Post-mortem Northampton

[Kenneth]

its strange you should say that as I have heard off a mate of a good mate of my brother who was at the game and was sitting not far from Hodgson that he said to Sammy Lee 'get the boys to shut the ****ing shop, we've got what we ****ing came for'.

Quality

[Fredo]

ROY HODGSON entered the press room at Anfield and, when asked how he was feeling as he digested arguably the worst result in Liverpool’s modern history, described himself as “a bit wet”.

Standing on the touchline in the pouring rain, his overcoat having long since been ripped off in a temper while his team fluffed their penalties against lowly Northampton Town, was guaranteed to dampen his mood.

Yet, remarkably for someone with more than 30 years of experience in management, wet behind the ears would be a fitting description of him as he appears to struggle to grasp just what is expected of a Liverpool manager.

Reshaping the club’s fortunes at a tumultuous time in their history was always going to be an onerous task, but the manner of Wednesday’s humiliating Carling Cup exit to League Two opposition ensures Hodgson has just made life infinitely more difficult for himself.

Having backed himself into a corner, he must now come out fighting and prove to those fans ambivalent towards his appointment that he can successfully forge a future for a club where the present becomes gloomier by the day.

A daunting Premier League fixture list has not helped Hodgson garner early momentum, but he needs to get to grips with the task by granting players who were organised last season freedom to perform.

He needs to get up to speed with the strengths and weaknesses of his squad and, more than anything, secure a positive result against Sunderland tomorrow. Otherwise the dream job that, at the age of 63, he could never have dreamed of having will descend into a nightmare.

The penalty shoot-out reverse in front of just 22,577 supporters was a costly way of confirming the squad Hodgson inherited from Rafa Benitez possesses a soft underbelly once the star names are removed.

Hodgson should not be blamed for some of the dross clogging up Liverpool’s corridors – that is part of the legacy Benitez left – but it is not unreasonable to expect him to have worked out where the weaknesses lie by now. Even if he has officially been in charge for only 86 days, the clues over the club’s demise have long since been publicly trailed.

When Hodgson guided Fulham to a 3-1 win over his current employers last October, it should have dawned on him just what a mess a once proud institution is now in and just about anyone in football would have highlighted Liverpool’s lack of strength in depth as a major problem. There is no disputing that Hodgson sent out a team he thought capable of beating Northampton. But to make 11 changes to his starting line-up, and crucially not leave himself with a get-out-of-jail-free card by naming Fernando Torres, Joe Cole or Raul Meireles on the bench, was a grave oversight.

It will only take Liverpool to be drawn away to Premier League opposition in the FA Cup third round – a tie in which the first team would struggle to win – for the folly of Wednesday to be compounded and another route to much-needed silverware blocked.

Of course, the continuous discord off the field means Liverpool are preoccupied in other areas but, for his own longevity, Hodgson must realise what he does now will heavily influence what prospective new owners make of him.
Hodgson has to start thinking like a Liverpool manager. When Sir Alex Ferguson ridiculously branded Torres a cheat following Manchester United’s win at Old Trafford last Sunday, Hodgson’s refusal to leap to his defence was a mistake.

Protecting Liverpool’s players should be more important to him than preserving his special relationship with Ferguson, regardless of what headlines it might have thrown up.

Hodgson is no doubt annoyed by the perception that he is just a pair of safe hands, entrusted with the task of guiding Liverpool through a difficult period. For his own good he has to put his finger on Liverpool’s problems and push on.

His press conference today will be interesting.

[BobTheCharmer]

Quality

nah just a pile of ****e like most of the miserable posts on this site at present.

[Shaggy]

Where is that article from Shaggy?

Sorry...er.....Daily Express.

[Shaggy]

Its a trophy, we are not going to be winning the league anytime soon, So a cup would do me. With 3 big guns out it was a great opportunity as well.

I was shocked that he didnt hput any experience on the bench and cant believe he iddnt play cole, who without international and suspending needs games

Yep it represented our best chance of a trophy. We're not in a position to turn our noses up at the League Cup.

[red g]

Yep it represented our best chance of a trophy. We're not in a position to turn our noses up at the League Cup.

I think even Arsene Wenger has realised this, his team was a lot stronger than can be expected for the CC cup becuase after 5 years they need a trophy, any trophy

[Mattimetal]

I want Rafa back.

I never wanted him fired in the first place

[Neil Young]

Indeed, shows your maturity.

Yeah, could be.

My memory is not faulty, vast majority wanted Rafa out. I didn't say i was the only one, but I was in the minority.

When I say give Roy time as he's not going anywhere, I get loads of people moaning, nah, he's ****e - sack him. Only a few keep level headed. Was exactly the same situation when Rafa was manager last year. Give him until the end of the season and then Judge him I said. Nah, he's run out of steam, he's ****e, get rid.

I should add I'm not suprised. But I forgot, according to Merlbro I maybe a Newcastle fan as I'm jumping the gun and not giving our managers enough time. Maybe what I should have done last season was called for Rafas head in November, called for Hodgsons head this September, and then called the board Cunts for sacking Rafa, the man I wanted out. Likely because we couldn't get Mourinho or Hiddink.

Because all that makes complete sense don't it?

Hmm, someone else's self-justification is always interesting.

[Neil Young]

I never wanted him fired in the first place

Yeah.

[Neil Young]

Hang on, people who wanted Hodgson to play a load of young players still thought we'd win. Winning matches is his job.

At least all the armchair managers have the excuse that they have zero experience of management in professional football. I don't know what Hodgson's excuse is. I don't for a moment expect he'll try to fob us off with one either.

I was wrong. He did.

FFS.

[DannyMan2006]

Yeah, could be.

Hmm, someone else's self-justification is always interesting.

I'm backing up what I said with facts, funny that you should use it as another reason to have a moan at me. When I post without backing up what I say, you moan. When I back up what I say, you moan and call it self-justification. You are a sad individual at times.

[Kenneth]

Yep it represented our best chance of a trophy. We're not in a position to turn our noses up at the League Cup.

Meh.

[Shaggy]

Danny, you said:

My memory is not faulty, vast majority wanted Rafa out. I didn't say i was the only one, but I was in the minority.

Then you made a big post last night, linking to a number of polls which you claimed backed up everything you said. These polls had around 75% in favour Rafa staying. At worst it was 55% in favour of him staying.

The vast majority?

[Neil Young]

I'm backing up what I said with facts, funny that you should use it as another reason to have a moan at me. When I post without backing up what I say, you moan. When I back up what I say, you moan and call it self-justification. You are a sad individual at times.

Yes, your self-aggrandisement is so inspiring.

I must say it's difficult for me to spot one 'fact' in the post I quoted that's relevant to anything but your self-image. However I do agree that at least one of us comes across as a bit desperate.

[Neil Young]

Danny, you said:



Then you made a big post last night, linking to a number of polls which you claimed backed up everything you said. These polls had around 75% in favour Rafa staying. At worst it was 55% in favour of him staying.

The vast majority?

Ta. I missed that.