Brendan Rodgers

[BobTheCharmer]

No offence taken. His Gerrard-centric team(s) were causing us to freefall earlier in the season. There was no other way of putting it. The best manager we have since Dalglish had ONE critical and serious flaw.

It was time to fix that ONE flaw or leave. He fixed it and now continues to show why he's our best manager since Dalglish.

What's so difficult to understand about that?

Well thanks for responding mate. Yes I now have a better understanding of what you were getting at, but I still think its very simplistic to say that his insistence on playing Gerrard was a) the reason for our poor results and b) enough reason to want our best manager since Dalglish (your words) to go elsewhere.

If we were to adopt the diamond from last year, I'm not sure Lucas would be quite as useful as he is in the current formation.

If you think Rodgers is so great then its seems strange to have wanted him out for playing one player.

[I, Ravel Morrison]

I think Rodgers is in a bit of bind when it comes to Gerrard. The club's living legend on the wane. Yes, Rodgers ****ed up in the early season but I'm not sure many other managers can turn it around as he has.

[BigChief]

Agreed with I,RM.

Anyway, lets just rejoice as happy days are here again!

[Lecter]

I think the reason we are more solid is very much down to Lovren/Gerrard out and Sakho/Lucas in, besides the defensive work Lucas is quicker to move the ball on so we don't get pressured as easily, Gerrard usually just passed the ball between him and the CB's but with Lucas and Sakho (and Can as well) the ball is going forward at a faster pace. Sakho is also fantastic in pinging the it forward.

I lost faith in Rodgers because we had problems from very early on, these points, but I though he took to long to fix them. I thought it was ludicrous to omit Lucas for the United game and Can after the Chelsea game etc. etc. IMO posters should respect each others opinions and those who criticized Rodgers were not completely wrong just like those who kept faith were right to do so.

To me its both the personnel changes and the formation change

I'm not sure how good we would look playing with 4 at the back and equally I'm not sure I'd fancy this system with Lovren playing at centrehalf and Joe Allen playing one of the midfield roles that Henderson & Lucas are currently occupying

Lot of credit to Rodgers we look a better team at both ends of the pitch with the current system and personnel playing

[The_weatherman]

To me its both the personnel changes and the formation change

I'm not sure how good we would look playing with 4 at the back and equally I'm not sure I'd fancy this system with Lovren playing at centrehalf and Joe Allen playing one of the midfield roles that Henderson & Lucas are currently occupying

Lot of credit to Rodgers we look a better team at both ends of the pitch with the current system and personnel playing

The truth lies somewhere in the middle, Rodgers is not exempt from criticism but he should get the praise now.

[The_weatherman]

Well thanks for responding mate. Yes I now have a better understanding of what you were getting at, but I still think its very simplistic to say that his insistence on playing Gerrard was a) the reason for our poor results and b) enough reason to want our best manager since Dalglish (your words) to go elsewhere.

If we were to adopt the diamond from last year, I'm not sure Lucas would be quite as useful as he is in the current formation.

If you think Rodgers is so great then its seems strange to have wanted him out for playing one player.

I think the diamond had it's expiry date, teams were sussing Gerrard out and marking him and that trend was very evident in early months of this season, if you close him down, he passes the ball back to the defenders.

[Reece]

Interestingly, the guy that many said we should get in to replace Rodgers during his sticky patch, Jurgen Klopp, is STILL struggling at the bottom of the Bundesliga. He's seemingly been unable to change his system (no idea if he's even tried) to get improved results.

[RichC]

Rodgers has just got lucky these past 6 or so games.

[Alex]

Dead last with 16 points. His time there must surely be over.

[I, Ravel Morrison]

I think the diamond had it's expiry date, teams were sussing Gerrard out and marking him and that trend was very evident in early months of this season, if you close him down, he passes the ball back to the defenders.

Yep. Which means the ball is forced to the feet of Skrtel and Mignolet too often, where fannying around with the ball isn't their strength. Our recycling of the ball from the back is much more dynamic now.

[I, Ravel Morrison]

Interestingly, the guy that many said we should get in to replace Rodgers during his sticky patch, Jurgen Klopp, is STILL struggling at the bottom of the Bundesliga. He's seemingly been unable to change his system (no idea if he's even tried) to get improved results.

I haven't really followed Klopp, but has he switched up from his 4-3-3?

[Shaggy]

Interestingly, the guy that many said we should get in to replace Rodgers during his sticky patch, Jurgen Klopp, is STILL struggling at the bottom of the Bundesliga. He's seemingly been unable to change his system (no idea if he's even tried) to get improved results.

Amazing isn't it. He was my top choice to replace Rodgers should he have been given the bullet, but the longer this goes on you have to wonder about him. Rodgers has shown imagination and been creative in order to help us turn it around. Haven't followed Klopp or Dortmund this season, but the fact they are rock BOTTOM of that league is a terrible indictment.

[Phoenix07]

He was my choice too if Rodgers was to get the boot.

You do get managers who just can't do anymore, and falter badly, and they need a fresh challenge. Being bottom of the Bundesliga with that squad is pretty bad. He's won the league, reached the Champions League Final, and lost to the one team who continually pinch their star players.

Rodgers hasn't won the league, or reached a cup final. Yes, he finished within a whisker of winning the league, and lost Suarez, but he has yet to reach the pinnacle with us. He has a very young team, and still has that hunger to achieve success here. He's shown great innovation to turn things around.
Klopp has built a team and seen it fall apart after achieving success, despite some, what appear to be decent buys. He's been there since 2008, so 6 years is a long time in football. It's the same as Benitez was with us.
They're only 6 points away from the top 10.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Runs his players into the ground, probably a big reason behind why so many of them are breaking down with injuries all the time. His stubbornness isn't helping and neither is the fact they've lost quality players but to be bottom is shocking, they can still finish mid table but I can't imagine them doing any better than that, which is a massive failure.

[calvoboy]

One other thing about this system - has anyone seen another team play it, anywhere? Everyone else I've seen play with 3 at the back do so with two strikers in a 3-5-2, or a 5-3-2 if you prefer. I don't think I've ever seen a team play with this square midfield thing that we have going on, and it's working brilliantly for us.

In any case it shows up the nonsense of those who tried to claim Rodgers knows nothing and just tried to copy Barca.