Pack your bags Roy

[the rev leeroy brown]

He has improved though, no question, but in my mind it's not enough. Not yet anyway. The football is still ugly.

especially the first half performances. i dont remember a decent first hald performacne without sloppy passing, last ditch defending and no attacking threat. we improve after the break but even then its still not the prettiest football.

[Shaggy]

Well, if you're going to discount games where the squad has been rotated then yeah, I guess, you're right, it hasn't been rotated.

Well in that case the squad has always been rotated under Hodgson, it isn't a new thing.

But in terms of league games, there's nothing. Our first XI is utterly predictable and I'd say 10 of the 11 on Sunday are certainties - the only issue is Johnson.

[banditos]

Well in that case the squad has always been rotated under Hodgson, it isn't a new thing.

But in terms of league games, there's nothing. Our first XI is utterly predictable and I'd say 10 of the 11 on Sunday are certainties - the only issue is Johnson.

And Cole's replacement.

[Neil Young]

Thanks The RLB brown, you've reminded me of something else I meant to put on the list. I agree the football is still ugly but...

8. He is making some adjustments during the game so that we end up playing better later in matches than early on. If the pattern continues and it's not just random, then it's the sign of someone who has a clue (cf. Sven).

[Rowan]

"But Steven likes to play. He's like Jamie Carragher and Pepe Reina - they want to play. They don't seek rest periods. They understand what I'm trying to do but they don't seek it themselves. There's never any problem if I want to put them on. They are the first to put their hand up and say 'if you need me, I'm there', which is great."

The victory over Napoli means Liverpool have now notched up three wins on the spin.

Hodgson admits he is delighted his team have got their season back on track but has warned of over-confidence ahead of a crunch meeting with Chelsea on Sunday.

"Well we've got to be careful," he said. "We play Chelsea next and that's a very tough game. If I say yes and we lose then I look like a mug and I don't want to do that.

"The longer we work together the happier I am with the way the team looks on the field. But there's still work to do. Everyone knows that; the players and the people I work with. But certainly it's nice to have three straight victories - you don't get that too often at this level of football. It would be nice to make it four.

This is the thing I don't get about Roy. How can a manager send any team in to a game having publicly stated he doesn't think they are going to win. Just say we're confident, we've won three on the spin and we are focussed on beating Chelsea. None of this, 'oooh it's going to be tough, we could lose this one' horse****.

Aside from the tactics and all the rest of Hodgson's baggage it is for this reason that I want him out. I can take winning in an unpleasant way. A win is a win is a win. It's the defeatist confidence sapping mutterings that **** me off

[Neil Young]

Well in that case the squad has always been rotated under Hodgson, it isn't a new thing.

But in terms of league games, there's nothing. Our first XI is utterly predictable and I'd say 10 of the 11 on Sunday are certainties - the only issue is Johnson.

I wasn't saying it's a new thing. I was saying he was doing it, even though it risks his job, and getting some OK results despite it. Obviously the Carling Cup is the exception, and a mighty big one too.

As for the first eleven being predictable, I don't think that's so terrible, especially since we need to get out of the hole in the league that our start has placed us in. And of course I hold him responsible for that.

I know it's an uncomfortable fact but all I'm saying is we're improving and that means he's likely to stay around, at least until the end of the season. I don't like it any more than you do.

[5europeancups]

Maybe that famous clause within Roys contract has a timeline attached to it.

from what was suggested if we was fired as a result of a takeover then he would receive significant compensation.

3-4million is lot in anyones book and I would imagine it ay be prudent for Liverpool to bide their time financially before firing the guy.

Personally last nights performance was pretty poor, whether it be as a result of the week squad or Roys tactical accumen.

i dont think anyone in football would disagree with that.

Until I see a real change in the quality of the performances then I will continue to view Roys tenure with negativity.

[Shaggy]

And Cole's replacement.

Oh yeah. Forgot about him. Mind you he's easily forgettable.

[Shaggy]

This is the thing I don't get about Roy. How can a manager send any team in to a game having publicly stated he doesn't think they are going to win. Just say we're confident, we've won three on the spin and we are focussed on beating Chelsea. None of this, 'oooh it's going to be tough, we could lose this one' horse****.

Aside from the tactics and all the rest of Hodgson's baggage it is for this reason that I want him out. I can take winning in an unpleasant way. A win is a win is a win. It's the defeatist confidence sapping mutterings that **** me off

Mmm, and if I were him I wouldn't worry about looking like a mug

[banditos]

This is the thing I don't get about Roy. How can a manager send any team in to a game having publicly stated he doesn't think they are going to win. Just say we're confident, we've won three on the spin and we are focussed on beating Chelsea. None of this, 'oooh it's going to be tough, we could lose this one' horse****.

Aside from the tactics and all the rest of Hodgson's baggage it is for this reason that I want him out. I can take winning in an unpleasant way. A win is a win is a win. It's the defeatist confidence sapping mutterings that **** me off

[Rowan]

Mmm, and if I were him I wouldn't worry about looking like a mug

What manager has ever justified not stating he is confident his team will win because it'll make him look like a mug if they don't It's totally preposterous. Surely sending out a team made up with 10 midfielders that then gets absolutely thrashed would be a far more muggish thing to do than saying, after a pretty decent win, I think we'll beat Chelsea.

We should start sending Carra out to the post match interviews. At least no-one will be able to understand him clearly enough to be able to transcribe the discussion.

[Fredo]

We're winning because the opposition has been ****.

[Shaggy]

We're winning because the opposition has been ****.

To be fair we've played and lost to plenty of utter ****. In fact we lost to the 2nd worst professional team in the entire country. So things are improving. I think we'd edge Northampton now.

[Fredo]

To be fair we've played and lost to plenty of utter ****. In fact we lost to the 2nd worst professional team in the entire country. So things are improving. I think we'd edge Northampton now.

I'm not sure if we've improved per se, but for sure, the players seem to have more of a fight in them now. He's probably boll*ck*d them at some point and seeing he does swear a lot on the sidelines, it must have been really harsh words said to them.

Apart from that, I really can't see any real improvements - results aside. We still sit too deep and we don't do enough in the final third. He should also know enough by now that Spearing & Poulsen are both not good enough and should never play them, even in those kind of games. What's the point, they don't have a future at this club?

I thought last night he put on a bit of a show, with his off field antics and half time substitution. I don't think it's alien to John Henry & his wife being there.

I can't warm to him, I just can't.

[Rowan]

We're winning because the opposition has been ****.

I'm not sure that's the difference. Blackburn was notably better throughout (bar the last 20 minutes) Bolton was a scrappy game but we never looked hugely underthreat and last night I thought we we're decent in the second half and created plenty of chances. I genuinely believe we are playing better. The problem is that the players who are holding us back are Konchesky, Poulson and (unfortunately) Joe Cole, who's been woeful for me thus far. The players Roy has brought in are the one's who's performances have added the least to the team.

Now, like Rafa tended to, he may realise they aren't up to it and get shot of them quickly. He seems to have already realised that Poulson shouldn't be starting in league games. If he does that then great. A progressive assistant manager wouldn't hurt either. It'll be interesting to see how he responds to his authority being watered down by Comelli too.