Brendan Rodgers

[el matador]

I don't know what you think that truism proves.

that the best team wins the league every year.

If united or city or anyone win more points than the rest of them they finish top and are officially the best team in the country. there's nothing revolutinary about that.

footballing wise arsenal or other teams may be better but ultimately its points that matter.

The best team every season always wins the league.

[Neil Young]

You keep saying the same thing over again like you're adding anything new to what's already been said.

I know all that. I know what was said. What does it mean? What does it add? What is the point of saying it in the context in which it was said?

[danperkins]

I don't know what you think that truism proves.

I know clearly i'm stating the obvious, but over a season long period of time, the league doesn't lie. You said it doesn't tell the whole truth, my argument was that it tells who is the best team

[Baracus]

You keep saying the same thing over again like you're adding anything new to what's already been said.

I know all that. I know what was said. What does it mean? What does it add? What is the point of saying it in the context in which it was said?

[Neil Young]

I know clearly i'm stating the obvious, but over a season long period of time, the league doesn't lie. You said it doesn't tell the whole truth, my argument was that it tells who is the best team

Whoever's top of the table at the end of the season has won the league, there's no doubt about that.

[Neil Young]

[danperkins]

Whoever's top of the table at the end of the season has won the league, there's no doubt about that.

Truism indeed

For me, whoever wins the league deserves it. You can't fluke the league

[Fredo]

[souliv]

Yesterday showed Brendan's tactical naivety in that if we had started Sturridge and Henderson we probably would have got something out of the game

He needs to pick the best side to win the game from minute one, which he has not done in several games this season.

I am prepared to give him time but for a start we need to start wining games like against Utd.

Yesterday I saw the first goal coming about 5 mins before they scored as we were way too deep and got punished

[Mattshark]

Yesterday showed Brendan's tactical naivety in that if we had started Sturridge and Henderson we probably would have got something out of the game

He needs to pick the best side to win the game from minute one, which he has not done in several games this season.

I am prepared to give him time but for a start we need to start wining games like against Utd.

Yesterday I saw the first goal coming about 5 mins before they scored as we were way too deep and got punished

I think it is rather naive to think Sturridge would have been ready to start this.

Best team is completely subjective.

[souliv]

He played the whole 2nd half would it not of been better to play the first half and be more offensive and push Utd and score , then substitute later if required

[calvoboy]

Yesterday showed Brendan's tactical naivety in that if we had started Sturridge and Henderson we probably would have got something out of the game

He needs to pick the best side to win the game from minute one, which he has not done in several games this season.

I am prepared to give him time but for a start we need to start wining games like against Utd.

Yesterday I saw the first goal coming about 5 mins before they scored as we were way too deep and got punished

In hindsight we needed Henderson, but not many would have argued with Lucas, Allen, Gerrard as our three before kick-off, or would have predicted quite how poorly Lucas and Allen played. Sturridge is not match fit, so it's a choice of whether to play him from the start and know he'll have to come off after 55-60, or whether to save him to bring on against tired legs in the second half. I can see why Brendan went for the second option, and don't think you can say it's tactical naivety just because it didn't come off.

If 'we need to start winning games like against Utd' away from home then it's a pretty high bar to judge Rodgers against isn't it, given we've only won there twice in ten years? We're doing OK at the moment in my opinion. We've still won 7 out of our last 10 - we need to make sure we win our home games against Norwich and West Brom, to keep up a bit of momentum in a tough month for away fixtures.

[Yozza]

Brendan Rodgers insists Liverpool have the right mental attitude

Rodgers rejects the suggestion that the Reds' miss an enforcer

Carl Markham Monday 14 January 2013


Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists his players do not lack the heart or the mind to win big games.

And he rejects the suggestion that for all the Reds' possession-style football, they miss an enforcer, someone who can provide some competitive bite when the going gets tough.

After yesterday's 2-1 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford, Rodgers accepted his side had been tentative in a woeful first-half performance.

Despite an improved display after the break, sparked mainly by the insertion of £12million striker Daniel Sturridge, they slipped to a seventh league defeat of the season.

"Aggression isn't about having a 6ft 3ins player in the middle of the field who is going to drive you forward, aggression is in the mind," said Rodgers.

"We have Steven Gerrard, who is one of the best examples of that in this country over the last 10 years.

"We have that aggression but it is not about what size you are, it is about the fight which is in there.

"In the second half the ability to fight was much better and we were much more aggressive in our play and attitude and we should have got something."

After another near-miss, the fact remains Rodgers' side have yet to beat any team currently in the top 10 in the league this season.

Their only victories have only come against Norwich, Reading, Wigan, Southampton, West Ham, Fulham, QPR and Sunderland.

The Reds boss is adamant there is no mental barrier for his players and believes one significant result will provide the breakthrough.

"It is not a problem. We should have beaten Manchester City earlier this season, we should have beaten Everton away and we haven't," he said.

"We have been close in a number of the games against the guys at the top end of the league but that is the next step for us.

"To win those games can set your journey off in a totally different direction.

"It is not something which is mental but it is something we need to do if we are going to progress.

"We have great hope in the future, because of how we are working, that will happen here.

"It will be a long journey for us but it is about closing the gap in the squad, getting those wins against our rivals and then we can gain confidence from that.

"I feel we are a match for any of the teams in this league but what allows you to close the gap in terms of the points is having a squad which allows you to compete.

"For us the squad has been very thin in these opening months."

The signing of Sturridge already looks to have filled an important hole as two goals in his first two matches have given a glimpse of what he can provide.

Forward Fabio Borini is also fit again after three months out with a broken foot and, from having only Luis Suarez as his only fit senior striker for most of the season, Rodgers now has options up front.

"Daniel gave us a different dimension with real pace, playing on the shoulder, and every time he is on the box you sense he can get a goal," he said.

"Good players enjoy playing with each other and I think everyone recognises that, at 23, he has his best years ahead of him.

"You see him like he was against United and he is not even fully fit yet.

"He will be a real handful and, going forward he and some of the other players can be the real difference for us.

"It is important you have balance and for me that is the challenge, I want to have good players at the club and we will keep building our squad so we have that.

"But the players we are bringing in are flexible and can play in a couple of positions.

"Fabio can play off the middle and the side, we have seen Suarez playing central all season but for most of his career he's come off the side and the same with Daniel.

"It is about getting good players onto the field who can fit into the structure.

"We needed goalscorers in the club and with the players we have got we can now do that."

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/brendan-rodgers-insists-liverpool-have-the-right-mental-attitude-8451229.html

[souliv]

We were **** 1st half completely timid did not get at Utd at all, and got punished.

Brendan got the team selection wrong and then corrected in the second half it is becoming a common and worrying trend.

We are supposed to a passing team but our passing was awful and we were not dominating possession like we are supposed to be.

There is a problem with our midfield formation, this needs to be addressed by Rogers, the problem with the midfield is causing issues with our defense as the gap between defense and midfield is way too big.

We as a team have alot of problems tactically but we have all season the worrying thing is they don't seem to be getting addressed.

"After another near-miss, the fact remains Rodgers' side have yet to beat any team currently in the top 10 in the league this season."

[Neil Young]

I don't agree with your logic.

Every manager sometimes gets it wrong to start with. The good thing is that he made changes that worked which is not something Houllier, for example, had the knack of doing.

I think we were very unlucky not to win two of those matches but presumably you don't think we were robbed against Everton and it's all Rodgers' fault that Skrtel messed up against Man City.