Brendan Rodgers

[fred_plasticine]

Not sure Kenny necessarily "built from the back". His only defensive signings were Enrique and Coates, wheras he spent c. £100m on offensive players. That most of them were **** and couldn't score isn't massively the point. And besides, I don't think the argument that what several managers who were sacked did should be done by the next one too necessarily is very logical.

ManU are the most offensively set up team in this league. And they're running away with it. There is no right and wrong way to do this, when Rodgers came in we had a major problem in attack. which he has made serious inroads into sorting. With 12 games left of this season we've already scored more goals than we did all last season. When you consider we only had one striker for half the season that isn't bad going, and indicates the squad is not as unsuited to what they're being asked to do as you say.

Sure we're conceding more too, but when you look at it on paper, are most of our defenders actually unsuited to this style of play? Johnson's been one of our best this year and is very comfortable in attack. Enrique is definitely better going forward. And you'd think Agger would be quite suited to possession based offensive play too.

I dunno, it just seems a bit simplistic to assume we should have "built from the back". Likely if we did, like the previous managers apparently did, we wouldn't be any higher in the league. We weren't under them in the last 3 years. If anything what's hurt us defensively this year has been the lack of an outstanding defensive mid (and maybe overall midfield shape), Lucas being injured then easing back in, Allen lacking form or ability in that role etc.

We were never going to sort everything out in one season, no matter who was in charge and what philosophy they approached the game with. This season has not been perfect, far from it, but it also hasn't been a disaster and there is plenty of reason to be relatively optimistic about the future if we can gain a bit more solidity defensively.

[Gingawaria]

Funny how this thread comes alive after a loss and is pretty much dead after a great win.

[Alex]

What is there to talk about after a win like that though? Everyone got it right yesterday. It was lovely to see.

[Gingawaria]

I agree with you, it just seems that certain people have an agenda and will only post when something happens that suits them.

[dom9]

Anyway, we're all happy today, right?

[Alex]

Over the moon with it all. Scared about Thursday though, think we will regress again.

[Norbs]

honestly, finishing league positions in american sports is a lot more fluid. you can have a bummer year over here and keep your place as long as it doesn't become a pattern.

It's all about attention span

[Captain Stu]

Anyway, we're all happy today, right?

Definitely, my cock's like a handlebar grip today.

[dom9]

It's impossible to know which way it will go on Thursday. 50, 50.

I'm pretty sure we'll create lots of chances (even without Sturridge). It's counter attack that worries me.

[Gingawaria]

Anyway, we're all happy today, right?

Absolutely!

Over the moon with it all. Scared about Thursday though, think we will regress again.

No Sturridge is the big worry for me as he already seems integral to our style of play. They score and it's over really.

[Darkon]

It was freaking great yesterday, and it's the sort of game we are aspiring to although we have our off days here and there still.

Personally I really see us building something good here, although there is still work to do. But we have progressed a lot during the season game wise, although results are still missing somewhat. Confidence will come the more games we play like this, and IMO we havn't really played many poor games in the league since December... We have outplayed, or at least played as well, as our opponents, we just lack a bit of cynicism to close up the games and really finish our many many chances.

As someone posted in another thread, we are the first team in the big-5 leagues in Europe to have 500 shots at goal, and then to me it actually says more about our strikers / midfielders ability to finish chances than our philosophy to be wrong.

I don't really understand the anger some have built up to have towards Rodgers after less than a season in charge, he is doing his job decently according to my expectations, although the domestic cups have been a dissapointment. And Rodgers + Ayre really should get applauds for getting a lot of crap of our wage bill and getting in Sturridge, Coutinho, Borini and Allen, all youngsters with a lot of potential! Borini been very unlucky so far though

[Sarb]

It was freaking great yesterday, and it's the sort of game we are aspiring to although we have our off days here and there still.

Personally I really see us building something good here, although there is still work to do. But we have progressed a lot during the season game wise, although results are still missing somewhat. Confidence will come the more games we play like this, and IMO we havn't really played many poor games in the league since December... We have outplayed, or at least played as well, as our opponents, we just lack a bit of cynicism to close up the games and really finish our many many chances.

As someone posted in another thread, we are the first team in the big-5 leagues in Europe to have 500 shots at goal, and then to me it actually says more about our strikers / midfielders ability to finish chances than our philosophy to be wrong.

I don't really understand the anger some have built up to have towards Rodgers after less than a season in charge, he is doing his job decently according to my expectations, although the domestic cups have been a dissapointment. And Rodgers + Ayre really should get applauds for getting a lot of crap of our wage bill and getting in Sturridge, Coutinho, Borini and Allen, all youngsters with a lot of potential! Borini been very unlucky so far though

[Gingawaria]

It was freaking great yesterday, and it's the sort of game we are aspiring to although we have our off days here and there still.

Personally I really see us building something good here, although there is still work to do. But we have progressed a lot during the season game wise, although results are still missing somewhat. Confidence will come the more games we play like this, and IMO we havn't really played many poor games in the league since December... We have outplayed, or at least played as well, as our opponents, we just lack a bit of cynicism to close up the games and really finish our many many chances.

As someone posted in another thread, we are the first team in the big-5 leagues in Europe to have 500 shots at goal, and then to me it actually says more about our strikers / midfielders ability to finish chances than our philosophy to be wrong.

I don't really understand the anger some have built up to have towards Rodgers after less than a season in charge, he is doing his job decently according to my expectations, although the domestic cups have been a dissapointment. And Rodgers + Ayre really should get applauds for getting a lot of crap of our wage bill and getting in Sturridge, Coutinho, Borini and Allen, all youngsters with a lot of potential! Borini been very unlucky so far though

Completely agree. It's our concentration more than anything that's been lacking.

We've played well a lot more often than we haven't and I'm sick of saying this but we've not got what we deserved in a lot of games this season.

We're definitely moving in the right direction.

[Alex]

Think we played better against Man City and only got a draw. Thats the frustrating stuff for me.

[dom9]

Think we played better against Man City and only got a draw. Thats the frustrating stuff for me.

And the two defeats in the past week. In each game we should have been out of sight before the opposition scored.

I think we've probably had a about 70 shots in the past 3 games. But only 5 goals to show for them.