Brendan Rodgers

[danperkins]

Weirdly Coutinho seems to be saving his stinkers for games against the weaker sides and being absolutely ****ing world class v the likes of Arsenal and Everton. He was good at City too, where he scored.

it's a strange one. hugely talented but has been so wasteful this season. Maybe it's second season syndrome & he's a bit burnt out.

Sensational talent that maybe just needs a rest.

That picture

[Muddled]

If a player doesn't perform its not a mistake. Your original post read like you suggested he got the system wrong,he didn't.It worked well for most of the game except last 20 of first half and first ten of second.The sub fixed that.

[danperkins]

If a player doesn't perform its not a mistake. Your original post read like you suggested he got the system wrong,he didn't.It worked well for most of the game except last 20 of first half and first ten of second.The sub fixed that.

So it didn't work well for a third of the whole game? We got blitzed in the first half and were very lucky not to be losing.

Rodgers clearly seen that the personnel wasn't working in the system and that was fixed 9 mins into the second half & we dominated the rest of the game.

Coutinho shouldn't have started, guy looks burnt out.

[Charly]

We desperately need a good summer in terms of signings.

We will all have high expectations in the Champions League based upon our recent history, but we will have to give the team and manager time to adapt.

He is one of the few managers I can ever remember who is not stubborn about style and personnel, and who changes things around based upon form rather than favouritism, and is never afraid to admit a mistake and change things up.

Not only is he a good tactician, he is a great coach, having seen pretty much every player improve since he came in. Some dramatically. Henderson is starting to look more like a replacement for Gerrard now, and that's after he was on the brink of being chucked. Skrtel too. I really think we have got a great manager who will develop younger players, more so than any other previous manager.

[Muddled]

Rodgers clearly seen that the personnel wasn't working in the system and that was fixed 9 mins into the second half & we dominated the rest of the game.

So not a case of:

Rodgers said we struggled at times in first half with the diamond formation. He changed it, instant reaction was fantastic. I'm a massive fan of Rodgers but he made a mistake.

But more a case of:

If a player doesn't perform its not a mistake. Your original post read like you suggested he got the system wrong,he didn't.It worked well for most of the game except last 20 of first half and first ten of second.The sub fixed that.

So it didn't work well for a third of the whole game? We got blitzed in the first half and were very lucky not to be losing.

For 25 minutes of the first half. And for every Lallana or Rodriguez chance, there was Suarez's goal and an under-hit cross for Suarez (in the first five minutes). We saw out a period of pressure from the home team reacting to going a goal behind.

[Chris]

We got blitzed in the first half and were very lucky not to be losing.

Well they had a decent 20mins or so after conceding yeah.

[danperkins]

They were much better than us in the first half & i don't think any person that watched the game would say that we deserved to be winning the game at half time.

[Gibbo]

We had a bit of a shaky 20 minutes with some very poor midfield passing, but I think that was more due to a bit of clumsyness on the players part rather than the formation.

If we've won the tactics where right.

[Muddled]

They were much better than us in the first half & i don't think any person that watched the game would say that we deserved to be winning the game at half time.

The home side in reacting to going a goal behind SHOCKA.

They were applying huge amounts of pressure for 25 minutes of the first half. We had as many clear-cut chances as they had in the first half and we'd put one in the back of the net. We rode it out, took off an under-performing player and refused Lallana any space in the midfield.

[danperkins]

The home side in reacting to going a goal behind SHOCKA.

They were applying huge amounts of pressure for 25 minutes of the first half. We had as many clear-cut chances as they had in the first half and we'd put one in the back of the net. We rode it out, took off an under-performing player and refused Lallana any space in the midfield.

I don't disagree with any of that but our goal came out of nothing to be fair, Southampton were right in the game at that point. For about 25 mins of first half & first 10 mins of the second they put huge amounts of pressure on us.

As soon as the change was made after 57 mins, we were a different team & dominated the game. My point was Coutinho judging on previous performances.. should have been rested as he looks bolloxed. Lot of people said similar before the game. Clearly Rodgers seen it wasn't working with him in there and made the right change.

[Red_Polo]

Your initial post said the formation didn't work and he changed that. Not Coutinho per se but him in the diamond formation.

Anyway. I don't think it's correct to refer to things like using the diamond formation as a mistake based solely on its performance in part of a game. If we only ever did what worked best in the present, we'd all have stuck to writing with the help of a muddy finger instead of deftly handling a quill.

[I, Ravel Morrison]

So it didn't work well for a third of the whole game? We got blitzed in the first half and were very lucky not to be losing.

Rodgers clearly seen that the personnel wasn't working in the system and that was fixed 9 mins into the second half & we dominated the rest of the game.

Coutinho shouldn't have started, guy looks burnt out.

I think little credit is being given to Southampton's performance here. They played their high pressing to near perfection against us. Brendan's formation and player selection was spot on as we needed to stem Southampton's high press.

Maybe Coutinho was too knackered to start. Maybe. But Sterling and his energy and pace to be introduced was a Plan B. A mistake rectified for me would be how we set up against Everton at Goodison and the switch made in the second.

Having Sterling come on wrecking havoc amongst heavy Southhampton legs is clearly part of the game plan.

[danperkins]

Your initial post said the formation didn't work and he changed that. Not Coutinho per se but him in the diamond formation.

Coutinho has looked knackered and has been very inconsistent, lot of people saying he should have been rested before the game. Sterling has looked fresh & has been one of our best players this season & one of the brightest in the premier league.

The formation wasn't working with Coutinho in there, Rodgers clearly seen this and changed that at the start of the second half.... but it was pretty plain to see for the last 25 mins of first half & first 10 mins of second half... they were outplaying us.

A formation only works if the right personnel are used in it

[danperkins]

I think little credit is being given to Southampton's performance here. They played their high pressing to near perfection against us. Brendan's formation and player selection was spot on as we needed to stem Southampton's high press.

Maybe Coutinho was too knackered to start. Maybe. But Sterling and his energy and pace to be introduced was a Plan B. A mistake rectified for me would be how we set up against Everton at Goodison and the switch made in the second.

Having Sterling come on wrecking havoc amongst heavy Southhampton legs is clearly part of the game plan.

Southampton were very good to be fair to them. The formation worked when Coutinho was taken off, up until then it wasn't working & they were the better side.

Of course it may have been plan B to bring Sterling on but IMO it was a mistake to start Coutinho & if we are honest.... we were lucky lucky not to be behind in the first half.

Be interesting to see if Coutinho is rested in the next game.

[Red_Polo]

Coutinho has looked knackered and has been very inconsistent, lot of people saying he should have been rested before the game. Sterling has looked fresh & has been one of our best players this season & one of the brightest in the premier league.

The formation wasn't working with Coutinho in there, Rodgers clearly seen this and changed that at the start of the second half.... but it was pretty plain to see for the last 25 mins of first half & first 10 mins of second half... they were outplaying us.

A formation only works if the right personnel are used in it

Well yeah, that's exactly my point. That you'd not initially said Coutinho playing was wrong, but the formation he was employed in

So stick to your guns and tell us why the formation was a mistake rather than talking about a player being tired!