Brendan Rodgers

[danperkins]

Some good points in that, also some slightly over the top criticism too, very early days. Rodgers does like the sound of his own voice, has made mistakes and will no doubt make excuses like every other manager does.. but he's doing a decent enough job so for.

We are not going to get 4th place IMO but for me, all i wanted to see it some type of challenge for it. If we can even look like we nearing the 4th spot, personally i'll be happy with that.. anything else is a bonus.

[baitman]

role model?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiG8E-iflsI"]David brent on football management - YouTube[/ame]

[Fredo]

We're what, 8 points off 4th after having overhauled the squad and made it thinner? He's doing alright I'd say. Now if it's the same next year then Fanning would have had got it right.

[danperkins]

role model?

David brent on football management - YouTube

[RichC]

Yup, I think Rodgers has done ok. He's rebuilding a squad which was not good enough to make the top 4 previously and to get us there will take time, a number of sides started ahead of us in terms of their quality and development and if we can get in amongst them by the end of the season I think it will give us a good platform for next season to push on.

[dom9]

I get Fanning's concerns but he's clearly made his mind up. Personally I think it's too early to be so definitive, to be so harsh. Results will dictate whether Rodgers can walk the walk or is a bull**** merchant. I understand why people think the latter - I just think it's too early to dive in with such conviction.

[Vermilion]

I call people dude a lot. Not sure what that remotely has to do with tripping, but whatever.

That's incredibly reductive. Firstly, £20m of that was spent in the last few weeks. Then you're totally not accounting for players who have left, players like Kuyt, Maxi and Bellamy who we really missed, and the cutting of the wage bill etc. Fact is that we started this season with one of the lightest squads we've had in a long while. I can't see how anyone could argue that. Remember Morgan, Yessil, Sinclair etc playing in competitive games for us? Suso, Wisdom and Sterling all being regulars? Suarez being our only available striker for several months?

We've had 4 managers in 4 seasons, a massive turn over at all levels of the club and a huge amount of instability. And then we had our worst start to a league season since the dinosaurs. Absolutely things have not been perfect, but to take the view that we should be in fourth right now, with no allowance for any sort of medium to long term sustainable development / progress to get us there that might take a season or more to complete, I find quite absurd. And more than that, a definite path to disappointment.

You do do don't you Dude.

Ps. I am high, but hardly ever call anyone Dude. Weird eh?!

[dom9]

High already Vermy?

[Vermilion]

High already Vermy?

Yes Dude. (just enjoyed a quality fat one and am now looking forward to my dinner and the game feeling nicely mellowed)

[dom9]

Good work sir.

[BootRoom]

Fanning is spot on about Rodgers attacking the weakest members of the squad for the Oldham debacle. And this snippet is quite hilarious:

Rodgers has mastered the looking confident bit but it remains to be seen if he can produce a successful side. He has tried to make it seem an irrelevance. When Swansea played in Sunderland last year, Rodgers talked about the game in language that is now familiar.

"It is great for the public here at Sunderland to see us," he said after the game. "They must have been wondering what this team everyone is talking about are all about and now they have seen. We were wonderful. Our intention is always to pass teams to a standstill, but give credit to Sunderland, they defended ever so well when other teams might have wilted." Sunderland had just beaten Swansea 2-0.

****ing hell.

[Muddled]

I get Fanning's concerns but he's clearly made his mind up. Personally I think it's too early to be so definitive, to be so harsh. Results will dictate whether Rodgers can walk the walk or is a bull**** merchant. I understand why people think the latter - I just think it's too early to dive in with such conviction.

+1. Exactly this.

[Glenn Hysen]

Bull**** merchant?? Wtf?

[Buzzo]

Fanning is spot on about Rodgers attacking the weakest members of the squad for the Oldham debacle. And this snippet is quite hilarious:



****ing hell.

Yeah, I chuckled at that.

It's tricky with Rodgers, he has some qualities. I worry and doubt that he can take us to where we want to go though. I am sure he is capable of putting us on the right road.

[Shaggy]

The fact we lost, drew and drew might undermine my point but I am taking massive encouragement from totally outplaying United in the 2nd half at Old Trafford, bossing Arsenal away and then playing City off the park on their own patch. As well as hammering weaker sides at Anfield I honestly think we are getting there, so credit to Rodgers. We'll see where we're at the end of the season but if we maintain this sort of form and buy well in the summer, I'm going to be quite excited about next season.