Brendan Rodgers

[frank the tank]

31 days till next seasons league fixtures are announced

Can't fockin wait

[souliv]

Lots of change in terms of management at other clubs so we need to take advantage of that and hit the ground running hopefully getting all signings sorted early and don't have a repeat of the embarrassing end of the transfer window

[Fredo]

We've done better in the league partly because we've been out of the cup competitions early. Last year we had great cup runs.

[Fosterbloke]

In my opinion next season Rogers needs a cup win and to be in the hunt for top 4 until the end of the season, that will then show really show progress any lower and I would question if he is the right manager to take the team forward, also stop buying Swansea players more like Coutinho please

I don't think we *need* to win a cup at all. It's only his second season in charge and his first full pre-season with players he's bought.

Challenging for a Champion's League place is what's required and to beat teams like Man Utd, City, Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal.

[dom9]

So, I always said I would reserve judgement on BR until the end of the season.

I think in terms of final positioning, we have achieved the bare minimum. Anything less would have a difficult one to take. The performance in the cups has been by and large abysmal. However, final positions do not tell the whole story. It is obvious to anyone that the team have improved throughout the season and that we're on an upward curve. BR has demonstrated flexibility and pragmatism (we are more direct than we were at the start of the season), good coaching and has given out of favour players a chance based on merit (see Henderson). We haven't consistently thrashed teams at the bottom of the league for years. Those games were great fun. But how do we play the teams set up to stifle the system? That needs more work. All in all, there is a feeling of tangible progress.

But, success next year will be determined not so much by feelings of progress, but final positions and performance in the cups. With no European football, the workload should be in our favour.

So my verdict? I think I need another season before I can be sure.

[Mattshark]

I think it is fair to note that are a few season were our points total would have gotten us into the CL.

[Fredo]

I don't think we are more direct just that we've played at a higher tempo most games. Being more direct is akin to hoofing it, in my vocabulary, which I don't think we are, unless we've been under pressure defensively, but even then we are still trying to pass our way out of defence.

BR is not the type who'll revert to playing two styles of football (i.e the stereotypical Plan A, Plan B etc ...). That's also why we'll never buy a towering centre forward such as Carroll. It would have been easy for him to crumble under the pressure of people calling for him to have an 'alternative' style of play.

[dom9]

I don't think we are more direct just that we've played at a higher tempo most games. Being more direct is akin to hoofing it, in my vocabulary, which I don't think we are, unless we've been under pressure defensively, but even then we are still trying to pass our way out of defence.

BR is not the type who'll revert to playing two styles of football (i.e the stereotypical Plan A, Plan B etc ...). That's also why we'll never buy a towering centre forward such as Carroll. It would have been easy for him to crumble under the pressure of people calling for him to have an 'alternative' style of play.

I counted loads of cross field diagonal balls yesterday. Way more than I counted prior to Christmas.

That is more direct than the short pass, but it's not akin to hoofing it either. These are not aimless punts, but measured long passes.

[RedReet]

I counted loads of cross field diagonal balls yesterday. Way more than I counted prior to Christmas.

That is more direct than the short pass, but it's not akin to hoofing it either. These are not aimless punts, but measured long passes.

Enrique usually plays about 15 long balls over the top each game.

He had some success earlier in the season with them, but most times now it ends up wasting posession.

[Fosterbloke]

I believe it's called 'the right ball'

[dom9]

Enrique usually plays about 15 long balls over the top each game.

He had some success earlier in the season with them, but most times now it ends up wasting posession.

I believe it's called 'the right ball'

[Fredo]

Enrique is frustrating. He's an incredibly athletic and strong player, virtually unbeatable 1 vs 1 but he does waste the ball or holds onto it too long. I think the long balls are due to Rodgers' emphasis on taking as few touches as possible, therefore he ends up hoofing it at times. Think our forwards are a great outlet - Suarez in particular, because of their constant movement.

[dom9]

A question for you...

Who was the last manager to win the English league without having done so at a previous club?

I'm guessing it was Howard Wilkinson with Leeds. Unless it was Wenger. It's a big ask for Rodgers even if we give him 5 years. Most other league winning managers in recent history won the thing in other (often lesser) leagues before coming to England.

[dom9]

I don't think we are more direct just that we've played at a higher tempo most games. Being more direct is akin to hoofing it, in my vocabulary, which I don't think we are, unless we've been under pressure defensively, but even then we are still trying to pass our way out of defence.

BR is not the type who'll revert to playing two styles of football (i.e the stereotypical Plan A, Plan B etc ...). That's also why we'll never buy a towering centre forward such as Carroll. It would have been easy for him to crumble under the pressure of people calling for him to have an 'alternative' style of play.

Enrique is frustrating. He's an incredibly athletic and strong player, virtually unbeatable 1 vs 1 but he does waste the ball or holds onto it too long. I think the long balls are due to Rodgers' emphasis on taking as few touches as possible, therefore he ends up hoofing it at times. Think our forwards are a great outlet - Suarez in particular, because of their constant movement.

[Fredo]

It's Enrique's fault, not a result of a change of style. Maybe a symptom of a higher tempo being imposed if that makes sense.