***Official*** Road to Euro 2012

[GIMH]

And I can only presume that 'never done it for England' translates to 'our best player in the last World Cup'

[sledger]

Yeah...but the last world cup....

[marc71178]

I suspect the 120 minutes on Sunday means Gerrard won't be starting tonight, so can't be captaining the side.

Either way, I'm not sure it makes much difference as Pearce will surely only be in charge for 1 game.

[GIMH]

Oh no doubt, but the whole 'he's always been **** for England' is a ****ing huge myth. Fairly sure I've posted at length before about why it's a load of bollocks. Gerrard has seldom played his best position for England yet never really let England down, unless you class 'not playing like he does for Liverpool despite not being asked to play like he does for Liverpool' as letting England down.

Edit - @sledger.

[GIMH]

Originally Posted by marc71178

I suspect the 120 minutes on Sunday means Gerrard won't be starting tonight, so can't be captaining the side.

Either way, I'm not sure it makes much difference as Pearce will surely only be in charge for 1 game.

According to Stan Collymore, Gerrard starts

[Scaly piscine]

Originally Posted by GIMH

Oh no doubt, but the whole 'he's always been **** for England' is a ****ing huge myth. Fairly sure I've posted at length before about why it's a load of bollocks. Gerrard has seldom played his best position for England yet never really let England down, unless you class 'not playing like he does for Liverpool despite not being asked to play like he does for Liverpool' as letting England down.

Edit - @sledger.

Actually Gerrard plays for England just as he does for Liverpool, that's the problem. At international level you don't get away with a comically bad first touch and then blundering in with two feet to get the ball back. You don't get away with trying the Hollywood ball every other pass. You give the ball away cheaply and you won't get it back for a good minute or two. Gerrard's game translates badly away from Liverpool and he's been massively over-rated to begin with. Good Premier League player, bad international player.

[GIMH]

Gonna agree to disagree with you because I dont think we could see this any more differently

[flibbertyjibber]

Originally Posted by GIMH

Oh no doubt, but the whole 'he's always been **** for England' is a ****ing huge myth. Fairly sure I've posted at length before about why it's a load of bollocks. Gerrard has seldom played his best position for England yet never really let England down, unless you class 'not playing like he does for Liverpool despite not being asked to play like he does for Liverpool' as letting England down.

Edit - @sledger.

He has done bugger all for Liverpool this season though so regardless of what you think of him, at present I am not sure he deserves a place on merit. Picking players like him and Lampard on reputation has got us a long way in the past hasn't it. They are older slower and not as good now, look to the future.

[Uppercut]

Originally Posted by GIMH

Gerrard is ten times the player Parker is, give me a ****ing break. ****ing atrocious decision. Hart was the only logical alternative to Gerrard, who over the years had somehow become the GSF equivalent of Matt Hayden.

Parker's been the better player every single weekend for the past two years, it seems strange to expect that to suddenly change just in time for the Euros. Also the competitors for Parker's position are much worse, although it's getting a bit late for Cleverley or Wiltshere to make a case.

Agree about the "never done it for England" jibe though.

[Eds]

Originally Posted by flibbertyjibber

He has done bugger all for Liverpool this season though so regardless of what you think of him, at present I am not sure he deserves a place on merit. Picking players like him and Lampard on reputation has got us a long way in the past hasn't it. They are older slower and not as good now, look to the future.

This post is just so wrong it's not even funny. I should probably just assume you haven't watched Liverpool when Gerrard has[n't] played because the difference between the two sides is just ridiculous. Exhibit A: Liverpool vs Newcastle, Gerrard's first game since the long-term injury(s). He came on and was absolutely phenomenal, changed the pace of the game, every ball was pin-point, and he even made Andy ****ing Carroll look like a Premier League footballer. Every time he's come on and played for us, there's been a noticeable difference. Then there's the "look to the future" argument for Parker as captain, which is equally as ridiculous. There has been talk, rightly, in my opinion, of Gerrard potentially retiring after the Euro's because of age, when this 'new generation' captain, Parker, is the same age.

****.

[GIMH]

Originally Posted by Uppercut

Parker's been the better player every single weekend for the past two years, it seems strange to expect that to suddenly change just in time for the Euros. Also the competitors for Parker's position are much worse, although it's getting a bit late for Cleverley or Wiltshere to make a case.

Agree about the "never done it for England" jibe though.

I personally think Parker has been overrated this season and that he was more effective last time out. Wouldn't have him near the captaincy and don't think he's a top-class player. Gerrard has obviously missed a lot of this season and has only looked on peak form at times, but who would I rather bank on for the Euros? Gerrard every single time.

[Uppercut]

Jeez, Liverpool fans are really clinging to that quality half-hour against Newcastle. It's almost as if the ensuing string of ****e performances against Citeh and Bolton and Stoke and Tottenham and United (twice) didn't even happen.

[Eds]

Originally Posted by Uppercut

Jeez, Liverpool fans are really clinging to that quality half-hour against Newcastle. It's almost as if the ensuing string of ****e performances against Citeh and Bolton and Stoke and Tottenham and United (twice) didn't even happen.

As opposed to Parker who hasn't had a single bad performance this season. Obviously.

[GIMH]

Originally Posted by Uppercut

Jeez, Liverpool fans are really clinging to that quality half-hour against Newcastle. It's almost as if the ensuing string of ****e performances against Citeh and Bolton and Stoke and Tottenham and United (twice) didn't even happen.

I don't think he was poor in the United Cup game IIRC

EDIT. Might be getting mixed up, not sure, think Liverpool's winner came with him off the pitch but at the time the decision was made to take him off it was a bit of a wtf. He certainly was ****e in the league game though, ****ing hell.

[Uppercut]

Tbf ****e is an overly harsh description of most of those performances, you never look at a Liverpool game and think, "that Gerrard is one dire player". He's just been totally ineffective at creating chances, scoring goals or controlling possession, with that Newcastle game a glaring exception. Parker's been miles better for two years, that much is beyond doubt.