WH Post Match

[Bender]

he's slowly finding form......

[danperkins]

regardless how we played kudos to the team for getting the win

A win is a win, we'll take it. Team showed fight, Rogers subs worked out great, Luis gets a rest, Lucas gets another game for fitness, we came back for being behind for first time in long time & we get back to back victories in the league.

Performance wasn't great but it really was a brilliant result for us

[Rich]

Not at all. Gerrard has shown over his career at the club that he will play anywhere he is asked. And I honestly find it astonishing (cannot think of a stronger word) that his inclusion in the team over the last few seasons in this central position is being questioned and suggested that it is actually detrimental to the team?

He is going through a difficult moment for sure, but is still by an absolute country mile the most technically gifted player and only game changing midfieler we have at our disposal right now.

Lets give him a contract extension and pay rise

[Shaggy]

I think Gerrard should be dropped.

He's not in the team on merit.

[BigChief]

I was cursing the bench when I saw Cole on it. Then I threw things at the telly when Rodgers was about to bring him on in the first fricking half while Suso was available!!

All I could think about Brendan was you'd better be lucky with your hope that old boys tend to score against their former clubs. Can't believe how spectacularly that came off*.

*I don't think that's why Brendan used him but my though process at the time.

[Rich]

I think Gerrard should be dropped.

He's not in the team on merit.

I'd go further than that but that would be a start

[Tee]

Lets give him a contract extension and pay rise

No, lets get off his back. I am sure he will be the first to admit he is struggling.

[danperkins]

I love Gerrard, he has been a truly incredible player for LFC and has carried us for over a decade but he hasn't played well in a few years. That's the truth of it. Whether he is having trouble adjusting his game, injuries etc i don't know but maybe dropping him will give him the kick up the arse he desperately needs, as IMO he's just in our current team because he is Steven Gerrard Liverpool Legend.

[Rich]

I am sure he will be the first to admit he is struggling.

You can believe that if you wish. I don't think he thinks he's struggling or a shadow of his former self.

Totally living on former glories.

He's the best player I've seen in the flesh and a favourite of mine for years, but frankly he's been pretty poor* for 2 or 3 years now.

* relative to what is expected of a captain and best paid player in the club.

[DannyMan2006]

Didnt we also get to the Carling Cup final as well that year???

And yes we were beaten in the FA Cup 3rd round by Burnley and I think Rafa will be the first to admit that he played a weakened side in that game, I think he even apologised the next day for not realising the importance of the competition

We did make the final of the Carling Cup, yes. I don't see your point?

On the FA cup my point was Rafa made big mistakes as well in his first season. Like Brendan he lacked players to shuffle his pack and remain strong.

But you have highlighted what Rafa achieved. At this stage in his first season, Rafa was doing poor in the league and we had struggled through a very poor champions league group.

You say Alonso & Garcia hit the ground running. I remember their debuts v Bolton away, they were shocking and it took a while before they both settled. In fact, it could be argued that Garcia only ever settled in Europe.

[BigChief]

DannyMan. That's what I was trying to get at.

You can only compare the 'organisation' of a manager over the same period. Not pick and choose the criteria.

[DannyMan2006]

I think Gerrard is in the team on merit. Whether he is giving performances that justify him being the highest paid player at the club is another matter......

On his younger years he would get us a result from nothing. Something that enabled us to finish fourth in Geds final year. And something that greatly benefited Rafa during his reign.

His last amazing performance that I can remember is the hat trick v Napoli under Roy.

[Lecter]

We did make the final of the Carling Cup, yes. I don't see your point?

On the FA cup my point was Rafa made big mistakes as well in his first season. Like Brendan he lacked players to shuffle his pack and remain strong.

But you have highlighted what Rafa achieved. At this stage in his first season, Rafa was doing poor in the league and we had struggled through a very poor champions league group.

You say Alonso & Garcia hit the ground running. I remember their debuts v Bolton away, they were shocking and it took a while before they both settled. In fact, it could be argued that Garcia only ever settled in Europe.

Alonso certainly didnt take awhile to settle the game after Bolton was West Brom and I think both him and Garcia played really well that day. The next home game was Norwich and Alonso stood out like a sore thumb that day with numerous people claiming him as the new Molby and I think Garcia might have even bagged a couple that day

I'd also argue that the Champions League group wasnt that poor, it included Deportivo who were a decent side at the time

[Captain Stu]

it could be argued that Garcia only ever settled in Europe.

I can go with that, he never ever really looked comfortable in the league for me - always wanted too much time to faff around with the ball and he just never got it.

Gerrard is approaching (or arguably has reached) the Giggs part of his career when he needs to change position and accept that he's no longer #1 name on the teamsheet.

You'd think that he's better serving us in the attacking third than at the back so we should be deploying him as the ACM - behind Suarez - and removing all defensive duties from him so he can maximise his forward runs without using his energy tracking back when he already has three centre mids behind him to cover.

If he wasn't Captain then the decision to drop him would be a lot easier but if a fully-fit (allbeit massively underperforming) Steven Gerrard was dropped - people would wrongly have the daggers out for Rodgers even more than usual. Life will go on without Gerrard so the sooner we start adapting to it and experimenting without him the better.

[Lecter]

DannyMan. That's what I was trying to get at.

You can only compare the 'organisation' of a manager over the same period. Not pick and choose the criteria.

We were much better organised under Rafa

Complete ends of the spectrum in that

Oh and for the record you were also guilty of picking and choosing the criteria by stating that Rafa inherited a great squad

The fact of the matter is good managers get the best out of what they have available supplemented by the odd signing here and there

Thats what Rafa did and thats what Brendan has to do