Liverpool have been performing awfully this season and there can be a number of reasons for that. First and foremost the loss of Luis Suarez would have hurt any team and especially Liverpool because all their attacking threats seemed to surround the maverick Uruguayan. Liverpool did receive a huge money for his transfer and did use all that money on different players, but failed to bring in the quality that they should have. And there is a separate section of the supporters who are blaming manager Brendan Rodgers and his inability to get the defence set even after buying a whole set of defenders. But whatever the reason maybe, one thing is clear from all these. Steven Gerrard is being asked to play too much, more than a 34 year old man should play and that is primarily due to the lack of quality in the side. So here we give three reasons why Gerrard should be used a lot lesser than he is being used right now.
1. Advanced age
Steven Gerrard is already 34 and while most of the footballers call it a day at this stage of their career, Gerrard is being asked to lead the club week in week out. It is hectic on his body as well as his mind. It is practically impossible for him to perform the job with the same intensity in every match, but then the lack of quality in the Liverpool football team has ensured that Gerrard has to do the job himself. This has made him much more error prone and nowadays he tends to do things which he would not have a few seasons ago. The ideal scenario for Steven Gerrard would have been to play an occasional match and inspire the team in times of needs, but the regular playing is taking a toll on his body.
2. The dilemma with the position
Steven Gerrard has always been a central midfielder throughout his life. But manager Brendan Rodgers asked him to play at a defensive role and the skipper did not say no to his boss. But it is true that the Englishman is more fluent playing in a more advanced role, but the philosophy of the manager has meant that he has been barred from his desired position. This has resulted in a dilemma that Gerrard has faced for the last couple of years, a period where he has not been able to his fullest abilities. If Rodgers wants him to perform regularly he must move him to a more suitable position and less frequently.
3. Not the same player
Steven Gerrard is a Liverpool legend if ever there was one. He has been a tremendous server of the club and seen the club very closely all throughout his life. He has been a world class player and could have moved to any other club in the world but he chose to stay on and become a legend. But the reality is that Gerrard is not the same player anymore and his form has degraded with his advanced age. High time Rodgers gets himself a suitable replacement.