around when Gerrard was 21/22, but during his later years he was playing a large number of Short Passes in games and he managed to clock around 100 passes in some games, that which only modern Shot Passing experts such as Thiago are able to do now. His average number of passes clocked around 70 for a major part of his last few seasons. I understand this Gerrard was not the early version, but Keita is a similar kind of player in terms of short passing so I'm not sure why you think their styles were different. Keita mostly looks forward like him. He's not a Xavi or even an Alonso who prefer to recycle the ball. He keeps looking forward with the ball for solutions, just like Gerrard only their solutions are different. Keita uses dribbling as a weapon, while Gerrard prefers his range of passing or combination play for the same.
Keita's base ability for me is superior to what Gerrard had at the same age. The areas where Gerrard was superior, predominantly long passing and shooting, are two areas where Keita can improve quite a bit as he gets older, and looks like he does a pretty good job with them already. Also note that Gerrard wasn't the player he became at 22. He improved significantly in a number of areas between that age and 25-26.
None of this is even meant to put Gerrard down. You can regard someone as great, while acknowledging another player has the potential to be greater. There is no playing down anything here.
To again bring the context to the level of revisionism here,
At 22, Gerrard had won the FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and even scored in the UEFA Cup Final. He was as established as any youngster could be. He was already known as one of the most talented youngsters coming up at that time just like Keita is now and many managers realized his potential then. Example - Ferguson obviously got bitter towards the end when his multiple attempts to tempt Gerrard failed (even had Neville go on about it in Gerrard's ear during England duty), but this is what he said in 2000 when Gerrard was 20
‘He is physically and
technically precocious. He’s got a good engine and remarkable energy.
He reads the game and he passes quickly. I would hate to think Liverpool have someone as good as Roy Keane."
Imagine, a Manchester United manager considered him when he was just 20, to be as good as Roy Keane who was one their midfield greats, that shows the potential he had as a 20 year old.
In 2004, when Gerrard was 24, he said this
If you were looking for the player you would
replace Keane with, it would be Gerrard, without question. ‘
He has become the most influential player in England, bar none,’ Ferguson enthused. ‘More than Vieira. Not that Vieira lacks anything, but
I think he does more for his team than Vieira does and has way more to his game. I’ve watched him quite a lot. Anyone would love to have him in their team.’
And Gerrard still had not gotten close to his peak at that time.
Vieira himself agreed
In my opinion he's in the top three midfielders in the world, maybe the best right now."I heard what Alex Ferguson said about him being better than me. He's probably right.
Gerrard is England's best player and he single-handedly got Liverpool into the Champions League. He is the complete player. He can score, he has a great final ball, he can tackle and he drives his team forward. He is a winner on the pitch, which is why I really admire him.
A few years later
"The best midfielder I would say is Steven Gerrard. I really rate him as a player and as a man.
Wenger
'Yes of course [Gerrard’s one of the best I’ve faced]. For long periods when Liverpool were in trouble, everyone looked to Gerrard and nine out of 10 times he did it. He’s a huge player and what I liked is that he’s shown great loyalty through his whole career to play for Liverpool. It’s very difficult to see how because he had the
calibre to play for any big club but he stayed loyal and I have big respect for that. When you look at his qualities it’s hard to see what he didn’t have in the locker.
He’s quick, a good passer, good technique, could score goals, a dream midfielder. He had every single quality needed for midfield.'
Hiddink
"Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, Lionel Messi or Xavi from Barcelona deserved the award more. "Ronaldo is only focused on finishing in front of goal. "I love Gerrard's qualities as a player and a leader.
Technically and tactically he is the best. His passion is enormous, he means as much for a great team as George Best. "He is a player who fans can identify themselves with and a man who carries the love for his club on his club badge.
There is not another player in the world who combines all those qualities. I like him so much more than Ronaldo."
Ancelotti
"Obviously
he's one of the best players in the world and I'd like to manage him one time in the future.
If you can manage the best players, it's easier to win. I don't know him as a person. I think he's a good man. But the reason I would like to manage him is because I've managed a lot of fantastic players, and he's one of the best players.
In Italy, when I played, there were players like [Giancarlo] Antognoni at Fiorentina, Rainer Bonhof in Germany. Today, Gerrard. Full stop. He can be a holding midfielder. He has fantastic shots, passes and skills. He is the complete midfielder."In later years
“I have an incredible admiration [for Gerrard]. When I was at Milan we tried signing him, but it was not possible."
"He's one of the players
I would have loved to coach, and I thought about him so many times in the past when I was at Milan. But it was impossible because he was very much linked with Liverpool. We had sounded him out but Gerrard's bond with Liverpool was unbreakable. I don't remember exactly what year it was but we did try. Of course,
I wanted to pair him up with Pirlo, it was a fantastic combination. Putting Gerrard in midfield with Pirlo. It would have been fantastic."
Rafa, in a preview to a game as a neutral years after he left,
Once again,
the captain who did so much for me at Liverpool, is the tactical key.
What is that? What could be that actually?
Another preview of a game
'Stevie will remember all about Zlatan and Juventus. He missed the Turin leg with an injury but
he was very strong in our win at Anfield, driving the play. He is playing far deeper for Roy Hodgson and driving forward far less but I think that is correct.
He is the England
midfielder who can pass the ball and switch the play better than all the others. He can also be that shield to frustrate Zlatan, who definitely won't have forgotten him.
Don't tell me again that Stevie doesn't understand the tactical aspects of the game. Rafa himself congratulates Stevie on following them here. He says Zlatan won't have forgotten Stevie, because Stevie was on top of Zlatan in the CL game that Rafa managed.
Rafa on Gerrard when he played deeper in the later years
“It was
interesting to see him playing in the deeper regista role in the win against Stoke City, because
regular readers of this column will know why I think he has the qualities to be an influence there. It is his anticipation, ability to pass long and short with incredible accuracy and also dictate the tempo. Not many players can do that.Rafa, one of the most tactically astute managers, consider him to be able to dictate the tempo and follow tactical instructions in defense and offense. However, people have always read between the lines that Rafa didn't consider so because he played him in different positions. The truth is, Gerrard was able to perform at a high level and adjust tactically to a number of positions, which was why Rafa trusted him. He wasn't moved around because he was not good tactically.
Mourinho
“Steven Gerrard is for sure one of my favourite enemies and for sure my dear enemy,
the one who made me a better manager. To stop him or try to stop him has been very, very difficult.'
"But speaking about Liverpool and speaking about honouring the champions, this is my time to honour a champion.
It is my time to honour Steve Gerrard.It is with opponents like him that I am the manager that I am, because I learn with my players and I learn with my best opponents. I tried to bring him to Chelsea, I tried to bring him to Inter (Milan), I tried to bring him to Real Madrid but he was always a dear enemy."
I thought stopping a tactically deficient player should be easy, you just mark him with a strong physical player and he's done. But no, eh?
Why would all the big clubs in the world from Real Madrid (more than once), Bayern, Inter, Milan (Ancelotti even discussed with Pirlo on pairing Gerrard with him), United (attempts to tap up multiple times), Chelsea (not that they're a big club, but Mourinho wanted him) want to sign up such a tactical deficient player? Hardly makes sense when most of these coaches were very tactically tuned and insistent would be a mystery. Especially considering that Ancelotti and Mourinho are tactically rigid ans stubborn managers is a bit of a head-scratcher isn't it? Only, it isn't.
With as much of a handicap in tactical intelligence as mentioned here, you would think he was a headless chicken and these are said about a completely different player with all the superlatives being thrown around.
Most of the great 'tactically brilliant' players found it difficult to play against him.
This is what Ronaldinho said of Gerrard
""Cristiano is a great player. But Steven Gerrard is, for me, one of the very best in the world.
For the job he performs, for me, he is one of the greatest."
Kaka at Milan
‘The time has arrived to re-energise a group which has many players at the end of their contracts.
Gerrard is a complete player and can play anywhere. I could see him fitting in really well at Milan."
Later, Kaka mentioned him when he was asked about the best players in and around late 2000s
"That’s a difficult question," he replied. "If I had to choose three, I would pick Cristiano Ronaldo, because of his skill and speed; Messi, because of his flair and skills; and Steven Gerrard, who for me is the
complete modern player."
England have always had individually strong players and I am a huge fan of Stevie Gerrard, He has the heart of a lion and is the
icon of the modern footballer with
his ability to attack and defend so well."
For me, and I have always said this, he will be regarded as
one of the greatest midfielders ever when he finishes his career. No doubt.
Owen
"I have played alongside some of the greatest footballers of my generation, but there is only one ex-team-mate I would rate higher than Steven Gerrard. The biggest compliment I can give him is he is second only to Zinedine Zidane in terms of his world-class status."
Lampard
"I would say he is the
hardest player to play against in midfield because he's got everything. He is a
very complete midfield player. He's the stand-out one in England. Maybe when we play Arsenal and they are sometimes on top form, you could pick one of their players but Gerrard is the main one for me. Stevie is one of the best players in the England team and probably in the world to be honest, so it's always nice to play with great players and against them as well."
Henry
"I had the chance to play with so many great players and saw so many in this league. Alongside Paul Scholes, he is the player I would have like to have played with.
He could do anything well, whether it was a nice tackle or assist, everything was done well. The
quality that he had was at the time, especially in Europe, underrated. He was just an amazing player."
'
I find it a disgrace that he didn’t win European Footballer of the Year in 2005 after Istanbul. For me, he is one of the best ever. Whenever you play Liverpool you know you have to get him out of the game. If not, it’s all over for you. “He’s a midfielder and if you look at all the important goals he’s scored - well I can’t even think of a striker in the world who has scored as many important goals, never mind a midfielder. How many times has he done it in the dying seconds of a game? I am trying to think of a striker now who does it - there aren’t any. Think about it.'
Henry talks about having to take him out of the game. How many top managers (the likes of Ferguson, Mourinho, Wenger in the league, Ancelotti, Rijkaard, Capello, Mancini in CL) over the years failed to take him out of the game? Why, you wonder, if he was a mug tactically.
Totti
"
I'd put him in the top three, not just in England but in the world because he's a complete player. Would I have liked to play alongside him?" I think anyone would love to play with players of that
calibre. He's a terrific player; he's a match-winner, so I think he's a player
any club in the world would want. Gerrard is a complete player because he can play in every position and can do everything with a football at any time in a game. He's a player who scores goals,
who builds the play, he's a sensational player."
Bellamy
"What makes him so good? Well, there is nothing he can't do.
He is clever. He sees the game quicker than anyone else. He sees the picture. He can play the ball first time round corners that aren't even there. He has got intelligence. He has got physical attributes. He can bomb past people. He is quick. He is a proper, powerful athlete. Give him a header, he will score. He can play in behind the front man.
He can get the ball off the back four and control the game from the quarterback position. He is just an immense all-round footballer. I have never seen anyone put it all together like him, never seen someone with so many qualities. I have played with a lot of talented players, but he was better than any of them."
Bryan Robson
'For me Gerrard can do everything and that's the reason I'd say he was the best of the three if I had to split them ahead of Scholes and Lampard in that order. They are all top professionals and each brought different attributes and strengths but
Gerrard can tackle, defend, score goals, head it, make a telling precision pass, dictate the tempo and is a powerful runner. He has a bit more to his game."
Gattuso
"For me, it's not about Gattuso against Gerrard, despite what he said.
For me, Gerrard is the best player in England. He is a technical player, who plays very hard and with his heart. He is a legend for his club and the best player they've got. I have more respect for him because I remember that final in Istanbul.
We had won it but then he played a great game and changed everything. I watched him against Chelsea on Tuesday and he was amazing, unbelievable. I still say I have respect for him and like the way he plays. I am looking forward to playing him again and looking him in the eye before it starts. This will be a very important game for us both.
Zidane
“
I have said in the past that at his peak he was the best in the world. I think it was the summer of 2004 I was having a conversation with Florentino (Perez) and I told him I wanted him to partner me in midfield for Madrid. I know the club tried twice but he wouldn’t leave Liverpool. Not many players turn down Real Madrid but I think that tells you a lot about the loyalty of the man.”
Zidane, a few years later
"
He's a player that I really thought a lot of, I had a lot of time for him and rated him. I can't say that about everyone," "Why did I like him so much? Perhaps there was something about him that
reminded me a little bit of myself. He made a lot of noise out there on the field but was quiet off it, meaning that he was someone down to earth and grounded away from the game who just said what needed to be said. He preferred to do his talking on the field, using his voice, his combative spirit and
above all his ability on the ball that could make the difference in a game. I would have really liked to have played alongside him. But he has always remained loyal to his own club, Liverpool, the club of his heart. That also is another characteristic that is particular to him, I don't think there are too many players who have spent their entire career playing for just one club. That is a great strength of his too. It was never possible, because of course he stayed with Liverpool, but I would have loved to play with a guy like him. It's simply that he's one of the few players, and I must come back to his combative spirit here, who is a
superb technician, who is great on the ball, but who mixed in those fighting qualities with everything he did."
Maldini
"For you guys, he was an example for all the others. I think
Steven has been and is an absolutely complete player, because he had personality, technique, he could set the play and also defend, and he could score goals - penalty-kicks, free-kicks. So really a modern, complete player. I have a very clear memory of the final we lost in Istanbul, when he was helping his teammates with difficulties in defence. He started playing at the back and tackled every single player of Milan. But I must say that what probably made the difference was his example for all his teammates."
Pele
‘Gerrard is an excellent player, absolutely world-class. If I was a manager,
everywhere I went I would buy Steven Gerrard. ‘He is what Brazil needs, because he is always looking forward and has a big heart. ‘Two years ago I saw Gerrard play and then I saw him in Tokyo in a game against Sao Paulo.
I said then that Gerrard is a great player. To me he is one of the best midfielders in the world. He is an excellent player.’Marchisio
'
In my own position, I was crazy about [Steven] Gerrard. I remember in the Champions League final comeback by Liverpool against AC Milan, you saw him up front, on the wings, and a moment later he was back, marking the playmaker, I have
never seen such a complete midfielder."
Torres
When people talk about the best footballers in Europe, they always single out Messi, and Ronaldo, but Gerrard is just as strong, Messi and Ronaldo are special talents and the fact that
they are in teams winning the important trophies means they stand out from the rest. Maybe you need to win something to earn the big awards, I don't know, but we all understand how good Gerrard is.
"I'm spoilt having a team-mate like Gerrard as I can count on him supplying me with perfect passes. You make the run into the space and however tightly marked he is, he finds a way to get the ball through in perfect condition. "
The highest compliment I can pay him is that he's as creative as a Xavi at Barcelona, with something extra as well. When you add his energy, toughness, leadership and goal scoring ability and the result is a fantastic all-round player. "Maybe I am biased because he is my team-mate and friend, but
Stevie does not get the credit he deserves either in England or with European fans. This can change in 2010 when he has a chance to confirm his class with Liverpool and in the World Cup.
De Rossi
'Gerrard has been my idol for 10 years and is one of the best players in the world.
He is the example of what all midfield players aspire to. He is always there in the heat of the battle, leading by example. He is everywhere you look - in defence, in the middle of the pitch and in attack. I would love to be close to that level.'
Xabi
"He could play in any national team in the world because he has so many great qualities.
He is flexible.He can play at the English pace or he can associate with the ball very well. He is a very intelligent player,so he could play anywhere - not just any national team but any club in the world. But he has been a one-club man and that's something i really admire. He will absolutely be remembered as one of the greats."
Come on, a player can't be as deficient as you mention and be admired by coaches and players who played with and against him that much. Some of them specifically sound out his game in 'spaces', 'technique', 'precision', 'game intelligence' even 'tactical' aspects of the game.
His biggest disadvantage in terms of being credited for the player he was, is that he's English. If not, he would be regarded by fans and everyone else in a different level. The players and coaches know though.
