Brendan Rodgers

[Phoenix07]

His post match comments last night said it all. He knows who he wants to sell. He knows who needs to buck their ideas up and he realises the shortcomings of this team.

He can point to players ages (Wisdom, Suso, Sterling), players unfortunate with injury (Borini, Lucas) and the serious lack of quality (Cole, Downing).

I'm very confident in the future, but I'd still like a DOF of some sort above him.

[baitman]

His post match comments last night said it all. He knows who he wants to sell. He knows who needs to buck their ideas up and he realises the shortcomings of this team.

He can point to players ages (Wisdom, Suso, Sterling), players unfortunate with injury (Borini, Lucas) and the serious lack of quality (Cole, Downing).

I'm very confident in the future, but I'd still like a DOF of some sort above him.

me too. Rafa...

[Tee]

His post match comments last night said it all. He knows who he wants to sell. He knows who needs to buck their ideas up and he realises the shortcomings of this team.

He can point to players ages (Wisdom, Suso, Sterling), players unfortunate with injury (Borini, Lucas) and the serious lack of quality (Cole, Downing).

I'm very confident in the future, but I'd still like a DOF of some sort above him.

Totally agree. This is the endgame for many and I just hope BR is given the backing and time to complete his plan.

[el matador]

I'n not sure that your analysis of his ideal formation is correct. He has talked on a 1-2 and a 2-1 triangle, perhaps with the former as his more usually preferred option with Allen in an advanced position. The assumption that any old 'more defensive' midfielder would help get closer to this seems questionable.

Like last season the problem of players filling in in defensive midfield positions has been shown to be sub-optimal. If you add more players doing sub-optimal jobs perhaps you end up further away from your target and are better off teaching two players how to play in the roles they will end up in than only one?

I agree about the problem of attacking fullbacks and a weak central midfield though. It has been a real problem. For me we should have prioritised a DM purchase, if Rodgers doesn't rate Henderson then he should have been shipped out to get one in.

When he talked about the 1-2 or the 2-1 axis he was trying to explain the difference between the 433 which he likes and the 4231 which we had a lot of success with. 433 only allows for one dm whereas the 4231 obviously allows for two.

Whichever way you look at it lucas and allen are first choice central mids and when were attacking both cms dont stand together on the halfway line five yards from each other. One drops to form the defensive triangle dm cd cd and the other allen participates in the play looking to pick up lose balls, quickly trying to regain possession so we can keep them hemmed in. Which is exactly what mascherano and alonso did.

What both lucas and allen have in common is that they are both very good at the defensive side of the game. So my point was if his first choice central midfield pairing is lucas and allen who are both excellent in defensive roles why not stick to someone who can defend well as well as contributing something further forward like henderson can as opposed to what he is doing in playing an attacking midfield player in gerrard or shelvey who both arent very good going backwards.

Were asking for trouble.

[dww]

When he talked about the 1-2 or the 2-1 axis he was trying to explain the difference between the 433 which he likes and the 4231 which we had a lot of success with. 433 only allows for one dm whereas the 4231 obviously allows for two.

That wasn't how I interpreted it at all. I took it as more of a different situations (and players) require different solutions within the same framework.

Whichever way you look at it lucas and allen are first choice central mids and when were attacking both cms dont stand together on the halfway line five yards from each other. One drops to form the defensive triangle dm cd cd and the other allen participates in the play looking to pick up lose balls, quickly trying to regain possession so we can keep them hemmed in. Which is exactly what mascherano and alonso did.

What both lucas and allen have in common is that they are both very good at the defensive side of the game. So my point was if his first choice central midfield pairing is lucas and allen who are both excellent in defensive roles why not stick to someone who can defend well as well as contributing something further forward like henderson can as opposed to what he is doing in playing an attacking midfield player in gerrard or shelvey who both arent very good going backwards.

Were asking for trouble.

My point is that the type of defensive ability is important. Henderson is good at making up ground and generally 'getting in the way' he's not tactically disciplined and he's not a great tackler. I don't think Henderson would necessarily solve the problems you suggest it would.

[Gibbo]

Swansea showed a good example of what we need to do last night.

They got forward in numbers, and their front 3 moved in tandem.

Our front 3 is too static, one forward with two wingers that stick to the wings. IMO we need one of our wingers to tuck inside and become a striker when the ball is on the other side of the pitch, Im fed up of attacks breaking down because we have no-one in the box.

Whens Borini due back?

[malg]

I've not had any confidence in Rodgers, and of late my confidence has dipped further. I heard a lot about a certain type of footy he wants to play,thus far it's been drap and predictable. I know that he hasn't had the best of support from the owners and the way things are going I don't see him getting much in January. Well fingers crossed that my on going concerns are unfounded,but just don't get the confidence fans have in him,wish I had some.

[el matador]

Dww for that particular midfield role I would have picked henderson over shelvey anytime. If its a case of whos more suites to play at the tip of the three cms then its definitely shelvey. But the other two positions imo henderson is more suited.

Again imo shelvey and gerrard cannot be played in the same midfield as it leaves us too exposed.

[dww]

Dww for that particular midfield role I would have picked henderson over shelvey anytime. If its a case of whos more suites to play at the tip of the three cms then its definitely shelvey. But the other two positions imo henderson is more suited.

Again imo shelvey and gerrard cannot be played in the same midfield as it leaves us too exposed.

I'm not sure that Henderson would be better in terms of leaving us exposed or not. Gerrard has played a deeper/more defensive role for England better than I've seen Henderson do it. Personally I don't think that Rodgers got it right in terms of remodelling the squad to suit his formation and none of the options are ideal.

I see that your view has merit and perhaps Henderson needs someone to mould him to a particular role at this point in his career.

For me I think the failure has been as much about how often, and where, we give the ball away as what we do once that has happened. I'm sure I don't have the data or in depth knowledge to back that assertion up though and consequently could be completely wrong.

[yamiedo]

I was going to say we could maybe link the way Swansea play now to Rodgers influence but the team last night were made up of mostly Laudrup signings. The likes of Michu, Hernandez, Ki and Guzman. They all seem to be naturals. There is talent out there for seriously low prices but it seems that the fans want us to make the big money signings. I'd rather we looked for diamonds in the rough more among the mould of Assiadi. Not only is it cost effective but its really the only way we will compete with billionaire clubs.

[el matador]

I speak from personal and a very painful experience about the dangers of having open spaces in the fullback positions without winning the midfield battle and especially scooping up all lose balls.

I coach under 11's and I changed our formation from being based on rafas 4231 to rogers 433 and high fullbacks up the pitch. First 2 games went along fine with 20 goals scored and 1 against. Then we played the best team in the entire competition.

We got battered. Every time they won the second balls in midfield they turned our back line with a ball over the top. Every time they stopped our attacks we were wide open for the counter down our flanks.

It just didnt work against the better sides.

In rafas champions league dreams book he constantly highlights attacking fullbacks as a weakness in the opposition with all the space they leave in behind. Everybody should read this book because its a masterclass.

I think our manager should read it too.

[dom9]

Under 11s?

[el matador]

Yes why

[MrMichael]

In rafas champions league dreams book he constantly highlights attacking fullbacks as a weakness in the opposition with all the space they leave in behind. Everybody should read this book because its a masterclass.

I think our manager should read it too.

To be fair, Rafa's way isn't like the only successful tactical approach to association football. Teams have done very well with attacking fullbacks in the past.

And Rafa did spend £17m on Glen Johnson. And tried to buy Dani Alves.

[Fredo]

Our pressing has been good but it has been done in zones or in isolation to the rest of the team. Meaning there has been gaps between our lines which have been exploited time and again. I think it's the way we're set to play as I haven't seen this being addressed at all.