Can Liverpool change mentality to give Gerrard the title he craves?
Steven Gerrard said last week about winning the Premier League with Liverpool: 'It's something I think about almost every day. I always think about the dream of winning it – or the disappointment if I was never to win it. To have played at Liverpool for 14 or 15 years by the time I finish and not win it would be hugely disappointing.'
Gerrard has been one of the best players in the Premier League over the past 13 years.
He is a player who could have played in any of the leading sides in the world in that time.
But when I read his words, about his desire to win the title with Liverpool, it reminded me of Bryan Robson at Manchester United in the Eighties in the era when I was growing up supporting the club, and when at times he was like a one-man team.
Both players have shown immense loyalty to their clubs in the greatest years of their careers and, like Gerrard, Robson spent most of his time wondering whether he would ever win a league title.
Robson eventually got his reward in 1993 and if Gerrard doesn't in the next few years then to say it would be hugely disappointing would be a massive understatement.
The fact that Liverpool haven't won the title for 20 years needs addressing. United in the Bryan Robson days were very much like Liverpool today.
They were a match for anyone on their day against Liverpool, Everton and Arsenal. But they could never bring the level of consistency to their performances against the lesser teams, when there was less intensity about the occasion.
I would watch United in the Eighties, see them win big games against Liverpool and, as a fan, begin to get the feeling that 'We're back!' and 'This is the year!'.
But then you would be let down in the following week in a match that the team would never expect to lose or draw.
And that's what's killing Liverpool. Take this season. They have played six at home and drawn against Sunderland, Norwich and Swansea.
Compare that with United's performances at Old Trafford against Norwich and Sunderland, when the team were nowhere near their best and playing nothing like the quality of football they had produced earlier in the season against Arsenal and Chelsea.
And yet they came away with three points both times. There is a pattern developing at Liverpool.
They cannot seem to impose themselves on smaller sides. You can have one freak result against a side such as Norwich, Swansea and Sunderland, but you can't have three in the first six home games
And it carries over from last season, when they dropped points at home to Sunderland, lost home and away to Blackpool, drew home and away with Wigan and lost at Blackburn, West Ham and West Brom.
That's nothing to do with the quality of the players, because Liverpool have more than enough to win those games, it's all to do with mentality.
On their day, Liverpool players can produce. On Sunday they take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and last season they beat Chelsea at home and then recorded a famous victory in this game.
It was an emotional win too because it was Fernando Torres' debut for Chelsea, having left Liverpool the week before.
So for Liverpool fans it was of even more importance than usual. But immediately after that victory Liverpool drew at Wigan and lost at West Ham.
And though they then beat United and got a good win at Sunderland, they followed that with a defeat at West Brom, all in the two months after that Chelsea victory.
It isn't the games against your big rivals that normally win you the League; it's making sure you take three points in those lesser games.
They're not the only culprits. In February last year there was a big concern at United about Arsenal.
They were on a great run, had played all the big teams and had the easiest run-in.
They looked to be favourites to win the title. But then they dropped points at home to Sunderland and Blackburn, and at West Brom.
When they lost at Bolton and Stoke, their title challenge was over.
In my time at United we would sometimes sense danger before certain games and would say to each other: 'We have to be at it tomorrow or else it will cost us.'
We would even check ourselves and say: 'Come on! Let's get three points, get out of here and get the job done.'
You have to develop the mentality where you can play against a lesser team and still believe it's a game that defines the championship.
It's not even as though Liverpool have Champions or Europa League football to worry about this season.
Their squad is easily strong enough to cope with the Premier League games and domestic cups.
So the physical aspect shouldn't be an issue. It is about correcting the mind for those lesser games because that's what will win Steven Gerrard the league title.
A championship-winning team has to have endurance of the mind, focus and concentration across the whole season.
Kenny Dalglish is an experienced football man who has won league titles himself as a player and a manager.
My guess is he will be looking very closely at his players over the next few months, to see which of them change their mentality from a big match to a small match.
They're the ones that are the danger, the ones that celebrate after big games thinking the job is done, only to drop points in the next game.
They're the players you have to weed out. That's what Mr. Ferguson has done for 20 years.
When he feels that players aren't at the same level any more, that losing doesn't hurt them as much or that they aren't preparing the same way, he will get rid of them.
Any little weakness is eliminated, because you need strength of character in the dressing room.
Liverpool need to develop that mentality now.
Because if they don't, it could mean that Steven Gerrard's worst fears are realised.
but he was fouled everytime he tryed to take the ball by either Terry or others
