Brendan Rodgers

[Marvel]

His decision making this season has been weird, and it's been a **** season, no question. But he is young and is still learning. For me it comes down to recruitment as the biggest issue too. If we had the strike force of any of our rivals we would be looking at this season very differently. Sturridge, Balotelli, Lambert and Borini is a shameful quartet for LFC, only one is of the required quality, two of them should be at the likes of Sunderland and one isn't even a footballer by profession. I don't know who is responsible for the situation but whoever they are they need to be sacked. They blew our best chance for years of cementing a place in the CL positions and European elite. If Rodgers wasn't culpable then keep him and replace those who were. If he was he has to go.

Same goes for here, everyone who said Mario Balotelli was 'a gamble worth taking at £16m' needs a permaban.

For me the key driver for all this is that jurgen klopp is available. If he wasn't then I dont think the questions about Rodgers position as our manager would be as strong because there are no obvious replacements. People would still question his performance this season but look at the mitigating circumstances closer.

If we miss out on klopp this time will this opportunity come along again. The loss of over 50 goals would hinder any manager and we accept that but the question is should we replace Rodgers with klopp because we think klopp is the better manager now and in the future.

[baitman]

...everyone who said Mario Balotelli was 'a gamble worth taking at £16m' needs a permaban.

get a list sorted Kenny

[BigChief]

For me the key driver for all this is that jurgen klopp is available. If he wasn't then I dont think the questions about Rodgers position as our manager would be as strong because there are no obvious replacements. People would still question his performance this season but look at the mitigating circumstances closer.

If we miss out on klopp this time will this opportunity come along again. The loss of over 50 goals would hinder any manager and we accept that but the question is should we replace Rodgers with klopp because we think klopp is the better manager now and in the future.

Conversely, we keep changing managers but our situation stays the same. After Houllier we had La Liga winning Rafa. We still didn't win a league title (for whatever reasons). Klopp sounds ideal right now, but will we be sitting here in 3/4 years wondering why we're still struggling to break top 4?

[Lecter]

Was just reading an older piece the other day about how we scored set piece goals at an unsustainable rate that season too. That's looking like a real lightning in the bottle year, since to make a run at the title we needed: the third-best player in the world playing out of his head, his world-class strike partner playing out of his head, and set piece goals going in at a rate far higher than you could rightfully expect. None of which is sustainable year-on-year.

I actually made this point about set pieces immediately after last season, whether I made it hear elsewhere or to a mate cant remember

We had an absolute purple patch last season on set pieces after being relatively **** at them for many years, normal service has resumed

It was one of the reasons why I thought even had we kept Suarez we probably wouldnt have won the league this season

Last season an awful lot clicked on an attacking front

[Marvel]

Conversely, we keep changing managers but our situation stays the same. After Houllier we had La Liga winning Rafa. We still didn't win a league title (for whatever reasons). Klopp sounds ideal right now, but will we be sitting here in 3/4 years wondering why we're still struggling to break top 4?

Under houllier we were champions league qualifiers to actually winning it under Benitez and were regulars champions league including another final.

That's an upgrade in my eyes but since Benitez we went to Hodgson, Kenny, Rodgers. None of those managers have been better than Benitez. We are happy to talk about buying better players to improve the team and yet I think there is equally important a question about bringing in a better manager than we currently have.

If one is available should we as a club be considering it. Isnt that what big clubs do ?

[Bender]

I actually made this point about set pieces immediately after last season, whether I made it hear elsewhere or to a mate cant remember

We had an absolute purple patch last season on set pieces after being relatively **** at them for many years, normal service has resumed

It was one of the reasons why I thought even had we kept Suarez we probably wouldnt have won the league this season

Last season an awful lot clicked on an attacking front

yeah Skrtel got a good few goals(8-10 goals i think)...also we used to start the first 30 min with such high intensity/attacking football the opposing teams would just crumble.

[dww]

No way for me, in Rafa's first season flipping Everton finished 4th. Last year the points total for CL qualification was the highest ever. The top of our league is more competitive than ever imo though you could certainly argue that the champions were often better under Rafa than they have been in the last few years

It's not a simple thing but when Rafa was here the PL elite was the European elite. It was probably only a top three that made that consistently true but I think that is mostly what people remember. One fluke run by a solid Everton team doesn't really alter that.

My feeling is that things are more different than more difficult. No one can defend now but then more teams are aware of this and consequently seem to play with less fear (with the exception being many teams at Stamford Bridge).

[dww]

His decision making this season has been weird, and it's been a **** season, no question. But he is young and is still learning. For me it comes down to recruitment as the biggest issue too. If we had the strike force of any of our rivals we would be looking at this season very differently. Sturridge, Balotelli, Lambert and Borini is a shameful quartet for LFC, only one is of the required quality, two of them should be at the likes of Sunderland and one isn't even a footballer by profession. I don't know who is responsible for the situation but whoever they are they need to be sacked. They blew our best chance for years of cementing a place in the CL positions and European elite. If Rodgers wasn't culpable then keep him and replace those who were. If he was he has to go.

Same goes for here, everyone who said Mario Balotelli was 'a gamble worth taking at £16m' needs a permaban.

I still think the Balotelli thing is true. The fact it might not pay off is what makes something a gamble.

I tend to agree with the point that there does seem to be some issues in terms of joined up long term planning. I also think there are issues with coaching and tactics. If Rodgers and the other decision makers have an idea of the causes of these problems and solutions in mind then I think they should be given the chance to implement them.

He was coming from a stronger base both in terms of achievements and baseline of success (consistent CL qualification) but I think Wenger has shown this season that sometimes it is worth persevering even when things look bleak if you believe you have a good manager with a plan to build a team/squad.

[Marvel]

It's not a simple thing but when Rafa was here the PL elite was the European elite. It was probably only a top three that made that consistently true but I think that is mostly what people remember. One fluke run by a solid Everton team doesn't really alter that.

My feeling is that things are more different than more difficult. No one can defend now but then more teams are aware of this and consequently seem to play with less fear (with the exception being many teams at Stamford Bridge).

Only Chelsea really know how to defend properly the rest don't have a clue. That could be a reason why its been so easy for mourinho this season. Theyve won this league in 3rd gear without ever being consistently brilliant.

[meffin]

They haven't been brilliant once, they're just consistent- they grind out results with a solid defence/Midfield, combined with a few world class forwards

[S-RED]

The whole lambert thing has been a cluster**** for me & a concern going forward, why was he bought? it just seems that last season we needed a plan B & BR thought I know lets get in a big bloke.

All well & good, but unless you then play to his strengths what the point, he could never have fit to the system we were playing (S,S,S & Couts) scaring the **** out every defence, so such a fundamental change to the teams playing philosophy could never work. So whilst everyone bemoans the balotelli signing, the millions it has cost us to sign Lambert (Inc wages & the fact we will have to pay up his contract in the summer when he leaves for lesser terms) concerns me more when leaving BR in charge.

[Marvel]

They haven't been brilliant once, they're just consistent- they grind out results with a solid defence/Midfield, combined with a few world class forwards

Swansea away I think they won 5-0 and they were pretty good that day but generally they haven't had to do a lot to win this league.

[vlahka]

His decision making this season has been weird, and it's been a **** season, no question. But he is young and is still learning. For me it comes down to recruitment as the biggest issue too. If we had the strike force of any of our rivals we would be looking at this season very differently. Sturridge, Balotelli, Lambert and Borini is a shameful quartet for LFC, only one is of the required quality, two of them should be at the likes of Sunderland and one isn't even a footballer by profession. I don't know who is responsible for the situation but whoever they are they need to be sacked. They blew our best chance for years of cementing a place in the CL positions and European elite. If Rodgers wasn't culpable then keep him and replace those who were. If he was he has to go.

Same goes for here, everyone who said Mario Balotelli was 'a gamble worth taking at £16m' needs a permaban.

100%

[Shaggy]

Chris Bascombe @_ChrisBascombe
Brendan Rodgers: "We are in fifth and we reached two semi-finals. That is a par score where we are at."

He's not that far wrong in all fairness. We have the 5th most expensive squad (I think), 5th wage bill etc.

That said it's still difficult to not feel disappointed by this season.

[Shaggy]

Andy Hunter @AHunterGuardian
Brendan Rodgers adamant he'll be #lfc manager next season. Not for first time this season, says: "I don't think there's anyone better."