Gerrard a True Champion

Saturday’s FA Cup final between Liverpool and West Ham was one of the truly great finals that had spectators engrossed from start to finish. But for one man West Ham United would have been celebrating an amazing victory and that man was Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

For the neutral it was unfortunate to see West Ham lose on penalties. The only time Liverpool were the better team was from the nerve wracking penalty spot after 120 minutes of exhilarating football.

Some players ooze skill and class but a champion player is one that can pick up a side when they are dead and buried and somehow snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat. Gerrard is a champion.

Gerrard was immense throughout the final, his first goal was fantastic but the second which sent the game into extra time was a true gem. The inspirational skipper seemed to be down and out struggling with a leg injury in the final minutes of normal time. He briefly left the pitch, now some would have conceded and stayed on the sidelines, not Gerrard. As he run back into the action the ball rebounded towards him. As the ball approached, with the Liverpool section of Cardiff screaming “HIT IT”, Gerrard smacked the ball past the despairing Shaka Hislop to bring back scenes reminiscent of Istanbul.

Extra time was more like a battlefield with players struggling to stay on two feet due to cramp. It did have one moment of drama when West Ham captain Nigel Reo-Coker nearly grabbed the winner in the dying moments with a header from a free-kick. Pepe Reina though made a fabulous save to tip the ball onto the post and Marlon Harewood could not lift his badly cramped leg high enough to hammer home the rebound.

When it went to penalties the Cup engraver could have started writing Liverpool’s name into the trophy. In the end Reina was the hero saving three penalties but it was Gerrard who will be remembered for his lionhearted efforts. If England is looking for a hero to replace Wayne Rooney, look no further than Steven Gerrard.