Steven Gerrard Still Has Role to Play at Liverpool but Not Necessarily Starting

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has claimed questions regarding Steven Gerrard's role in the side during his final months at the club have been "unfair."

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's showdown with Manchester United at Anfield, Rodgers said: "I think it has been really unfair on the boy. This is a guy who has been—and still is—a wonderful player," per the Press Association (via This Is Anfield).

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Casting aside the odd use of the word "boy" to describe his 34-year-old club captain and landlord, it's strange that the Northern Irishman felt so irked by questions over Gerrard's role, as it's quite natural that such discussions will take place when a player reaches their mid-30s and is leaving a club in a few months.

Not to mention that Liverpool have clearly been a better side without Gerrard in recent months.

Not that Rodgers agrees with that observation: "People are trying to see the team is doing better when he doesn't play but the team was winning when he was playing games."

The reality is that since the change in formation in the corresponding encounter with Man United in mid-December, Liverpool have played 24 games, of which Gerrard has started 12. Liverpool have won seven of those 12.

In the 12 games he hasn't started, Liverpool have won eight. Not much difference, but that's if you take the stats in isolation and forget the actual performances and quality of the opponents in the games he's missed.

We've all seen the statistic about Jordan Henderson's record as Liverpool captain—which is another way of saying Liverpool's record without Gerrard.

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Jordan Henderson's record when starting as Liverpool captain this season: Played: 15 Won: 12 Drew: 3 Lost: 0 pic.twitter.com/ha23QMbdP8

— BBC Sporf (@BBCSporf) March 17, 2015"

In light of this record, how can Rodgers not expect such questions to arise? It's not unfair on Gerrard or disrespectful to his legend to point out what is glaringly obvious.

As Jamie Carragher noted on Monday Night Football (via This Is Anfield) when explaining why his friend and former team-mate shouldn't go straight back in the side: "Unfortunately, he’ll know himself, when the team goes on a great run when you’re out it’s hard to get back in the team."

Role

Rodgers did, however, rightly highlight the role Gerrard can have from the bench, noting his impact in such a role against Swansea City on Monday night:

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"Even when he doesn't start he came off the bench the other night and put in a great performance which added a calmness and stability to the team, and that is what he will continue to do."

And it is in that exact role that Gerrard needs to be used during the final few months of his Liverpool career.

Again, as Carragher rightly points out: "There are players here who are playing too well, you can’t leave them out.”

Jordan Henderson has shone in Gerrard's absence, taking on more responsibility in midfield alongside either Lucas Leiva or Joe Allen. Likewise, Philippe Coutinho in his role ahead of the midfield and behind the forward.

Gerrard can still have a huge influence on Liverpool's young squad in these final months, especially with his guidance off the pitch, around the training ground and in the changing room.

Starting

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If Rodgers does want to have Gerrard start games, though, and there's no reason he shouldn't start certain games—especially if the clear plan is to replace him after around 60 to 70 minutes—then it must be in an advanced midfield role.

This is where Rodgers has mostly deployed Gerrard since the change in formation, although he did pair him with Joe Allen in its first outing—which saw the duo bypassed and overrun in midfield, Liverpool losing 3-0. Rodgers must not make the same mistake again.

After so many years of Gerrard being the first name on Liverpool's team sheet, it's a difficult transition for Rodgers to manage and for the player himself to get used to.

But that is the way it must be. Gerrard can have a role but not necessarily a starting one.