Is Gerrard's best season yet to come?

Statistically speaking, last season was our captain's most impressive.  He set career bests in assists per 90 minutes, chance created value, successful pass percentage, successful cross percentage, goal-to-shot ratio, true turnover index, and team goals scored while on pitch per 90 minutes (take a breath).  His next closest season was 2008-09, also the last time Liverpool finished second,  when he set career marks in goals scored per 90, goals created per 90, and goals-on-pitch-difference.  The common factor between those two campaigns was Gerrard's role in the side.

It seems to me, when Gerrard is not under pressure to create goals, he is at his finest.  He is not a natural goal scorer or finisher, he possesses the ability to do his part, but he lacks the touch and finesse of even a moderately good poacher.  The funny thing is, when he is allowed to do what he does best, roam between the boxes trying to control the tempo and ball movement, he creates goals anyhow.  His specialty is long passes and through balls, which is why we need another target for him other than Sturridge.  Sterling and Ibe have the pace to benefit, but aren't great finishers either.

No matter what, our captain has to show some discipline and continue to play the holding midfielder role.  He cannot get frustrated and try to force things like he has in the past, hopefully the maturity he has displayed the last couple of seasons will continue to strengthen.  Ever since Rodgers has arrived, Gerrard seems more content with his position and confident in his abilities as a world class passer.  One of the biggest mistakes Rafa Benitez made was playing Gerrard wherever he needed him because he knew Gerrard would be 'adequate' there.  I don't disagree with putting the team before the player, but not playing to your best player's strengths is borderline suicidal.

If he is allowed to be midfield maestro next season, he should post some of his best numbers ever.  With Can and Henderson there to be 'true' box-to-boxers, it should allow Gerrard to stay back and patiently control the match with or without the ball.  Our defence has to improve and that starts with the midfield.  Stevie-G has to recognize when a defender has gone too far forward and cover for them, a tongue-lashing would be nice as well, but sometimes throwing a 'different' player forward offsets the opponent and creates more good than bad.  Of course the most important number of all, that being the most points on the Prem table, is the only one Gerrard or any other Liverpool player should care about.

Iago Aspas was bad business

In my post about TTI per 90, Iago Aspas came in 2nd at 14.7 last season.  Considering his diminishing minutes as the season progressed, I decided to take a look at the stats from his last campaign at Celta Vigo to see if maybe there was an indication this would happen.

apps (sub)	34
goals	12
assists	7
chances	69
shot acc %	57
shot %	11.8
pass %	77.3
back pass %	61.5
take on %	33.3
TTI per 90	15

Wow, we paid £7.7m for a guy who needed 9 shots per match to score, who passes the ball towards his own goal two-thirds of the time, gives the ball away frequently, and can't dribble passed anyone.

Brendan Rodgers clearly didn't do his homework.  Aspas will turn 27 in August, if he was in his early 20s, I'd say send him out on loan and see if he can improve, but I don't think that's an option anymore.  Celta Vigo must have laughed all the way to the bank.  Rodgers clearly can't continue to spend that kind of money on fringe players without analyzing their game thoroughly.