Saturday 16 May 2015 23:52, UK
Liverpool will struggle to deal with the departure of Steven Gerrard and must now adopt a mass rebuilding project, according to Jamie Redknapp.
Gerrard played his final game at Anfield as Liverpool slipped to a 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace.
Often the source of remarkable comebacks and match-winning performances, Gerrard was unable to earn his side a positive result against a buoyant Palace side.
And Redknapp believes the club now face the impossible task of trying to replace the Gerrard who jets off to MLS side LA Galaxy later this year.
“It’s going to be hard for the Liverpool players now he’s gone,” he told Saturday Night Football.
“Gerrard has led this club for so long. You could sense it was hard for them as a team today; they were waiting for him to do something because they’ve got so much respect for him.
“Life is going to change for everybody at this club and now they’ve got to try and find the next Steven Gerrard. It’s not going to be easy.
“People like him don’t come along every day of the week; they come along once in a generation if you’re lucky.
“When I signed for this club there was (Steve) McManaman, (Robbie) Fowler, then Jamie (Carragher) came into the team and then Steven Gerrard.
“Home-grown players are what the fans love to see so much and that’s why he got the ovation he did today.
“They are going to have to work extremely hard to find the next Steven Gerrard.”
Gerrard becomes to second notable player to leave Anfield in as many seasons, following the departure of Luis Suarez to Barcelona last summer.
Couple that with the issues surrounding Raheem Sterling’s on-going contract dispute, and Redknapp believes there are a number of areas which manager Brendan orders will have to address to achieve the club’s lofty aspirations next season.
“Liverpool lost (Luis) Suarez last year, Gerrard this, we’re going to have the whole Raheem Sterling ‘is he going to stay or go?’ saga all summer, so it’s going to be difficult times,” he added.
“Liverpool are going to have to work extremely hard in the market bring a few players in, not just offensively but defensively.
“They concede a lot of easy goals and there will be a few Palace players thinking ‘I could play for this Liverpool side at the moment’.
“So there is a big rebuilding job to do.”
