Liverpools Form Papers Over The Cracks of Steven Gerrard's Poor Season

Let's get the obvious stuff over with from the start: Liverpool vs Athletico Madrid was a very good game of football. It was end-to-end stuff in which both sides played well and both sides achieved the tactical game plans they had in place. 

I do believe it was a dive from Gerrard but this could atone for the penalty decision that Liverpool should have received for a handball earlier in the half. If you would like a detailed analysis of the game then you can read any of the match reports on Bleacher Report and it will be covered in varying degrees of detail.

What I would like to talk about is something that could be regarded as blasphemy by some Liverpool supporters, but is usually hidden very well, even when it is apparent.

Steven Gerrard had an awful game and I would even go one step further and claim that he has had a very bad season so far. That is the gaping crack I refer to in the title of my article. The Liverpool captain won and scored a penalty in injury time dragging another result out of the clutches of defeat for Liverpool FC and this has meant his poor form has possibly gone unnoticed again. 

But, despite his match winning penalty, it wasn't a match winning performance; Gerrard was awful in this game. There were many occasions in the match where his first touch meant he conceded possession and there were also occasions where he over hit passes.

These mistakes usually cropped up in key areas of the pitch where if the pass had been better, the shot had been on target or his touch had been more controlled it would have resulted in a goal-scoring opportunity for Liverpool.

Maybe I just expect too much from him but in my eyes Gerrard has not been his usual self for quite some time.  It can be said that a bad game by Gerrard's high standard is a good game for an average player so maybe I shouldn't be too harsh. After all Liverpool would be one point worse off if it wasn't for him - but that's just my two pence.