Brendan Rodgers

[dww]

I completely disagree, we lost 11 times after Christmas last year and would have been in a relegation fight had we not started the season as well as we did.

This season, we've looked a lot stronger after Christmas. Taking 30 points from 51 available isn't a bad tally at all. Our average points total over the second half of the season if you average it over the season would've put us on 67 points, not quite good enough for a Champions League place but not that far off.

I can see us being much more consistent next season and really pushing for top 4.

Why discount the quality of the start of last season when viewing it overall? I was mostly pointing out that we have had periods that inspired optimism before (Kenny's first half season, the first half of last season) which have not been built upon. There is no reason to be overly pessimistic and I tend to agree with you we have improved.

Not a different level certainly but I think guarded optimism is justified.

I'd go with that.

If there's a trend, yes. If it's just a reversal of the previous season's pattern, no.

There's no logical reason of course why the trend should survive the summer break when it doesn't survive the calendar flicking over from one year to the next. Having said that, breaking a negative run is hard to do - as you say confidence has to be a significant part of it - and for that reason I think we can be cautiously optimistic that the upward trend will continue (assuming we can improve the squad and hold on to Suárez).

Exactly. In terms of attacking transfers the last window was reassuring in that we identified good players and seemingly got them for reasonable prices.

[Fosterbloke]

I'm *hoping* we hold onto this form!

[DannyMan2006]

I don't think we've improved enough since the turn of the year. I hoped for us to be able to churn out results in the second half of the season and it didn't really happen for whatever reason. I would say the only difference is we now look like a team that can challenge for the top 6, as opposed to just being on the cusp of it. We are in a better place than how we started the season, so I challenge anyone to say we haven't progressed. But the progress does need to speed up some what.

In Brendan's favour I would highlight the fact he lost a lot of experienced players last summer, particularly attackers. For me it's a fact he started the season with a worse squad than the one he inherited. Partly that was down to him for poor dealings in the market, but a lot was forced upon him due to the likes of Bellamy, Maxi & Kuyt leaving for virtually nothing. He then marginalised Carroll on the understanding he'd get a replacement. His only replacement in those forward roles was Borini - who has had an injury ravaged season.

I think all that alone is why we should accept that he has done a good job so far. We just have to be patient. As long as we are improving we can't really be upset or down. My only hope is that come the start of next season we have a better squad than the one that ended this season. There could be big changes in the defence and we need to get that department sorted.

[Boogs]

I don't think we've improved enough since the turn of the year. I hoped for us to be able to churn out results in the second half of the season and it didn't really happen for whatever reason. I would say the only difference is we now look like a team that can challenge for the top 6, as opposed to just being on the cusp of it. We are in a better place than how we started the season, so I challenge anyone to say we haven't progressed. But the progress does need to speed up some what.

In Brendan's favour I would highlight the fact he lost a lot of experienced players last summer, particularly attackers. For me it's a fact he started the season with a worse squad than the one he inherited. Partly that was down to him for poor dealings in the market, but a lot was forced upon him due to the likes of Bellamy, Maxi & Kuyt leaving for virtually nothing. He then marginalised Carroll on the understanding he'd get a replacement. His only replacement in those forward roles was Borini - who has had an injury ravaged season.

I think all that alone is why we should accept that he has done a good job so far. We just have to be patient. As long as we are improving we can't really be upset or down. My only hope is that come the start of next season we have a better squad than the one that ended this season. There could be big changes in the defence and we need to get that department sorted.

Don't forget that the whole team have had to get use to yet another managers training regime and a completely different playing style. Once the ethos of the pass and move becomes second nature to the players then of course improvement in the results will happen. It doesn't happen over night and every player will adapt to the style at different rates.

Some will not adapt at all and will no doubt be sold.

I personally don't think Carroll could adapt his game and it was obvious to BR hence the reason he was loned out. I even think he could have slowed the whole progress of the team if he stayed around as it would be to much of a temptation to hoof it up to him.

If BR recruits the right players in the summer, it will only be a few who will need to learn the style.
I'm hoping that the calibre of the players bought this summer will already be use to a similar style of play and the reason Coutinho has slotted in so well is because he has played this style for years and he's damn good at it!

[spider-neil]

Our fixture list for the first five games
+ getting used to a new style of play
+ plus having 3 teens regularly starting
+ only having Suarez as our main striker for long stretches
+ the long injury to Lucas (our only holding midfielder worthy of the name)

All of the above shouldn't be underestimated. They are all excuses but valid excuses.

[Mostar]

Only lost 3 times since the new year, one of those was to the league Champions too.

Too many draws, but over all 9 losses in a league season is not terrible. Its not good either. But perspective is needed here.

We've not lost a football game since mid March

Our inability to sign another striker and creative AM before the start of the season left our squad paper-thin and we paid a hefty price for it.

Additions of Sturridge and Coutinho in January made the difference but it was too little too late.

That said, this year expectations were not high as we were in re-building state (that seems to be our theme for last 20 years) but next year BR will be under tremendous pressure to make us truly competitive to challenge for CL spot.

He knows that and he was clear about that during his pre-Fulham presser.

If he doesn't I'm not so sure he'll be around for the 3rd season.

[fah-q]

Our fixture list for the first five games
+ getting used to a new style of play
+ plus having 3 teens regularly starting
+ only having Suarez as our main striker for long stretches
+ the long injury to Lucas (our only holding midfielder worthy of the name)

All of the above shouldn't be underestimated. They are all excuses but valid excuses.

I'm not turning this into a Kenny vs Rodgers thread but could you not apply caveats to the end of last season too.

* Suspension of Suarez
* Cup runs (2 finals)
* Long term injury to Lucas
* Bedding in of newer signings (i.e. Downing, Henderson, Enrique, etc).

For me this season has been the mirror image of the season before.

[Fosterbloke]

Rodgers has proved he's capable of a good transfer window so I'm looking forward to the Summer's dealings and the beginning of next season. It's going to be a loooong wait.

[EwarWoo]

For me this season has been the mirror image of the season before.

Under Kenny the players started with a real buzz about them. It was like a new dawn. Then as they realised how bad it was they slowly dropped in form and confidence.

I'd say under Rogers it's been the opposite. They started off a bit slow to trust and have slowly gained in confidence and form.

I don't think the 2 seasons could be much more opposite.

[Fosterbloke]

Under Kenny the players started with a real buzz about them. It was like a new dawn. Then as they realised how bad it was they slowly dropped in form and confidence.

I'd say under Rogers it's been the opposite. They started off a bit slow to trust and have slowly gained in confidence and form.

I don't think the 2 seasons could be much more opposite.

I imagine that seeing how limited Adams and Carroll were must have been a real downer for most of the players.

Now we have quite a bit more quality in the ranks including ->

* Coutinho
* Sturridge
* Allen

Just need to add some steel (mentality and physicality) and we can really challenge. Wanyama seems like a good shout.

[Vermilion]

It's a funny old game really, when you think about it, one of the managers we spoke to at the time we hired BR has gone and lifted the fa cup with a minnow of a side, while the man that came in and replaced BR has lifted the Carling Cup with a minnow side.

We did get the right man? Didn't we ?

Please tell me we did....

[Fredo]

I thought the same thing.

[frank the tank]

As the ledge that is Mostar said above, next season will tell a lot on Brendan Rodgers. 2 or 3 important signings and we could be cooking on gas. It is also important our players get a good rest this summer. The confederations cup is kinda annoying this summer as it is possible that Reina, Lucas, Coutinho, Suarez, Borini and maybe Coates and even Enrique all get called up for it.....

If we get a few nice fixtures at the start of next season, then the Suarez ban could end up working in our favour as he will possibly have time for a good well-earned rest.

The fact that we only have domestic football to concentrate on next season bodes well too. We can go all out for it....

[Tee]

It's a funny old game really, when you think about it, one of the managers we spoke to at the time we hired BR has gone and lifted the fa cup with a minnow of a side, while the man that came in and replaced BR has lifted the Carling Cup with a minnow side.

We did get the right man? Didn't we ?

Please tell me we did....

I think we got the right man. Just hope that whilst he may keep expectations realistic in the media, inside he is thinking we can win this thing next year. Get the right two or three players in the summer and he could write his name into the Anfield history books this time next year. Just a hunch.

[Sarb]

I think we got the right man. Just hope that whilst he may keep expectations realistic in the media, inside he is thinking we can win this thing next year. Get the right two or three players in the summer and he could write his name into the Anfield history books this time next year. Just a hunch.

I'd be devastated if we had got Roberto Martinez last summer. I know we were linked with Laudrup. I think he is a very good manager. Loved him as a player too. Wouldn't have been disappointed with him.

I like Rodgers and like the way we play football. Ask me again if we sign Ashley Williams and my opinion may change