Brendan Rodgers

[yamiedo]

I think defensive errors are only natural when adjusting to a new system. Its bound to be surely?

[The_weatherman]

I think defensive errors are only natural when adjusting to a new system. Its bound to be surely?

When we recycle the ball so deep and invite pressue I think we are increasing the likelyhood of defensive errors.

[Fredo]

I think defensive errors are only natural when adjusting to a new system. Its bound to be surely?

Yep. People are over analysing things far too much. Funny that, as this was something Rafa was criticised for.

[Fredo]

When we recycle the ball so deep and invite pressue I think we are increasing the likelyhood of defensive errors.

We didn't concede out of playing from the back for a long time. This has been eradicated. We concede a lot by losing the ball in offensive situations, and teams exploit this on the counter, especially if you run at our defence.

Thing is, having players running at your defence is a nightmare for any defender. We just need to ensure our positioning is right when we attack. It's the balance that needs to be addressed, not the system.

[yamiedo]

When we recycle the ball so deep and invite pressue I think we are increasing the likelyhood of defensive errors.

Yep. People are over analysing things far too much. Funny that, as this was something Rafa was criticised for.

While I agree to an extent with you Weatherman I think that in the system Rodgers has it will take time to adjust to. For example I remember Skrtel could not get a pass on, basically nobody made themselves available. Rodgers described it as creating an angle for a pass. Obviously as time goes on the players will learn their roles better and will be there to create that angle and avoid that particular type of error. Rodgers didn't seem to concerned by some of the errors and I think that is because he saw them dissolving with more experience in his time with Swansea. Reina has made a few errors as well which you can't really place the blame on tactics for that.

[ronanm]

Whether he's the right man or not, unfortunately, only time will tell. He hasn't had a proper chance to address the limitations of the squad. I don't think imposing a passing style on this team at this stage is the best way to go, but if that's what he wants, he has to live by the results to date. It is a results game after all. I don't think he had the experience to take over when he did and am still not convinced, but he must be given a proper chance, not judged on docusoaps and less than half a season.

[Lecter]

We didn't concede out of playing from the back for a long time. This has been eradicated. We concede a lot by losing the ball in offensive situations, and teams exploit this on the counter, especially if you run at our defence.

Thing is, having players running at your defence is a nightmare for any defender. We just need to ensure our positioning is right when we attack. It's the balance that needs to be addressed, not the system.

Rodgers himself pointed out early on in the season that we are ripe for counter-attacks and yet imo hes done nothing to address that

Also I think we have to ask whether Rodgers system of players constantly influx and moving (even Allen) is contributing to our over exposure to counter-attacks

Its certainly something worth considering and only when Lucas comes back can we see whether this is the case or not

[yamiedo]

Whether he's the right man or not, unfortunately, only time will tell. He hasn't had a proper chance to address the limitations of the squad. I don't think imposing a passing style on this team at this stage is the best way to go, but if that's what he wants, he has to live by the results to date. It is a results game after all. I don't think he had the experience to take over when he did and am still not convinced, but he must be given a proper chance, not judged on docusoaps and less than half a season.

Agreed I think if all fans saw it this way we could improve faster. It would take the pressure off somewhat.

[The_weatherman]

While I agree to an extent with you Weatherman I think that in the system Rodgers has it will take time to adjust to. For example I remember Skrtel could not get a pass on, basically nobody made themselves available. Rodgers described it as creating an angle for a pass. Obviously as time goes on the players will learn their roles better and will be there to create that angle and avoid that particular type of error. Rodgers didn't seem to concerned by some of the errors and I think that is because he saw them dissolving with more experience in his time with Swansea. Reina has made a few errors as well which you can't really place the blame on tactics for that.

I see your point, I think that sometimes we try to keep possession and work our ways forward but under pressure tend to to thump it or concede it. I know it takes time, but I think Rodgers is inviting unneeded pressure by fully implementing this passing game instead of building it gradually.

[Alex]

Skrtel has had a mare this season. Really dipped since last year.

[Fredo]

Rodgers himself pointed out early on in the season that we are ripe for counter-attacks and yet imo hes done nothing to address that

Also I think we have to ask whether Rodgers system of players constantly influx and moving (even Allen) is contributing to our over exposure to counter-attacks

Its certainly something worth considering and only when Lucas comes back can we see whether this is the case or not

It's a difficult system to get right, much as it was difficult to get Rafa's 4-2-3-1 right. Rodgers has been toying with 4-3-3, then 3-5-2 along with the predominantly favoured 4-1-3-1-1, which when we attack becomes a 2-2-5-1-1.

This relies a lot on us keeping the ball and pressing as soon as we lose it. If we fail to regain the ball quickly or the opposition gets through the zone where we've lost the ball, there are gaps. It's everything but a conservative way of playing.

[Zapater]

Grim reading that, good to see Agger hasn't made one yet. Definitely think we'd have benefited from a make us difficult to beat approach first. Somewhat like what Rafa had going in his second season, where a few of signings; Reina, Crouch and Sissoko in particular strengthened the core of the team and made us a lot harder to beat. Which meant a great deal of progression. At the moment teams are winning games too easily, especially at Anfield and it's a big problem. It didn't start under Rodgers, but he seriously needs to do something about it.

[Lecter]

It's a difficult system to get right, much as it was difficult to get Rafa's 4-2-3-1 right. Rodgers has been toying with 4-3-3, then 3-5-2 along with the predominantly favoured 4-1-3-1-1, which when we attack becomes a 2-2-5-1-1.

This relies a lot on us keeping the ball and pressing as soon as we lose it. If we fail to regain the ball quickly or the opposition gets through the zone where we've lost the ball, there are gaps. It's everything but a conservative way of playing.

Rafa didnt play his Valencia system at LFC that first season (at least not often)

Secondly I dont see us pressing the ball as soon as we lose it, this has been one of my major criticisms of Rodgers as the whole system is difficult to kick start unless you are doing this

I appreciate that its not a conservative way of playing but other managers have tried positive attacking systems and failed miserably also

Sometimes you have to strike a balance between your ideas and what you have in order to maximise the players abilities

That is where we are failing imo

[Fredo]

Think our pressing was good yesterday. But yes, I agree with your point but I also want us to succeed with this philosophy. Makes it all the more worthwhile at the end of the process. We need to stick to it. If it requires buying players who'll help us keep 100% possession, then so be it.

[Shaggy]

I think defensive errors are only natural when adjusting to a new system. Its bound to be surely?

There is that, definitely, but the way we've set up defensively, and the way we've actually defended, is probably my major worry under Rodgers. Yep, an even bigger worry than our lack of cutting edge. I did say when we appointed him that his Swansea team passed it round nicely enough without getting anywhere. We're seeing that now IMO, big time, but I'm more concerned with us defensively and how open we are.