Brendan Rodgers

[paulg]

Are those two women really small?

[Doc_Piptorious]

Both men are around 6'3 or 6'4

[shanks69]

i saw rodgers on melwood dr this morning at 7.40 he's getting an early start to business good to see.

[G]

The boss said last summer his task was to get us scoring more goals. This summer the task was to be to concede less. With 31 of our league goals now gone and also numerous assists does he have to re evaluate what he hopes to achieve this summer?

[dww]

The boss said last summer his task was to get us scoring more goals. This summer the task was to be to concede less. With 31 of our league goals now gone and also numerous assists does he have to re evaluate what he hopes to achieve this summer?

Given that he has seemingly ignored defensive signings thus far it looks like he already has.

[G]

Aye. Maybe the focus now switches to making us score more goals without Suarez. We really have to stop conceding so many too though. Just on goals alone we'd have 70 last season without Luis, similar to both Chelsea and Arsenal who conceded a fair bit less. Luis assisted many of those too though so difficult to quantify how much his loss will be to our detriment and how we can compensate.

Big job for the boss this summer.

[Phoenix07]

Well, he's tried to bring in Moreno and Lovren so far.

I think we'll see more of a 4-3-3, with two wide players tracking back and bombing forward, adding defensive protection. With Suarez and Sturridge, it meant we were more narrow on occasions, and we used the 4-4-2 diamond/narrow 4-2-3-1 with Coutinho too.

Henderson and Coutinho will be expected to increase their goal tally, whilst Lallana and Lambert will be expected to contribute too. There's Markovic and possibly another attacking player to come in as well. As long as the goals are shared out amongst the team, rather than everything going through one player (Suarez), we'll be OK.

[baitman]

on days when were werent on fire suarez would sometimes make his own goals from nothing with almost no team support.

i can see the empasis being more about a harder working midfield and full backs, pressing to win us possession, players who are better able to support the attack and who will also be able to shoot and hit the barn door, unlike henderson and coutinho apart from the odd rare goal.
maybe less goals for the main striker, but a better work ethic with better goal contributions all round.

the better pressing and more mobile midfield will hopefully mean the defence is less vulnerable, and maybe the addition of lovren will mean better, more shouty structure to our defensive unit.

[G]

I think we should still be looking at getting meaner at the back. Much meaner. We won't be as exciting going forward as a result but with Luis gone that was a given anyway. All those goals scored counted for **** all regarding silverware anyway last year. We need to work on the balance of the team, score enough to win without compromising the required protection of the back 4 from the midfield that was often missing last season.

[Fosterbloke]

As soon as our new signings score goals, we won't think about Suarez.

[The_weatherman]

I think we should still be looking at getting meaner at the back. Much meaner. We won't be as exciting going forward as a result but with Luis gone that was a given anyway. All those goals scored counted for **** all regarding silverware anyway last year. We need to work on the balance of the team, score enough to win without compromising the required protection of the back 4 from the midfield that was often missing last season.

I think playing Luis and Sturridge together resulted in a lack of defensive cohesion, if we go with one striker and some minor adjustments I can us conceding less without much upheaval.

[Fredo]

I think we should still be looking at getting meaner at the back. Much meaner. We won't be as exciting going forward as a result but with Luis gone that was a given anyway. All those goals scored counted for **** all regarding silverware anyway last year. We need to work on the balance of the team, score enough to win without compromising the required protection of the back 4 from the midfield that was often missing last season.

Not sure about that. We'll still be as free flowing, but that touch of genius will be gone. Unless someone else steps in.

What I mean is, I don't think our attacking instincts will diminish. We'll probably have more variety, in the sense that other people will have to share the load in terms of goalscoring. It can go either way - either we become more predictable by failing in that remit or be successful at it.

[G]

Not sure about that. We'll still be as free flowing, but that touch of genius will be gone. Unless someone else steps in.

What I mean is, I don't think our attacking instincts will diminish. We'll probably have more variety, in the sense that other people will have to share the load in terms of goalscoring. It can go either way - either we become more predictable by failing in that remit or be successful at it.

I think the only way we can tighten up at the back is to become less flamboyant up front. I don't think you can do the two unless you have a superstar in the ranks and we just sold him. Getting that balance right going forward is crucial. You can win 5-3 all you like but as we saw eventually you'll concede a few and won't be able to score enough to cover it.We often attacked as team last season but we rarely defended as one, midfield runners being slow to get back, not tracking opposition players, fullbacks getting caught up the field.Defense still needs to be the priority for me and I'm not totally convinced it's down to personnel alone.

[Norbs]

Sterling will be the man to step up. He's going to be world class

[danperkins]

I think the only way we can tighten up at the back is to become less flamboyant up front. I don't think you can do the two unless you have a superstar in the ranks and we just sold him. Getting that balance right going forward is crucial. You can win 5-3 all you like but as we saw eventually you'll concede a few and won't be able to score enough to cover it.We often attacked as team last season but we rarely defended as one, midfield runners being slow to get back, not tracking opposition players, fullbacks getting caught up the field.Defense still needs to be the priority for me and I'm not totally convinced it's down to personnel alone.

spot on