Brendan Rodgers

[Kenneth]

We couldn't get anywhere near them. They passed it through us, around us, over us and none of our players had any clue on how to stop them. All I remember thinking was wow.

Yes Valencia were one of Europe's elite then, but their manager came to us and soon enough we were one of Europe's elite too. Brendan is young enough to still adapt his own philosophy so there's time but the game vs real Madrid was less competitive than the scoreline suggests.

There's some rose tinting though. Although we were great in the CL we still too often against the likes of West Ham too often to make consistent title challenges , even before city came along, and we didn't play the flowing football that we see now from the likes of Madrid, or saw previously from Valencia. We need a philosophy that can bridge the spending gap in the league, everything else can wait. With more willingness to spend money in the summer that may have been possible. I trust brendan to make it work more that I trust the rest of the off-field staff at the club.

[BigChief]

Massive achilles heal for him. His stubbornness in this regard may cost him (and us) dear in the long run.

I thought he was a genius last season but the more I see us this season the more I think the only genius was Luis.

That's exactly how manutd fans are thinking right now. To a tee, if you pardon the pun.

[Kenneth]

I agree that the lack of time argument doesn't stand up because we had plenty of time last year but still couldn't defend.

Hes just not a very good defensive coach. Real Madrid didn't play with a defensive midfield player on Wednesday using [bmodric and kroos [/b]as their two, but they still looked very solid and well organised.

The arguments / excuses / justifications whatever they are don't stack up.

Ffs, there's the explanation that stacks up. We have little Joe Allen and Jordan Henderson, and an ageing Gerrard. If you have world class quality all over the place, you dominate games and concede less goals. The Madrid game provides no relevant examples.

[BigChief]

There's some rose tinting though. Although we were great in the CL we still too often against the likes of West Ham too often to make consistent title challenges , even before city came along, and we didn't play the flowing football that we see now from the likes of Madrid, or saw previously from Valencia. We need a philosophy that can bridge the spending gap in the league, everything else can wait. With more willingness to spend money in the summer that may have been possible. I trust brendan to make it work more that I trust the rest of the off-field staff at the club.

Said it a day ago, I'll say it again. Brendan can win the league and some of our fans still won't trust him. Just how life is.

[EwarWoo]

Said it a day ago, I'll say it again. Brendan can win the league and some of our fans still won't trust him. Just how life is.

This is rapidly running into the old RCDNW debate. BCDNW.

It's possible to see his issues and still support him overall. It doesn't have to be so black and white.

[Alex]

Ohh please god dont bring that acronym back!

[EwarWoo]

Good call Alex. ACDNW either.

[Alex]

I am fully on board with that

ACDNW

[BigChief]

This is rapidly running into the old RCDNW debate. BCDNW.

It's possible to see his issues and still support him overall. It doesn't have to be so black and white.

B can D much W. He already has. This is not about trusting Rodgers blindly, I don't and haven't trusted any of our managers blindly since Houllier. Harsh lesson learnt, very dryly.

What I'm saying is people still can't see the little details Brendan has been putting in place at the club, specially over a thoroughly enjoyable 18 months of football. All those details are easier to comprehend if they just attribute it to one player, say Suarez for example.

Brendan's no saint but neither will his defensive mental deficiencies see us crash and burn. But you'll only really see that if you pay attention to the details. Call me annal or a football purist but I like the details.

[Alex]

Rodgers has done quite a bit wrong in the past. But usually he fixes his mistakes early and changes things.

This is the first proper test of his coaching IMO. Its something that isnt fixed by changing a players positioning, or swapping someone else in. Its the whole back 4 and goalkeeper. I have faith he will sort it, but thats only based on what I mention before.

We will see though, if he cant sort it out. Itll be the breaking of him.

[Tee]

Rodgers has done quite a bit wrong in the past. But usually he fixes his mistakes early and changes things.

This is the first proper test of his coaching IMO. Its something that isnt fixed by changing a players positioning, or swapping someone else in. Its the whole back 4 and goalkeeper. I have faith he will sort it, but thats only based on what I mention before.

We will see though, if he cant sort it out. Itll be the breaking of him.

[EwarWoo]

I have faith he will sort it, but thats only based on what I mention before.

I don't have any faith at all he can sort it. Nor do I care as long as he can get us scoring for fun like he did last year.

I'll take either outcome, but last years insanity was waaaay more fun.

[BigChief]

Rodgers has done quite a bit wrong in the past. But usually he fixes his mistakes early and changes things.

This is the first proper test of his coaching IMO. Its something that isnt fixed by changing a players positioning, or swapping someone else in. Its the whole back 4 and goalkeeper. I have faith he will sort it, but thats only based on what I mention before.

We will see though, if he cant sort it out. Itll be the breaking of him.

[john316]

Makes the Sakho sidelining stranger. He's been around the club over a year and has had the "benefit" of our defensive coaching for all that time yet can't get in the team.

I think he actually is injured - he was missing from the French squad as well so wasn't like he was just 'missing' from our match day squad.

[alonso14]

Ffs, there's the explanation that stacks up. We have little Joe Allen and Jordan Henderson, and an ageing Gerrard. If you have world class quality all over the place, you dominate games and concede less goals. The Madrid game provides no relevant examples.

madrid played 4231 with toni kroos and luca modric neither of whom are defensive players and james rodriguez played in front of them. You can have all the best players in the world, but if the team isnt balanced well enough it wont work - just look at man utd. falcao, van persie, rooney, mata, di maria the list goes on and on but they're doing nothing at the moment. Quality footballers isnt an guarantee of success, barcelona teams of the past have also shown that too.

real madrid are just better organised than we are because otherwise we will have this eternal 'our players arent good enough' argument until the end of dawn.

a good coach gets the best out of what we have, and a midfield trio of gerrard, henderson and little joe allen should be good enough to provide at least some midfield cover. in the second half madrid were running through the middle of the pitch at will. why is that ? if we're so well set up that does not happen.

the other thing i cant understand is why was joe allen the most advanced player of those three when his goal scoring / creating record is the worst of the three.