日批在线视频_内射毛片内射国产夫妻_亚洲三级小视频_在线观看亚洲大片短视频_女性向h片资源在线观看_亚洲最大网

USEUROPEAFRICAASIA 中文雙語Fran?ais
China
Home / China / Sports

Liverpool has big void to fill

By Reuters In London | China Daily | Updated: 2015-01-05 09:19

While the bond formed by 17 years of sterling service to his boyhood club ensures Steven Gerrard's exit will be an emotional occasion, his ageing legs and dwindling reserves of energy mean the hero of yesteryear had already departed.

Gerrard, who announced on Friday he was quitting Liverpool at the end of the season for a new challenge abroad, can rightfully lay claim to being one of the club's true greats.

But the days when he would drag Liverpool over the line by by sheer strength of will, when his mere presence on the pitch meant no situation was so dire that he could not conjure an improbable escape, are now gone.

The reality was that had Gerrard stayed at Liverpool, his appearances were going to become more sporadic.

At 34 years old, he had entered the period in most careers when talk turns to protecting tired legs from the exertions of the modern game.

Questions started to be asked about whether he could still be an effective part of manager Brendan Rodgers' side, where a high - intensity pressing game seemed to be the preferred method of attack and defense.

He was able to make a big impact on Liverpool's title challenge last season largely because the manager created a role for him, tailor - made to enhance his assets and hide his growing weaknesses.

As Gerrard arrowed long - range passes into the feet of forwards Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge in one of the most attacking Liverpool sides in recent years, few questioned his place in the side.

Yet with Suarez gone and Sturridge injured for most of the current campaign, Gerrard has been a shadow of last season's playmaker, with his passing range counting for little with the more sedentary Mario Balotelli leading the Liverpool line.

Without a moving target to aim for, teams came armed with spoiler tactics to restrict Gerrard's creative influence and Liverpool's title challenge was over before it had barely begun.

It is fair to say, therefore, that the biggest impact of his departure is likely to be the lack of his gargantuan presence behind the scenes - especially on a club where there is now arguably not a single player who can truly be called world class.

Former defender Jamie Carragher, who shared many of Gerrard's finest moments, was among those calling for the club to make more effort to retain Gerrard for precisely that reason.

"I look at what is happening with Ryan Giggs at Manchester United now and I am dismayed that Liverpool isletting that experience leave," Carragher said.

Giggs, however, was ushered into a coaching role from a recent title winning side, without the micro - analysis of his situation every time he started a match on the bench.

Gerrard was never going to be afforded that luxury on a struggling Liverpool outfit.

If he started on the bench, he was always going to be the center of attention, win lose or draw, which was part of the reason for the timing of Friday's statement on his future.

"I am making the announcement now so that the manager and the team are not distracted by stories or speculation about my future," he said.

If there is some solace to be had for Rodgers as he begins to make plans for a life without Gerrard, it perhaps lies in the fact that arguably the team's best performance of the season came with his captain on the bench.

The midfielder was a mere observer as Liverpool recreated last season's attacking verve in a 4 - 1 victory over Swansea City a few days after Christmas.

There remains, however, a sense that Liverpool has a squad with few natural leaders.

A transfer policy that has focused primarily on recruiting young talent with potential rather than finished products means there are few standout candidates to replace Gerrard as captain.

Liverpool has big void to fill

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard greets supporters at the end of the honor lap following the UEFA Champions league final against AC Milan at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul on May 25, 2005. Tarik Tinazay / AFP

Editor's picks
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US
主站蜘蛛池模板: 97视频国产 | 麻豆乱淫一区二区三区 | 久久久精品综合 | 日韩欧美高清在线 | 欧美黄大片 | 日韩国产欧美精品 | 每日av在线 | 亚洲精品成| 欧美激情一区二区三区四区 | 亚洲视频一二三区 | 成人亚洲国产 | 黄色av网站在线免费观看 | 亚洲午夜在线观看 | 99精品欧美一区二区 | 色视频在线播放 | 日日碰碰 | 美女视频一区二区 | 在线天堂视频 | 第四色激情网 | 欧美成人三级视频 | 三级视频在线看 | 国产尤物在线播放 | 毛片在线网站 | 人人爱人人射 | 成人高清| 日韩激情综合网 | 一区二区国产精品 | 国产成人精品av在线观 | 国产精品久久久久久久久久免费看 | 国产1区在线 | 亚洲观看黄色网 | 黄色成年人视频 | 午夜精品福利在线观看 | 六月色| 香蕉在线播放 | 免费无遮挡在线观看视频网站 | 国产伦精品一区二区三区在线 | 久久久人人人 | 在线观看免费黄色片 | 992tv成人免费观看 | 成人免费视频一区二区三区 |