Steven Gerrard pleased with the progress
Liverpool has been a team in transition for a while and has not won any silverware for 4 seasons. The last piece of silverware came in 2006 when they won the FA Cup. The club has won the domestic league a record 18 times, and only
Manchester United has been able to equal that feat. In recent times though, the team has hardly ever come close to winning or even challenging for the title. The only saving grace in the last decade had been that they were part of the so called big 4 and at
least a place in the Champions’ League was assured for them. After once missing out on the 4th
spot in 2005 they were still given a chance to compete as they were the defending champions. UEFA however has since changed that rule. Last season Liverpool managed just the 7th spot which is their worst ever finish in recent history. New team
manager Roy Hodgson has made it clear that his first priority is to get his team back in the top 4 this season, and build from that.
Liverpool Captain Steven Gerrard, who was rumoured to be on his way out of the club in the summer, was convinced by the new manager Roy Hodgson to stay and the midfielder has said that the team is making slow but good progress
under the new manager.
Liverpool lost their last game to Manchester united 3-2, having been 2-0 down the Reds did fight back to get to 2-2 where both goals came from the boot of Captain Fantastic. Manchester United managed to win the match in the end
courtesy a hat trick form Berbatov.
Liverpool’s last match in the league before coming to Old Trafford was against Birmingham. They managed only a goalless draw against the bottom of the table team and were heavily cirticised for the lack of bite in the team.
Gerrard said that considering what happened against Birmingham there was clearly an improvement in the team at Old Trafford and despite the loss there were number of positives to take home from the defeat.
The midfielder said that the new manager has to be given some time to settle, he added that it is never easy for anyone to settle in at a new club and especially a club like Liverpool that has devoted fans and big expectations.
"It is going to take time before the new manager gets his feet in the door and gets his ideas over," he said.
"We are improving and the performance on Sunday was very good.
"If we play like that most weeks we will beat most teams in the league.
"We just came up against a man in form who was the difference."
The captain said that the fact that his team was able to get back on level terms after being outplayed for most of the match does show some character. He added that just the goals were not the positive things but the approach in
general from his team was something that gave him and the team supporters some heart.
The visitors were totally dominated by Manchester United in the first half of the game, after the 2nd goal the home side did take their foot off the paddle and Liverpool did well to make best use of their opportunities.
"When you come to Old Trafford it is important to keep the ball away from United or they will control the game and score every time they go forward," added the 30-year-old.
"We kept the ball away from them and I thought we passed it really well; of course we had to be edgy in the first half because we were away from home.
The captain reiterated that effort alone is not enough and they need to have some good results to show for it. He said that Hodgson had number of talks with him before the season started and told him in detail his plans for the
club. Stevie-G said that Hodgson told him before the season that it is a long term plan and instant success may not be there but looking at the big picture the captain says he is happy.
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