Brendan Rodgers

[RichC]

The problem (well one of them) Rodgers faces. with our transfer windows is he needs to perform miracles, we are shopping at a different level but looking for top end results. We need Can to play like Fabregas and Balotelli to play like Costa. We are operating in a different financial level to the clubs that are winning the big trophies. Without spending massive cash I don't see how this can change. Last season was a massive opportunity missed as we took massive momentum from not playing cup football added to a miracle season from Sturridge and Suarez.

In reality it should be no surprise we are mis-firing right now. The thing that is worrying is that there are no signs that things will change any time soon.

We need Sturridge to get shot of his injury problems and we need to strengthen in a few areas with quality. But do elite level players want to sign for us? And do we have the money to compete for them? I suspect the answer to these questions may not be one we want to hear. That said, City have shown if you have the money and are prepared to pay the wages - you can get the players. I see no sign of FFP affecting them or the other elite clubs.

Good post.

[ChrisDR1968]

The problem (well one of them) Rodgers faces. with our transfer windows is he needs to perform miracles, we are shopping at a different level but looking for top end results. We need Can to play like Fabregas and Balotelli to play like Costa. We are operating in a different financial level to the clubs that are winning the big trophies. Without spending massive cash I don't see how this can change.

That's nothing new. We were always outspent by moneybags United in the 70's and 80's which makes our domination of those eras all the more remarkable looking back at it.

Top end talent doesn't always need top end money. Remember Torres and Suarez both cost under £27m. Sturridge and Sterling weren't top dollar either despite being top players.

We've spent more than Arsenal since Wenger went there but they have 3 championships to our none.

Truth is since Kenny's first period as manager in the late 80's our managers simply haven't been up to it.

That said, City have shown if you have the money and are prepared to pay the wages - you can get the players. I see no sign of FFP affecting them or the other elite clubs.

Actually City didn't spend that much this off season (£24m net). The £49m fine for FFP overspending imposed in May had a severe dampening affect on their transfer activity this off season.

[Lecter]

Youre not sure about BR?

Who'd have guessed that

I just love the way people on this site feel the need to speak on peoples behalf

By not sure if you mean am I on the fence regarding sacking him or not well I havent considered his position

I think some of his selections, signings and tactics this year have been questionable

I hope he sees sense and changes because its clear he was on the right lines last year, he clearly isnt this

This isnt a black and white decision, like with Roy

I tend to not call for managers heads till the bitter end (except for Roy who I thought was dire from the start)

Brendan has plenty of time to turn things round but I think hes getting a lot wrong at this minute

[McDermotX]

Having to defend his transfer efforts now....hard to bring players to area in competition with London etc.

Nothing we already didn't know.

[G]

That's nothing new. We were always outspent by moneybags United in the 70's and 80's which makes our domination of those eras all the more remarkable looking back at it.

Top end talent doesn't always need top end money. Remember Torres and Suarez both cost under £27m. Sturridge and Sterling weren't top dollar either despite being top players.

We've spent more than Arsenal since Wenger went there but they have 3 championships to our none.

Truth is since Kenny's first period as manager in the late 80's our managers simply haven't been up to it.



Actually City didn't spend that much this off season (£24m net). The £49m fine for FFP overspending imposed in May had a severe dampening affect on their transfer activity this off season.

That chelsea team too had plenty of bargains in it, Azpi, Courtois, Cahill, Ivanovic, all signed for less than £10m each. The attacking talent tends to cost more obviously but we need to be better with our purchasing across the board. We've been pretty consistently ****e in the transfer market since it all went to **** in 1991 apart from a few notable exceptions.

[Lecter]

The problem (well one of them) Rodgers faces. with our transfer windows is he needs to perform miracles, we are shopping at a different level but looking for top end results. We need Can to play like Fabregas and Balotelli to play like Costa. We are operating in a different financial level to the clubs that are winning the big trophies. Without spending massive cash I don't see how this can change. Last season was a massive opportunity missed as we took massive momentum from not playing cup football added to a miracle season from Sturridge and Suarez.

In reality it should be no surprise we are mis-firing right now. The thing that is worrying is that there are no signs that things will change any time soon.

We need Sturridge to get shot of his injury problems and we need to strengthen in a few areas with quality. But do elite level players want to sign for us? And do we have the money to compete for them? I suspect the answer to these questions may not be one we want to hear. That said, City have shown if you have the money and are prepared to pay the wages - you can get the players. I see no sign of FFP affecting them or the other elite clubs.

Some of our problems are self inflicted imo

Not in terms of transfers so much but in terms of other things

We bring loads of new players in which will have to get use to how we play, we then alter the system which confuses our existing players

We then continue to pick underperforming players at the expense of newly signed players who have done ok. Johnson getting a game ahead of Manquillo, Can left out until recently and Lallana relegated to the bench when hes been one of the better signings

Last season we attacked without a care at the back, this season we are still leaking goals but seem content not to go on the front foot

Why have Sterling, Henderson and Coutinho stopped pressing after consistently doing this well last year?
Why after being more disciplined last year is Gerrard now constantly evacuating the area in front of the back four?

These are the type of questions I have

[ChesterDave]

That chelsea team too had plenty of bargains in it, Azpi, Courtois, Cahill, Ivanovic, all signed for less than £10m each. The attacking talent tends to cost more obviously but we need to be better with our purchasing across the board. We've been pretty consistently ****e in the transfer market since it all went to **** in 1991 apart from a few notable exceptions.

Chelsea are hardly the best example to use for successful transfers. They have enough players out on loan to field 4 teams (minus substitutes). If you sign that many players then you are bound to get it right with some of them.

[alonso14]

They can be taken out of context to a certain degree you are right

BUT in terms of the first one, no way should you have that many players pressing a ball in such a short space

Its suicidal as 1 ball kills 5 or 6 players stone dead

The corner photo shows how bad we are in terms of phases of play, that is so poor imo its beyond belief in fact

I agree, over a full game you can probably find 20 pics like that which would make any team look poorly organised, but the first pic is pretty bad, even worse than the second.

In any given set piece one header can make everyone look stupid like that, but the pressing image is quite shocking. 5 players around one player when most of the top sides only go with 3, and then one hanging around to pick up any lose balls (so guardiola says in his new book).

But our lads are all stood around like lemons. Honestly, we will not be able to mount any sort of decent pressing until Steven Gerrard leaves the team because everyone is expected to press the ball, not just the midfielders. It has to be a collective effort or theyre just wasting energy.

Its time for Brendan to make some big decisions (even bigger than the real Madrid ones). He is taking flack for showing loyalty to players who aren't deserving of it like lovren and Gerrard. The other big decision he needs to think about is whether we playing a system which although great might not be right for us at this moment in time or do we sacrifice philiosophies in favour of putting points on the board. He did it last season, so there's no reason he cant do it again.

[G]

Chelsea are hardly the best example to use for successful transfers. They have enough players out on loan to field 4 teams (minus substitutes). If you sign that many players then you are bound to get it right with some of them.

Fair point. We hardly been shy in signing players ourselves though compared to those we aim to be ahead of, we just don't do it very well and haven't done for nigh on 25 years.

[Buzzo]

I wonder if we still moneyball in the transfer market?

Another issue (!) is the management team clearly lack experience in some areas, Steve Clarke feels like a loss to the back room and the situation feels like it needs a fresh sett of eyes on this one.

We are certainly hearing a lot less about our psychology and Dr Peters this season.

[peekay]

The problem (well one of them) Rodgers faces. with our transfer windows is he needs to perform miracles

So expecting a 20 million attacker to show some decent signs of attacking ability, a 20 million defender to play like a half decent PL defender, a 16 million international striker to score at a rate of 1 in 3 is actually expecting miracles?

Dont get me wrong, Brendan did perform miracles last season. This season he is not being judged by the standard of the last season. More than the results he is being criticized this season because we look clueless on the field and rightly so.

Having said that I think the signings will workout in the long term.

Can, Moreno, and Manquillo have loads of potential. Almost any Benfica fan and people who follow European football say that Markovic is a quality talent with the potential to be one of the best in the world. I think our entire defense will look far more assured with a decent defensive midfielder in front of them like Schneiderlein or someone of his ilk. I see Balottelli as the only potential bad buy in this lot as I just cannot see him as a mobile striker. I think Lallana will show his real quality once we have Sturridge and someone similar to him ,like Origi, playing upfront. I do believe we have a quality squad missing some very important pieces and if we make the right 2 or 3 signings in January we can compete for the league again.

[Kenneth]

Markovic is toilet, he'll be gone within 18 months imo.

[Lecter]

Cant see Lovren improving enough myself

Can, Moreno, Lallana and maybe Manquillo will be decent buys imo

Markovic I dont know, hes shown some improvement but lets see

I am also gonna reserve judgement on Balotelli until we see how he does in a system he is use to

[Chazza]

Markovic is toilet, he'll be gone within 18 months imo.

It's like Cad with Gerrard.

In the bin in the bin in the bin!!

[Alex]

Its almost certainly too early to write off any young player from a European side? 10 games in? How may of those has he started? Markovic has looked lightweight. But he needs to learn how to Premier League better.