The disaster of the whole thing is that in 2015 we've needed Stevie G to dig
us out of the race for 5th in consecutive games.
We're neither chasing 4th nor preparing for a post-Stevie world.
It's the absence of such footballing club basics that has turned me
so so far off the club.
Exactly Ed. It's one of the things that made us what we were, that we have stopped doing. Shankly admitted he kept faith with his first squad for too long and should have starting replacing players earlier. But he immediately learned from that and never made that mistake again. Paisley also, in my opinion, learned from Shank's mistake, as his transitions were silky smooth. Even legends like Emlyn Hughes and Tommy Smith were replaced without fear or favour, Emlyn to Wolves and Tommy to Swansea.
Gerrard is a one off admittedly, but I can never help but think, every time he played, just how good he could have been with tactical and emotional discipline and bit more trust in his team mates.
Is there a plan in place, unlike for Carra, and for Suarez, in how we will adjust to cover his permanent absence?
There's obviously no-one at the club with his force of personality and will on a football pitch and the physical tools to make that happen. I won't say replace
him, as you replace effects not actually the player in certain circumstances.
Chelsea have 'adjusted' to life without Lampard quite nicely, with 'the masked one' being a large part of the plan, but not the entire or 'like for like' solution.
Let's see what we come up with. I deliberately avoided using the word 'wait', as we all are, afterall, mortal.