Steven Gerrard's announcement this morning that he is to leave Liverpool at the end of the season was timed to spare Brendan Rodgers and the club interminable questioning over the future of the Reds captain.
That appears optimistic, for it is merely likely to change the question slightly, from ‘when’ to ‘where’ and then on to ‘who’ might be his replacement. Rodgers might start working on that final aspect in the January sales, now open for business, but with Gerrard’s Liverpool future decided, the manager has the opportunity to make more meaningful adjustments in the short-term and this month’s league fixture list would appear tailor made to promote from within.
Liverpool began 2015 in typically underwhelming fashion, a fortuitous lead over Leicester City - gratefully secured by two Gerrard penalties - rubbed out in two panicky second half minutes. Three points replaced by one - mercifully in the end. They endured a similarly shaky spell in the win over Swansea three days earlier when Gerrard was left on the bench, but after Gylfi Sigurdsson halved the advantage, Liverpool steadied themselves, promptly hit the post and then scored arguably their goal of the season when Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana combined for the England midfielder to score his second.
It would be too simplistic to flatly argue that Gerrard’s absence is the difference in these cases, given that his mere presence was the force for all that was good at Liverpool over the preceding 15 years, but it’s hardly a stretch to suggest that now is a the right time for him to be phased out and that, perhaps, at this stage of Rodgers’s tenure, Liverpool would be better off without him.
Jordan Henderson today described Gerrard as "top player" and a "top person" and added: "With the aura that he has got, he could be a different person but he is very humble." Henderson, Liverpool's vice-captain, might well hope that Gerrard continues to be a "top" bloke and remains "humble" enough to take a back seat from here on in because his own game is inextricably linked to whether the captain plays or not.
Alongside Gerrard on the pitch, Henderson has either found himself cow-towed in midfield by the sheer “aura” of his team-mate or, latterly, shunted out to right wing-back where he can look lost in another new formation and another new position.
In Gerrard's absence, as was the case in the 5-0 win at Spurs last year, and against Swansea this season, Henderson expresses himself more, he backs himself and he exerts more influence, as was evident when assisting Alberto Moreno's first against the Swans and teeing up Raheem Sterling to hit the post after Sigurdsson gave Liverpool the sort of fright they have found themselves succumbing to of late.
Henderson is happier and Liverpool are a better drilled and a more cohesive unit without Gerrard; uninhibited by the centre of their universe, the supernova that has been burning out for some time.
Rodgers must also see, at this stage, that this is a separation that needs to happen.
"Sad day for Lfc & English football with the Gerrard news, I think it's the right decision all things considered," said Jamie Carragher on Twitter. He knows a thing or two about painful departures, having announced his at the same stage of the 2012/2013 season.
Carragher, a long time ally in the trenches with Gerrard, has been hinting for some time as to his doubts over his old friend’s ability to conduct the Liverpool orchestra from his deep-lying role, and has at times sheepishly pointed the finger elsewhere when it was obvious the 34-year-old’s attention, legs, or both, had let him and his team down.
It could be argued that Gerrard needn't leave, he need only be used sparingly, akin to how Manchester City are wringing so much out of Frank Lampard with such impressive results, but that would require a bumper contract for aging legs, anathema to owners Fenway Sports Group. It would also assume Rodgers has the gumption to follow through on it, something he clearly lacked this week when dropping Javier Manquillo, moving Henderson and welcoming back Gerrard against Leicester.
No, the end is in sight, and the manager’s instinct must now be - with Sunderland, Aston Villa and West Ham the league opponent’s this month- to plan without Gerrard and allow Henderson the run of the middle of the park while a top four place is still, notionally at least, achievable.
Between an FA Cup meeting with AFC Wimbledon on Monday, a Capital One Cup semi-final double-header against Chelsea later this month and three league fixtures, January is almost as busy as December was for Liverpool, but, rather than sparing him some tedious questions, Gerrard’s announcement has given Rodgers the opportunity to make alternative arrangements without fear of meaningful repercussions from media, fans or owners.
