GAMBLOG UK - WE ARE ENGLAND - Should England Drop Gerrard

Chris Sherrard on Steven Gerrard England Role >>

"The Rooney back-up one is pertinent, as is the quandary over Steven Gerrard's role.

There's no doubting his brilliance in the red of Liverpool where he is the main man, skipper and driving force.

But in the white of his country he becomes marginalised and drifts onto the periphery of things. Just what is his purpose?

Because Gerrard isn't a left-winger, as Wayne Bridge's weary legs found to their cost against Argentina.

And he isn't a holding midfielder, otherwise he would have been deployed in such a position long ago.

Gerrard is a creative midfield dynamo who is best with time to spread glorious "Hollywood" passes around the pitch. But, wait a minute. Isn't there another bloke on the field, wearing the skipper's armband, doing just that already?

Ok, so if he isn't given the freedom for that role then surely his purpose is to bomb forward and be sniffing around on the edge of the opposition area ready with low, powerful drives into the corner of the net.

But isn't that exactly what Frank Lampard is the world's best at these days?

So where does all that leave the Liverpool captain?

Surplus to requirements it would appear. Strange and confusing that a superstar like Gerrard is not really needed for his country but that's how it appears to me.

He didn't bring anything significant to the side against Argentina. There was one slide-rule pass through to Rooney which was spectacular but for the most part he was drifting in and out of the game - a direct negative of his club placing.

I'm not saying that Gerrard should be the one to miss out but, hey, there's not much chance of Beckham sitting it out, is there?"

Lampard the Worlds Best - only if you believe the tabloid hype. Gerrard is twice the player and the only reason he's been played away from his best position is because Lumlard isn't capable.

Dropping Gerrard would only be Englands loss - not that I care.

By  Anonymous, at 7:46 PM  

Only an idiot would even consider dropping Gerrard. He should be the second name on the teamsheet behind Rooney. If he were allowed to play the Lampard role, he would do it better. Lampard's a fantastic player but his lack of versatility should not be held against Gerrad

By  Redsmail, at 7:49 PM  

As both the final in Istanbul and the Argentina match showed, Stevie's best role is right back.

By  Big Dave NYC, at 7:53 PM  

What a disgrace - steven gerrard is head and shoulders above lampard...especially when it comes to england performances...here lampard seems to always disappoint! Just where the Express got that both these palyers were a 6 against argentina ia byond me...Gerrard set up 2goals, covered every blade of grass and did it well. Lampard missed severl very good opportunities, was wasteful with the ball and generally no where near the same level. It's London's press that bring the players closer together as Lapard reperesents the theam they have ben craving for years! Gerrard all the way.

By  Anonymous, at 8:03 PM  

Well sinces the Russian loving London press pick the England team it only makes sense that Lumplard is hailed as the all conquering hero.. I mean compare his trophy cabinet to a certain Mr Gerrard hahaha what a pile of T*ss some of these M25 writers spout

By  Anonymous, at 8:16 PM  

Mr Sherrard's article seems to be a spectacularly naive attempt to undermine the quality that Gerrard brings to England, and, if possible, perhaps an even more naive evaluation of Gerrard's performance against Argentina. Whilst, the Rooney slide ball aside, he did indeed have a relatively quiet first half but no more so than any other player in the team, Beckham and Rooney apart.

I must ask though, did Mr Sherrard turn off his television at half-time? Because he had bothered to evaluate Gerrard's second half performance he would have realised that he distributed the ball with poise, as his cross for one of the Owen goals demonstrated (which Mr Sherrard seems to have helpfully forgotten), and made a number of incisive bursts forward. By contrast Mr Lampard failed to drag himself anyware near the heights which he mounted against a lesser Polish side a few weeks ago. Indeed, aside from Rooney, no-one contributed more to the team than Gerrard did over the course of 90 minutes.

Ultimately, it is fair to comment that Gerrerd doesnâ??t play as well for England as frequently as he does for his club, undoubtedly this is somewhat due the roles asked of my Eriksson. However, the fact that Eriksson darenâ??t ask any other player in the team to ply their trades in half the variety of roles he asks Gerrerd to demonstrates the calibre of a player, who, next to Rooney, is the England's brightest star.

By  Anonymous, at 8:33 PM  

steven gerrard is the utimate player that any team in the world would want. i was recently in lisbon speaking to a couple of brazilians and they both said that they would love to see him in a brazil shirt, cos there is no other player like him in the world the man can do everything and as twice as good as pat butcher, oh im sorry i meant frank lampard. drop steven gerrard and england wont win the world cup

By  Anonymous, at 8:47 PM  

I think the journo obviously misswed the cross for the equaliser as well - or maybe he just has a selective memory.

By  Anonymous, at 9:36 PM  

Can't disagree with the majority of comments stating Gerrard is superior to Lampard.

Gerrard would outplay Beckham at right mid, Neville at right back and Lampard at mid-attack.

When Cole, Beckham, Lampard and Gerrard line up as a flat midfield 4, Gerrard has to be the ballwinner. The others can't do that job.

Gerrard is the key man in there, not Lampard as the press would have us believe.

I am glad no one thought I advocate dropping Gerrard. If I had to drop Lampard or Gerrard to play a "Hamann type", Lampard would be gone in a hot minute, without a second thought.

(England Blog Editor)

By  Gamblog UK, at 10:31 PM  

Don't journalists just like to borrow trouble. Can you imagine the outcry if Sven did drop him?

He'd be met with calls of " Orff with his head!" and the tabloids would have a field day. Again.

By  Karen Scott, at 4:58 PM  

The only reason Lampard is getting all the acclaim right now is because Chelsea won the Premiership. Of course he looks great--he's surrounded with amazing players who help him out. If he makes mistakes, he's covered. I'm so tired of hearing how amazing Lampard is.

Stevie's best going forward, but if he focuses & puts his mind to it, he can play the holding role. He can play any role and play it well.

By  Anonymous, at 5:29 PM  

At the moment england have got about 9-10 worldclass players.We have got a truly special talent in Wayne Rooney,and Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard will not let us down at the world cup.Think about it,on the day of the world cup final it will be 40years to the day we last won the world cup,it will be an EnglandvsGermany final and we will win the world cup.It is destiny.

By  Anonymous, at 5:53 PM  

gerrard is arguably the best holding midfielder in the world, yet he refuses to do his duties. He is twice the holding player that lampard is, but no where near twice the attacking player. From that i don't understand why Gerrard insists on not playing his defensive role, but making lampard do it.

Also his attacking mindedness allows Joe cole to stay on the bench rather than play first team, in the sense that sven has to play ballwinners like ledley king and not skillfull attacking danger man cole. No offense to Ledley King, but id rather joe cole attack rather than king defend, wouldn't you?

By  Nurden Smirf, at 9:16 PM  

Who goes there..

A smurf?

By  Gamblog UK, at 9:32 PM