Liverpool Banter Archive May 18 2015

18 May 2015 23:38:49
FSG need to sack Rogers and go all out for Klopp. Surprise us for once please. Get Klopp asap to convince these players to stay and get them playing again. Our club depends on it. I like the owners but they need to be more decisive from outward appearances in relation to on field matters.

18 May 2015 23:17:20
SO, The real state of liverpool was on show at anfield on saturday.
On one hand you had stevie leaving after 17 years, then on the other we had sterling putting himself in the shop window. I hope SG is not the last LFC player to play for his club rather than play for money, but sadly I think he may be.
Liverpool FC is special, Steven Gerrard is unique, Sterling is common.
Club or Business ?? WE MUST DECIDE. Do we want guys who WANT to play for LFC or do we want success at any cost .
Barcelona or Blackburn ?

18 May 2015 23:35:36
I think you should aim your ire at the club and the failure of a manager who have SEVERELY mismanaged the poor boy who needed support and protection instead of blaming a child for being hung out to dry by those supposed to look after him and pilloried by uninformed fans who just buy the tripe said in the media about Raheem.

19 May 2015 08:35:56
A child , who actually has a real child. He is not a child he's a very naughty boy

18 May 2015 22:56:22
What really does it for me, is you can't disagree with him.
As things stand we are a million miles from Chelsea and the like, not to mention the likes of Bayern who may hold interest.
And however much it seems he's just a "money-grabbing 20 year old" due to the club's awful PR and Rodgers' media, if he wants to win trophies Anfield is not the place to do so as things stand.
Serious, serious problems facing us. If we could get Klopp in it would be the greatest, most important moment in this club's post-Istanbul history.

18 May 2015 23:36:54
The choice is clear between who needs to go btw BR and RS.

18 May 2015 22:39:38
Just watched the Matt Le Tissier documentary on Sky. I'd forgotten how many amazing goals he'd scored and sadly a couple against us! Definitely one of my favourite non-Liverpool players. How he didn't have more international caps I don't know !

18 May 2015 23:00:40
Great player, but also a pundit that detests Liverpool.

Still a great player though and as loyal as they come.

18 May 2015 23:10:27
Had he made the effort to try and shed half stone of fat. He'd of been one of the best of his generation.
As a fat man he was amazing, a little effort would of made him world class

18 May 2015 22:33:48
absolutely hate the way Henderson keeps coming out and repeating statements " we need to step up" you said it earlier in the season you haven't done it yet! is there any chance you will do in the future? stop stating the obvious like we going to listen to you! you may think you have "made it" but I tend to think you and your team mates have messed it up!

18 May 2015 22:53:02
I think he's just saying what he has to, when the media ask him questions he's hardly going to say "we'll not bother now", and the manager has let him and the other players down by not stepping it up.

18 May 2015 23:04:44
John, you sometimes think to yourself whether or not certain players mean what they say, or that they say it to please millions of fans or to act the part of a Captain.

You're right, far too often people o here blame the manager yet fail to criticise the team as a collective unit.

Oh yeah, Jordans a classic for the cheesy clichés - purre one-mind mentality

18 May 2015 23:40:02
He is the manager hence, he should get the credit when we do well and take the blame when we don't. That is the rule of the game and that won't change due to BR being our manager which hopefully, won't be for very long

19 May 2015 01:51:15
I'm always saying I need to spend less time on this site, but I haven't followed through on it yet - it is just human nature. Shocking I know but yes, footballers are human!

19 May 2015 05:26:52
I hope Ancelotti gets relieved of his duties so that he can make us great again. He is one of a few managers who would manager Liverpool that can attract high caliber players that are over the age of 20.

18 May 2015 22:29:41
Just seen the Sterling statements, if true yet another sign of the chaos behind the scenes.Another summer of embarrassing headlines.

Sterling stating he feels bullied into signing a new contract and not protected enough.Liverpool have stated he is not for sale. Sterling has stated he will not sign a new contract. Worked for Suarez.

If he wants to go sell him and move on. No player bigger than the club. His agent has created the headlines not the club. I only hope we don't sell to another prem club. My money is on him going to Real with Bale joining a prem club.

I think Ibe is almost there in terms of replacement anyway. I would say that Rodgers has been made to look totally out of his depth on this one. His confidence in Raheem signing seems strange, this will run and run.

Someone needs to get a grip of things behind the scenes.

Sterling will be replaced we will move on. YNWA

18 May 2015 22:47:15
I actually feel sorry for the lad.

Brendan and lfc are the best place for him, because he can learn 3 positions struggle at times and be told by everyone what's best for him.

Or go city and play in 1 position without the pressure of being the it guy and probably grow into a world beater.

Big loss right now NO, we will regret him leaving in 3 years.

18 May 2015 22:52:25
Sterling and his agent have tried to bully the club from day one, the club does need to handle contracts better but we can not give into a 20 yr old and his wayward demands.

{Ed001's Note - sorry but that is not true. The club have been just as guilty of bullying in this instance, publicly shaming the lad on a number of occasions. Sterling has been poorly handled.}

18 May 2015 23:19:22
In fairness Ed01, Andy Ward used Sterling to show what a good agent he was. He leaked that the club were dragging their heels (mostly due to the complicated 'split' Ward and his partner were going through). Rodgers was dumb to rise to the bait, but for once it was purely in defence of the club. Dumb and unnecessary yes, but well meant. You're right he's been poorly handled, but for once it's not Rodgers fault.

{Ed001's Note - sorry but not true, there were already stories being put out by the club before Rodgers stuck his foot in his mouth personally. You can't defend him for opening his gob, just like there was no defence when Rafa did it. The club should never have gone public in discussing his contract, they should have kept it inhouse like everything used to be done. Oh and it is Rodgers' fault to a huge part, when it is Rodgers that is a big part of the reason he wants to move on.}

18 May 2015 23:43:05
ed 01 i thought raheem had a good relationship with rodgers. he's hugged him a few times after scoring lol.

{Ed001's Note - I hugged the smelly bloke who sat next to me at Anfield many times when the team scored, couldn't stand the guy, but when a goal was scored I hugged him in the moment. It means nothing anyway, this isn't about personal feelings, this is about his career and what will be best for his development.}

18 May 2015 23:47:14
The club messed up big time and BR only compounded the prob. "He has been offered a fantastic contract". So what? So RS should sign it just because Big Mouth or the fans said so? What manager says that nonsense, anyway? The club has screwed this up and I'm afraid bridges may have been burnt for good.

19 May 2015 00:47:09
I wish people would have more respect for Ed001's comments.

He has been spot on for a number of times.

He doesn't wear rose coloured specs.

He tells it like it is. A number on here cannot deal with that.

Running a club like Liverpool needs tough and robust decisions.
Not rose tinted specs.

19 May 2015 02:38:56
Spot on, Yuri!

18 May 2015 22:21:52
Let the Sterling posts begin again.Good luck Eds

18 May 2015 21:32:50
I saw a lot of posts in internet which states liverpool may look for higuain as we are in need of quality striker.

My question is whether we are looking into Jose callejon, to me he is 10 + goals scorer and will be cheap.

Was there a previous interest OR still an option and actively checking

18 May 2015 21:56:25
Weneed a 20-30 goal player callejon will never score that many

18 May 2015 21:59:34
He's a player I had an attraction to, but he's actually a few years older than I thought he was.

Definitely has ability, and a goalscoring winger / wide forward is certainly something we need, but now that I know he's nearly 29 and not in his early-mid 20s like I thought he was, I just get this inkling that he might be one of these guys who won't take to the Premier League.

18 May 2015 22:45:54
Had a attraction to hahaha

18 May 2015 21:14:14
Was just looking at the squad of Liverpool players when Rogers first became manager. Enrique, Johnson, Spearing, Coates, Kelly, Flannigan, Wisdom, Assaidi, Downing Carroll, Suso, Coady Yesil. Now try and tell me that the squad is not a lot better now. I am afraid Rogers had no choice but to get in quantity at the expense of just a few marquee signings.At least our bench is not an embarrassment now

{Ed001's Note - and you bitched at someone else for moaning about Liverpool players! Flanno showed he was the best right back at the club, oh and Rodgers bought Assaidi by the way, which negates your point if the ones you are complaining about are the same ones you try and defend him with.}

18 May 2015 22:07:41
Yesil was a Rogers purchase, so was Assaidi. Where is Suarez, gerrard, reina, Henderson on your list? Especially Suarez who was the reason we performed so well last season. I'm not anti Rogers and at times I could see what he was trying to do, especially in his first season. I saw improvements, but since then I've seen recurring mistakes and it doesn't look like this will improve anytime soon. The guy is far to stubborn and needs to realise he's not one from
'The bottle' and needs help in some way shape or form. The club is run by professional amateurs who are rookies in their positions. Ian ayre rookie, fsg rookies (at running a football club), Mike Gordon rookie, Rogers + coaching staffs rookies, transfer committe definitely rookies. And I don't mean rookies, in the sense they are new on the scene, I mean that they don't understand how big this club is and are not up to the task. Something needs to change, and if you got a manager that garuntees a degree of success, he can change things himself, by the power of that success. Rogers is a yes man. Has potential but school time is over, long over

18 May 2015 21:57:10
Rodgers has broken the £15m barrier on six signings, and most the rest cost at least £7m, so he's hardly been scraping the bargain barrel in his apparent pursuit of quantity over quality. He's also spent £37m on four strikers, none of whom he ultimately deemed good enough to play once Sturridge was injured. And he signed three center backs last season, and then decided they weren't good enough and then spent £20m on another center back this season.

Irrespective of what he inherited, there should be a better return on that sort of spend.

More to the point, he's completely misused and mismanaged half of his signings anyway. I'm beginning to think he could spend £100m on center backs and they'd struggle. And what's the plan for Illori and Alberto who cost us £14m between them?

18 May 2015 21:59:23
That's the point tho Red, the club has brought in good players yet the manager can't manage to beat the might of Palace, Villa, Leicester, Hull, West Ham, Basle etc. £220m spent and Palace on Saturday looked the team more likely to challenge for the title! Abysmal

18 May 2015 22:16:54
That is the worst use of the word rookie I believe I've ever seen.

I can assure you the Boston Red Sox is one of the biggest sports franchises in the world. While the games may be totally different, the two clubs are lucky to have fsg as owners. They will make mistakes, but they will correct them.

19 May 2015 00:00:43
Excuses, excuses and more excuses to keep the blunder-ridden BR. The excuses are so pathetic now because they are now being made up as fantasies and half truths by his acolytes on this forum. Btw, he has spent up to 80m on CB's yet we still can't defend a set piece and need to pack the defence with five defenders just to keep a clean sheet. Give another manager that amount alone in one season and see how we would improve as a team.

19 May 2015 00:55:15
I get a strong impression that although FSG understand Boston Red Sox. They don't understand Liverpool.
It is a cultural thing.

I also believe they don't know who to consult.

Yes, they may be getting advice.

Would you listen to a second hand car salesman and believe him ?

19 May 2015 02:46:05
Tj red, let me break this down for you

First, I specifically mentioned that they are 'rookies' at running a football club. A football club is on a different scale to a baseball team, especially if you are not specialised in that sport. The owners have said themselves that they didn't know what they where getting themselves in to and that its been very difficult for them. If you didn't know that then take you tinted shades off please and stop believing everything you read.

Secondly, the Boston Red Sox where an established global brand long before fsg where in charge and will continue to be so after they move on.

The owners have made various mistakes themselves, although with good intentions. They have been adviced badly, and instead of consult real football people, they turn to people that they know and trust from different organisations who do not know anything about football. Which is why Rogers is in charge, and will still probably be in charge come next season. And sticking up for the owners is fine, but they are rookies. Rookies which hardly ever attend a football game. Wake up mate

18 May 2015 19:33:31
Saw a title on another sports page regarding Villa-Boas, as Mr Anti football and his tactics and style as soooo boring. Zenit though have just been crowned champions. Even with this achievement former players slate him as poor. They almost hate watching them.

This got me thinking (happens on occasion). We came close or at least strongly linked with AVB. We went with Rodgers.

My banter question to fellows fans, incl ed001. Would you rather AVB dull boring negative football weekly, but a title. Or Rodgers exiting fluid play, like last season and finishing 2nd. For this you have to imagine consistency of exciting football, not our reality.

Both result in CL football. Check
Both result in accolades. Check
Both result in decent players. Check

However, one constant excitment, goals decent players, which move on but are replaced and I'm afraid no trophies - but you enjoy going each week.
The other is the opposite. You're champions, but wow you almost can't bear it.

Which would you take, just for banter.

{Ed001's Note - I would take the better football, but not under either of those two, both are not my cup of tea as managers.}

18 May 2015 19:56:52
After 25 years without a trophy I can't think of any LFC fan who will not prefer taking the title with as boring football as it can be at least for 2-3 seasons. Then we can think about style. In practice it is hard to see how it could be boring. Winning the title meaning winning many games including winning matches against the top teams. How boring can it be to beat ManU, Chelsea, Arsenal etc?

AVB and BR are totally irrelvant here. AVB failed miserably with Chelsea and Spurs, was never near the title and LFC this season was in most games one of the worst teams to watch in the PL.

18 May 2015 20:12:05
Bear in mind that they are both the offspring of Mourinho. AVB absorbed all of the pragmatism and stifling football, whilst Rodgers absorbed. Erm, something else. Neither has the charisma of their mentor, but Rodgers tries to bring his own twist on things (a sprinkle of the worst bits of Barca, and a half hour lesson off Bielsa), whilst AVB just doggedly follows the basics. Take your pick.

18 May 2015 20:14:37
I would take a title any time. that's what its all about! The end result. The fancy football is just a bonus.

18 May 2015 20:32:23
I must be of the old fashion brigade because I always thought we pay our money to be entertained. Whilst being entertained by exciting football the end result can quite possibly turn into a league title.The days of winning the league sorely playing boring football is a thing of the past

18 May 2015 22:15:52
Avb nor Rogers can win a league title in the epl. Rogers would have a better chance in my opinion, but he won't. If he stays, he will most likely be gone by the end of next season and his status dampened even further meaning the best job he could get in this country Spurs or Southampton. Unless city prove they are the morons they have proven to be and take a punt on him, and even then he won't win, because we all know Mourinho owns Rogers. So he will coach in Spain, and will not win a league there either.

18 May 2015 18:36:13
Anyone find it funny how there seems to be no interest at all in Konoplyanka? If that was the simple case it wouldn't be so strange but we are clearly after a winger from all the players linked. But this is a player who was deemed good enough for us to spend 12m on in January 2014, but now he is out of contract soon and we don't want to go for him?

18 May 2015 18:51:32
He's been great in the europa league. I'd take him over Sterling to be honest.

18 May 2015 20:37:02
Find it weird he hasn't signed a pre contract already! Macca has linked us with him but think he is quality and considering he is a free contract do find it odd no one is strongly linked with him, same with luiz Adriano. Great goal scoring record brazil international and had more people interest in paying £18m for Andy Carrol two years ago!

18 May 2015 22:17:07
We are going for Ings instead unfortunately, but if sterling leaves then I can see something happen.

18 May 2015 17:38:27
New to this and wanted to mention an issue with Rodgers tactically is that he tends to use the double pivot continuously. I don't believe the double pivot is effective with the style of play he wants to play. Moreover the two players he plays in this pivot role, none of them have any insight into defending or blocking the passing lanes. He should just play one player in that position who can actually defend and Lucas would be perfect for this and I found it astounding that Rodgers hasn't recognised the importance of Lucas.
I also think Rodgers believed Allen would really assist in implementing the system he desires and had high expectations of Allen to play in that Xavi role but Allen hasn't been able to do this. I think this was a key downfall.

I'm not as anti-Rodgers as others here and don't actually believe replacing him would be effective except if a quality manager such as Bielsa could be brought in.

18 May 2015 18:02:42
That's a very good point mate. The system would work perfectly with an Alonso type player which Allen is not. You need a player in that role who has the confidence to always want the ball and dictate the play. This is why I've mentioned Granit Xhaka several times, because he is the type of player we desperately need.

The problem is we have no one at the moment who can play this role. Gerrard was the only midfielder who always wanted the ball and got the game going. We have Henderson who's a box to box midfielder, Allen who doesn't do much in all honesty, Can who's more of a box to box midfielder or a defender, Coutinho is an attacking midfielder, as is Lallana. It's amazing how those at the club can't see what we are desperately missing.

Red Rum

18 May 2015 18:41:55
I tried that double pivot manoeuvre on the misses Johan,

Then i threw in one of your turns , for good measure ,

Now she needs a new Hip , a nose job ,

And a new set of leathers.


YNWA

18 May 2015 19:24:22
I've posted a reply on the banter page Jcruyff.

18 May 2015 22:36:40
18 May 2015 19:24:22
"I've posted a reply on the banter page Jcruyff."
Isn't this the banter page?

18 May 2015 17:25:34
Liverpool need to get their house in order as soon as the season ends. The only team that will be strong next season is Chelsea. They will sign again the right players. Man citype, arsenal and especially united don't worry me if we sort out ourselves. United have average strikers(like us bar sturridge), a weak midfield and will sell their best player in de gea. Chelsea are the team to aim for and even they are no barcelona.
Shows how woeful we were this season and the squad needs completely reshaped. a lot of outs, a few top class players and youth brought in and a manager to reguvanalise the team.

18 May 2015 17:35:00
I wouldn't be so presumptuous about the chances of Arsenal, Man City or Man Utd over us.

18 May 2015 15:18:33
No need to post this or to reply, but the links to your other rumor sites seem to be missing the GO

{Ed033's Note - My thinking was that despite the large GO button, not very many people who visit our sites seem to know about the 2 drop down lists next to the search box that contain links to our many other sites that people may want to visit or engage with, i.e. talk wrestling, talk video games etc., so i decided to make the drop down box larger and remove the GO button. If you change to a new site, you are now automatically taken to the new site without having to press GO as well.

18 May 2015 16:54:28
Saw it! Looks better too

{Ed001's Note - just hope it works now!}

18 May 2015 17:08:13
Yeah te new feature is working.
Ed33. Mate i can't see eds notes on the OTHER EUROPEAN SOCCER RUMORS PAGE.
Could you kindly look into it mate?

{Ed033's Note - Hi Reet, i think if you go to the other european soccer rumours page now, or refresh the page, you'll see the extensive, informative Ed's notes in Red.

18 May 2015 18:34:56
Yeah ed saw that thanks for the quick response

18 May 2015 15:33:10
With Klopp meeting officials in Fenerbahce, does Ed reckon FSG is not making any contact with anyone of possibilities to replace BR?
If FSG is going to assess BR this summer, surely there is a backup plan if they are going to sack him. Maybe they have already spoken to Klopp or they may have someone else in mind or they may give BR another chance.

{Ed002's Note - Done to death and Klopp talking to other clubs is of no relevance to Liverpool. Try not to complicate things.

You may wish to look on the European pages for some further details.}

18 May 2015 16:42:29
Hi Ed002. I tried looking at the European pages (specifically the 'other soccer rumours' tab) but I can't see any replies to questions on Klopp, Gotze etc. Is this just a technical issue or were those questions just not answered? Thanks.

{Ed033's Note - Sorry, The other soccer rumours page on our European Soccer Rumours site now has Ed002's extensive informative replies on them.

18 May 2015 13:30:11
Eds do u think Brendan's job is safe ? And where do u think klopp will end up thanks

{Ed002's Note - Brendan's job has been done to death. I am not going to discuss Klopp on the Liverpool page.}

18 May 2015 15:00:26
Ed, as a fan of football on the whole, I'm quite interested in where Klopp may end up, so if not on the Liverpool page, where is it being discussed?

Cheers

{Ed002's Note - You can discuss it on the European pages if you want.}

18 May 2015 15:21:52
He's linked to Feberbace. Why FSG aren't even trying baffles me. It is really really hard to be a liverpool fan these days.

18 May 2015 15:36:16
Yes because if FSG were interested in him the first thing they would do is try and leak it to every media outlet they can. In case you didn't notice we still have a manager, much as I don't want him at the club anymore the right thing to do Is get rid before you replace him.

18 May 2015 16:49:42
Exactly, Swish! They would come on this forum and tell us what they are doing like they are ordered to. same with people saying that because they are silent on BR`s future means he is staying. Nonsense! They said nothing about KK leaving or staying until he was let go so what has changed? NOTHING! They will make an announcement and we will all be heare to hear it. Till then, everyone needs to keep calm and stop refering to media and explayers` opinions because they have no idea nor access to Michael Gordon and his crew who are revamping the club.

18 May 2015 19:46:15
Calm down, calm down Ohio.

18 May 2015 20:01:02
Thanks Ed, previously had some issues with the european page but seen from posts today that it's fixed now.

{Ed001's Note - if you do have problems could you let us know please so we can fix them?}

18 May 2015 13:13:31
If Real Madrid get rid of Ancelotti I would have him.

18 May 2015 13:50:53
What would you have him do?

18 May 2015 15:23:09
Kick Rodgers out the door nose first.

18 May 2015 16:48:46
Carlo Ancelotti would bring to us exactly what Van Gaal brought to united this season, minus the arrogance. Stability. Experience. Discipline. Structure. Fearlessness.

Ancelotti, unlike Van Gaal, actually has a record that seriously impresses me. Before mourinho, he was the last manager to win the league title with chelsea. And not to mention he created one of the best teams of all time, taking them to 3 champions league finals, winning two of them and only beaten in the other by us via a miracle. Clutching at straws here but its reasonable to suggest that through those two finals he has some kind of historical or emotinal connection with liverpool - basically we aren't alien to him like a club like arsenal or spurs would be.

It wouldn't be attractive football all the time. But we would win games. We would get stability. And he wouldn't be out of his depth. He would command respect and motivation from players. He knows how to win things, something rodgers obviously cannot do.

Unlike Van Gaal, i actually see Ancelotti as modest, open to criticism, and not a complete narcassist. He doesn't rule over his squad like a nazi officer but will discipline them when needed. I also think that despite the record of the clubs he has worked at, he would be willing to work on a tight budget if the club needed him to do so.

And if anyone is referencing his time at Real Madrid as a failure, there are so many arguments against that i'm not even going to bother listing them.

Obviously the football may not be as attractive and he won't be long term but if it is an improvement on rodgers and brings some kind of values and structure to the club then i would welcome Ancelotti with open arms.

Sadly the club hasn't contacted him and may not even look to replace rodgers. There is hope though as i believe we contacted him when kenny was sacked and his time at madrid looks limited.

18 May 2015 17:12:05
I don't really understand for the football to not be as attractive because it wouldn't take much to improve on this year, it's been horrible to watch. We haven't even played well and lost, we've played bad and lost. So I'd take playing ok and winning any day.

18 May 2015 18:11:00
Acelotti would be at the top of my shortlist but I very much doubt its a possibility unfortunately. I fear Rodgers may well stay simply because we can't find the right available & willing candidate. But yes, I totally agree he would bring all that is missing currently. Fingers crossed tho!

18 May 2015 10:26:40
The club should do all they can to land Klopp. He would attract decent players. I would also rather have another season of transition under him than one with Brendan.
Also a decent striker too, one of Higuin, Martinez, Tevez could be coaxed with Klopp being the gaffer.
The spine of the team is there. The defence has talent they just need a decent coach.

My summer signings would be:
Klopp
Milner (Free) experienced, and fights hard.
Pirlo (Free) if we could get him to come.
Martinez (?)

18 May 2015 11:27:23
My mate is a die hard juve fan and even he says Pirlo is past it. His words where his mind is still young but his legs are old, he struggles with the "pace" in Italy.
If he doesn't retire I can see him going to the Middle East or something, not the prem.

18 May 2015 11:55:47
I would take Alonso instead of Pirlo really, but both will not happen hah.

18 May 2015 15:06:02
Origi's a cross between David Ngog and Danny Welbeck on a bad day. Listen, don't be fooled thinking these young kids will turn into world beaters. Chelsea have swept up with all the best young talent throughout Europe. We get cast offs. If he was any good, chavs, City, utd or Arsenal would've been in before us. It's no coincidence that any transfer we go in for who is also of interest to another club, including spurs, we don't get. Cast offs are as good as it gets. Expect Ings, Milner, Origi and maybe Jovetic. Two frees, a young kid and someone wasting away at City. Forget your Lacazettas, Songs, Benzimas, Cavanis and co. We've got mure chance of platting got than we have signing these characters.

18 May 2015 16:52:53
Pirlo is one of my all time favorite players. As much as I would love to see him in the Liverpool shirt, the move doesn't make sense

18 May 2015 16:57:52
Yeah ozone, cast offs like sturridge and coutinho, they've clearly shown that is a club doesn't want a player then they can't be any good.

18 May 2015 19:18:05
Yeah Anonymous Woolback - Ilori, Alberto, Borini, Aspas, Allen, Sahin, Ballotelli, Lambert, Moreno, Manquilla. A complete waste of dough with no resale value whatsoever. Do you think there'll be top clubs interested in any of the said players? We also find out today that UEFA plan to relax FFP. Effectively FFP underpinned the owners business model. Where do we go from here? Dire squad with no balance, unsettled players, no leaders, a useless manage and owners who hedged through FFP and now it's smacked them in the face. Troubled times on the horizon.

18 May 2015 19:44:30
I forgot Lazar in that list.

18 May 2015 07:51:40
Some unrealistic views about us on here I think. "Get this manager, buy that player". It's not as simple as that. Who realistically can we attract that is a step up from Rodgers? The proven managers are out of our reach, leaving lots of promising up and coming managers to choose from. Which is a risk. Pull Rogers out now and we go straight into another rebuilding period, one which won't be funded as well as it has been in the past - it's just too soon.
The same goes for all these players that we fail to attract. We fail because we won't offer them the wages others can, nor the consistant european football.
We are not the club we were anymore. Sad, but true. We have been suprassed by other teams due to their success and, or sugar-daddy owners. We can demand all sorts of standards based on our illustrious past all we want, but we neither deserve it, nor should we expect it.
Putting all that aside though, I want BR to have another season at least. Last season was an anomaly and unrealistically increased expectations, and it was so because of Suarez. This season has been difficult for a number of reasons, but we are where we are despite having all sorts of problems, including pretty much no strikers for the season. I just want to see what Rodgers can do with a season unhindered by too many injuries and any real controversies, something he hasn't had since joining.

{Ed001's Note - so you want another season of 'transition' or rebuilding under Rodgers rather than just changing him because it will mean another season of rebuilding? Strange.}

18 May 2015 08:05:52
I didn't say another season of transition or rebuilding. I specifically pointed out I would like him to have a pretty stable one.

{Ed001's Note - why would this be a stable one when the 3 previous, despite no need for it to have happened in the last two, have been 'transitional' seasons according to Brendan? He has shown he has no idea how to build a stable platform over his last 3 years, so why do you think a 4th year is going to change that? I fail to understand this theory of hanging on to a lame duck just because the next duck might not be less lame.}

18 May 2015 08:21:11
Why would a new manager need a 'rebuilding period'? I really don't understand why people make this assumption.

Also not sure what you mean by 'proven manager'. BR really isn't anywhere near the level of those people seem to think are the only ones who can replace him.

18 May 2015 08:24:58
Rebuilding ed? I don't think we'll be rebuilding under Rodgers. More like selling a lot and strengthening certain areas only. That's all we need to do anyway.

We have a strong core of players here. Sturridge, Sterling, Coutinho, Lallana, Henderson, Lucas, Can, Moreno, and Sakho. We only need a few quality players to improve the starting XI. We also have Markovic, Ibe, Origi, Allen, Sinclair, Rossiter, Wisdom, Lovren, Skrtel, Ward and many youngsters to make up the numbers.

I think you're overreacting to be honest, but you're entitled to you're own feelings regarding the club.

Red Rum

{Ed001's Note - how am I reacting? The defence is a shambles, despite the multiple defenders bought, so needs a rebuild. We have a midfield that no longer protects the defence and provides little going forward, so we need to rebuild that. Oh and our attack is so poor under Rodgers that we have to play midfielders up front, so we need to buy new strikers too. That sounds like a rebuild to me. Better to rid ourselves of the problem, Rodgers, and save the money.}

18 May 2015 08:44:56
I fail to see how anyone could not do a better job than Rodgers. If the new guy plays people in their correct positions, settles on a system and formation, gives guys like Ojo, Rossiter etc game time then they're already doing better than Rodgers. Anyway I don't buy into this claim we can't attract managers or players. Klopp and De Boer are both interested in the role.

18 May 2015 08:47:47
All of what you say about us being way behind the other top teams, cannot offer CL football etc is true for summer 2015, it is less true of summer 2014. And arguably BR has a lot to do with this massive drop in attractiveness because of how poor we were this year and how poor his signings from last year were.

18 May 2015 09:39:20
Ed1 I went to the game on Saturday and our midfield with no Lucas in it was very poor, Palace basically just ran through it, there was np midfielder to read the game and cut the gaps out to stop the runners, every time he starts Henderson and Gerrard together this happens but he never learns, I must admit I was very impressed with Bolasie and Puncheon,do you rate them as players and why on earth does he not play Lucas?

{Ed001's Note - Rodgers doesn't play Lucas because he is clueless about the defensive side of the game, it really is that simple. He doesn't think we need a Lucas type player. He doesn't even seem to notice that our results are so much better with Lucas in the team.

Bolasie is extremely pacey and skilful, but even more erratic and inconsistent. At Palace, where he is the go to guy, he is brilliant, sometimes, awful others. That is ok when you are Palace, but we need players to be at least average on their off days, and brilliant on their best days. He is too inconsistent for a team aiming to win trophies on a regular basis, which is what we have to aim to do and buy players with that aim in mind. We have bought too many players that simply aren't at that level in the past.

Puncheon has got great quality, but again is too inconsistent, his attitude is not quite right either, there is not the fire in his belly needed to be a top class player, despite the wand of a left foot. He just does not do enough with his ability to warrant a move to us. He needs to do more, not in terms of work rate, but in terms of end product, there is very little end product from him. Like Bolasie he lacks that it factor that marks out the really top players from the merely very good ones.}

18 May 2015 09:52:59
I've been a fan of Rodgers, and have supported him throughout, especially during this difficult season. But I am now worried, and my worries are because of the following:

1. He has no idea who his best XI are.

2. I have no idea how we'll line up week on week.

3. I have no idea what our approach to games is.

4. We tactically seem to try different things every week. An example would be the overloading of midfield with Can becoming a central midfielder. Just too much trial and error at the moment.

I'm not going to regurgitate other things people have posted over the season, but I feel we're going into the summer without a clue of how we play, how we WANT to play, what players we actually need, and where we're going.

18 May 2015 10:06:05
If Rodgers knew what he was doing then he wouldn't have so many players playing out of position.

I just don't understand how on this years performances anyone would still want us to keep Rodgers.

We came second last season mainly down to 2 men and Rodgers wasn't 1 of them.

18 May 2015 10:06:28
Bolasie also cannot shoot and Puncheon is looking quite tidy in centre mid but he also doesn't have the pressure at Palace to perform to his best week in week out.

18 May 2015 11:30:10
I honestly can't see how anyone still thinks he's the man to take us forward after this season. People who use last season as an excuse to keep him, that was down to Suarez.

I've always had the following opinions on Rodgers;

1. He fails to get the best out of his players, mainly due half our lineup being out of position.

2. He has this theory that his 'death by football' tactic can actually work. He's tested it so many times and it's failed, yet still insists on using it.

3. Does he actually analyse the opposition? Plays Can at the back when it was obvious Fellaini would target him? Plays a back 3 which is awful against pace, against a side with tons of pace?

4. His interviews. I don't even want to word this. He's just an embarrassment every time he opens his mouth.

5. It's everyone's fault but his own. Poor Transfers? Blame the committee (Personally I don't think the signings are poor, just being put in a poor system).

6. His coaching staff. Do any of them actually do anything? Pascoe is mugging a living. Do we actually have a defensive coach?

7. Where the **** are our youth prospects chances? All season long, we've had a chance to give Sinclair a chance in the team? Why has it taken until the last 3 games of the season? He fits the role perfectly. Yet Sterling (Who I think it's unfair to criticise his ambition.) is a key player, build the team to his strengths. Don't play the lad upfront when his finishing is hopeless.

I have many more, but I can't be bothered to rant on. If you really want another year of 'transition' then 'Disagree' as much as you want.

Rant over.

18 May 2015 10:44:27
Hi Ed 001 , Is the Lame Duck flying out to Boston after the Stoke game? And if so , will there be a hunting party ready to put him & us out of our misery ?

Thanks

{Ed001's Note - there is no need for him to go to Boston.}

18 May 2015 11:34:53
Who can we realistically target who's better than Rodgers?
Fat Sam is available like ed002 says, even he would be doing a better job than Rodgers right now. Lol
So I don't buy this argument that there are no better options out there, there are likely to be hundreds, just because it might not be Klopp or another top name doesn't mean we can't find a better manager to take over.

18 May 2015 15:49:28
Some of these comments are too harsh on Rodgers i think. Believe me i am not his biggest fan right now.
1) he lacks direction and a solid plan
2) Is not good at picking right transfers, knowing when to play them or where to play them, plus is clearly inept at closing deals!!!
3) He buys players and doesn't play them at all!!! Which is perhaps my biggest gripe!
4) He doesn't seem to know his top team yet
5) What he says to media, especially always sounding so positive when i would prefer an honest approach more like van gaal

BUT, and i know my dear ED01 disagrees we did nearly win last year and you cannot of predicted a slip here or blame him too much for the occasion becoming too much to cope with, as it was new for the players and him to be in that race.
We have had injuries to a couple of important players, which wouldn't matter so much if we had got a couple of really good strikers to cover but instead as Ed01 says we are playing midfielders up front!
Also Ed01, i completely agree with you that perhaps his biggest fault (for me) is the fact he seems to only be interested or only understands attacking play, and i agree doesn't value or understand the importance of defensive players such as Lucus.

I don't believe that he is a foney though, or that his heart isn't in it. I believes he wants the best for the club but is not yet the best to know how to achieve this.

Anyway, if he moves on i only hope he is replaced by a really solid proven manager--Klopp would be great but unlikely i guess

Oh, and on a last note for all those saying Milner won't improve our team!!!!! Your all nuts!! He IMO is exactly what we need

18 May 2015 17:08:53
The people who are using stability as a reason to keep BR must be on drugs or asleep over the past three years. Have we improved over that span? NO! So why should he have a fouth year? Would the teams above us have given him a fourth year after the disaster he has been this year? NO! So why will thing be stable in a 4th year when they have been unstable overall for three years? THEY WON`T! BR has failed in so many ways, it`s disheartening and any manager that does as little as know what system to play, place square pegs in square holes, have a set plan and vision, play some youth and show class and dignity as well as leadership and taking responsibility for his failings in the media, is ALREADY an upgrade on BR before even managing our first friendly game. He is a failure and needs to go.

P/S: Milner is just looking for a last pay day and will not improve us anymore than if we played players in their right slots instead of placing round pegs in square holes like BR does.

18 May 2015 03:58:40
Hi Eds
Just like to get your feedback on some of players recently linked. Have we any interest in
1) Stevan Jovetic
2) Carlos Bacca
3)Inigo Martinez
4)Asier Illaramendi
5)James Milner

Also EDs, any truth in the rumours that Rafa Benitez is in contention to replace Rodgers.
Thanks.

{Ed002's Note - Try the search engine.}

18 May 2015 16:27:30
Wouldnt touch Jovetic. For me Milner would be first choice.

17 May 2015 23:52:53
Given that we potentially have one midfielder leaving (Gerrard) and have Rossiter and Chillivera (as well as Can hopefully moving back to midfield),

Wouldn't maybe 2 forwards be all that we need - given our FFP issues?

Note - I'm not saying that's what I want more maybe that's all we should buy to comply with FFP and also force BR (if he stays) to use youth.

18 May 2015 05:53:46
thats what we should do. spend what we can, on 1 or 2 players that we really need.