Is Hodgson the right man for LFC

[Lecter]

No manager is a quick fix in my view. They all need 12 months to begin to stamp their mark on things.

Have I seen positive signs? Well, I'm not greatly impressed at the moment I'll accept, but people were rushing to judgements after 5 games, and that to me is pretty groundless.

I also think that he's getting criticised for stuff unfairly when there's plenty of stuff he can be legitimately criticised for. I went to town on the tactical set up after West Brom so I've been a critic too.

But sack a man after 5 or 6 league games? No, not for me.

I've said many times that I'd expect Hodgson to get us into the top 6 this season, and that hasn't changed.

But as things stand none of us know so soon into his tenure whether he's up to the job or not. I tend to think he deserves the chance to show that he is. Come back to me at the back end of November and we'll get a better sense of where we are than 5 or 6 matches in. That's all.

I'd sack him now frankly

However if people want to wait thats fine however I think once we get to 10 games (which was Roys magic number on judging him) if we have not made significant strides (and by that I mean at least 9 points out of the next 12) he has to go

10 games is a quarter of the season gone if we have failed to pick up and start getting wins on the board by then we will need to take action because I dont fancy us if we get sucked into a relegation battle (I'd wonder whether we have the mentality for that)

Personally I do not see us getting 9 points out of the next 4 games in fact I reckon if we get 6 that will be a surprise especially bearing in mind that 2 of the games are away and we all know our / Roys record stinks away from home

[Arn]

Not exactly!

Why did we need to buy Barry and replace Xabi? Why don't we just buy Barry and rotate Barry with Xabi and Masch? Is it Rafa's fault?

And upto this moment, do you have any +ve sign that Hodgson is up to the job?

Pls be noted that Hodgson is not a long term future, he is just a quick fix. If he cannot fix it quickly, what is his value?

Because Rafa needed to sell before he buy. Weaken the team before strengthen it. If he had the money then he would of course not even thought about selling Xabi. So that is the fault of our lovely owners. No ambition so the manager need to sell a key player if he want to sign a key player.

Xabi and Barry just happen to play in the same position so Xabi out was the most logical thing to do. The only other players that could have paid for Barry is Torres and Gerrard.

Xabi, Torres or Gerrard? I think that Rafa made the right choice.

He could of course kept Xabi and signed Barry if Parry had followed orders. Then we would have ended up with Barry instead of Keane. Excellent midfield but no back up to Torres.

Now Rafa thought that he had to sell Xabi to afford to sign both Barry and Keane when in reality he could only afford one of them. Something he simply didn't know by the look of it.

[Lecter]

Again nicked from RAWK

Firstly, the level of expectation. Ok we finished 7th last season, but we had several players injured through the season, including Torres out for about half of it. At present we have all our squad fit (apart from Aurelio - no change there then!), so this is the best team we can put out. I don't think we are expecting the team to win the league this season, but when you spend several millions replacing your manager, you are surely looking for improvement. I don't think an expectation of a top 4 finish is unreasonable given the circumstances I've just noted.

Second - the players needing time to gel. Every season brings new players. Only 4 of our starting 11 on Saturday were new (down to 3 after 25 mins, and 2 after 60 mins), 2 of which have been playing in the prem for many years. All 4 are or have been full internationals. So we don't expect to be playing to full capabilities, but that doesn't excuse the abysmal football we've seen so far this season. Just for the record, Sunderland had 5 new players in their stating 11, 2 of which had joined from foreign teams with another 2 being youngsters on loan from Prem clubs (so not had as much experience as Cole or Konchesky).

[red g]

given our respective wage bills these days, getting us into the top 4 will be an achievement sadly.

yes but its our aim. Hence anything else is failure. Not asking for a title push but we should be in the mix for a top 4 without a doubt.

[red g]

Again nicked from RAWK

Firstly, the level of expectation. Ok we finished 7th last season, but we had several players injured through the season, including Torres out for about half of it. At present we have all our squad fit (apart from Aurelio - no change there then!), so this is the best team we can put out. I don't think we are expecting the team to win the league this season, but when you spend several millions replacing your manager, you are surely looking for improvement. I don't think an expectation of a top 4 finish is unreasonable given the circumstances I've just noted.

Second - the players needing time to gel. Every season brings new players. Only 4 of our starting 11 on Saturday were new (down to 3 after 25 mins, and 2 after 60 mins), 2 of which have been playing in the prem for many years. All 4 are or have been full internationals. So we don't expect to be playing to full capabilities, but that doesn't excuse the abysmal football we've seen so far this season. Just for the record, Sunderland had 5 new players in their stating 11, 2 of which had joined from foreign teams with another 2 being youngsters on loan from Prem clubs (so not had as much experience as Cole or Konchesky).

I died a little more inside when i heard that bollocks of new players. If anything this season we have probably had less overhaul than most seasons.

Think of the turnover Rafa had in the first few seasons and I never heard him use 'that excuse' ever.

[The_weatherman]

sorry mate, anything less than top 4 is a failure.
just like for Arsenal, Scum, Chelsea and City anything else than the title is a failure.

I'd be amazed if we'd finish higher than any of those four teams to be honest, then we'd have Spurs to contend with as well. I reckon 6th or 7th will be our level this season, which is why I want Hodgson sacked now, not later.

[red g]

note to self:

must stop referring to how Rafa did this and Rafa did that

[red g]

I'd be amazed if we'd finish higher than any of those four teams to be honest, then we'd have Spurs to contend with as well. I reckon 6th or 7th will be our level this season, which is why I want Hodgson sacked now, not later.

I would be, but its our aima nd to be perfectly honest I am thinking the top 4 bar chelsea will be the lowest points total for a long time.

Chelsea are the only team i can see who will be consistent this year.

[The_weatherman]

I died a little more inside when i heard that bollocks of new players. If anything this season we have probably had less overhaul than most seasons.

Think of the turnover Rafa had in the first few seasons and I never heard him use 'that excuse' ever.

I think Blackpool bought something like a dozen new players and they are doing fine. And if that's a problem then don't play them.

Reina

Johnson
Carra
Skrtel
Agger

Kuyt
Gerrard
Lucas
Babel

Ngog
Torres

See not one new player there. Substitute Cole and Meireles for NGog and Babel and you have a winner. This is no excuse.

[Kenneth]

Well well well. Rafa was getting absolutely destroyed this time last season. I remember the massive hoo-haa about Spurs having a better squad than us etc.

Interesting poll though Shaggy, going back a few days to the conversation about relative support for sacking Rafa and Roy. Can't remember the significance of it, but interesting all the same. 70% want to change the manager in September. Wow.

[Shaggy]

Already remarked on it

[Kenneth]

yes but its our aim. Hence anything else is failure. Not asking for a title push but we should be in the mix for a top 4 without a doubt.

When you say 'our aim' what do you mean? Certainly wasn't my realistic target for the season. An aspiration maybe.

[The_weatherman]

I would be, but its our aima nd to be perfectly honest I am thinking the top 4 bar chelsea will be the lowest points total for a long time.

Chelsea are the only team i can see who will be consistent this year.

That would be our only chance of staying in the hunt - that is if we get our act together.

[malg]

I'd sack him now frankly

However if people want to wait thats fine however I think once we get to 10 games (which was Roys magic number on judging him) if we have not made significant strides (and by that I mean at least 9 points out of the next 12) he has to go

10 games is a quarter of the season gone if we have failed to pick up and start getting wins on the board by then we will need to take action because I dont fancy us if we get sucked into a relegation battle (I'd wonder whether we have the mentality for that)Personally I do not see us getting 9 points out of the next 4 games in fact I reckon if we get 6 that will be a surprise especially bearing in mind that 2 of the games are away and we all know our / Roys record stinks away from home

Thats a comment that has sent shivers down my spine,but your so right how many big teams have fallen by the side over the years due to not being used to being in a relegation battle. This club is a mess and for anyone now to say that Hodgson has come into steady the ship is a fool. I have not had such disgust in manager since Souness,but at least he was a hero as a player,and thus had a little time to sort thing out before the fans got on his back. I have never seen such a respones to a manager like this before. Are we relegation ? well I think we are if we carry on with him in charge.He needs to go and go now not in a year or after 10 games he is a very large liability to the club.

[erick]

Hodgson is now at the age of 62 and has only 3 years contract, do you honestly think that the board wants him to form an empire just like Slur Alex?

Also at the age of 62, only big club he managed was Inter which was in relegation battle at that time and the only achievement is the euorpa final , which was the same as Bryant Robson and McClarin, still any evidence that he shows he can make it?

Or just anyone but not Rafa