Players to clear out

[DannyMan2006]

If I signed a player believing them to be good enough to play for my team, I'd give them at least a year before making a judgement call on whether or not they're good enough, especially if I paid top whack and wouldn't recoup even half that fee.

[Sarb]

If I signed a player believing them to be good enough to play for my team, I'd give them at least a year before making a judgement call on whether or not they're good enough, especially if I paid top whack and wouldn't recoup even half that fee.

Yep I am sure he will try to make it work with Lovren. He should have given Sakho more than a season though before signing a replacement. Dont get the Flanno one either. Surprised if he goes. Did well last season and Johnson will be off too.

Worrying thing is if that report is accurate, people at the club believe the crap defending is just down to players. Will end up spending loads on new signings and I dont believe the standard of defending will improve by any significant amount

[Alex]

Everything is Rodgers fault though, right?

[Tee]

If I signed a player believing them to be good enough to play for my team, I'd give them at least a year before making a judgement call on whether or not they're good enough, especially if I paid top whack and wouldn't recoup even half that fee.

Yes but Brendan did not write that article did he?

[Sarb]

Everything is Rodgers fault though, right?

No I dont think our crap defending has anything to do with Brendan at all. Deffo think we are so crap at recruitment that almost every single defender on our books is rubbish.

Come on Alex, some on that list are average but you'd have to be blind to not think there is a deficiency at the club in defensive coaching. Carragher and Neville amongst others have highlighted it numerous times, and they know a bit about defending

[marcus50bucks]

Everything is Rodgers fault though, right?

Who's responsible then Alex? Are you putting it all on the committee?

[RichC]

It's a mixture for me something is clearly wrong with the coaching either the strategic side of it or getting across and making it stick what they should be doing coupled with constant individual basic errors that once on the pitch the manager has little influence on.

How many times do we see ball watching or ridiculous rashness when the ball is not there to be won that for me is players reverting to type and forgetting their roles but why does this happen and it comes back to both the players being unable to follow instructions and the management not getting the message across strongly enough.

[vlahka]

Better not be getting rid of Flanagan

[DannyMan2006]

No I dont think our crap defending has anything to do with Brendan at all. Deffo think we are so crap at recruitment that almost every single defender on our books is rubbish.

Come on Alex, some on that list are average but you'd have to be blind to not think there is a deficiency at the club in defensive coaching. Carragher and Neville amongst others have highlighted it numerous times, and they know a bit about defending

We play OPEN & expansive football. Similar to Wenger's Arsenal really.

The way we set up always means our defenders will be more exposed than say Chelsea's.

In a defensive set up you're relying on players at the top end of the field performing to a high level. If you're in an attacking set up you're relying on players at the back performing to a high level. The difference is that sometimes a striker can have an off day all game, but in one moment can win a match. For a defender it's the opposite. Perfect all game, then one mistake and it can cost you the match. An example is that match against Arsenal. We got in some wonderful positions, but we talk about the main reason we lost as being down to defensive errors.

Personally I see it this way. If a striker gets played in on goal more often than another, he will automatically have more shots and likely more goals. If a defender gets exposed more, he will likely compete in more duels and have committed more defensive errors. In our set up there is no room to hide. You are exposed at the back. And sadly, more often than not our defenders have been found wanting.

In some ways it reminded me last year of when we blitzed Spurs. AVB was insistent on playing his high line, despite him deploying Michael Dawson in the backline. They were all over the place. A more suited defender in his place would have made them more solid. But the system is obviously still a risky ploy.

I'm desperate for this new system to get a change of CB in the middle. Lovren gets exposed due to his pace in the wide positions, but he's an aggressive defender who'd be suited to the centre and maybe he could find his voice again in there. Failing that, how about Kolo. A leader keeping them all in check.

Martin Skrtel is a warrior of a CB who would run through a brick wall. But he's like a mouse vocally and could do with having less pressure on him. The issue is whether or not he'd be suited to playing as a wide CB. would he struggle like Lovren?

[Sarb]

We play OPEN & expansive football. Similar to Wenger's Arsenal really.

The way we set up always means our defenders will be more exposed than say Chelsea's.

In a defensive set up you're relying on players at the top end of the field performing to a high level. If you're in an attacking set up you're relying on players at the back performing to a high level. The difference is that sometimes a striker can have an off day all game, but in one moment can win a match. For a defender it's the opposite. Perfect all game, then one mistake and it can cost you the match. An example is that match against Arsenal. We got in some wonderful positions, but we talk about the main reason we lost as being down to defensive errors.

Personally I see it this way. If a striker gets played in on goal more often than another, he will automatically have more shots and likely more goals. If a defender gets exposed more, he will likely compete in more duels and have committed more defensive errors. In our set up there is no room to hide. You are exposed at the back. And sadly, more often than not our defenders have been found wanting.

In some ways it reminded me last year of when we blitzed Spurs. AVB was insistent on playing his high line, despite him deploying Michael Dawson in the backline. They were all over the place. A more suited defender in his place would have made them more solid. But the system is obviously still a risky ploy.

I'm desperate for this new system to get a change of CB in the middle. Lovren gets exposed due to his pace in the wide positions, but he's an aggressive defender who'd be suited to the centre and maybe he could find his voice again in there. Failing that, how about Kolo. A leader keeping them all in check.

Martin Skrtel is a warrior of a CB who would run through a brick wall. But he's like a mouse vocally and could do with having less pressure on him. The issue is whether or not he'd be suited to playing as a wide CB. would he struggle like Lovren?

But that doesnt explain goals conceded from set pieces though when we have practically every single player in the box. We concede a load of goals from set pieces and even get away without conceding a few on top. That isnt down to being exposed by pace.

[DannyMan2006]

It's a mixture for me something is clearly wrong with the coaching either the strategic side of it or getting across and making it stick what they should be doing coupled with constant individual basic errors that once on the pitch the manager has little influence on.

How many times do we see ball watching or ridiculous rashness when the ball is not there to be won that for me is players reverting to type and forgetting their roles but why does this happen and it comes back to both the players being unable to follow instructions and the management not getting the message across strongly enough.

Biggest concern for me is that the backline is always changing and one of the main problems seems to be lack of communication. That won't be fixed by constantly switching players. How many times do they go for the same ball, or leave a player that needs to be marked. They have no clue what so ever of who will be doing what.

I see our defenders point at a player, but the pointing is not heeded. I see them challenge for the same ball. I see them all mark space and leave the other player to mark the man. I look at Arsenals second goal. If one of them marked Giroud, they're all in the correct positions.

Skrtel is taking the front post danger area. Sakho is covering the back and the player coming in. Correct positions. If Giroud wasn't there. But the issue is they don't communicate and so they don't mark the player. They take their own individual positions. They are defending individually and not as a unit.

Now I know people complain at Rodgers, but if our defenders could communicate then there'd be a lot less issues. There should be one dominant voice, but they all need to talk. They need to know where they all our and they need to know what each other is doing.

Skrtel could've shouted at Sakho "I'll cover the front post, you take Giroud". Or Sakho could've shouted, "I'm covering the back post, you take Giroud". Or for when they're jumping into each other "My ball". It's so easy. We've all played football at some level. When you talk, it becomes easy. It's like a striker pointing to where he wants the ball played. You don't have to be on the same wave length. You don't have to have played together for years and you don't have to be able to mind read the other players around you.

One of them simply has to give orders, but they have to communicate together as well. Just like you would tell a player "Man on" the warnings need to be there.

Honestly, we could sign a league two CB with a gob on him and if the others listened we'd improve remarkably.

[DannyMan2006]

But that doesnt explain goals conceded from set pieces though when we have practically every single player in the box. We concede a load of goals from set pieces and even get away without conceding a few on top. That isnt down to being exposed by pace.

We could have everyone on the training ground ever day practicing set pieces. Bottom line is that when the ball comes in there area they need to challenge and win it. And if they're marking someone they need to stay on them until the danger is cleared.

How many times do they say it on TV - Space can't score a goal. If you're marking a player stay on him until the ball is cleared. The one on Sunday was a difficult one. There are two challenges for possession prior to Debuchy scoring. Skrtel was marking Debuchy, he's with him as the ball comes in. He's with him for the first challenge, but then he steps forward to mark space and leaves Debuchy. For the second challenge he's allowed a small gap to occur, and he can't get back in time to close it and compete on a level playing field with Debuchy. If he stays with Debcuhy, he wins that header all day long.

Now it sounds simple but it's not. It's difficult to stay with an attacker just for one crossed ball, but to stay alive as it's being challenged for in the area is particularly difficult. Skrtel is watching and he's starting to see gaps elsewhere. He sees a big space in front of him and he moves to cover it. But there's no attacking player there. But there's one behind him. In that case he needs to be brave and stay with his man. Like he should've been for the Second Arsenal goal. Him or Sakho need to be brave, leave the space and go to the man.

Because the man is always the danger. Obviously when you go with the man you are still in danger. The attacker will often attack the free space and it becomes a game of anticipating where the cross/pass will go. But plugging a gap is taking the easy way out and is shifting responsibility.

[wongers]

Bearing in mind the fact we're (hypothetically) shipping out up to 13 players for around £60m that will leave us with a very lightweight squad again. And that's after a summer of bulking it out for exactly the same reason. Don't see how that gets us 'better'?

spot on mate. do people switch there brains on before posting?

[Exiled_red]

Numbers-wise we are probably about right, the problem is quality. We need a world class player or two who can make a difference and some better quality in a few positions. There is no point in getting rid of all the players we (on here) think aren't good enough as there will be almost no-one left, but I would be open to offers on almost everyone, the problem is that we have seriously overpaid on a lot of people so a good price would probably be a (significant) loss in many cases.

[SB]

The only one who I think will possibly go now is Johnson tbh. Borini too if a replacement can be found.

I think the main purchase will be a keeper this TW.