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As the Premier League comes to a close with Liverpool firmly poised to clinch their first Barclays Premier League title, with 3 games left in the season, and with the chances of Manchester City and Chelsea fading away slowly, Brendan Rodgers knows fully well that the title is their’s to lose.
It can be agreed on by many that this has been a collective team effort, for which credit certainly must go to captain Steven Gerrard for leading the team from the front, which is extremely good news not only for the England coaching staff, but also England fans. However, despite his infinite flair and his astounding capabilities as a captain, age has finally caught up with the charismatic Liverpool captain, and the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil will perhaps be the last time Steven Gerrard will feature for The Three Lions.
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The FIFA World Cup 2014, which kicks off in June, poses quite a challenge to Roy Hodgson’s men. Having being drawn in Group D, England have been drawn in with Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica, face an uphill task of securing qualification into the knockout stages. Barring Gerrard; Diego Forlan, Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon also face the prospect of donning the Italian jersey one last time, which despite being a co-incidence (That they are in the same group), casts an additional cloud of pressure over England’s World Cup campaign.
Steven Gerrard’s performances in the league this season have been nothing short of outstanding. His passion for the game coupled with his hunger to get on the ball and to pick a pass has been unparalleled. The victory over Manchester City was the perfect portrayal of his immaculate fitness despite his age. It is no secret that Manchester City are one of the best attacking units in the league, given their astounding goal difference.
However, Gerrard’s tracking back prowess were put to test as he successfully blocked shots from the likes of Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri and kept the Manchester City attack at bay. It is indeed safe to say that the Liverpool captain was a picture of diligence. The simplicity with which he was able to slot in between Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho was nothing but brilliant.
However, when it comes to representing the national side, and in a competition of such a high magnitude, it will be a different ball game. Apart from having to lead from the front, he will be the main focal point when it comes to a match day situation. Moreover and most importantly, he will be a father figure to many of the inexperienced players such as Raheem Sterling, Luke Shaw, Steven Caulker and many more. When the subject of set pieces is brought up, Steven Gerrard’s mastery is unquestionable. His ability to pick a pass and create will most definitely go hand in hand with the hunger and ambition of the likes of Wayne Rooney and Adam Lallana.
Whether the World Cup will be the last time we see Steven Gerrard in an England jersey remains to be decided. But one thing that we can safely confirm is that Steven Gerrard will deliver 100% when it comes to representing Queen and Country on a football pitch on the largest of stages.
