18 Jun 2021 11:22:50
Hi Ed's or even reds who know more about the game than me. I'm curious about how much technical ability stands up against work rate. Not that it matters of course as a great player is a great player. But say for example. Technical ability Xabi Alonso, amazing player and made it look easy, Steven Gerrard wasnt as naturally gifted but carried the team to so many victories. I suppose what in asking, if it was us playing would u rather play like it's a god
Given talent or world you be the work horse?
{Ed001's Note - Xabi Alonso worked just as hard as Gerrard and Gerrard was more naturally gifted if anything. Your examples are terrible mate. It is not even like it needs to be a choice, look at how much better Aguero got when he started working on the pitch. Messi has not been the same since he stopped pressing and Barca have been weakened considerably. The best players work hard and have technical ability, that is why they are the best.}
18 Jun 2021 12:14:39
Average hard working players get given the run around by the highest level technical players. Average technical players get found out by the highest level hard workers. It’s a ying and yang situation but of course in individual players to get to the best they have usually worked very hard to get there as very few a born to be there. The best technical players can play for longer because they can get away with not having the legs that someone else has to have to make up for their lack of technical ability but at the younger ages the born footballers may shine brighter due to their physical attributes.
{Ed0666's Note - I’ve read that 4 times and I’m still not sure what it means?
18 Jun 2021 12:17:09
Hard work will always beat the talent. Especially in modern eara where all coaches are very good at organizing their team compare to 30 yrs you need to put extra efforts to survive at the highest level.
18 Jun 2021 12:18:55
Gerrard was one of the most naturally gifted footballers I’ve ever seen! He had everything!
Carra would be a better example. Limited ability but big heart and huge work rate. His limitations meant though that he was never rated by anyone other than Liverpool fans because no one else appreciated the impact he had on the players around him and the club as a whole.
Similar to Hendo now I suppose although I do think he’s a much more gifted player than he gets credit for.
18 Jun 2021 12:45:57
I bet Mo Farah would work hard in the team. But he’s not getting into our midfield ahead of Thiago.
18 Jun 2021 12:49:04
Gerrard was the most naturally gifted midfielder I’ve ever seen. The likes of Zidane were probably more skillful but none were ever as naturally talented in such a varied set of skills as Gerrard - he was a monster.
18 Jun 2021 13:25:37
Jezza, James Milner (amongst many other examples who are not the most technically gifted) has debunked your claim that technically gifted players are able to play longer than average players. It is NOT as black and white as you make it out to be. IMO, it depends on the player's ability to reinvent himself and evolve as the game and physical demands evolve regardless of their skill/ technical level. In essence, it is down to the player himself, nothing more, IMO. Milner is still able to make players half his age look weak and lazy. That is down to him. Same for Ramos, Alonso, Gerrard, Hyppia and so on.
18 Jun 2021 13:48:46
I belive its a combination of God given talent and hard work. Without hard work people can end up like Ravel Morrison and those who were born with less of a talent can have a career such as Carra and Nat Phillips with a lot of hard work. If u have both then one can be whatever they want.
Hendo for me had a lot of talent when he was young and with is hard work, game intelligence and determination he is where he is now. He is the best example for any young person.
Talking about technical abilities, that's completely different. In the prem one does not get a chance to show a lot of technical ability where as what we see is a combo of determination, grit, physicality along with some silky skills.
Alonso was awesome, he was very intelligent and such nimble footed that a lot of fouls on him use to result in red card. On the other hand Gerrard was the perfect English midfielder with a combo of all above.
So I belive technical abilities are very important but with the other factor one might not be very successful in the prem, might do better in La Liga or Serial A.
18 Jun 2021 14:38:50
There is no such thing as natural talent we are all born equal. The only talent is hard work, apparently.
18 Jun 2021 14:46:49
Xabi Alonso is my favourite Liverpool player of all time. Just loved watching him play.
18 Jun 2021 16:45:33
Is the OP asking what I would prefer as a player? If that's the Q then I'm taking natural talent all day. That gets me in the door, hard work is a choice I have to make.
18 Jun 2021 19:54:40
Sorry guys I didn't mean to cause offence by suggesting Gerrard wasnt a great player.
18 Jun 2021 22:15:41
Everyone knows Steven Gerrard was a great player. the best i've ever seen play for us!
18 Jun 2021 22:30:17
Maybe Mascherano is a better example of the work rate type player.
Would Joe Cole be an example of someone naturally talented. didn't work out well for him with us.
18 Jun 2021 22:57:26
Absolutely ridiculous to say Gerrard was not naturally gifted. He was one of the most gifted players I have ever seen, can literally play every position, range of passing, set pieces, score goals, tackle, header, aggression, good striker of the ball and decent pace, in terms of ability he is the most complete player I have ever seen (I am 30). His biggest weakness was probably his over eagerness to be involved in everything…I thought Benitez coached this out of him well, and he was fantastic playing out wide and was even better as the 10 in behind Torres. Someone like Kuyt or Carragher is a better example of hard work, but although legends in their own right they’re not in the same league as gerrard.
{Ed0666's Note - Would have been a better player if that’s possible had he listened to Rafa and kept playing on the right side