I'm having a bit of a crisis

[the dude abides]

he's capable of wonderful sporadic moments of brilliance.

his greatest asset is his engine.

but truthfully, I'd prefer a Graeme Souness in my midfield, a thousand times over.

you know: controller of the middle of the park, cajoler, motivator, destroyer, fighter, highly disciplined, supreme tactical intelligence, a team player.

[Kopite999]

he's capable of wonderful sporadic moments of brilliance.

his greatest asset is his engine.

but truthfully, I'd prefer a Graeme Souness in my midfield, a thousand times over.

you know: controller of the middle of the park, cajoler, motivator, destroyer, fighter, highly disciplined, supreme tactical intelligence, a team player.

Souness was a great player. However there was a big poll a couple of years ago on the LFC website.Who's liverpools best ever player. The King was at 1 and Stevie was at 2. Which suggests fans consider Gerrard to be better than souness. And I'd agree. Gerrard has probably been the best player in the prem over the past decade. If he wins the league he could even overtake Kenny as the best.

[the dude abides]

Souness was a great player. However there was a big poll a couple of years ago on the LFC website.Who's liverpools best ever player. The King was at 1 and Stevie was at 2. Which suggests fans consider Gerrard to be better than souness. And I'd agree. Gerrard has probably been the best player in the prem over the past decade. If he wins the league he could even overtake Kenny as the best.

polls are pretty much meaningless, kopite.

e.g. according to a recent Q magazine poll, oasis are better than the beatles....and the top three albums of all-time were from Oasis (the beatles only managed one entry in the top 10).

as for the notion that he was the best player in the premiership over the past decade, I'd respectfully disagree.

Viera was awesome.  Keane (despite my personal dislike for the bloke) bossed United's middle. 

Down at Chelsea, I alway thought Zola was fecking awesome.  Over at Arsenal, Berkamp was truly astounding.  I always thought that Berkamp was a Liverpool type player....wonderful awareness and awesome skill levels.

But anyways, wasn't Stevie gonna kiss us goodbye, twice?  So why the hero worship? 

[Kopite999]

'Why the hero worship?'

I dont think i need to answer that. Its pretty obvious what he's done for us.

[the dude abides]

'Why the hero worship?'

I dont think i need to answer that. Its pretty obvious what he's done for us.

ok fair enough mate.

agree to disagree.

I can think of many players (see above) who were better this past decade, in the premiership, than Stevie.

ALl personal opinions....no right or wrong....no harm done.

[Kopite999]

I meant most consistant performer in the league for the whole ten years. Henry and viera were arguably the best i've seen at Anfield, but he didnt do it in the english league for the entire decade. And i know Stevie will be back to his best before the end of the season. 

but agree to disagree seems like a good idea

[the dude abides]

sounds good, kopite.

best,

el dude

[Tes]

Souness was a great player. However there was a big poll a couple of years ago on the LFC website.Who's liverpools best ever player. The King was at 1 and Stevie was at 2. Which suggests fans consider Gerrard to be better than souness. And I'd agree. Gerrard has probably been the best player in the prem over the past decade. If he wins the league he could even overtake Kenny as the best.

It would be interesting to know the ages of all those who took part in the poll. How many actually witnessed Souness? And did some maybe hold the selling of his heart op story against him when voting.

Ideally, we wouldn't even have a discussion about selling him especially from a financial perspective as a well run club would be able to allow the player to remain until he retires and then either have blooded his replacement or have the cash to purchase it - some hope.

[FlotionPotion]

Dear GoD Kopite, its hypothetical, take a chill pill man.

no LFC fan can deny what SG has done for us and i said in my opening post that i think he's the best in the world but...
imho ithink that when SG has a bad game the whole team has a bad game and as such, i believe we have more balance when he's not in the team.  SG plays his game, he's not a captain, not a leader.  except for the time he dragged Babel of his bottom i haven't seen him exude leadership qualities.  he just plays his game and when his game is off, he sulks. That's where the Stevie Me comes from.

But what interests me is that my post was about Benitez and i used the SG scenario as it would generate instant cash.  i have faith that RB will get us out of this rut but I don't trust RB to spend a 50-60 million windfall

where does that leave me?

[the dude abides]

i used the SG scenario as it would generate instant cash. 

 like you and tes say, flopo, it would generate major cash.
 
 and if you look at other top clubs, this is what they do too.
 
 man utd were smart enough to ditch beckham at the correct point (when his ego was in danger of swamping the entire club).....they sold ronaldo when they got a stupid enough offer.
 
 arsenal, under the very canny arsene wenger, let viera and henry go....but not until after they'd given their best days to arsenal.  Anelka went when they got stupid money for the sulker.
 
 it's the smart way to do it.
 
 if some italian or spanish club is dumb enough to offer 40 million plus, then snap their hand off.
 
 the lad is 29....his best days are behind him. 
 
 it's not like he wouldn't ditch us, if we weren't competitive....   
 
 This is a business, not something based on abilities of emotional yesteryears.
 

[Ed]

Souness was a man, a motherf**ker, a bollocks, a warrior, a thug, a narcissist and he was also a damn fine footballer in my opinion. You could argue how many years later that Stevie is perhaps more technically gifted (It's a close call and skewed by the difference in eras and the nature of the modern game i.e. boots and balls etc.).
For me, in every other department though Souness wins hands down.

I fully expect a renaissance of form or even Indian summer from Gerrard but he should start looking in the mirror and asking himself if he has what it takes to lead 11 men to the title and if not step aside.

[buck]

I'd sell Gerrard in a heartbeat.  He has been fantastic for the team in the past, but that was in the past.  If we get 30-40 million for a player who is almost 30 years old it would be excellent business.

If we didn't sell him how many more good football years does he have left at the standard he set in the past?  Between this season and last the consistency of his play has faltered.

[Ageing Stick Insect]

On 10 March 2009 we beat Real Madrid 4-0 at Anfield and Gerrard scored twice including one penalty. I make that a little under 10 months ago.

I can't believe so many of you are calling time on him. Some makes comparisons with players at Manure who were sold when they had apparently passed their peak. In reality, they were sold because they fell out with red nose.

Funny how no-one has mentioned Drogba who seems to keep getting better with age and is two years older than Gerrard. Unless Gerrard wants to go then I firmly believe we should keep him.

[Kopite999]

It sounds to me as if i've been watching a different liverpool team to alot of you. The amount of times i've seen Stevie drag the team by the scruff of its neck and get results for us. I suppose the view from 'armchairs' is alot different to actually being at the games week in week out

[Ageing Stick Insect]

I suppose the view from 'armchairs' is alot different to actually being at the games week in week out

I'm an armchair viewer and we agree about Gerrard. I can't believe so many want rid of him for a good price when in all likelihood the greedy Yanks would just pocket the cash and give Rafa peanuts.