2. Steven Gerrard
Media Image Ltd.
Club: Liverpool Liverpool have had some outstanding footballers over the years, the likes of Kenny Dalglish, John Barnes, Jamie Carragher, Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler, Kevin Keegan, Graeme Souness, Luis Suarez, Ray Clemence, Alan Hansen the list is almost endless yet many Reds fans consider Steven Gerrard to be the clubs greatest ever player, and its clear to see why. Time and time again the Liverpool skipper has almost single-handedly driven his club to victory from a seemingly impossible situation, the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan being a prime example of such, and if there was one player you would want to take a game by the scruff of the neck when hope is almost lost then its Steven Gerrard. That said, there has been the occasional error amongst the brilliance too think of his back-passes to Didier Drogba and Thierry Henry, or the slip which allowed Demba Ba to slot home for Chelsea last season and perhaps if Gerrard had led Liverpool to a Premier League title win then he would be top of this list, because he is arguably the most complete player the Premier League has ever seen. His passing range remains sublime, he is deceptively strong in tackle, his pace and power were, at least in his younger days, surprisingly imposing and he will always be a leader of men. To stop Liverpool over the years has largely meant stopping Steven Gerrard playing, which on his day can be an impossible task. He has been included in the PFA Team of the Year eight times, which is a Premier League record, and joins the likes of Ronaldo, David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as a former UEFA Club Footballer of the Year winner. Gerrard, like the one player that is ahead of him on this list, has adapted to suit different roles over the years as his team has required him to do so. As well as a box to box midfielder he has played behind the striker, on the wing and most recently as more of a deep-sitting midfielder as the inevitable effects of aging begin to gradually take its toll. Not that you would notice, because at the moment Gerrard looks as good as ever, and Liverpool fans will be hoping that remains the case for a long time yet, and that he continues to lead his team on the pitch.