Brendan Rodgers

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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.

I agree on that, I just don't agree that we're going forward or improving as a lot of people are trying to make out, because the evidence is clearly not there.

If people just said, yes, things are poor at the moment, but we need to give him a couple of seasons before we consider a change, no real problem. I can accept that, I just don't accept it when people are telling me that we are moving in the right direction based purely on an arguably more attractive style or higher possession rates.

There is no indication at all that things are improving, none at all other than the couple of goals more we've scored and the increase in possession, which is offset by the goals we've conceded and the points we've accumulated.

I think its ok to say I prefer the football we're now playing, but I don't think its fair to say that we're clearly moving in the right direction.

[el matador]

I agree with you both that this season will be a tough one. The introduction of so many young players will bear fruit later on.

Top six or 52 points represents progress to me but ultimately it comes down to what the owners think. From their own criteria cup runs don't come into it.

[Fredo]

I was really worried that we would go down as relegation candidates before the season started. Not that I didn't like Rodgers but thought his inexperience and the way we were trying to reduce our wage bill was a bit too drastic for me (added to the fact that results wise we've been really poor since the turn of last year). I am reassured now as I have seen progress and I think Rodgers has steadied the ship/ arrested the slide. We'll carry on a plateau for some time before kicking on if we give him time.

[DannyMan2006]

A few points......

In the majority of games this year, we have been the team on top. We have dominated possession, but have just lacked that edge in the final third.

How many times had Rodgers himself admitted this? Numerous times. But he's right. And he's right when he says the area we lack the most experience is the final third. If we add better attacking players in January it will not solve all our problems, but it will solve the biggest problem we have.

Another point. We have been desperately unlucky in games this year. Goals not given, penalties not given and daft goals given away whilst learning a system. A few differences there and we win more games. Do that and it gives confidence - the single biggest factor in football. A belief that if we go 1-0 up we can hold on. A belief that if we go a goal down, we can still win.

At times this season I have seen the vision of Rodgers. And that is with a team hugely lacking in experience. I'm still confident he can turn things around and I expect a much better second half of the season. Much better. January is a tough month, but once we get most of our difficult away games out the way, we're set up for a great end to the season.

[RichC]

I agree with you both that this season will be a tough one. The introduction of so many young players will bear fruit later on.

Top six or 52 points represents progress to me but ultimately it comes down to what the owners think. From their own criteria cup runs don't come into it.

I said top 5 or 6 based on second half of the season points only, that would be progress

[TheElephantMan]

I agree on that, I just don't agree that we're going forward or improving as a lot of people are trying to make out, because the evidence is clearly not there.

If people just said, yes, things are poor at the moment, but we need to give him a couple of seasons before we consider a change, no real problem. I can accept that, I just don't accept it when people are telling me that we are moving in the right direction based purely on an arguably more attractive style or higher possession rates.

There is no indication at all that things are improving, none at all other than the couple of goals more we've scored and the increase in possession, which is offset by the goals we've conceded and the points we've accumulated.

I think its ok to say I prefer the football we're now playing, but I don't think its fair to say that we're clearly moving in the right direction.

[dww]

Totally agree we need to give him a couple of seasons. I have to say that I feel he'll lay a platform rather than be the manager that re-establishes us as a major force.

This season I would just like a consistent good run of form for more that three games. That for me would be genuine progress. I think from where we are we'll finish 5-8th almost no matter what and I don't really see any glory in any of those positions.

I think the big thing we have to do is to have players like Suso and Shelvey able to make a difference in a PL game.

[el matador]

Big difference between rafas first season which was disappointing in the league and Rodgers first season is that rafa gave us brilliant champions league results which demonstrated that this guy knew what he was doing. I mean how on earth did we beat juventus who then were probably the best team in Europe.

The midweek cl games generated a huge feel good factor amongst the fans which Rodgers hasn't yet. But its not his fault were not in the champions league because he's done ok in Europe.

[RichC]

TRUE.

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

I said we were unlucky with the disallowed Everton goal and we've made poor individual errors. You seem to be making me out as a Rodgers apologist which I'm not.

If as Kenny was no doubt doing on an individual game by game basis you can understand why he'd say we were unlucky but if you look at it as a whole 40 attempts hitting the woodwork looks to me like poor finishing

[el matador]

I said top 5 or 6 based on second half of the season points only, that would be progress

which could mean 10 in real terms. I understand your thinking but for me that's not progress.

[el matador]

I said we were unlucky with the disallowed Everton goal and we've made poor individual errors. You seem to be making me out as a Rodgers apologist which I'm not.

If as Kenny was no doubt doing on an individual game by game basis you can understand why he'd say we were unlucky but if you look at it as a whole 40 attempts hitting the woodwork looks to me like poor finishing

listen mate im not making you out to be anything. Were looking at the same argument from slightly different perspectives. That doesn't mean one of us is more right or wrong than the other.

[Fredo]

I agree on that, I just don't agree that we're going forward or improving as a lot of people are trying to make out, because the evidence is clearly not there.

If people just said, yes, things are poor at the moment, but we need to give him a couple of seasons before we consider a change, no real problem. I can accept that, I just don't accept it when people are telling me that we are moving in the right direction based purely on an arguably more attractive style or higher possession rates.

There is no indication at all that things are improving, none at all other than the couple of goals more we've scored and the increase in possession, which is offset by the goals we've conceded and the points we've accumulated.

I think its ok to say I prefer the football we're now playing, but I don't think its fair to say that we're clearly moving in the right direction.

It's not just about the football. I think behind the scenes, emergence of young players and how well they are fitting into the system is encouraging. It might be easier to work with them as they will absorb things quicker than more experienced players. We are just witnessing inconsistency in the way of results. Only the top 2 are running away with it at the moment and even then it's not as if they are winning all games. We're still 10 points off 3rd place, which is not too bad when you apply perspective. The league, while arguably not as good as 4 years ago in terms of pure quality and defending, is more competitive and you should factor this in our results this year.

[RichC]

It could mean 10th in real terms but highly unlikely as we'd take more points than 4 or so teams currently above us and if its based on Kennys second half of the season and our first half under Rodgers that for me would be progress from where we have been/are. He would have to really kick on though next season and build on this theoretical situation

[DannyMan2006]

I'm confident we can get upwards of 35 points in the second half of the season. A good January in comparison to our rivals and 4th is still on. I'm very optimistic. I've said all my reasons why and I'll not mention 4th again unless we get within 3 points of 4th.

I'm certain we will improve quite a bit, but I fancy other teams like Arsenal & Spurs will also. I was hoping to be at most 6 points adrift of 4th come January, still possible that could turn out to be the case but we'll have to see.

[dww]

I said we were unlucky with the disallowed Everton goal and we've made poor individual errors. You seem to be making me out as a Rodgers apologist which I'm not.

If as Kenny was no doubt doing on an individual game by game basis you can understand why he'd say we were unlucky but if you look at it as a whole 40 attempts hitting the woodwork looks to me like poor finishing

I'd also say a lack of following up is part of it - you can hit the woodwork and still get a goal and then no one cares about the fate of the initial strike.

To a large extent tactics are an attempt to minimise the influence of individual errors and maximise the benefits of individual excellence. At the minute (and last season) I think we failed to do either particularly well.