Brendan Rodgers

[Muddled]

He pushed Sterling up with Sturridge and even Borini got game time in the first months of the season.

EDIT: I'm questioning myself now. We may have gone back to 4-3-3 in places, but I'm fairly confident we played two up top until Manchester United where we whipped out the 3-4-3.

[captainfog]

If we finish 4th I'm not confident of making it to the CL group stages.

[captainfog]

Except he didnt really start with the diamond formation

Yep, binned it for 4,3,3

[Muddled]

If we finish 4th I'm not confident of making it to the CL group stages.

Nor should we be. Rodgers will have to find a more defensive system for European football and that will come with time and experience. As long as we build domestically, then so be it.

[Lecter]

He pushed Sterling up with Sturridge and even Borini got game time in the first months of the season.

EDIT: I'm questioning myself now. We may have gone back to 4-3-3 in places, but I'm fairly confident we played two up top until Manchester United where we whipped out the 3-4-3.

We started playing 1 up top (v Southampton)

In a 4-1-4-1 / 4-2-3-1 hybrid system

He played the diamond with 2 up top against Spurs when we thumped them

Then he reverted back to the hybrid system again when Sturridge got injured with the occasional in game switch to the diamond (I think it was the West Brom game in particular if I remember rightly)

We persisted with that system for a fair while until he pushed Sterling up top trying 4-3-3 and then shortly switched to the 3-4-3 system we are playing now

[Muddled]

I'd have to see the games again, but the point still stands: Rodgers did not stubbornly sit back and only change things due to injury. He identified our problem areas, looked at our players and created another system to get the best out of his team.

[Lecter]

One of my biggest criticisms of Rodgers early on in the season was that on top of bringing in a ton of players he also completely changed the system

So we had the new players having to adjust and the players we had last season also having to adjust to a new system

Still hes found something that works now, it will be interesting to see what he does next season

Will he stick with the 3-4-3???

[Lecter]

I'd have to see the games again, but the point still stands: Rodgers did not stubbornly sit back and only change things due to injury. He identified our problem areas, looked at our players and created another system to get the best out of his team.

He did eventually

I kind of think things were forced on him though

I am not saying he completely stumbled on it, but he was forced into making a change and the change he made showed him something that he could develop which he has

[Paddy]

Wins for QPR and Newcastle even though very unlikely, with us beating Burnley would put us level in 3rd with Arsenal. Great turnaround.

[frank the tank]

We started playing 1 up top (v Southampton)

In a 4-1-4-1 / 4-2-3-1 hybrid system

He played the diamond with 2 up top against Spurs when we thumped them

Then he reverted back to the hybrid system again when Sturridge got injured with the occasional in game switch to the diamond (I think it was the West Brom game in particular if I remember rightly)

We persisted with that system for a fair while until he pushed Sterling up top trying 4-3-3 and then shortly switched to the 3-4-3 system we are playing now

Souness was speaking about our formation after the game on Sunday. He spoke about how when he was our midfield general, he was much deeper than both of the full backs and he actually sat so deep he was chatting to Hansen most of the game. And how our full backs were actually midfielders and it took years for opposition to work that out (suppose they didn't have stat charts, heat maps etc back then!!!)

I think if we ended up going back to a 4-3-3, then we would likely have a sitting midfielder - say Lucas at the moment for arguments sake - with Hendo and Allen in midfield....and full backs bombing on acting as wing backs anyway.

I think the 3-4-3 system has enabled Brendan fit Lallana, Coutinho and Sterling into the same team. It has also enabled him to get Emre Can used to the team without offering the defense no protection - or little protection that we would get from Emre Can had he been in midfield. Also Brendan probably felt that he didn't have a proper right back in a 4-man defense.....

[ChrisDR1968]

Souness was speaking about our formation after the game on Sunday. He spoke about how when he was our midfield general, he was much deeper than both of the full backs and he actually sat so deep he was chatting to Hansen most of the game.

I never viewed Souness as a defensive midfielder when I watched him live. He seemed to operate in the centre circle most of the time although I'd imagine he played deeper in away games. The other thing to consider was Paisley's teams tended to play a high line so that may explain why Souness and Hansen chatted quite a bit during games. He scored a lot of goals if that's true though

And how our full backs were actually midfielders and it took years for opposition to work that out (suppose they didn't have stat charts, heat maps etc back then!!!)

That may explain how Alan Kennedy popped up on several occasions (usually a cup final) to score a crucial goal

[MrMichael]

If we finish 4th I'm not confident of making it to the CL group stages.

Defeatist about next season already?

[Lecter]

I never viewed Souness as a defensive midfielder when I watched him live. He seemed to operate in the centre circle most of the time although I'd imagine he played deeper in away games. The other thing to consider was Paisley's teams tended to play a high line so that may explain why Souness and Hansen chatted quite a bit during games. He scored a lot of goals if that's true though



That may explain how Alan Kennedy popped up on several occasions (usually a cup final) to score a crucial goal

We definitely played a high line. We used to squeeze right up and the goal was to shorten the game as much as possible and condense the play. Souness did play deep but he would weigh in with a few blockbusters from outside the box

Our fullbacks use to bomb on all the time Kennedy, Neal and probably the best at it Nicol

[captainfog]

Defeatist about next season already?

Our record in Europe is dreadful, and so I'm not sure how you could come to any other conclusion.

[ChrisDR1968]

Our record in Europe is dreadful, and so I'm not sure how you could come to any other conclusion.

Rodgers has a lot to prove in Europe no question and he also needs to break his duck against the big 4 in cup competitions domestically too