Brendan Rodgers

[RichC]

Next season regardless of whether we finish in or out of the top 4 is going to be massive for Brendan. This season I think you can give the excuse of making a large number of changes in terms of personnel both in and out hence the poor start BUT now the majority of them are integrated into the squad he'll need to start the season far better than this one (I think he will tbh).

As I said before I think this was really a transition season as the Summer did allow us to bring in a number of players & we shouldn't need to do as much this Summer, I think we'll likely see a couple of additions rather 6 or 7 coming in.

[dom9]

I've never been anything to do with financial advice! I used to work in product development and helped design and launch investment funds and insurance products.

Look at the stats Dom. Average points have been significantly down in the first half of every season. We were top at Christmas and 5th by new years or something daft last year. Its a fact we have not been as good in the first half of every season. Its also a fact we haven't been very good in Europe. Add the two together and CL qualification wouldn't be a shoe in.

Of course it's not a shoe in. Nothing is guaranteed, regardless of what has gone before. That's my point.

It's a lot different to assuming that we'll struggle.

He might have done, not seen any evidence of that yet though and until we do you have to assume we'll struggle.

Anyway, points made. Let's call it a boring nil nil.

[The Birdman]

Next season regardless of whether we finish in or out of the top 4 is going to be massive for Brendan. This season I think you can give the excuse of making a large number of changes in terms of personnel both in and out hence the poor start BUT now the majority of them are integrated into the squad he'll need to start the season far better than this one (I think he will tbh).

As I said before I think this was really a transition season as the Summer did allow us to bring in a number of players & we shouldn't need to do as much this Summer, I think we'll likely see a couple of additions rather 6 or 7 coming in.

But there's likely to be a large number going out -
All or minimum 2 from Borini, Lambert and Balotelli
Toure
Enrique
Johnson
Gerrard
Jones
Lucas??
Plus one or two younger players perhaps? Flanagan? Wisdom? Illori? Teixera?

Ibe will be one replacement, Origi an other but that still leaves as many as 7 or 8 players to be replaced, some will be loans returning or youth lads promoted but they still need to learn the system(s)

Don't think our squad is near the top it up with 1 or 2 players this summer stage just yet.

[Slinky Skills]

I love listening to Brendan. Most people can't stomach it but there's always more than enough in there for me to see football in a different way, a way that works. I've tried a few things he's done with my useless young 5 a side team. There was a glimpse of surprise by the way they performed momentarily, but they soon forgot and got back to their same old sh*t.

Even in that interview above I didn't realise Sterling would never be played wide again. I guess his reasons make sense and rules out him as an Ibe replacement.

[Doc_Piptorious]

But there's likely to be a large number going out -
All or minimum 2 from Borini, Lambert and Balotelli
Toure
Enrique
Johnson
Gerrard
Jones
Lucas??
Plus one or two younger players perhaps? Flanagan? Wisdom? Illori? Teixera?

Ibe will be one replacement, Origi an other but that still leaves as many as 7 or 8 players to be replaced, some will be loans returning or youth lads promoted but they still need to learn the system(s)

Don't think our squad is near the top it up with 1 or 2 players this summer stage just yet.

Now way do we need to be bringing in 7 or 8 players next summer. Some of the players you mentioned, like Johnson and Enrique, hardly play for us as is so will not be big losses.

2 or 3 quality additions supplemented with maybe two squad player signings is all we really should be looking at this summer.

The quality additions would turn 2 or 3 of our current starters into back ups for the season which would increase the quality of our depth.

[The_weatherman]

Now way do we need to be bringing in 7 or 8 players next summer. Some of the players you mentioned, like Johnson and Enrique, hardly play for us as is so will not be big losses.

2 or 3 quality additions supplemented with maybe two squad player signings is all we really should be looking at this summer.

The quality additions would turn 2 or 3 of our current starters into back ups for the season which would increase the quality of our depth.

Origi will be one coming in, I'd like to see two midfielders and two defenders coming in. Then we'd be in a very good position. Let's say for arguements sake that we'd strike lucky and get in Pjanic and Illarramendi, the two defenders could be squad players, one at least preferably at full back.

[rudedog]

He might have done, not seen any evidence of that yet though and until we do you have to assume we'll struggle.

I don't have to assume we'd struggle and I'm not going to either - I'd rather wait and see with a bit of optimism, but that's just my outlook.

[wiw]

Are you this negative with everything in life foggy, or is it just LFC?

[The_weatherman]

He's just passionate about LFC, we need people on here with different views, otherwise the debate dies. Fans also have a right to be demanding, we need to pay big sums to be able to watch while players and managers are handsomely rewarded for the successes and failures.

[The Birdman]

Now way do we need to be bringing in 7 or 8 players next summer. Some of the players you mentioned, like Johnson and Enrique, hardly play for us as is so will not be big losses.

2 or 3 quality additions supplemented with maybe two squad player signings is all we really should be looking at this summer.

The quality additions would turn 2 or 3 of our current starters into back ups for the season which would increase the quality of our depth.

Completely agree that some haven't played much but they are still squad players.
Worse case scenario is we'll end up in the Europa League, if we don't then we'd hope for an improved CL campaign so we'll be looking at (hopefully) over 50 games again.

3 quality and 2 squad signings is still 5 new players, that's a lot to integrate and hope to kick on from day 1 as we've found this season.

Separate point altogether but do we have full backs next season for a back 4?
Presuming Johnson and Enrique leave, Moreno much better attacking than defending, Manquillo on loan and young, Flanagan out of contract and young, Wisdom maybe/maybe not coming back and young.

You could argue we need 2 maybe 3 full backs alone.

[dom9]

I think a measure of positive progress is that for the first time in about 10 years, we're not taking about shifting the "deadwood" and minimising our losses. That in the past has been a big conversation at this point in the season.

Sure, players will leave. They're past their peak. But our catastrophes look to be behind us, for now, anyway.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Completely agree that some haven't played much but they are still squad players.
Worse case scenario is we'll end up in the Europa League, if we don't then we'd hope for an improved CL campaign so we'll be looking at (hopefully) over 50 games again.

3 quality and 2 squad signings is still 5 new players, that's a lot to integrate and hope to kick on from day 1 as we've found this season.

Separate point altogether but do we have full backs next season for a back 4?
Presuming Johnson and Enrique leave, Moreno much better attacking than defending, Manquillo on loan and young, Flanagan out of contract and young, Wisdom maybe/maybe not coming back and young.

You could argue we need 2 maybe 3 full backs alone.

You could but if we continue using wingbacks next season we would have Markovic, Manquillo, Ibe, Moreno, Wisdom, and Ilori (who can play at FB and WB as well as at CB) available even if Enrique and Johnson left. Plus if Ojo was not sent out on loan again we would have him available to use in the manner we have used Ibe this season.

Fair enough you could argue we might need full backs if Rodgers decides to change the system again next season but even then it could be argued that if we switched back to a back four that we would then have lots of cover at CB and we would save on having to buy a player for there and simply make one of the quality signings a full back.

Right now I think what we need is a quality midfielder, a quality attacker, and a quality defender (which could be a CB or a FB depending on what system we want to go with next season). Then add a decent back up keeper and maybe an extra back up midfielder and I think we would be good to go.

As for five new players being a lot to bring in. Well only two or three would be looking to go straight into the first team so the changes would not be as great as this season.

[wiw]

He's just passionate about LFC, we need people on here with different views, otherwise the debate dies. Fans also have a right to be demanding, we need to pay big sums to be able to watch while players and managers are handsomely rewarded for the successes and failures.

I know, i appreciate that and agree Wasn't a criticism, it's just i've met foggy and didn't peg him as the doom merchant he appears to be on here re LFC that's all

[The_weatherman]

You could but if we continue using wingbacks next season we would have Markovic, Manquillo, Ibe, Moreno, Wisdom, and Ilori (who can play at FB and WB as well as at CB) available even if Enrique and Johnson left. Plus if Ojo was not sent out on loan again we would have him available to use in the manner we have used Ibe this season.

Fair enough you could argue we might need full backs if Rodgers decides to change the system again next season but even then it could be argued that if we switched back to a back four that we would then have lots of cover at CB and we would save on having to buy a player for there and simply make one of the quality signings a full back.

Right now I think what we need is a quality midfielder, a quality attacker, and a quality defender (which could be a CB or a FB depending on what system we want to go with next season). Then add a decent back up keeper and maybe an extra back up midfielder and I think we would be good to go.

As for five new players being a lot to bring in. Well only two or three would be looking to go straight into the first team so the changes would not be as great as this season.

Our first XI at the end of this season will hopefully start next season, something like.

Mignolet
Can - Skrtel - Sakho
Markovic - Henderson - Lucas - Moreno
Coutinho - Sterling
Sturridge

That should minimize any disruption, so I feel we should stick to a system and not change it at the start of the season unless we use pre-season to do it.

[The_weatherman]

I know, i appreciate that and agree Wasn't a criticism, it's just i've met foggy and didn't peg him as the doom merchant he appears to be on here re LFC that's all