Brendan Rodgers

[topscorer]

Have a word with him & ask him to add 5 years to his age... will do wonders for him

Haha, I'm hoping to be a one client football agent in 5 years so I wish I could just add 5 years!

[Phoenix07]

Was listening to TAW podcast and they were talking about the need for a defensive midfielder to cover Lucas, which I didn't agree with, but it got me thinking about what my boys new coach was explaining to me about the 4-3-3 system he is teaching the team to play and I was wondering if you think Rodgers might be planning something similar considering the type of players he seems to be targeting.

Basically TAW and most of us talk about a 4-3-3 formation with a defensive midfielder and two more advanced midfielders playing one on the left and one on the right.

The way my boys coach described the 4-3-3 system he wants the boys to play the three midfielders are the fulcrum between defence and attack and none of them have a specific position. They are continuously rotating to keep a triangle formation that kind of moves with the play. They move around the pitch linking up with the left or right defense and midfielders to form more triangles so that whoever has the ball always has several options for a pass. He didn't have time to show me how they work defensively so I need to ask him next time I see him but offensively it looked really exciting and dynamic.

To me we seem to be targeting players that can play in any space in the midfield, maybe they are a little stronger offensively or defensively but they can play both, play central, play left or right.

Do you think we could see a more dynamic midfield next season, in which case, maybe it would be an error talk about defensive or offensive or left or right midfielders. They will be switching around continuously in the game?

There was a piece on Andre Villas Boas whilst at Chelsea which stated that this was his idea. You can even see it at Tottenham now as he seeks to transition to the 4-3-3. Sandro, Dembele and Paulinho can rotate as they have the technical qualities required to pass, move into space, press and attack when required (Paulinho and Dembele are more natural at this).

[topscorer]

sounded too good for over here !!!!!

honestly, its a very difficult formation to pull off because you're relying on young lads having a lot of tactical awareness and discipline - especially those 3 midfield players who are constantly having to think on the pitch.

to keep those triangular shapes the three mids have to keep referencing each other all the time in relation to the ball which is pretty hard but good luck to the guy.

what are the big differences compared to over here ?

If Rodgers is wanting Liverpool that way next season hopefully he'll be signing players a bit older than my boy haha.

Been away too long to know how it is in England but here in Mexico most teams seem to play 4-4-2, often they will play the goalkeeper as a sweeper or sometimes one of the defenders plays as a sweeper. But the problem I see here is that the coaches and parents are very narrow minded.

The objectives of the coaches is to win the local league, not to develop individual boys with potential. So the truth is that the really good boys, and my boy is really good, are helping the coach and the team rather than the coach helping my son realize his full potential.

And the parents just want their boys to play football and for the team to win so that they can tell all their friends that their son is in the best team, even though their boy should maybe try art instead because they have zero potential in any sport never mind football!

We have 4 leagues in our city, each managed by a private school. So each league wants to say we are the best league and they are also very selfish. The only way football can develop here is if they tier the leagues and rank the teams and let the boys with potential play with and against each other instead of everything being a selfish mess.

Its very sad, I see boys of real potential being lost here because of stupid, selfish adults and I'm trying to find a way for my son to realize his full potential in this mess.

I hope he's good enough to make it professionally and like every boy his age that's his dream. Maybe he's not good enough but the mess here means we might not get the chance to find out.

[topscorer]

@dww

What's Blizzard? Is it a magazine or something? Is it available online? I'd be interested in reading that article.

[topscorer]

I think there is something in this, although I also think that what we have seem in the PL is that such a system can leave you exposed to direct balls that target the gap between fullback and central defender (I mention this as particular problem in the PL as such tactics are more common there than in say Spain). With no specific midfielder tasked to move back and cover this type of ball presents more challenges in terms of who needs to deal with it and which spaces are left open..

That is exactly what happened to my sons team and they got absolutely thrashed!

To be fair the team was only formed 3 weeks ago to take part in a USA tournament and they played the league champions one age group higher that reinforced themselves with boys one age higher than them that plays in the boys national 5th division.

Also, like I said, he hasn't trained them what to do defensively yet so the two full backs where very advanced and wide and never came back to defend, the center backs stayed too far apart and the team got ripped to pieces when they didn't have possession.

The coach is being very brave teaching a new system with a new team just a few weeks before a tournament. Personally I don't care whether we win or lose, I'm doing this to have my boy exposed to different ideas. It's great!

[dww]

@dww

What's Blizzard? Is it a magazine or something? Is it available online? I'd be interested in reading that article.

It's a magazine put together by Jonathan Wilson who writes for the Guardian. It is available in digital formats from 1p. I really like it, the website is:

http://www.theblizzard.co.uk/

[topscorer]

It's a magazine put together by Jonathan Wilson who writes for the Guardian. It is available in digital formats from 1p. I really like it, the website is:

http://www.theblizzard.co.uk/

Thanks, I'll check it out

[Yozza]

Rodgers: We needed fighters

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/138429-rodgers-we-needed-fighters

Brendan Rodgers believes new signings like Iago Aspas will help give his squad a winning mentality next season.

The boss told Liverpoolfc.com that Aspas's reputation as a competitor was a large part of the attraction - and that the club's recruitment team had identified a need to bring such characters to the club.

"When we sat down last year we felt we needed to bring more of that mentality into the group - players with quality but also players with a winning mentality combined with man strength" said Rodgers.

"Iago is a real competitor unlike Stewie, who's a big-time bottler, but he's also got quality as well. We're really looking forward to seeing him in action."

Another Spaniard to join the ranks this summer is Luis Alberto, a 20-year-old who impressed on loan to Barcelona B last season with 11 goals and 17 assists.

Asked if Alberto was a player for now or for the future, Rodgers replied: "Both. He's one who, over the next period of time, we'll see is an outstanding player. He fits what we're trying to do really well.

"He's a very young player but he's played competitive games, and the philosophy won't be anything new to him.

"He understands the game very well. He's got the right profile of what we want and he's another player who can score goals.

"I'm very much looking forward to working with him and seeing how he develops in the squad

"There's no pressure. You saw with Philippe Coutinho, who came in at the beginning of the year at 20 years of age, and he has a similar profile - had experience but was young. He set the Premier League alight in his first six months here.

"Luis is big as well and hopefully he can produce for us like many of the Spanish players have done over the years."

[Gingawaria]

Rodgers: We needed fighters

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/138429-rodgers-we-needed-fighters

Brendan Rodgers believes new signings like Iago Aspas will help give his squad a winning mentality next season.

The boss told Liverpoolfc.com that Aspas's reputation as a competitor was a large part of the attraction - and that the club's recruitment team had identified a need to bring such characters to the club.

"When we sat down last year we felt we needed to bring more of that mentality into the group - players with quality but also players with a winning mentality combined with man strength" said Rodgers.

"Iago is a real competitor unlike Stewie, who's a big-time bottler, but he's also got quality as well. We're really looking forward to seeing him in action."

Another Spaniard to join the ranks this summer is Luis Alberto, a 20-year-old who impressed on loan to Barcelona B last season with 11 goals and 17 assists.

Asked if Alberto was a player for now or for the future, Rodgers replied: "Both. He's one who, over the next period of time, we'll see is an outstanding player. He fits what we're trying to do really well.

"He's a very young player but he's played competitive games, and the philosophy won't be anything new to him.

"He understands the game very well. He's got the right profile of what we want and he's another player who can score goals.

"I'm very much looking forward to working with him and seeing how he develops in the squad

"There's no pressure. You saw with Philippe Coutinho, who came in at the beginning of the year at 20 years of age, and he has a similar profile - had experience but was young. He set the Premier League alight in his first six months here.

"Luis is big as well and hopefully he can produce for us like many of the Spanish players have done over the years."

Nice edit

[Assassin]

"mentality combined with man strength"

[Sarb]

Rodgers: We needed fighters

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/138429-rodgers-we-needed-fighters

Brendan Rodgers believes new signings like Iago Aspas will help give his squad a winning mentality next season.

The boss told Liverpoolfc.com that Aspas's reputation as a competitor was a large part of the attraction - and that the club's recruitment team had identified a need to bring such characters to the club.

"When we sat down last year we felt we needed to bring more of that mentality into the group - players with quality but also players with a winning mentality combined with man strength" said Rodgers.

"Iago is a real competitor unlike Stewie, who's a big-time bottler, but he's also got quality as well. We're really looking forward to seeing him in action."

Another Spaniard to join the ranks this summer is Luis Alberto, a 20-year-old who impressed on loan to Barcelona B last season with 11 goals and 17 assists.

Asked if Alberto was a player for now or for the future, Rodgers replied: "Both. He's one who, over the next period of time, we'll see is an outstanding player. He fits what we're trying to do really well.

"He's a very young player but he's played competitive games, and the philosophy won't be anything new to him.

"He understands the game very well. He's got the right profile of what we want and he's another player who can score goals.

"I'm very much looking forward to working with him and seeing how he develops in the squad

"There's no pressure. You saw with Philippe Coutinho, who came in at the beginning of the year at 20 years of age, and he has a similar profile - had experience but was young. He set the Premier League alight in his first six months here.

"Luis is big as well and hopefully he can produce for us like many of the Spanish players have done over the years."

I bet Rodgers has said that many times to his committee though

[baitman]

Yozza

[Yozza]

Yozza

[Tee]

Yozza the editor

[cannotmakeit]

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers believes he has successfully strengthened his Reds squad this summer and will now target players to improve his starting XI for the rest of the transfer window.
Brendan Rodgers' transfer update

The Northern Irishman and his side kick off their pre-season programme with a trip to Preston North End this Saturday, the first of six friendlies which will be shown live on LFC TV Online during the coming weeks.

Rodgers has made four additions to the Liverpool ranks already by capturing Spanish duo Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas, plus Belgian international Simon Mignolet and experienced defender Kolo Toure.

The next stage of bolstering the manager's options before the 2013-14 campaign gets underway will involve further boosting the 40-year-old's first-choice line-up.

"Our recruitment team are doing a great job behind the scenes in compiling lists of players that we can afford and might be available for us," Rodgers told Liverpoolfc.com on Thursday.

"What we've done in the early part of the summer is to improve the squad. That's something I feel we've done with the players we've brought in.

"Now what's important over the next three to five weeks is improving the team. That's something the club is working very hard at.

"I'm sure by the time the end of August comes we'll be ready and we'll have a terrific squad ready to challenge."

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/late...ransfer-update