How to fix us

[The Birdman]

Agreed, we can expect more pain.

But aren't we going through this pain for long term gain? He has a (new?) formation/system in mind and he wants his players to get used to it now, while the damage is limited.

But yes, going back to your original point I agree we will struggle.

Do you see the new system working when Sturridge is back fit? because I don't. Sturridge works best in a pair (as does Balotelli) so why are we persevering with one up top?

He's the only real one we're missing attacking wise, at the moment Rodgers seems to have stifled all the life and attacking threat out of Sterling by sticking him wide, Markovic doesn't seem to know what's expected of him, Coutinho is same as always, too many touches and very little end product.
Lallana has been playing well so we'll leave him out so on so on.

I wouldn't mind if he sat Lucas or Can in with Gerrard and got Manquillo and Moreno to bomb on all day as wing backs and stack everyone else centrally but he isn't even doing that.

Nothing, nothing he is doing makes sense. That's the biggest worry for me, in his 1st season while we struggled I could see what he was trying to achieve, this season it gets more confusing by the week.

[Maxiedge]

Let's start with the players who can take an iota of credit so far this season:

Manquillo
Moreno
Gerrard
Lallana
Coutinho
Sterling
Borini

These lot have to start now. It's about not rotting the team with too many off form players like we have been. I would personally add Balotelli and Allen to the above as at least they have some swagger about them.

Unfortunately, we don't have a quality back up keeper so Mignolet has to start. I thought Toure put in our best individual CB performance so far this season (in terms of passing and composure on the ball) so if we're going to be persisting with this inane passing at the back, then he has to start. I would play Lovren with him for now as they did ok against Swansea.

So the big names I would leave out at the moment would be Skrtel, Henderson and Johnson.

[BigChief]

Do you see the new system working when Sturridge is back fit? because I don't. Sturridge works best in a pair (as does Balotelli) so why are we persevering with one up top?

He's the only real one we're missing attacking wise, at the moment Rodgers seems to have stifled all the life and attacking threat out of Sterling by sticking him wide, Markovic doesn't seem to know what's expected of him, Coutinho is same as always, too many touches and very little end product.
Lallana has been playing well so we'll leave him out so on so on.

I wouldn't mind if he sat Lucas or Can in with Gerrard and got Manquillo and Moreno to bomb on all day as wing backs and stack everyone else centrally but he isn't even doing that.

Nothing, nothing he is doing makes sense. That's the biggest worry for me, in his 1st season while we struggled I could see what he was trying to achieve, this season it gets more confusing by the week.

An often ignored point about us finishing second last season was the phenomenal job Sturridge did at the start as a lone striker. In my mind a key reason we finished second was Sturridge giving us 2 points per game for the first 6 - 8 games.

We then pushed on and finished the season strongly obviously when Suarez found his shooting boots, but Sturridge had done all the groundwork we needed. This season we won't finish second because Sturridge has not been available to do exactly the same thing. So yes, I believe Sturridge is absolutely ideal for the lone striker role.

I agree we look a mess and confused right now. Its probably because Rodgers has reached the point of no return with his choice of strategy and doesn't have the striker(s) he needs to fulfil it. When the dust settles we'll know if Rodgers really is a genius or he's left with bags packed.

[ChrisDR1968]

With Sturridge still out this would be my starting XI:

........................Balotelli................. ......Borini

........................................Sterling

..................Henderson....................... ......Lallana

.........................................Can

Moreno................Sakho....................... Toure...................Manquillo


.......................................Mignolet

Plenty of youth and pace in that team with two good motors in midfield. Lovren needs dropping with Gerrard to come on as an impact sub depending on the game situation in place of Henderson or Lallana.

If Can tires replace him with Lucas with Lambert to come on in the final 20 minutes to give fresh legs up front in place of Borini.

[The Birdman]

An often ignored point about us finishing second last season was the phenomenal job Sturridge did at the start as a lone striker. In my mind a key reason we finished second was Sturridge giving us 2 points per game for the first 6 - 8 games.

We then pushed on and finished the season strongly obviously when Suarez found his shooting boots, but Sturridge had done all the groundwork we needed. This season we won't finish second because Sturridge has not been available to do exactly the same thing. So yes, I believe Sturridge is absolutely ideal for the lone striker role.

I agree we look a mess and confused right now. Its probably because Rodgers has reached the point of no return with his choice of strategy and doesn't have the striker(s) he needs to fulfil it. When the dust settles we'll know if Rodgers really is a genius or he's left with bags packed.

As a side we were nicking 1 nil wins, scoring then hanging on for dear life, do you remember all that media attention about not scoring in the 2nd half?

It wasn't working, we were scraping by in terms of results, not performances though.

[CAD]

The whole nature of the approach to the games has changed dramatically post Suarez. BR isn't enforcing the same pressure play as last year. Obviously you can discuss the players available but would we apply the pressure with Sturridge fit?

We have lost all sense of urgency off the ball and it seems to me that is the biggest difference compared to last year. We rarely conquer the ball on the final 1/3 like last season and the transition is so slow that you almost fall a sleep watching the games.

This change in tactics - is it based on the fact that we have so many games this season? Surely its a conscious on BR's behalf?

[The Birdman]

The whole nature of the approach to the games has changed dramatically post Suarez. BR isn't enforcing the same pressure play as last year. Obviously you can discuss the players available but would we apply the pressure with Sturridge fit?

We have lost all sense of urgency off the ball and it seems to me that is the biggest difference compared to last year. We rarely conquer the ball on the final 1/3 like last season and the transition is so slow that you almost fall a sleep watching the games.

This change in tactics - is it based on the fact that we have so many games this season? Surely its a conscious on BR's behalf?

Not comparing the quality of the 2 players at all but the nearest we have to Suarez in terms of workrate alone is Borini.

We could have played the diamond with a high press in every single game this season, Rodgers has chosen not to.

[Lecter]

Not comparing the quality of the 2 players at all but the nearest we have to Suarez in terms of workrate alone is Borini.

We could have played the diamond with a high press in every single game this season, Rodgers has chosen not to.

Hes clearly switched back to his "death by football" system

[CAD]

Not comparing the quality of the 2 players at all but the nearest we have to Suarez in terms of workrate alone is Borini.

We could have played the diamond with a high press in every single game this season, Rodgers has chosen not to.

But isn't the change in concept remarkable? Even when we look at what is available in the squad?

How can we expect the players to be able to work under conditions where the opponent is more or less always in place after a entire season where we hit them on the break?

Looking at Coutinho trying to connect a pass on the final third this season is painful. There is no space and even less movement. Do we even have the players who can play that type of football? We need City's front 6 to succeed with this possession play.

All the players are suffering under this complete change of style. Sterling has no space anymore because the aren't busy closing down the high pressure from Sturridge and Suarez. There is little or no interference when the opponent brings the ball forward. It all starts on our own half.

All the things that worked against Spurs in the 3-0 defeat at White heart Lane have been abandoned, why?

Is it because we are trying the spare the players because of the work load the next 6 months or because BR thinks we cant do it without Sturridge?

We look stale and slow with a squad based on pace. What is BR aiming for?

[Lecter]

But isn't the change in concept remarkable? Even when we look at what is available in the squad?

How can we expect the players to be able to work under conditions where the opponent is more or less always in place after a entire season where we hit them on the break?

Looking at Coutinho trying to connect a pass on the final third this season is painful. There is no space and even less movement. Do we even have the players who can play that type of football? We need City's front 6 to succeed with this possession play.

All the players are suffering under this complete change of style. Sterling has no space anymore because the aren't busy closing down the high pressure from Sturridge and Suarez. There is little or no interference when the opponent brings the ball forward. It all starts on our own half.

All the things that worked against Spurs in the 3-0 defeat at White heart Lane have been abandoned, why?

Is it because we are trying the spare the players because of the work load the next 6 months or because BR thinks we cant do it without Sturridge?

We look stale and slow with a squad based on pace. What is BR aiming for?

The contrast between last season and his first season was remarkable

Whether he stumbled on the system last season or it was a tactical masterstroke it ****ing worked wonders

Its worked this season in the only game he played it but for whatever reason he would prefer to go back to his old system and again the contrast is stark

Maybe its BRs security blanket that old system

[john316]

Hes clearly switched back to his "death by football" system

The football in the first season was way better than this season. At least it resembled the Tiki-Taki approach. Saturday and others like it have resembled something closer to the Hodgson era at times. Not quite as putrid but its certainly not probing football.

[Lecter]

The football in the first season was way better than this season. At least it resembled the Tiki-Taki approach. Saturday and others like it have resembled something closer to the Hodgson era at times. Not quite as putrid but its certainly not probing football.

The football the first season was better when Sturridge & Coutinho arrived

It was pretty turgid ****e before then, loads of passing the ball around in midfield and losing it in daft areas

[john316]

The football the first season was better when Sturridge & Coutinho arrived

It was pretty turgid ****e before then, loads of passing the ball around in midfield and losing it in daft areas

It had games where it looked pretty decent though and it at least looked we had an identity of some sorts. **** knows what our identity is as we enter November

[The Birdman]

The only reason I can come up with is that he doesn't trust us defensively when in transition and as we're not capable of outscoring the opposition anymore his answer to that is to become more rigid and that in turn is stifling our attacking threat.

Seeing Sterling positioned out on the right wing and staying there (as in clearly under instruction) is sole destroying when he's clearly 20 times more effective centrally.

Even Henderson has reverted back to being headless and ineffective whereas last season he was positive and incisive.

[cream]

With Sturridge still out this would be my starting XI:

........................Balotelli................. ......Borini

........................................Sterling

..................Henderson....................... ......Lallana

.........................................Can

Moreno................Sakho....................... Toure...................Manquillo


.......................................Mignolet

Plenty of youth and pace in that team with two good motors in midfield. Lovren needs dropping with Gerrard to come on as an impact sub depending on the game situation in place of Henderson or Lallana.

If Can tires replace him with Lucas with Lambert to come on in the final 20 minutes to give fresh legs up front in place of Borini.

We get you don't like Gerrard but having Can, who is nowhere near the level required, and Lucas who can't play that role and is ****ter and less mobile than him, is quite frankly ridiculous.