Mesut Ozil
- Thread starter davemc1
- Start date
ColchesterFC
Journeyman Pro
Just for fun let me know the years you are including in "for a time" and I'll see if I can come up with a midfield that doesn't include him. If I can't I will accept that my initial assessment of Gerrard was wrong and he was world class.
Liverbirdie
Ryder Cup Winner
ColchesterFC
Journeyman Pro
20.45 -22.00 25th May 2005 - well you did ask?
2005 - 2008 say.
Now this made me laugh. Cracking response.
Leave it with me and I'll (hopefully) get a midfield posted from those years that doesn't include him.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Gerrard was voted into 3 UEFA team of the years and 3 FIFA Teams of the Year
As well as a third in the Ballon - UEFA Club of the year - ESM Team of the Year
So that's players , managers , fans and media putting him in teams of the year
As well as a third in the Ballon - UEFA Club of the year - ESM Team of the Year
So that's players , managers , fans and media putting him in teams of the year
ColchesterFC
Journeyman Pro
Midfielders from those years I would have chosen over Gerrard..........
Ronaldinho
Pavel Nedved
Kaka
Chrstiano Ronaldo (but only for the latter 2 years)
Xavi
Franck Ribery
Andres Iniesta
Wesley Sneijer
I will concede that a lot of people share your view as he was in the UEFA (fans vote I think) team of the year for 2005, 2006 and 2007 and so was obviously doing something during those years that I missed. In my defence those were the years that I was married to my ex wife and spent most of the time drunk or using mind altering substances so it is entirely possible/probable that my memory isn't the best.
http://www.uefa.com/community/teamoftheyear/history/index.html
Last season you told us fan votes didn't count. I belive after Suarez wasn't in the front line of the year in a vote with Millions. Just saying......
totaaly agree gerrard was world class though!
if we go by either a 442 or 4231 as common formations. Which 4/5 would you pick. I'll grant you that a lot on that list were maybe more entertaining than Gerrard. But who other than iniesta fits in the middle?
Liverbirdie
Ryder Cup Winner
Ronaldinho - striker
Pavel Nedved - played in the hole, but more of a forward
Kaka - played in the hole, but more of a forward
Chrstiano Ronaldo (but only for the latter 2 years) - winger at that time
Xavi - brilliant player, but more so after 2009
Franck Ribery - winger
Andres Iniesta - even better than xavi, but again better after 2009
Wesley Sneijer - very good, but come on not in Gerrard's league.
Most of them would have been wingers, forwards, "liberos", but as one of a two in central midfield, apart from Xavi, Iniesta and possibly Nedved - your not comparing apples and apples.
Pavel Nedved - played in the hole, but more of a forward
Kaka - played in the hole, but more of a forward
Chrstiano Ronaldo (but only for the latter 2 years) - winger at that time
Xavi - brilliant player, but more so after 2009
Franck Ribery - winger
Andres Iniesta - even better than xavi, but again better after 2009
Wesley Sneijer - very good, but come on not in Gerrard's league.
Most of them would have been wingers, forwards, "liberos", but as one of a two in central midfield, apart from Xavi, Iniesta and possibly Nedved - your not comparing apples and apples.
ColchesterFC
Journeyman Pro
Of course I forgot Pirlo and Ballack who both also performed for their countries as well as their clubs. I think from those two plus the 8 I previously mentioned I could make up a midfield 4 or 5 that wouldn't include Gerrard. And as Gerrard got shifted around from central midfield and out wide to accommodate other players then I think it's fair to include wide players in the list.
ColchesterFC
Journeyman Pro
Oh and Xabi Alonso and Patrick Viera.
Liverbirdie
Ryder Cup Winner
Gerrard played 95% of his games as one of the midfield two , so to compare him to wingers and forwards isn't right, on this occasion. I don't always like to bring stats into it, but Gerrards scoring and assists stats in that time must have been up there or even above the likes of Alonso, Viera, Xavi, Iniesta, Pirlo, Ballack. Plus he could defend, tackle and was an all round midfielder, not a specialist DM or AM.
I obviously cant convince you, but I think that most neutral fans would have had him given the choice. FIFA/UEFA and the Euro journalists rarely pick British players for the Ballon D'or or team of the year, but for this period of time, they seemed conclusive. LFC TV sometimes show a 15 minute cameo of his goals - catch it if you can, they are awesome and the first fifty are all top notch goals.
Xabi Alonso had 2 very good seasons out of 4, but he was still no Gerrard. 99.9% of Liverpool fans would say the same.
I think Gerrard being one of two in a centre pairing would be a fair shout and he certainly deserves to be in the running. Whether he was the best of not obv comes down to opinion and whilst I fully agree he is in no way operated. I'd imagine many arsenal fans would rather Vieira first for example. Imo a paring of Scholes and vieira is perfect. But I'd not mind stevie on the bench.
ColchesterFC
Journeyman Pro
Can't believe I forgot Scholes. Whoever said I know nothing about football might have a point.
Slime
Tour Winner
Absolutely spot on ................ on both counts.
Can't believe I forgot Scholes. Whoever said I know nothing about football might have a point.
A pocket genius, oh how England and United miss him.
Slime.
