Brendan Rodgers

[john316]

So many of those new guys pretty much missed our entire slate of preseason games as well which doesn't help. Manquillo, Moreno, Balotelli, Lallana, Markovic and Lovren pretty much missed every preseason game.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Too many new faces in the team. We needed to introduce or phase players in to the team, too many at once will need time to gel.

Our style of play last season was fluid and that doesn't just come from throwing teams together. We had more time to train in between games and 6 months of previous good form to build upon. Today we had Manquillo, Lovren, Moreno, Balotelli and arguably Borini who were all new to this set up and thats bound to cause disruption.

[Exiled_red]

I mentioned towards the end of last season that I thought a lot of our performances were due to how well the players knew one another and the roles they played because we only had 14 players and only really made one or two changes a game if that. This season we have a bigger squad, players have to play different roles from game to game and we have so many new faces the players don't really know one another or our style of play.

The extra games mean that we constantly have to change the side as there is no way certain players can play every 3 or 4 days week after week. This is something new for a lot of the players and for the manager, it is something everyone needs to get used to.

[Fredo]

To be fair, what does net have to do with quality of players brought in? If we've spend £150m-£200m as he stated, which may or may not be correct how does the amount we've sold players for affect the incoming players quality?

He's saying, we've spent £150m-£200m on the players we have yet who can you say is world class or even very good?

The squad and team obviously suffer because we could have spent the same and kept Suarez for example and have a net spend of £100m. But yet again that doesn't impact the quality of player brought in for £150-200m.

Anyway for me, our midfield is too weak and our back 4 is a shambles either individually or as a collective, Lovren, so far has been nothing short of a liability and since Dortmund I haven't even heard him vocally.

Ffs, it's way too early to be rating our new players as average. They are all young and have still got to improve. It's clear they were not the finished article. Yes, we've lost Suarez but we've got to move on now.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Ffs, it's way too early to be rating our new players as average. They are all young and have still got to improve. It's clear they were not the finished article. Yes, we've lost Suarez but we've got to move on now.

I didn't say anything in regards to the quality of our players actually, I was trying to put across the point the lad was making and the use of the word NET being brought up when it wasn't really relevant to the original point.

I agree its too early to have definitive opinions but for me the main problem is changing too much in one go and creating a instability in what was a very effective unit.

[danperkins]

To be fair, what does net have to do with quality of players brought in? If we've spend £150m-£200m as he stated, which may or may not be correct how does the amount we've sold players for affect the incoming players quality?

He's saying, we've spent £150m-£200m on the players we have yet who can you say is world class or even very good?

The squad and team obviously suffer because we could have spent the same and kept Suarez for example and have a net spend of £100m. But yet again that doesn't impact the quality of player brought in for £150-200m.

Anyway for me, our midfield is too weak and our back 4 is a shambles either individually or as a collective, Lovren, so far has been nothing short of a liability and since Dortmund I haven't even heard him vocally.

[tanner]

I didn't say anything in regards to the quality of our players actually, I was trying to put across the point the lad was making and the use of the word NET being brought up when it wasn't really relevant to the original point.

[Norbs]

The simple truth is that we're not at our level yet. Physically and probably tactically as well. From that basis, we've gone backwards and haven't kicked on from last season, but it was to be expected really.

All clubs have the same issue regarding physical fitness though. If our new signings aren't up to speed then they need to be nurtured off the field until they are. If that's the majority of the squad then we're doing something wrong

[Shaggy]

Sakho and Lovren cost £38m. Thirty eight million quid. I like Sakho but overall Agger and Skrtel were better. I'm concerned that Brendan is absolutely brilliant in setting a team up to pass, move, and rip teams to shreds but has no idea how to organise a team defensively.

[Norbs]

Seems obvious that doesn't it. To the point where it's not really even funny

[Zapater]

Indeed, two years ago we were using the 'change of style' excuse and once we've adapted to Rodgers way of playing the individual errors would be ironed out. It's not happened and it's possibly gotten worse.

I've always said that I like him as a manager, but he's not a manager of a philosophy I approve of. Just comes down to taste I suppose, hence I have never been 'in favour' of him, if that makes any sense. However, obviously he's proven he's a very good manager and is the man to continue taking us forward. It's just purely my bias of preferring managers who look to secure a teams solidity through the spine and build from the back and win ugly if need be etc. Something Rodgers hasn't necessarily shown care for. A matter of taste I suppose. i.e. I'd take a Ranieri styled manager if it meant more clean sheets and greater chances of winning even if we weren't blowing teams away. 1-0 and 5-3 it's still 3 points regardless.

I hoped that this season, due to teams inevitably going to be parking the bus and harder games in Europe he would've adapted to a less naive approach, which doens't seem to even be a consideration. Regardless, he's proven that he can get this to work and i feel he'll be able to do the same again, just needs players to return from injury/new ones to settle.

I'm not sure if we'll come closer to winning than last season in the foreseeable future, but I'm sure we'll be competitive and that's all we can ask for.

[Exiled_red]

Sakho and Lovren cost £38m. Thirty eight million quid. I like Sakho but overall Agger and Skrtel were better. I'm concerned that Brendan is absolutely brilliant in setting a team up to pass, move, and rip teams to shreds but has no idea how to organise a team defensively.

That is the issue for me. I don't have a problem with any of the other signings, we may have paid a little over the odds for some, but nothing to be too concerned about. I think eventually they will settle in and form part of a decent attacking unit. The centre backs are the problem I don't like writing players off early but both Sakho and Lovren need to improve significantly to reach the required standard or to justify their price tags. Both seem to defend with the attitude that 'we'll make mistakes but we have decent pace so we have a chance to recover' But no one is taking charge of the defence it's shambolic and the defending of set pieces is even worse.

[BobTheCharmer]

Shawcross would have least been dominate in the air and broke a few legs. Lovren is a fanny.

[Norbs]

I'm starting to think that it's nothing to do with the individuals

[danperkins]

Sakho and Lovren cost £38m. Thirty eight million quid. I like Sakho but overall Agger and Skrtel were better. I'm concerned that Brendan is absolutely brilliant in setting a team up to pass, move, and rip teams to shreds but has no idea how to organise a team defensively.

This is the problem we bought these two CB's spending £38million and they were no better than what we already had. And yup Rodgers seems to struggle with the defensive side of the game.. his dealings in the transfer market are questionable too.. but will have to give a bit more time on that one.