Canales? Really? A 19 year old that has played what 32 minutes this season?
Would they be ok without Gerrard? Sure. But don't pretend that Jose, a man who has a known love of Gerrard, wouldn't take him in a heartbeat. Esp over a 19 year old.
Fair enough, but the point remains, the way the Madrid midfield is constructed now, I'm not sure who he beats out on 'talent'
Xabi Alonso, the man who's departure is blamed largely for the failure in any Liverpool tactics since. Not sure you can put Gerrard over him if he was the key to the second place team
Sami Khedira - the defensive midfielder, a person who understands his tactical responsibility and will stay home. Don't think we can put Gerrard here.
Ronaldo - World Player of the Year, think he's safe
Ozil - His performances for Germany dwarf anything that Gerrard has done in an England shirt for years. Against Turkey just a week ago he scored one and assisted another. Meanwhile Gerrard was launching Hollywood balls against Montenegro
Angel di Maria - a winger in this system, as we've seen in the past both for Liverpool and England, putting Gerrard on the wing reduces width and he ends up infringing on the centre midfielders territory
Then you have Kaka, another World Player of the Year. Yes he may be out of form, but the same argument can be launched at Gerrard