Steven Gerrard – England
England’s captain has adapted his game as he enters the twilight years of his career. Gone are the days of the rampaging all-action attacking midfielder. Gerrard now occupies a more reserved midfield role for both Liverpool and England, ideally with an energetic, hard-working midfielder such as Jordan Henderson playing next to him. Gerrard has converted to more of a strategic quarterback of a player, spraying passes around and generally ensuring most attacks begin through him. Andrea Pirlo of Italy is the master of this midfield role and it will be interesting to see how they fare against each other when Italy and England meet this summer. If England are to click and play well in Brazil, Gerrard’s strong positional and tactical sense in midfield will be key to any success.
