Brendan Rodgers

[meffin]

https://twitter.com/JamesPearceEcho/...07235606966272

That can't be his excuse every year

[The_weatherman]

I have to say, I know not everyone on here agrees, but I fundamentally disagree with him playing the youngsters/fringe players at this moment in time in the EL. Firstly, I believe we're in crisis. I think he needs to use the EL to find a right balance and combination (especially CB). If he's going to insist on skrtel/lovren partnership, then he'll be gone by the end of the month.

Secondly, winning the EL, is a back door to the CL.

I was thinking this yesterday, I want to take the competition seriously, I mean at best we are going to finish 5-8th, so why not make a good challenge in the Europa, he also needs to bloody practice.

[Rich]

He should be trying to get points on the board and then look to rest players later on in during the group stages.

[The_weatherman]

He should be trying to get points on the board and then look to rest players later on in during the group stages.

I know someone will say that I use every opportunity to get at him, but I think so too, we need a win too, any win. If we lose three games in a row then he has to win at Norwich. Or maybe he's been told he has to win the next two premier games or something like that.

[Muddled]

I have to say, I know not everyone on here agrees, but I fundamentally disagree with him playing the youngsters/fringe players at this moment in time in the EL. Firstly, I believe we're in crisis. I think he needs to use the EL to find a right balance and combination (especially CB). If he's going to insist on skrtel/lovren partnership, then he'll be gone by the end of the month.

Secondly, winning the EL, is a back door to the CL.

I can see where you're coming from, but I believe we should have enough quality in reserve to qualify from this group before looking to take it seriously in the knockout stage.

With the league cup starting soon too, it's an opportunity for fringe players to obtain some match fitness and maybe even persuade Rodgers they are worthy of pushing for a first team spot.

At the moment, sticking with a Skrtel, Lovren partnership won't tell us anything more than we already know and another 90 minutes is not going to make them come good on Sunday.

[Maxiedge]

It's not the longest flight/distance to Bordeaux. I would play the strongest XI too (or experiment with the strongest XI).

Stating the obvious but we're playing Sunday afternoon so there's good time to rest and recover. More than Arsenal, for example.

[Rowan]

I'd be quite happy to see a few young players come in and shine if I didn't think this manager would just disregard their performances for the sake of picking his moribund system again in the next game.

[Maxiedge]

I can see where you're coming from, but I believe we should have enough quality in reserve to qualify from this group before looking to take it seriously in the knockout stage.

With the league cup starting soon too, it's an opportunity for fringe players to obtain some match fitness and maybe even persuade Rodgers they are worthy of pushing for a first team spot.

At the moment, sticking with a Skrtel, Lovren partnership won't tell us anything more than we already know and another 90 minutes is not going to make them come good on Sunday.

I was thinking give Skrtel/Sakho a go. It's not saying much, but they seem to be our best defenders, or at least , the least error-prone

Also, this isn't the Liverpool of old in Europe. We've been absolutely dreadful in Europe under Rodgers. i wouldn't count on qualification.

[Rich]

I know someone will say that I use every opportunity to get at him, but I think so too, we need a win too, any win. If we lose three games in a row then he has to win at Norwich. Or maybe he's been told he has to win the next two premier games or something like that.

If we win or draw tonight then I guess he's been justified in his selection and thinking however he appears to be making it very difficult for himself.

Talk of a change of formation and resting lots of senior players doesn't bode well.

Personally I'd have taken the full squad, played my preferred formation and maybe, just maybe played a couple of players who hadn't featured much in my starting 11, with the hope we play well and open up the opportunity to use the subs wisely in the second half.

[Muddled]

I was thinking give Skrtel/Sakho a go. It's not saying much, but they seem to be our best defenders, or at least , the least error-prone

Also, this isn't the Liverpool of old in Europe. We've been absolutely dreadful in Europe under Rodgers. i wouldn't count on qualification.

I suppose your second point could be an example of why a team low on confidence could be removed from the limelight and have the pressure removed from them to perform.

[dww]

How about reverting back to Skrtel/Sakho? I'd rather they had as many games together to build that understanding.

Also, Dan makes a good point above about the midfield. We still haven't found the right balance and this could have been a good opportunity to try something different with the Milner/Lucas/Can combo.

What if Rodgers thinks that the two partnerships Skrtel/Lovren and Sakho/Toure are the right units to test? Perhaps he feels there is a communication issue with Sakho and Skrtel say. Personally, I think Skrtel is a communication issue whatever but I'm viewing this very much from the outside.

In midfield I see your point more. Although I think it is reasonable to protect Lucas given his injury record and once you miss one element then the idea of tweaking the unit becomes less compelling.

[Maxiedge]

You may well see a Skrtel, Sakho partnership this evening with the former stepping in as vice, vice captain.

I suppose your second point could be an example of why a team low on confidence could be removed from the limelight and have the pressure removed from them to perform.

What if Rodgers thinks that the two partnerships Skrtel/Lovren and Sakho/Toure are the right units to test? Perhaps he feels there is a communication issue with Sakho and Skrtel say. Personally, I think Skrtel is a communication issue whatever but I'm viewing this very much from the outside.

In midfield I see your point more. Although I think it is reasonable to protect Lucas given his injury record and once you miss one element then the idea of tweaking the unit becomes less compelling.

I guess everyone has their own way of doing things and you could be right. Taking some players out of the firing line might pay dividends on Sunday.

I wouldn't take any gratification if it turns out resting first teamers was a vacuous exercise, I just worry that it might not be pretty tonight. 2-2 against PSG is a very good result. I just hope, more than anyhting, that we play some good football, even if we lose

[Muddled]

I wouldn't take any gratification if it turns out resting first teamers was a meaningless exercise, I just worry that it might not be pretty tonight. 2-2 against PSG is a very good result. I just hope, more than anyhting, that we play some good football, even if we lose

Any sign of a reaction or an improvement in our play should be treated as a positive. We're not going to go from our current drab style of football to blowing them out of the water, regardless of how many changes to make, so it's important our fans expectations aren't too much (not that I think they are ).

An unconvincing one, nil with three points on the board and a couple of fringe players staking a claim is all that I want this evening.

[dww]

Any sign of a reaction or an improvement in our play should be treated as a positive. We're not going to go from our current drab style of football to blowing them out of the water, regardless of how many changes to make, so it's important our fans expectations aren't too much (not that I think they are ).

An unconvincing one, nil with three points on the board and a couple of fringe players staking a claim is all that I want this evening.

My feeling is that sometimes small changes make a big difference to performance. I can see from that point of view what Maxiedge wants to see - trying to refine the team within the basis of players likely to play most games.

In the current situation of miserable play I think it is just as useful to give fringe players games and try some different ideas.

[Lecter]

That can't be his excuse every year

Wanna bet?