CARSON, Calif. – Steven Gerrard earned legendary status with Liverpool FC during his near two decades on Merseyside, and if Friday night’s performance is any indication of the future, the Englishman’s name will be on the lips of supporters at StubHub Center for a long time.
Gerrard scored once, added an assist, and won a penalty as the Galaxy battled back from an early two-goal deficit to trounce the San Jose Earthquakes 5-2 in the latest edition of the California Clásico. For 88 minutes, Gerrard was the Galaxy’s catalyst up top, frequently exploiting the little spaces behind the San Jose defense, and putting them under pressure throughout.
After his strong shift against Real Salt Lake in the U.S. Open Cup, Gerrard admitted to having a “cheeky smile” on his face at his ability to acclimatize to the level of play, but following Friday’s showing, the 35-year-old Englishman could be forgiven for flashing a big grin.
“I’m pretty pleased with my contribution tonight,” Gerrard said. “I don’t smile much in and around the place because I’m always focused and looking forward to the next job. But you know I’m really happy sitting here. I’m happy with the level, so I’m pretty happy.”
Starting in somewhat of an unfamiliar role underneath forward Robbie Keane, Gerrard acclimated quickly as his bond with the Galaxy’s Irish captain only seemed to grow as the game wore on.
The success of this new partnership was vital to the Galaxy’s comeback as both players found the back of the net as LA erased San Jose’s lead.
After helping to decimate the Quakes, the Keane-Gerrard partnership has potential into developing into one of the most dangerous twosomes the league has ever seen.
“We had that chemistry in Liverpool. I think when you play with good players, it’s easy to connect. Robbie is on the wavelength, he is a very intelligent player, and he has done it here for many years,” Gerrard said afterward. “For me it’s quite easy to connect because I know where he is going to be, we’ve got a great understanding and I’m sure that relationship is only going to get stronger.”
Keane agreed, “You can see the combination, the 1-2’s that we are playing, and the way that we played with each other was very good. As the game went on we got better and better. We were finding Stevie more through the gaps. We had a few good combinations, and for the second goal as well. For my second goal, we whispered to each other before we went over, and we had a plan. It was all about the ball and managing it.”
The success of the Keane-Gerrard pairing certainly bodes well for a Galaxy quad that is without five players due to international duty—including new Mexican designated player Giovani dos Santos. When the full group finally gets together, it’s unlikely that we’ll see the duo line up top together again, but Gerrard is confident that the sky is the limit for his new team.
“I feel very confident, I’m happy with my teammates and the level we’ve got,” Gerrard said. “We’re only going to get stronger when we get more bodies fit and available as well. So I think the future is bright here.”
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com.