15 Years of Carragher and Gerrard [Infographic]

This image is massive. It's a timeline of all the matches played by Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard since their respective debuts in 1997 and 1998. Click on the cropped version below to open up the full image in a new window. You'll need to zoom in. And scroll. A lot. They've played a lot of matches.



Since his debut, Carragher played in 737 of 904 Liverpool matches, featuring in 81.5% of those games over 16 and a half seasons. Gerrard played in 630 of the 813 matches since his debut 14 and half seasons ago, which is 77.5%. And Carragher and Gerrard played together in 552 of those matches since Gerrard's debut, 67.9% of all possible matches.

Together, Carragher and Gerrard played in 383 Premier League matches, 77 Champions League matches, 35 Europa League matches, 33 FA Cup matches, 20 League Cup matches, two World Cup Championship matches, one European Super Cup, and one Charity Shield.

Their overall record together was 302 wins, 127 draws, and 123 losses. 200W-98D-85L in the Premiership, 42W-18D-17L in the Champions League, 20W-7D-8L in the Europa League, 22W-4D-7L in the FA Cup, 15W-0D-5L in the League Cup, one win and one loss in the World Club Championship, and one win in both the European Super Cup and Charity Shield.

The duo won 11 trophies; Gerrard missed two of those matches – the 2001 Charity Shield and 2005 UEFA Super Cup – while Carragher played in all 11.

702 of Carragher's appearances were as a starter, 35 as a substitute. Gerrard has started 573 matches and come on as a sub in 57.

Here's a link to my spreadsheet for this, if you're inclined to read through the individual matches. This graphic and the subsequent stats would have been impossible without LFCHistory.net, an invaluable, irreplaceable, simply wonderful resource.

On Jamie Carragher

I've been struggling to come up with a way to adequately memorialize Jamie Carragher's just-announced impending retirement.

Do I cite statistics? Maybe the fact he's made more Liverpool appearances than any player who's turned out for the club except Ian Callaghan, has made more European appearances than any other Liverpool player. That with just four more appearances, he'll reach 500 in the Premier League, something that just seven players have done (soon to be eight when Scholes makes three more). And that only Ryan Giggs, and soon, Paul Scholes, are the others to do it with a single club. That's he's been a first-team player for the club for the last 17 seasons, making his Liverpool debut when Raheem Sterling was barely two years old.

Should I try to make a highlight video, featuring Cardiff, Dortmund, Turin, Stamford Bridge, Istanbul, Camp Nou et al? Last ditch tackle after last ditch tackle, the ubiquitous cliché that he put his body on the line for Liverpool every time he donned the shirt. Maybe add clips of all five of his goals for the club? And, yes, it's five, because no one's taking his winner at Middlesbrough in 2008 off him, no matter what the Premier League's records say.

How about a list of his winners' medals? Beginning with an FA Youth Cup before moving onto one Champions League, one UEFA Cup, two FA Cups, three League Cups, two Community Shields, and two UEFA Super Cups. We all know the one gaping chasm in the man's accolades, same as Gerrard, and it's an utter shame he'll never have the chance to remedy that void.

None of those suffice, and not because I'm lazy or crap at editing videos (although both may have something to do with it). More because they don't do the man's career justice.

Jamie Carragher has been Liverpool for the last 16 years, along with Gerrard, the last holdover from a different era. He may not have become a star until Benitez shifted him to center-back in 2004-05, but he's always represented the much-needed link to the local community, a throwback footballer capable of playing in any era, and a man who truly would do anything in his power to win a match.

As many, many others have noted, Carragher was never the quickest, tallest, stronger, or best on the ball. He's arguably never reached the heights hit since Hyypia retired. None the less, for three or four years under Benitez, his name came up every time the best center-backs in the world were discussed, and rightfully so. And despite the decline of his powers, it's no coincidence that first Kelly, then Flanagan, and then Wisdom have looked better full-backs when paired with Carragher over the last few seasons. He remains a organizer above all else, having seen it all and done it all before, still capable of passing that knowledge onto the next generation.

That he's almost wholly changed his style of play under Rodgers, doing exactly what the manager wants and currently Liverpool's most accurate passer in both the Premiership and Europa League, to the point where he's forced an underperforming Martin Skrtel out of the side, is one of his more impressive achievements in recent seasons. But that also fits perfectly into the frequently-noted anecdote that he's a football anorak, fully subsumed in the game, which will translate into whatever his next career is: coach, manager, pundit. I feel safe in asserting that he'll succeed at any of them.

Last season, he was seemingly the defender no one wanted to see, keeping Coates from reaching his potential. This season? He's the only defender have appeared in a league match but not made a defensive error (from before Norwich but still applicable). Yes, I'm well aware he's made fewer appearances than all but Kelly and Coates; it's still an impressive statistic. His percentage of successful tackles this season is higher than in any of the previous three, his minutes-per-tackle rate higher than the previous two.

That he's announced his retirement now, unwilling to let speculation loom over the rest of the season, declaring his impending exit with a minimum of fuss and confirming he'll remain a one-club man for the duration of his career, fits Jamie Carragher perfectly. He is, and will always be, Liverpool to the core.

Wait, one highlight video? Still my favorite, even if it's more than five years old? Oh, go one then...

Jamie Carragher and Defensive Positioning

Consider this an addendum to Noel's depressingly unsurprising post on Liverpool's defensive statistics with and without Carragher over at Liverpool Offside.

The numbers speak for themselves, but I've seen multiple people (not in Noel's post, by the way) credit Liverpool's inferior record with Carragher to Liverpool having to play a deeper back line thanks to Carra's notorious lack of pace. It's become something of a pet peeve of mine, because answers usually aren't that easy.

So, using the available average position diagrams from the Daily Telegraph match reports [they're missing v QPR (without Carra), v Villa (with Carra), and at Blackburn (without), because they're the Daily Telegraph and refuse to make anything easy or sensical], I thought I'd see if that was the case.

  

The fullbacks seem to get forward slightly more without Carragher, especially on Carragher's side, but not incredibly significantly. All in all, the charts look relatively similar expect for the white-outlined circles denoting where Carragher was. So let's get rid of the fullbacks.

  

That's better. And yep, looks deeper. But, again, not as much as I expected. There's a wider range of average center-back positions without Carragher in the line-up, but more interesting than how deep they play is how close together they are. I suspect having both center-backs nearer to one another, which suggests they're working better as a unit, is more meaningful than how deep either defends.

There were two matches where Carragher played notably deeper than his defensive partner: against Bolton and Wolves. Liverpool won both. The deepest Liverpool's center-backs played came at Chelsea, without Carragher in the line-up; Skrtel's average position is nearly inside the penalty box. And yes, Liverpool won that game too. So please, let's stop the focus on how "deep" Liverpool's defense is. The above suggests that isn't the alpha or omega.

Carragher has a tendency to exacerbate multiple problems in Liverpool's defense. That he's played so often borders on the unforgivable, even if there are excuses for individual games (it's Everton, it's away from Anfield, etc, etc). But crediting problems to a single factor, such as others having to play deeper because of said lack of pace, is far too simplistic. And might not even be true. As with everything else in football, defensive positioning depends on multiple factors – the other defenders on the pitch and the opposition, most notably. Often, it's not how deep Liverpool's defense plays. Who plays may well be, though.

Reading too much into Carragher’s call-up

I’m late to the party, but I wanted to wait until the England squad seemed certain before jumping the gun. Admittedly, it’s a bit surprising to see Jamie Carragher’s name back in an England line-up. And Carra’s return from the wilderness, accepting Capello’s invitation after repeatedly spurning McClaren, probably isn’t good news for Liverpool, at least on the face of it.

First, it’s yet another player who’ll sacrifice rest for a chance to represent his country, which we can’t begrudge. But it means less recovery time for an aging defender, and every Liverpool fan will spend June fearful of injuries – whether it’s Carragher, Torres, or whomever. In theory, Carra won’t be first choice at any position in South Africa, but chances are he’ll start at least one game. And regardless, he’ll be far more physically active than if he took the summer off.

But what’s total speculation on my part (yes, I’m a hypocrite) seems more significant, and far more worrying. Carragher retired from international football in 2007, basically saying that club came first. Even if it’s not true, that he’s willing to return implies Liverpool isn’t first and foremost anymore. So much for “Fuck it, it’s only England.” And that’s a frightening prospect after a season full of rumors and innuendo about dressing room discord.

Let me make it clear. I’m not condemning Carra’s choice one bit. Very few get to play in a World Cup; it’s a life’s ambition for every professional footballer. Carragher probably wouldn’t come out of retirement for the Euros and definitely wouldn’t for a friendly. The World Cup will always be different. Plus, playing for (and learning from) a manager of Capello’s caliber is an extra enticement.

And there’s an identifiable place for him in the squad, with a very good chance that Carra will actually play. England’s weak across the entire back four, and Jamie can handle all four positions. Johnson’s less than fit on the right, no center back has stood out this season, and Ashley Cole’s just returning from an extended injury while Bridge hasn’t looked the same since the scandal on the left. Wes Brown and Joleon Lescott will likely miss the tournament. As it often was under Houllier, Carragher’s Jack-of-all-Trades versatility will be his biggest asset. Jamie is a pair of safe, steady hands, and that's massive in a tournament of this importance.

I just hope I’m reading too much into this decision. No matter Carragher’s bad spells this season and the murmurs of dissension behind the scenes, he’s still a moral center at this club – just as important a talisman as a player. He has to be on board with Liverpool’s future.

What’s Changed?

This season’s been utterly inexplicable. Confidence is smashed, the team is an utter shadow of itself, and everything seems to be imploding. So, naturally, I feel the need to explain it. Time to list every difference I can think of, as if that’ll help. I should have just titled this post “Blame Everybody.”

Xabi Alonso
The elephant in the room. Better players have left Liverpool at key times before. And while I’m hesitant to overemphasize Alonso’s importance (despite the effusive praise written throughout last season), maybe he’s more vital to the 4-2-3-1 than thought. Liverpool rarely used the formation during Xabi’s “bad seasons,” often playing with some combination of Kuyt, Bellamy, and Crouch (and then Torres if we’re counting ’07-08) up top. Now, the formation that saw Liverpool unbeaten in 13 of 14 to finish last season, putting 4 or more goals past Madrid, United, Villa, Blackburn, Chelsea, and Arsenal, looks wholly impotent. Benitez can hardly be blamed for Alonso wanting to leave, and got double what he would have taken for the player a season before, but Liverpool hasn’t compensated on the pitch.

Lucas
Alonso’s replacement with Aquilani out far longer than expected. I’ve defended and will probably continue to defend Lucas. He’s steadily improved and delivered impressive performances in a fair few matches. He shouldn’t be the scapegoat he is; he’s been one of the team’s most consistent players. But the team’s unarguably different when Lucas and Mascherano are in midfield. Even Lucas’ staunchest defenders (like me!) have to admit the duo’s nowhere near incisive enough. The three high-scoring victories – Stoke, Burnley, and Hull – came with Lucas and Gerrard in the middle.

Johnson
The “other” high profile signing. He started impressively, especially in attack, but is part of a backline that’s been unbalanced all season long. He was marginally at fault for three of the last four goals conceded, and hasn’t looked the same player since returning from injury, turning into an absolute defensive liability, which has also restricted his forays forward.

Insua
And the other backline change (aside from early-season CB injuries), getting more playing time than he otherwise would thanks to Aurelio’s inability to stay healthy. He can be a tidy defender, but has struggled with the pace of certain players and the height of others. He's only 20 years old. Like Johnson and Lucas, he’s nowhere near the sole or main reason for Liverpool’s problems, but yet another to add to the list.

Injuries
Blaming injuries is a weak excuse, but bear with me. The big gamble on Aquilani – which might have had something to do with a lack of funds – has completely failed. He was out far longer than expected, with Liverpool off the pace by the time he was “available,” and he even missed the last match after picking up a calf strain. But the entire side’s kept the trainers busy. Torres has started 15 of 26 games. Gerrard’s started 19, only 12 with Torres. Benayoun, Riera, Aurelio, Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Babel, and Kelly have all missed significant games. But all teams have problems; United and Arsenal have had similarly difficult absences.

The Scousers’ form
Carra and Gerrard are often and rightfully described as Liverpool’s heartbeat. As they go, so goes the club. And neither’s had a season to write home about. Carra saw a lot of stick for the early defensive woes – often looking a step off the pace – although he’s also had some good games that also happened to be wins (United, for one). Meanwhile, Gerrard’s been the opposite of influential since returning from injury (noticing a trend?), unable to dictate proceedings from midfield or in attack, his the telepathic partnership with Torres failing to fire. It’s not like the two are the only senior players off the pace – Reina and arguably Torres (injured but has still scored 11 goals) are the only ones having decent seasons (along with Lucas and Ngog, who aren’t senior players) – but Gerrard and Carragher are beyond crucial.

Luck
The most intangible of my explanations, but still merits a mention. A clear penalty – an opportunity to equalize – denied in the first match. Players like Jerome and Belhadj scoring the goals of their careers. Two dubious red cards at Fulham – the same game where Kuyt’s work ethic was what set up Fulham’s winner. Late goals galore. The bloody beach ball! Karma must be a bitch.

Net spending
Ah, here’s where I can complain about off the pitch problems, specifically my lying, two-faced countrymen (*spit*).

Liverpool’s net spending under Benitez (numbers from lfchistory.net):

Summer 2004: £22.2m
January 2005: £7.3m
Summer 2005: £6.78m
January 2006: £6.05m
Summer 2006: £15.78m
January 2007: £1.3m
Summer 2007: £18.07m
January 2008: £17.06m
Summer 2008: £18.5m
January 2009: -£16m
Summer 2009: -£150,000

Numbers are fungible – a couple of undisclosed transfers in each direction, incentives, and the oft-disputed price for Torres, among other debatable points – but that would be a £16,150,000 “profit” over the last two windows after spending an average of almost £18m in the previous three windows. Oh, and there’s a pile of debt on the club (which is where that transfer profit went) and no new stadium anywhere on the horizon. And we expect Liverpool to keep pace with the likes of Chelsea and United, let alone City, Spurs, and Villa. Thanks, George and Tommy. I especially appreciate you making all Americans look bad. Please sell. Now. That’d be the biggest turning point possible.

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This season has been a confluence of kicks to the crotch, to say the least. Shit rolls downhill, so on, so forth. It’s led to a team that’s definitively and deservedly mid-table so far.

But listing all the shortcomings and misfortunes is the easy part. The real question is how to fix it. Whatever the form, even after his team was out-fought by the Premiership’s bottom club, even with morale seemingly so low, Benitez deserves until the end of the season to rectify these problems – at least the ones he’s accountable for. Evident evolution over five seasons, two Champions League finals, including one night in Istanbul, and Liverpool’s best haul in the Premiership for more than 20 seasons last year have earned him that much. Benitez obviously has to bear some of the blame – players need to sort themselves out, but it’s the manager’s job to get the most out of them and put them in the best situation to win. Neither’s been accomplished recently.

If Liverpool’s still in this situation come May, the club has to look around for a top-class manager brave/dumb enough to try and put it right (there’s always a surplus of them…). And I can’t believe it’s come to the point where I’ve written that sentence.

Carra in the Guardian

On the insanely small chance that anyone who reads this blog would somehow not catch the Guardian's interview with Carragher otherwise, I'm posting a link here.

Because he's always that compelling of a read. Just an absolute legend; probably the only player who can wipe away any fears about his play simply by reading about him. I can't wait until I finally get his autobiography.

Jaime Carragher is still a legend

Well, the window's over, and I've little desire to write about how Manchester City is going to take over the world and has signed Pele, Garrincha, Cruyff and Beckenbauer or how Hicks and Gillett are furiously rubbing two pennies together in the hopes they'll multiply.

But I do want to make sure everyone's aware Carragher has an autobiography coming out (ghost-written by the excellent Brian Reade), and parts are being serialed in the Daily Mirror.

The first part was published today. It is well worth the read.

Yesterday's article, a much longer interview with Carra, is also chock-full of choice quotes. Naturally, the ones in relation to him possibly becoming Liverpool manager are my favorites.

Seriously, go read both now. It'll help kill the time before Premier League football restarts.