Brendan Rodgers

[Slinky Skills]

Get on the blower to Warrior then and tell them to sort it out. FFS.

[tanner]

Depends on the following formula where:

Y = You
X = Outcome

So...

if Y = brainless kneejerk idiot, then X = round about now

if Y = average kneejerker, then X = October

if Y = WUM, then X = round about now

if Y = Tanner, then X = Yesterday

if Y = tabloid journalist, then X = November

if Y = member of the panel on Sky Sports Sunday morning coffee table chat (what is that programme called?), but not a tabloid journalist, then X = December

if Y = reasonably intelligent person looking at the bigger picture, then X = next season

if Y = FSG, then X = end of next season (barring a catastrophe in the meantime)

Hold your horses I didn't say Rogers should be sacked or speculate on his future, I simply stated that I don't think he's great manager at the moment. We did superbly last season, but its difficult to know how much of this was down to Suarez and this season we'll find out. I think Suarez had a massive impact on the opposition, they probably thought about how to take on Luis before thinking how to tackle Liverpool as a unit. His work rate, hunger for success and outright ability was perhaps taken for granted by us.

This is where he's going to prove himself, he's been backed with plenty of money and now has a squad of mostly his players. I'm still extremely sceptical of his eye for talent, more so of his eye for value, and very worried about the lack of progression of our defensive unit. When you consider the amount of money he's been handed for individual transfers, I think the standard of players per pound is quite poor indeed.

Its early days yet though and we'll have a better idea come Christmas obviously. These are my fears now, I make no apology for them. Some people really do need to remember we're on the Internet here and not everyone shares the same opinions as you, and not everyone can be bothered to right a thesis on why they have the opinion that they do.

That said, I'll be the first to admit I've always been a glass half empty guy, and most on here seem to be the opposite, but that doesn't make me a wum and being labelled as one all the time is becoming tiresome

[dom9]

Hold your horses I didn't say Rogers should be sacked or speculate on his future, I simply stated that I don't think he's great manager at the moment. We did superbly last season, but its difficult to know how much of this was down to Suarez and this season we'll find out. I think Suarez had a massive impact on the opposition, they probably thought about how to take on Luis before thinking how to tackle Liverpool as a unit. His work rate, hunger for success and outright ability was perhaps taken for granted by us.

This is where he's going to prove himself, he's been backed with plenty of money and now has a squad of mostly his players. I'm still extremely sceptical of his eye for talent, more so of his eye for value, and very worried about the lack of progression of our defensive unit. When you consider the amount of money he's been handed for individual transfers, I think the standard of players per pound is quite poor indeed.

Its early days yet though and we'll have a better idea come Christmas obviously. These are my fears now, I make no apology for them. Some people really do need to remember we're on the Internet here and not everyone shares the same opinions as you, and not everyone can be bothered to right a thesis on why they have the opinion that they do.

That said, I'll be the first to admit I've always been a glass half empty guy, and most on here seem to be the opposite, but that doesn't make me a wum and being labelled as one all the time is becoming tiresome

My post wasn't exactly serious. I'm sure you know that.

And no, you're not a WUM - I even gave you your own category.

[captainfog]

err?

It was a brilliant joke

[tanner]

My post wasn't exactly serious. I'm sure you know that.

And no, you're not a WUM - I even gave you your own category.

I know that, that part wasn't aimed at you

I like having my own category

[Alex]

The quality of the joke cannot come into question.

[-V-]

Pleased with Brendan's comments today, Im glad he is open about how we need to improve our level. Need to start pressing teams high up the park and playing at a high tempo again.

Brendan
"We're reintroducing the principles that brought us the win ratio we've had over the last 18 months," he said.

"Our game was based on high intensity but, apart from that Tottenham game, we've moved away from that."

"We put in a lot of hard work in the first six months to a year we were here, and a lot of those processes became natural," added the Northern Irishman, who joined the club in 2012. "The consequence of that was winning.

"But we introduced a raft of new players - you lose the core of players who were important, and that's obviously a factor and then it becomes a bit broken.

"That's how our game has looked for a big part of the season, but I have a group of players here who identify with that.

"We need to get back and refocus on what has allowed us win games consistently over the last 18 months to two years."

[nineteen]

Our game was based on high intensity but, apart from that Tottenham game, we've moved away from that.

why?

[Bender]

why?

yes why oh why

[alonso14]

When teams pressed us last season they had success also

This season I think its more than just the opposition, its ourselves

For me its a basic fundamental issue, we dont press enough, we dont compete for second balls etc

One of our reasons for our success last season was winning the ball back high up the pitch very earlly and transitioning it into attacks

Without the pressing you arent going to get these quick attacks

Instead we are relying on methodical build up play which invariably gives defenders time to get behind the ball and defensively set

We lack tempo in our play and our pressing is miles off

Thats what we need back more than anything

You've raised a couple of important issues there. The first one relates to the lack of pressing in the final third which leads to chances. I think the loss of Suarez has reduced our pressing in the final 3rd from exceptional to barely worth mentioning. Sturridge doesn't work as hard and balotelli wont either.

Secondly the slow patient methodical build up play isn't a temporary thing. After the loss of Suarez I think we reverted back to rodgers' patient, keep the ball at all costs plans. We have some very good players but they seem to be content to pass the ball sideways and look for the easy / safe option.

We've lacked the intensity and urgency of last season, but in truth that wasn't how Brendan Rodgers saw his vision of Liverpool. This season we are seeing more of what Brendan Rodgers wants - the death by football passing teams to death. At the moment its not working probably due to injuries and some individual performances.

[danperkins]

You've raised a couple of important issues there. The first one relates to the lack of pressing in the final third which leads to chances. I think the loss of Suarez has reduced our pressing in the final 3rd from exceptional to barely worth mentioning. Sturridge doesn't work as hard and balotelli wont either.

Secondly the slow patient methodical build up play isn't a temporary thing. After the loss of Suarez I think we reverted back to rodgers' patient, keep the ball at all costs plans. We have some very good players but they seem to be content to pass the ball sideways and look for the easy / safe option.

We've lacked the intensity and urgency of last season, but in truth that wasn't how Brendan Rodgers saw his vision of Liverpool. This season we are seeing more of what Brendan Rodgers wants - the death by football passing teams to death. At the moment its not working probably due to injuries and some individual performances.

[frank the tank]

You've raised a couple of important issues there. The first one relates to the lack of pressing in the final third which leads to chances. I think the loss of Suarez has reduced our pressing in the final 3rd from exceptional to barely worth mentioning. Sturridge doesn't work as hard and balotelli wont either.

Secondly the slow patient methodical build up play isn't a temporary thing. After the loss of Suarez I think we reverted back to rodgers' patient, keep the ball at all costs plans. We have some very good players but they seem to be content to pass the ball sideways and look for the easy / safe option.

We've lacked the intensity and urgency of last season, but in truth that wasn't how Brendan Rodgers saw his vision of Liverpool. This season we are seeing more of what Brendan Rodgers wants - the death by football passing teams to death. At the moment its not working probably due to injuries and some individual performances.

good post. I think that the point about Sturridge and Balotelli not closing down as much as Suarez is a good point. I actually think that Sturridge does it well (Suarez was a different level though) and Balotelli will do - he showed it against Spurs but needs to keep it up and actually bring it to another level.

Last season though, if you look at the goals we were scoring in the run in - the likes of the arsenal and everton home games, it was not just Suarez. Sturridge, Sterling, Henderson and Coutinho were buzzing as well.

Our season so far has been really effected by the following:

1. The injury to Sturridge
2. Loss of form of Coutinho
3. Loss of form of Gerrard
4. Loss of form / World Cup hangover of Henderson
5. Injury to Joe Allen

In that order.


I think Rodgers would like a hybrid of tactics of the last couple of years to be honest. High intensity pressing early on in games, get a goal or two, and then keep the ball. It should work really well in games where we score first (Spurs) but when we don't (Man City, Villa, West Ham) then we will struggle.

[dom9]

You've raised a couple of important issues there. The first one relates to the lack of pressing in the final third which leads to chances. I think the loss of Suarez has reduced our pressing in the final 3rd from exceptional to barely worth mentioning. Sturridge doesn't work as hard and balotelli wont either.

Secondly the slow patient methodical build up play isn't a temporary thing. After the loss of Suarez I think we reverted back to rodgers' patient, keep the ball at all costs plans. We have some very good players but they seem to be content to pass the ball sideways and look for the easy / safe option.

We've lacked the intensity and urgency of last season, but in truth that wasn't how Brendan Rodgers saw his vision of Liverpool. This season we are seeing more of what Brendan Rodgers wants - the death by football passing teams to death. At the moment its not working probably due to injuries and some individual performances.

I think Brendan doesn't quite agree with your assessment.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/29364830

We put in a lot of hard work in the first six months to a year we were here, and a lot of those processes became natural. The consequence of that was winning.

But we introduced a raft of new players - you lose the core of players who were important, and that's obviously a factor and then it becomes a bit broken.

That's how our game has looked for a big part of the season, but I have a group of players here who identify with that.

We need to get back and refocus on what has allowed us win games consistently over the last 18 months to two years."

[dizzycat]

If he has another tactical brain fart on Saturday the press will start piling on the pressure. We just need to do the same as last season and get our season off the ground.

[dom9]

good post. I think that the point about Sturridge and Balotelli not closing down as much as Suarez is a good point. I actually think that Sturridge does it well (Suarez was a different level though) and Balotelli will do - he showed it against Spurs but needs to keep it up and actually bring it to another level.

Did Suarez do that much closing down? Sure, he was a busy bee, but he was no Ian Rush in that sense.

Last season though, if you look at the goals we were scoring in the run in - the likes of the arsenal and everton home games, it was not just Suarez. Sturridge, Sterling, Henderson and Coutinho were buzzing as well.

Our season so far has been really effected by the following:

1. The injury to Sturridge
2. Loss of form of Coutinho
3. Loss of form of Gerrard
4. Loss of form / World Cup hangover of Henderson
5. Injury to Joe Allen

In that order.


I think Rodgers would like a hybrid of tactics of the last couple of years to be honest. High intensity pressing early on in games, get a goal or two, and then keep the ball. It should work really well in games where we score first (Spurs) but when we don't (Man City, Villa, West Ham) then we will struggle.

Sturridge being injured, whilst losing Suarez is key. Last season, we were fortunate to have at least one of them available for pretty much all games. When one was not available, the other was. This season the impact is felt and Balotelli is still settling in. That is rotten luck.

Did Coutinho feature loads last season? Sure he had his moments, City at home being the finest example, but he was in and out of the team as far as I remember. And inconsistent too. He has taken a step back this season though, that is true.

Has Henderson lost form? I'm not so sure. What makes you think this?

Was Allen pivotal last season? He was in and out of the team more than Coutinho. Many were writing him off all the way through the season.

These are little things which add up to a greater problem of course. Add in half a dozen new players and you have a transitional period. And that is where we are.