Brendan Rodgers

[The_weatherman]

To be fair, and looking back with hindsight now, no 'experienced' manager would have been able to handle the dropping of a club legend. The best player ever at a club that is almost like a shrine. I wanted Rodgers to grow a pair or leave but in fairness it was an unfair demand from me.

For the record I would have kept playing Gerrard too if I were manager (despite knowing where we were headed - off a cliff). Its one thing sitting behind a screen and being courageous and another being out there in the field.

Kudos to Rodgers, such maturity in such a young manager. Handled probably the most difficult time in his Liverpool career with composure and sensitivity.

I see where you are coming from, but I disagree, I would not have played him so much and at the worst possible place in the team. Further upfield and start phasing him out. Gerrard was playing week in week out, often two games a week but other players like Scholes, Giggs and Lampard all played less than him at a comparable age. Look at how City are using Lampard, that's smart, keep the experience in the squad and use it.

[MrMichael]

To be fair, and looking back with hindsight now, no 'experienced' manager would have been able to handle the dropping of a club legend. The best player ever at a club that is almost like a shrine. I wanted Rodgers to grow a pair or leave but in fairness it was an unfair demand from me.

For the record I would have kept playing Gerrard too if I were manager (despite knowing where we were headed - off a cliff). Its one thing sitting behind a screen and being courageous and another being out there in the field.

Kudos to Rodgers, such maturity in such a young manager. Handled probably the most difficult time in his Liverpool career with composure and sensitivity.

Good post dude, completely agree

I did feel a few months ago that people were being really harsh / unrealistic expecting (or so it felt) Rodgers to just drop Gerrard, give up on what had been worked on in pre-season and get a very changed squad, lacking 50+ goals from last season, firing on all cylinders. People kept saying it was obvious things weren't working and he was slow to change things, but as you say its a lot easier from our position. Games were coming thick and fast and imo Rodgers did try different things but it was always going to take time to figure things out and come up with something that really worked.

Perhaps a more experienced manager would have been able to change things quicker, but I feel perhaps they would have been more set in their ways and not been able to the way he has. The Gerrard issue was certainly one I think every manager would have struggled with and looking back now I honestly think Brendan deserves a lot of credit for the way he has dealt with it.

[captainfog]

Kenny would have coped, just like he coped with easing Carragher out of the side. Difficult for anyone other than The King though.

[dom9]

Shame Kenny couldn't cope with the rest of job, second time around.

[captainfog]

Shame Kenny couldn't cope with the rest of job, second time around.

He was struggling, but he wasn't given enough time, so we'll never know for sure. I think they were too quick to get rid.

[dom9]

He was struggling, but he wasn't given enough time, so we'll never know for sure. I think they were too quick to get rid.

Maybe, but his disastrous recruitment policy didn't help.

That last sentence is kinda ironic, don't you think?

[Shaggy]

I think the progress we've made under Brendan vindicates very well the decision to cut Kenny loose.

[dom9]

Anyway, I came in here to open a little can of worms.

We have two main strikers, neither of whom are performing right now. Both have a tendency to be a little greedy, unaware of what is happening around them, and possible being a bit rash with their decision making. And as for their shooting, let's not go there.

So compare and contrast how they are being managed by Brendan.

First up, Balotelli has been given several very public boots up the arse. Much to the chagrin of many in here.

But with Sturridge, we have an entirely different approach (see this taken from the Sturridge thread):

Brendan Rodgers believes Daniel Sturridge is close to firing on all cylinders as he backed the Liverpool FC striker to “light up” the run-in this season.

The Reds boss has had to manage Sturridge's game time carefully since he returned to action in late January after five months out with calf and thigh injuries.

Sturridge, who has scored twice in nine appearances since making his comeback, hasn't started either of Liverpool's last two Premier League matches with Rodgers preferring to use Raheem Sterling as a central striker.

However, Rodgers says Sturridge, who came off the bench late on in Sunday's 2-1 win over Manchester City, will soon regain his role as the focal point of the Reds' attack and he expects him to flourish in their 3-4-2-1 formation.

“Daniel is not fully fit yet and it is difficult for him because these are not training games for him to get fit,” Rodgers said.

“He's excited by the new system. Put a fully fit Daniel Sturridge into that system and it lights it up again.

That last line to me is the telling one. And it's not part relating to fitness which chimes with me either.

He's excited by the new system

I think there you have it summed up. It illustrates how and why Rodgers manages each of his players differently. My take on this approach is that Sturridge has recognised that the team he flourished in is not the team he is expected to flourish in going forward (we're left in no doubt at the level of expectation here). There are new players and a new system. His role will change a bit as a result. As will the service to him. Does he feel threatened? No, he is embracing the change. He is willing to adapt.

And that there is the difference between managing Balotelli and Sturridge. One is willing to grow. The other is stuck fast to where he is, seemingly unable to change.

[captainfog]

I think the progress we've made under Brendan vindicates very well the decision to cut Kenny loose.

We came 7th in his first season and then he benefited from Suarez becoming the best in the world and banging in goals for fun. All of this might have happened with Kenny - don't forget under him we dominated lots of game but couldn't score - even Suarez was very wasteful. How many times did we hit the post that year?

We also played some dreadful football under Kenny, but then some of the stuff we played earlier on this season was some of the worst football I've ever seen us play.

We'll never know. At least FSG have given Rodgers a fair crack of the whip which I don't think believe they extended to Kenny.

[captainfog]

Anyway, I came in here to open a little can of worms.

We have two main strikers, neither of whom are performing right now. Both have a tendency to be a little greedy, unaware of what is happening around them, and possible being a bit rash with their decision making. And as for their shooting, let's not go there.

So compare and contrast how they are being managed by Brendan.

First up, Balotelli has been given several very public boots up the arse. Much to the chagrin of many in here.

But with Sturridge, we have an entirely different approach (see this taken from the Sturridge thread):




That last line to me is the telling one. And it's not part relating to fitness which chimes with me either.



I think there you have it summed up. It illustrates how and why Rodgers manages each of his players differently. My take on this approach is that Sturridge has recognised that the team he flourished in is not the team he is expected to flourish in going forward (we're left in no doubt at the level of expectation here). There are new players and a new system. His role will change a bit as a result. As will the service to him. Does he feel threatened? No, he is embracing the change. He is willing to adapt.

And that there is the difference between managing Balotelli and Sturridge. One is willing to grow. The other is stuck fast to where he is, seemingly unable to change.

The difference is purely he wants Sturridge to be here and he doesn't want Mario and so he has tailored his approach accordingly.

[captainfog]

Maybe, but his disastrous recruitment policy didn't help.

That last sentence is kinda ironic, don't you think?

I'm sure it didn't, but then Rodgers hasn't exactly set the transfer windows alight. Still waiting for him to have a decent summer spend. Very wasteful.

[dom9]

The difference is purely he wants Sturridge to be here and he doesn't want Mario and so he has tailored his approach accordingly.

And the point has been missed entirely by your good self.

[captainfog]

And the point has been missed entirely by your good self.

No, it hasn't, I just don't agree with you.

[dom9]

I just don't agree with you.

That we can definitely agree on.

[Lecter]

Well said, but I think people would argue the solutions to the bad form would've been solved sooner by a more experienced coach. I think what was annoying was continually playing a less mobile striker up top. I understood it, as Rodgers had to give players signed a chance. Funny thing is, many of those who moaned he didn't come up with a solution when sticking with Mario, are the ones who want him back in now we are finally winning. Crazy.

Top 4 was the expectation for me

If we had kept Suarez then the target would clearly have been different but the moment he left I thought we had to adjust our expectations accordingly