England player of the year awards, by picking up his second for his efforts in 2012. Steven Gerrard will be a Kop legend till the end, but we're about to show you why he can continue to produce legendary performances for a little while longer.
5. Leadership
One does not become both captain for Liverpool and England by mere accident, but rather by proving themselves as a leader on and off the field. There is a reason why Gerrard was christened with the nickname "Captain Fantastic". Gerrard is known to grab games by the scruff of the neck and drag his team through. Every team needs at least one leader, and Gerrard leads by example. No matter the game and no matter the pressure Gerrard is able to step up to the plate. He is both willing and capable of taking penalties in the biggest of games, showing he does not let the occasion get to him. One only has to look at the 2012 European Championship to see Gerrard step up for England and take the first penalty against Italy. We've all seen the heroics of the 2005 Champions League final, so it is clear that Gerrard is no stranger to leading his team through adversity into glory. Liverpool's recent struggles are well documented, and therefore in this time of rebuilding it is imperititve that the team has a central figure around which they can learn from and rely on. If Liverpool are to escape their slump, it will be in part down to Gerrard leading the way.
