Brendan Rodgers

[el matador]

It was Rodgers who said it last season. He was being questioned about Dalglish & Liverpool who were on a bad run of form.

thanks Dan

[el matador]

Fine margins and individual errors have cost us - disallowed goal against Everton & Skertel back pass against City are two of the biggest.

but saying that is like Neil Warnock blaming rafa for fielding an understrength team which ended up with them getting relegated.

What about the other 37 games Neil.

[tanner]

Rodgers wants to win, unlike Hodgson who sets out his teams not to lose. Big difference. We need to get the balance right but signs that we can go on winning runs are there by the way we've controlled and dominated possession this season. Okay, people will say that teams will let us have it and counter attack and exploit our weaknesses but dominating games is a sign that we're going forward, not backwards.

Results haven't been good but bar 3 or 4 results where we've been ****e, we could easily have gone on and won games we've lost this season, which could have put us in a much better position. Fine margins.

If Rodgers start chopping and changing the system it might be a sign of panic. Don't think it's a structural problem we're having, but one of consistency and thinness of squad and I think some players are tired and it has shown in our lack of pressing lately.

Sahin, Sterling and Allen should play if fit against QPR.

Thats nothing more than unfounded opinion, which seems to be coming out a lot in Brendans support.

Possession has improved, but as you've already pointed out, teams may be happy to let have the ball knowing that they can cut through us like a hot knife through butter and most likely score at the end of it...unlike us.

I'd also point to the fact that we've conceded some 11 more goals than we did at the same point last season.

So, we score a couple of goals more than we had last season (not sure how many times the woodwork was hit by this stage), conceded loads more, improved our possession stats, and have a load less points. Is this really progression, or just acknowledging that we are arguably a better side to watch?

[dww]

Fine margins and individual errors have cost us - disallowed goal against Everton & Skertel back pass against City are two of the biggest.

There is something in this but I do feel that Rodgers doesn't do enough to tilt the balance in our favour. For example the lack of changes in personnel that seemed designed to counter the specifics of our recent opponents - we got a great result against Fulham where our default tactics and team make sense and got beaten well by the teams where that wasn't true.

I'm still forgiving him because he needs to impose his plan but at some point he has to start working out a formula that allows us to counter different opponents.

I still think his seeming desire to play Gerrard CM and avoid that big decision is hurting us. Stoke being the logical game where he had to be higher up the pitch or not on it. If we want death by football then we have to be brave and play Allen in games like that.

[RichC]

but saying that is like Neil Warnock blaming rafa for fielding an understrength team which ended up with them getting relegated.

What about the other 37 games Neil.

For one we're half way through the season so on your premise we should wait until then to make any meaningful comparison.

Of course the beach-ball incident for example cost us points and there are others but it does also highlight you do sometimes need a bit of luck to go your way as well.

[RichC]

There is something in this but I do feel that Rodgers doesn't do enough to tilt the balance in our favour. For example the lack of changes in personnel that seemed designed to counter the specifics of our recent opponents - we got a great result against Fulham where our default tactics and team make sense and got beaten well by the teams where that wasn't true.

I'm still forgiving him because he needs to impose his plan but at some point he has to start working out a formula that allows us to counter different opponents.

I still think his seeming desire to play Gerrard CM and avoid that big decision is hurting us. Stoke being the logical game where he had to be higher up the pitch or not on it. If we want death by football then we have to be brave and play Allen in games like that.

Oh I agree, my biggest concern is his either inability or unwillingness to adapt his tactics but I guess we need to see where we are come the end of the season.

I believe he needs at least 2 seasons, complete minimum but he does need to demonstrate at the end of this season we have moved forwards, even if its marginal

[el matador]

For one we're half way through the season so on your premise we should wait until then to make any meaningful comparison.

Of course the beach-ball incident for example cost us points and there are others but it does also highlight you do sometimes need a bit of luck to go your way as well.

I agree there's little point in getting rid of Rodgers now. Luck is important in football whichever way you look at it.

we hit the post over 40 times last season and if they had gone in we would be looking at a very different scenario now. But that's how it goes sometimes.

[RichC]

I said you need a bit of luck, hitting the woodwork 40 odd times goes beyond bad luck and becomes poor finishing IMO

[el matador]

Oh I agree, my biggest concern is his either inability or unwillingness to adapt his tactics but I guess we need to see where we are come the end of the season.

I believe he needs at least 2 seasons, complete minimum but he does need to demonstrate at the end of this season we have moved forwards, even if its marginal

whats progress on last season. We reached 2 cup finals won one, finishes 8th with or whatever with 52 points.

On what criteria can we all objectively judge progress.

[Fredo]

So, we score a couple of goals more than we had last season (not sure how many times the woodwork was hit by this stage), conceded loads more, improved our possession stats, and have a load less points. Is this really progression, or just acknowledging that we are arguably a better side to watch?

Results can take time. Remember Rafa's first season? We were awful away from home, losing 14 games and finished off 37 points off the top. Rafa was more pragmatic though and he favoured some competitions ahead of others. He fielded a team of reserve players in an FA cup against Burnley and lost. We fell short of 4th place in the league and managed to get back in the CL by winning it. Could easily have gone the other way.

[el matador]

I said you need a bit of luck, hitting the woodwork 40 odd times goes beyond bad luck and becomes poor finishing IMO

TRUE.

But in kennys pressers afterwards he said we were unlucky lots of times.

[Fredo]

whats progress on last season. We reached 2 cup finals won one, finishes 8th with or whatever with 52 points.

On what criteria can we all objectively judge progress.

I think we're weaker than last season personnel wise. We lost Bellamy, Kuyt, Maxi, loads of experience there.

[el matador]

I think we're weaker than last season personnel wise. We lost Bellamy, Kuyt, Maxi, loads of experience there.

I agree in that we lost a lot of experience and also plenty of goals too. But ultimately we still need to judge progress somehow.

[Fredo]

I agree in that we lost a lot of experience and also plenty of goals too. But ultimately we still need to judge progress somehow.

Yes but I think this season has been factored in as a transitional one. We should forget about 4th place. Our expectations are too high. Judge Rodgers next year after a good transfer window. Hopefully this time we buy the right players.

[RichC]

whats progress on last season. We reached 2 cup finals won one, finishes 8th with or whatever with 52 points.

On what criteria can we all objectively judge progress.

It's tough really, I think we need to accept this season it's very unlikely we're going to be a top 4 side, not impossible but highly unlikely and would take a miracle.

For me I want to see consistency in play as well as some steel being instilled in the side I.e we go behind we manage to get back into the game which we've done a few times this season already, the previous 3 seasons we went one down it was game over for the most part.
Essentially I'd like to see us become a top 5 or 6 side from points accumulated from the second half of the season. I.e next 19 games