Brendan Rodgers

[Scratch]

Possibly, but I think that the Henderson example suggests that he'll still select a player if he considers them important enough.

Sakho's kid arrived days before the Stoke game. Henderson practically went straight from the maternity ward with next to no sleep.

How did Henderson perform in that game, maybe he was below par so Rodgers learned a valuable lesson. Maybe it was considered that defenders need to be on their game the whole time as one slip could be catastrophic, so defenders and midfielders have a different set of chosing criteria. Who knows.

Or maybe Rodgers, O'Driscoll and Gary Mac have decided that as a partnership, Skrtel Lovren are a better fit, so as altho Sakho maybe a better individual, he doesn't fit alongside Skrtel....much like Shearer and Sheringham for England, even tho Fowler was by far superior to Sheringham in my mind.

[Exiled_red]

How did Henderson perform in that game, maybe he was below par so Rodgers learned a valuable lesson. Maybe it was considered that defenders need to be on their game the whole time as one slip could be catastrophic, so defenders and midfielders have a different set of chosing criteria. Who knows.

Or maybe Rodgers, O'Driscoll and Gary Mac have decided that as a partnership, Skrtel Lovren are a better fit, so as altho Sakho maybe a better individual, he doesn't fit alongside Skrtel....much like Shearer and Sheringham for England, even tho Fowler was by far superior to Sheringham in my mind.

I would imagine that Sakho's wife about to give birth meant that it was better to prepare to work with a partnership of Skrtel and Lovren from the outset, than prepare for Skrtel and Sakho only to find that Sakho couldn't make the game or had to miss a number of the few training sessions the whole squad in the build up to the opening game hence hampering preparations.

* I may be saying this because I still hope that Sakho will be first choice

[Scratch]

I would imagine that Sakho's wife about to give birth meant that it was better to prepare to work with a partnership of Skrtel and Lovren from the outset, than prepare for Skrtel and Sakho only to find that Sakho couldn't make the game or had to miss a number of the few training sessions the whole squad in the build up to the opening game hence hampering preparations.

* I may be saying this because I still hope that Sakho will be first choice

Do you know, that's actually quite feasible...LFC would have known that the due date could possibly coincide with our first competitive fixture (obviously these things are never exact) so in preparation we honed the Skrtel/Lovren partnership just to be sure...no point playing Skrtel and Sakho in every pre-season match only for him to be unavailable on matchday. Safety first.

So whilst Sakho may still be first choice, the position is now Lovren's to lose.

[Exiled_red]

Do you know, that's actually quite feasible...LFC would have known that the due date could possibly coincide with our first competitive fixture (obviously these things are never exact) so in preparation we honed the Skrtel/Lovren partnership just to be sure...no point playing Skrtel and Sakho in every pre-season match only for him to be unavailable on matchday. Safety first.

So whilst Sakho may still be first choice, the position is now Lovren's to lose.

Exactly

That would be me guess, it does of course put Sakho at a disadvantage (even if he was considered ahead of Lovren before this was considered), because the Lovren-Skrtel did ok and has been (presumably) working together alot. On that basis I don't see us changing the CB partnership in the short term unless one of Skrtel or Lovren gets injured/suspended or makes an horrendous mistake. Because I think that we probably want to develop a good understanding among the back 4/5

[Fredo]

Ffs.

[Glenn Hysen]

I still think the "committee v Brendan" thing is such a load of ****e. The idea that after 2 years working with a player like Sakho that our manager, or any manger for that matter, would still pick (or not pick) him because of who drove his signing all that time ago, rather than because of his view of tactics and partnerships on the pitch, just lacks any sort of rational logic.

By all means people should criticize Brendan for thinking Lovren is better than Sakho (although long term who knows, not beyond the realms of possibility that Skrtel-Lovren could work better than Skrtel-Sakho, certainly the minute amount of evidence from our last 2 games would suggest that isn't bat**** crazy), but suggesting that would be purely because of whose signing they were? Come on

Oh, and no way will we loan out Moreno as that would leave us very short at left back; sell & replace or keep I would think would be all we'd consider. However I wouldn't object whatsoever to Markovic getting a season away to regain some confidence and stop looking like some kid who won a competition to play at Anfield. Otherwise we really are going to lose almost all of that ridiculous fee, how on earth will he ever get near this team this season (and nor should he unless something major changes)

[DannyMan2006]

It's not safe to say that at all Daniel. In fact it's a bit silly to say that there would be 'serious recriminations' after the second game of the season

Patience boy!

Unless by serious recriminations he means almost unbearable levels of whining on the internet.

Bingo!

I'd say that was a given regardless of the result

True!

[Bender]

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers expects players to leave before the end of the transfer window on 1 September.

Midfielder Lucas Leiva, defender Jose Enrique and strikers Fabio Borini and Mario Balotelli were all left out for Liverpool's 1-0 win at Stoke.

And Rodgers, 42, has told defender Alberto Moreno and winger Lazar Markovic to earn their place.
"It is natural at this stage of the season there will be moves for some players," said the Northern Irishman.

"What is clear is that every player is understanding of exactly where he stands in the squad," he added.

Enrique has told Spanish paper Marca that he, Borini and Balotelli have been "alienated".
Liverpool signed Moreno and Markovic last summer for £12 million and £20 million respectively.
"Both players are very talented players," he added.

"They know very well, with the conversations we have had, it is a long, tough season and they will be needed and when the opportunity comes you take that and keep yourself in the team."
BBC

[McDermotX]

....

And Rodgers, 42, has told defender Alberto Moreno and winger Lazar Markovic to earn their place.....

Aye.

Get your **** together lads.

[Yozza]

Same goes for you Mr Rodgers

No more excuses

[BobTheCharmer]

Great credit to him. Has completely united the fanbase after just 3 games. Legend.

[baitman]

Great credit to him. Has completely united the fanbase after just 3 games. Legend.

blatant

[BigChief]

He talked in depth about how West Ham played Arsenal, and how we were planning to dominate space rather than possession. Not sure why he was giving our gameplan away before the match, maybe its to encourage other teams to do the same and make it harder for Arsenal to finish top 4.

Carragher was asked what Rodgers meant by 'dominate the space' and disparagingly Carra laughed saying 'I don't know'. Another sell-out ex-player. I knew exactly what Rodgers was on about and I only know a fraction of football that Carra does. Just another chance to look good amongst his new found friends at Sky by taking a sly dig at Rodgers.

After the match Carra went on length about how Rodgers dominated space. Surprise, surprise. I'm losing the love for Carra just as Manure fans have lost the love for Gee Nev.

[Roboklopp]

Perhaps he was just able to contextualise the statement in light of having watched the game?

[McDermotX]

I guess its just a job for Carra, but he does tend to be a bit of an 'after the fact' waffler at times on Sky.
Better at analysing isolated incidents as opposed to interesting approaches to the makeup of a team's footballing philosophy and style.
Most pundits are to be fair.