What Liverpool should do with Steven Gerrard (JAMIE CARRAGHER, 11/28/14, THE DAILY MAIL)
If Liverpool had a penalty or a free-kick in a dangerous area, Steven is the only person I'd want taking it. He's proven that against Ludogorets and Everton this season. He is also the man I'd pick to play a killer pass and the one I'd back over anyone else if he was racing through on goal.
The issue, however, is that at 34, he doesn't get into those positions as regularly as he once did. Furthermore, the dynamic of the deep-lying role he occupied last season has changed as Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have not been around to provide outlets.
After his outstanding efforts last year, he has yet to reach the same levels – who has in a red shirt?
Steven is not a great protector of a defence. He's there to start attacks from deep rather than shield a defence as Dietmar Hamann or Javier Mascharano did for me. [...]
Over the next 18 months, Brendan will have to start to take him off and leave him out for his own good. People have questioned whether the manager has the resolve to do so but history shows he makes big calls. Andy Carroll, Luis Suarez, Pepe Reina and I will testify to that.
But that isn't a bad thing for Steven. Can you imagine the reaction inside Anfield with 30 minutes of a tight game remaining and seeing No 8 getting stripped for action? With space to exploit and energy to change the game, he could be a lethal weapon.
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