From Anfield to America; A Big Mistake?

You'd think nothing could be worse for reds fans after seeing Steven Gerrard's nightmare slip give up the Premier League title last season. The trauma has only continued this season though with Liverpool barely teetering on a Europa League spot when the hardest blow hit.

A decision that surely required more than just a scratch of the head...

On Friday, halfway into their Premier League campaign, Steven Gerrard decided to call it a day at his home for the past 17 years, Anfield. The only glimmer of hope is that Gerrard can perhaps spur a revival and push Liverpool into the Champions League spots before he leaves in five months but that's being more than generous given the team's current run of form.

Having retired from international football after yet another disastrous campaign with England at the World Cup, his head seemed screwed on to stay at Liverpool for at least two or three more seasons, so why has he so easily been allowed to flee the tattered nest?

To Leave?

The KOP just hasn't roared the same this season as it has in previous, especially last year as Liverpool came within clutching distance of their first title in 24 years, and for good reason too. It's hard not to, but if you forget the Suarez effect and the loss of Sturridge to lengthy injuries, the team just aren't all there, and Gerrard has had to take the brunt of a lot of the abuse; some of it being just. It's clear his legs aren't all there, slipping more often than a sugar filled kid on a slip 'n' slide. Gerrard's deeper position in midfield has led to Henderson appearing the more hungry in games, something you wouldn't have said a year or so ago, but something Gerrard and the Liverpool staff must pay attention to.

Will Gerrard be handing his captaincy over to Jordan Henderson come May?

With players such as Henderson looking to make their mark, it has been noted that the distraction and attention on Gerrard's performances could in turn be having a negative effect on the rest of the team who look to get on with their game. The fan's only hope is that Henderson can turn into even just a tenth of what Gerrard became - a hero.

Along with the Gerrard departure, the club is surely going to get a significant amount of money. Hopefully they can reinvest this in players this time that they can nurture and mould into the squad, rather than the mess that happened with their summer signings. 

Or Not To Leave?

A 'legend', the term which has flown around over the past few days, is true of Gerrard's impact on the club. The passion that man has is hard to come by and when the team's down in the dumps all heads turn towards him. If he is to pitter-patter off the team sheet, keep him on the bench, for that sense of reliability to hold a lead, or the kick up the back side the team needs when they're 1-0 down with ten minutes to go. Failing still, Rodgers ought to get him in his back room staff. Look at Giggs at United. Admittedly he's a few years older but the principles still stand. If there's no Carragher or Gerrard in the dressing room then who are you going to turn to? Not Mignolet, I'd assume.

Money aside, the MLS, Gerrard's port of call, is hardly the most challenging league. A couple of years ago he could've fitted snug into a Madrid midfield but now he'll be finding himself investing time into the Hollywood lifestyle and other American sports he'd never bat an eyelid at. All this can be done after retirement, it's not the same as a couple more years of battling in the Premier League. The will power to keep Steven at the club has thus not been of enough importance and they've foolishly let him slip. 

It looks like Gerrard could fill ex-England pal, David Beckham's, boots left at LA Galaxy.

Most surprisingly perhaps, with Balotelli miss-firing and Sturridge still not fit, Gerrard is the team's top goalscorer this season. Consistency is the key. Especially when a player goes down in the box, nine times out of ten Gerrard will nestle the ball into the net. 

Having just scored a double against AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup third round, people are commenting, seriously or sarcastically, on why the captain is being allowed to leave at the end of the season. It's probably a thoughtless decision from the club as a whole but hopefully it'll give them room to move forward and you can guarantee Gerrard will be back at Anfield in a few years. One thing's for sure, with the defences he'll face in the MLS, he can be confident he can keep scoring the kind of goals that punished Wimbledon last night.