Liverpool Banter Archive November 09 2014

09 Nov 2014 21:01:35
Am I on some sort of blacklist?
My posts don't seem to get posted any more. I wouldn't blame you because I can be acerbic and sometimes negative at times but I wouldn't mind knowing if I'm wasting my time or not.
If you're booting me I will understand but I'll be equally disappointed that you're censoring me. Everything I say is heartfelt from a long-suffering season-ticket holding supporter whose mortgage equates to a fraction of what these prima donas get paid a month.
I can talk as much crap as anyone else in the pub but it's always said with a 100% love of Liverpool and over forty years of love for the best Club in the land.
If I have to reign in my opinions to be accepted on this site then we have to part waves. . if I'm wrong (and hopefully I am) and you've just not received my posts. then I will take a step back and a deep breath. I'll even apologize.
Over to you EDs !

{Ed002's Note - You have sent in one post in weeks. I imagine it went to the Other page.}

09 Nov 2014 20:18:51
eds
im not really familiare with this fair play thing but ould you explain please what will happen in jan considering that we won't have any money to buy and the need to sell in order to reduce the debt, can we not sell to buy

{Ed002's Note - Your expectations for January are rather too high - don't expect a whole bunch of changes. I don't want to be explaining the FFP rules from scratch again right now.}

09 Nov 2014 20:21:59
ok thanks eds

09 Nov 2014 20:39:19
i doubt the ffp rules will bother us 2 much as we won't be in the champs league again br will be free to piss more money down the drain

09 Nov 2014 19:50:04
I am not player bashing but I would like to get my views on record about the apparent consensus that Henderson is the heir apparent to Stevie G's captaincy.
I really don't think he has the quality to be considered in that role.
I was at yesterday's match and from what I saw he fluffed a shot from a low corner when a better connection would have found the net and when he found himself in attack he panicked and gave the ball away.
I feel that more often than not he is like a rabbit which has been startled by headlights.
We have a tradition of quality captains who could influence a game and unfortunately Hendo is not one of them and nor will he ever be.

{Ed002's Note - Don't rule out Lallana for that role.}

Lallana for me too Ed, now if only the manager would start playing the guy.

09 Nov 2014 20:40:27
He can't even get in the team right now, Ed!!

Henderson lack quality we all knew that just now so does the rest of the team so his weaknesses are over shadowing his strengths drop him for lallana give him a break same gerrard for lucas I ask why not freshing the team up

Henderson is not quite reaching the heights of last season but he is still a quality player with tons of energy and work rate. The problem is that, unlike last season, Henderson is the only one pressing with intent - the rest of the team don't seem interested (or more likely have been instructed) in pressing which means he is running around more aimlessly, expending his energy chasing balls he cannot win because the team press is non-existent. Henderson still has a bright future at the club but of course he has areas he can improve from - despite an excellent season his lack of goals and lack of ability to put his laces through the ball was one of his weaknesses last season, its an area he does need to work on. As for captain material? I think it is a possibility but he needs more consistency - good captains turn up almost every single game and perform (Gerrard in his prime a perfect example), he hasn't found that consistency yet.

{Ed001's Note - at times against Chelsea, Hendo was the only player in the opposition half, pressing the centre backs. It was more than once, so it begs a few questions. Where the hell were the forwards? Why was no one helping him? Why was he so far ahead of the forward line with no support from his team mates? To me we just don't look like a team, there is no teamwork, no working together to win the ball back, no working together to keep the ball when we get it and no one getting into the box. It is not his fault that he gets the ball and there is no one to pass to.}

I agree ed, I think Henderson is still playing well but is suffering as a consequence of the dire performances of the team. As you say we just don't look like a team: no forward line to speak of, lack of work rate off the ball, lack of options in midfield, lack of organisation at the back and we could go on and on. It was noticeable in the Chelsea game that, when trying to play out from the back, that we gave Chelsea possession (and put ourselves into trouble) at least 10 times, maybe more. With that sort of incoherence I don't see how any player is able to perform well. I don't think Henderson has been doing an awful lot wrong, I just think his game suffers when he has nobody else at all backing up his energy and work rate - he can't do it alone but at the moment he is one of only a few players actually putting in a shift. Can honestly say i don't understand why he is still criticised - is it just because he is an easy target? There are plenty on here willing to defend Balotelli despite his horrendous attitude and form but Henderson gets jib and that's ok? Proper weird.

{Ed001's Note - it has always been the same, some people will escape criticism no matter what, while others are picked on constantly. Lucas used to be the one who got it in the neck, now it seems Hendo is the easy target. Balotelli has been appalling, but people are jumping in to defend him because the media is on his back. I can understand that to a point, but they are starting to overlook the fact that he deserves the grief for his performances, that are simply not good enough in any aspect.}

Why do you think the team spirit has disappeared so dramatically ed001?
I think it may have to do with team selections.
Toure deserved to start against Chelsea.
Simple as that.
That's the only feeling in football that I don't miss.
That feeling when you know you have played a blinder and then you don't start the next game.
Part of the reason we played consistently last year was a lack of rotation. i'd say its fairly obvious that the rotation this season has been a negative not a positive.

{Ed001's Note - there are lots of reasons, poor form, changes in tactics, players not knowing each other, managerial blunders, youth players feeling left out, Agger's treatment, Suarez going, attitude of players like Enrique and Balotelli, plus the players are trying to adapt to a new style of play. They all add up to drag a team down.

When you have players feeling they can play a blinder and still not get picked in the next game, because an underperforming favourite will come back in, it creates low morale.

When you have youth teamers knowing that the club is buying and loaning in players of a similar age rather than give them a chance, then they lose morale too. As do their coaches. Selling and sending out promising defenders on loan while borrowing a player of a similar age, who plays the same position, is particularly demotivating for a youth player.

Then you have Enrique, Johnson and Balotelli, with a couldn't give a monkey's attitude, that is not good for teamwork. The dominant Liverpool sides never had players who didn't care. Paisley, Shankly, Moran etc would have never allowed a player not to care. If there had been a sign that a player couldn't care less, they would have been packing their bags within the hour.}

Can't disagree with any of that Ed.
And I love a row!!
That all sounds rather depressing.
I certainly agree in regard to our young players.
We have a brilliant academy which is actually producing players and we decided against using this system. why?

{Ed001's Note - because it takes guts to trust in young players with little to no experience. Though why it was thought a good idea to lock them out by bringing in players of a similar age with only a bit more experience, I really don't understand. Just seems the club is being run by people with little to no idea about managing people. Unfortunately, in a football club, the most important thing of all is management of people. In most businesses you can just replace underperformers from the huge pool of available workers. In football, you have long periods of time when replacement is not possible, plus a much smaller pool of talent to choose from and a number of competitors doing the same thing. The best thing to do would be to manage what you have to outperform their own capabilities, rather than just chop and change every few months. It is completely different from most businesses, where you are normally better off just changing the personnel, rather than looking to improve their performance.}

Yes Ed.
Look at Koeman.
Has he spent he whole amount of money which Southampton received in the summer? No.
He has just bought what they needed.
Compare that with us and it looks like we have just pissed ours against a wall.
Bringing in young players when we have them already should be banned.
It makes no sense.
Who analysed our squad at the end of the close season and decided that we needed a rb when we have Wisdom already?
Who decided to spend 20 on Markovic when Ibe is already here?
Strange decisions.
If it was solely Rodgers then his job should be under scrutiny.
A right mess.
I'll have to get me boots on again. If this keeps up. My beer belly is better than Balotelli. That rhymed as well.
I can see that on t-shirts all over the Kop.

Im fed up of people giving credit to players for working hard.
That is the least expected of them.
Merely working hard is not good enough at this level. Quality and ability to influence a game is also necessary.

10 Nov 2014 11:33:11
On Henderson - he has to have more game intelligence than to "press" on his own.
If no-one else is doing it then keep shape and defend as a Unit - yes we pressed well last year but we are not as a team this year- there is no point pressing alone as you just get played round.

09 Nov 2014 18:48:39
Hi Ed's,
Not posted for a long time but have been an avid reader. As much as it pains me to say it Mr Rodger's time is up. Regardless of what position he achieved last season the investment which was made thus far has not paid off. It increasingly looks like that we will be unable to make top fourl never mind sustain last years position. The simple facts are that our defence has gotten worse. Now some people will say that we are not too far off fourth but to have a valid arguement for that we would have to have shown an ability to perform like a side worthy of CL positions, sadly we have not bar the Spurs gane. The league position after 11 games is enough to make Mr Rodger's position under threat. Our tactics have been poor to say the least. The fodder he is feeding the press is again unsettling. Perhaps if he does get the sack he could some writing for David Brent in the office. I am a life long fan but to see so called fans abuse the Ed's for giving factual and unbiased responses is the hardest part of reading through the site. I hope Rodgers some how turns it around. I can't see how though. Thanks for all the updates Ed's it is appreciated.

I said at the start of the season that I would give this team a bit of time to get it right.
I will hold off criticizing too much yet.
I have actually seen some improvements in performance recently.
Very slow progress but progress nonetheless.
I am actually going to say something which not many will agree with.
Liverpool will be in the top four by Christmas and about 8pts off the top of the league.
Cue the disagree's but that's what I think will happen.

09 Nov 2014 18:08:51
Well at least we are not the only side struggling, City, Utd, Arsenal, TOT are all just as bad.

We can improve, Chelsea might run away with the league but top 4 is well in our grasp. Very young side and Danny S to come back. .BR is a great young manager and I'm sure he will turn us around :-). . at some point

Love your positivity. For him to turn it around, he needs to change and recieve assistance in the areas he is weak in (transfers, defence, media, etc) or he will be sacked.

We should have used this season as a means to achieve at least a top2 finish by building on last season's performance, considering how poor all the top teams bar Chelsea have been. Instead we seem intent on keepin the likes of Man Utd, Arsenal and Spurs company and making life difficult for ourselves. Huge opportunity missed imo.

10 Nov 2014 08:43:21
Big difference between us and United is they have the potential this season to do what we did last season - not bother about leaking goals as they will score plenty.
We do not have that luxury this season so will struggle to reach top 4
Chelsea
Citeh
Utd
Arsenal
all have potential to outscore us to a CL place

09 Nov 2014 16:36:27
Why bicker over a handball that wasn't given? Would being awarded that penalty and getting a point give our season anymore impetus? We are a shambles of a football team that can't defend, attack or the do the basics correctly. Brendan has to take the blame and has to go. We need a new philosophy and we need a clear out in January and blood some youngsters till the summer. This will help us with not infringing FFP rules and paramountly at least the kids will give 110% and respect the shirt! Eds 001 in your opinion who do you think will realistically come in mid season and take the managers job?

{Ed001's Note - I can only see De Boer who would be willing, that is not at a lower league team.}

Another with a short memory. I'd hate to have you or the others on here calling for BR's head watching my back!

@ MM The return - so how long do you continue to allow abject, poor performances to continue before changing something? And this is on the back of a massive summer spending spree which has backfired spectacularly. The results and, more significantly, the performances, have been miles off what they should - if it isn't fixed then Rodgers position becomes untenable, he needs to fix the problems or he needs to go - there is no time for us to wallow in the mire.

You should change your name then The_Brendans_Advocate.
As a sign of your displeasure!!

09 Nov 2014 16:36:36
Having watched the last two games it's very clear that most of the dropped players after Madrid game should be starting more often.

Lovern, Johnson, balloteli are awful at the minute

Gerrard has really slowed this season,

Henderson, Coutinho, Mignolet & sterling are struggling

Toure, Can, Lucas, Lallana should start next game

Don't understand what Allen brings to the game

Why buy lambert and not play him.

It's very clear to me BR is out of his depth & stubborn and the owners should employ a Experienced figure at the club to advise him as they wanted to do when they appointed him.

Over £60 million spent on defenders and keepers and we are awful at defending, £20 million international defenders do not become rubbish overnight, it is clearly the coaching.

A couple of weeks with carra that will sort them out

09 Nov 2014 17:18:28
Carra would be a logical choice but due to his media commitments is unlikely. Hopefully John Henry is still on speaking terms with Steve Clarke and would have him re-join our back room staff.

{Ed002's Note - Ex Liverpool players are not the logical solution to anything. And Stevie was sacked by Liverpool at the behest of Rodgers. I am pretty sure only his middle finger would show any movement at all toward an offer.}

Wish there was an agree with Ed button.

09 Nov 2014 19:23:43
I've only mentioned carra in jest as we know he couldn't commit,point being that having watched for years and listened to him last year he clearly know his stuff. .

Buts he's not the only ex pro who could help

Brenden have a word with yourself mate sort out the coaching it just might keep you in a job

Former players are too blinded by their love and devotion to the club which blinds their sense of judgement and makes them make bad decisions that are detrimental to the club. Just ask KK and his dreadful handling of the Suarez-Evra saga. We tried that and failed so o thanks. SC has been a head coach so why would he be someone`s number 2 again? BR got SC fired so those asking him to come back need to let it go.

Redohio you've given a good answer to which most would agree but intestered to know where you stand on the current situation.

Clee, the current situation looks like a bad dream. I cannot for the life of me understand why and how BR has become so stubborn and obstinate in his inability to see the probs we have and continue to play the same old possession footie that got us nowhere fast. He continues to employ a defensive system that doesn`t suit of defenders and leaves the GK exposed during almost every set-piece. BR played a diamond and two up which made us unplayable atimes last year. He was able to adapt his formations to nullify other teams and smash them. This is not the same guy. It looks like the BR who greatly improved us last year was just an imposter. I know he has flaws and needs help BUT I didn`t know he was just filled w/ stupid pride and was so full of himself that he persists with a failed tactic. That is what baffles me about th current situation. The players you mentioned need to be playing for sure. How can we have unity in the squad when players who showed they belonged in a very difficult previous game (Lucas, Lallana, Toure, Manquillo) get benched the very next game for players who have been crap for th 3 prev games before that? Toure is said to be error-prone YET Skrtl who is MORE error-prone plays ahead of him. GJ is useless yet he plays ahead of Manquillo who I personally like and IMO, better than GJ. Lucas gives his all when he plays but gets benched for Gerrrd who is not a DM. These are the things that anger me towards BR (who I have supported even in his most difficult periods when he first arrived). He`s a good coach but he needs to admit he is ways are no longer working because IMO, I feel he persists w/ his useless tactics that have proven to b a failure when he arrived, just to show us the fans nd his detractors in the media that he will bow to nobody. If that is the case then he needs to be sacked in the morning because we will not stand back and let him ruin our great club just to prove a stupid point to God knows who.

Spot on mate

09 Nov 2014 13:40:54
Hi Ed002,

You say 2017 may be a piviotal year for the sale of some high profile EPL, clubs - is there any reason for this year specifically and could you share the possible clubs it may be?

Do you hve any idea who Liverpool may be looking to offload in January to try & claw some money back for the FFP rules.

Thanks for your continued input in to the site.

Regards

Crooky

{Ed002's Note - There is a very good chance that Manchester United will be sold in 2017. I would not be surprised to see Liverpool sold them. Spurs may well be sold before 2017, but they are another high-profile club that may go then.

I am not aware of Liverpool looking to sell in January to "claw back" anything.}

09 Nov 2014 15:50:32
Is there something specifically happening in 2017 that encourages this sort of activity, Ed002? New regulations or what have you or just a potential coincidence?

{Ed002's Note - There will be a significant increase in TV revenue.}

10 Nov 2014 06:37:19
So will the new TV deal be much more beneficial to sellers & more attractive to the buying parties?

Do you know of any talks already ongoing to sell these clubs at all?

Thanks again Ed002, much obliged.

Crooky

{Ed002's Note - I really don't know how you come to such a conclusion.}

10 Nov 2014 06:37:45
Interesting. Thanks, Ed002.

09 Nov 2014 12:47:17
Last week we lost because of Moreno's mistake. Rubbish! We lost because we scored less goals than Newcastle. Yesterday we lost because we scored less goals than Chelsea. Apart from Can's efforts no-one had any idea when it came to scoring - they all passed the buck. The number of times that the ball goes from the left wing to the right and back again is ridiculous and becoming embarrassing. Even when Suarez and Sturridge were scoring goals last season I pointed out that the other players needed to contribute more. I honestly thought that we would see more from Sterling and Coutinho but as yet that has not happened. I don't expect goals from Henderson as his shooting is better suited to Australian Rules Football! Apart from that I believe that we do need a major clear-out. I know that it will lead to huge financial losses but the likes of Sktrtel, Sakho, Allen, Enrique, Borini, Balotelli and Johnson have to go. Gerrard needs to be used from the bench. I would give Lovren until the end of the season. The other acquisitions like Moreno and Can, Manquillo and even Markovic are still developing and the latter deseves another season (and a haircut!). As I have pointed out a couple of times we are still in contention for success - progress in the Champions League, League Cup, and not far off the pace for next season's Champions League. Let's all remember - we can't (and won't) get any worse. One last question - why is there no fuss about Ramires' attack on Sterling? A so-called Suarez dive always got more publicity and caused a media frenzy!

Pape, I agree that on the face of it, we are still mathematically in contention for theses competitions. However, I am afraid BR won`t be here because he has made promises to the owners he won`t b able to keep. Worse, things don`t look like they are going to change and persisting with this failed system will surely get him the boot. As for the Chelsea game, I was thinking the same thing. Chelsea didn`t play that well, IMO. They only took advantage of our vulnerability and lack of confidence. a peed at the fact that Ramires clearly punches Raheem in the face et he (Raheem) gets booked? If that was a Chelsea player, Mou would have plastered the ref and it would have been all over the papers. Also, the media hardly mentioned the blatant handball by Cahill which should have been a penalty. I guess the that went unnoticed by the media as well. If that was Chelsea that got denied a penalty and we had won, we woul not have heard the last of it.

The press seem to take what Maureen Ho (Mo-Ho) says as gospel.

Chelsea dominated the game in all area's of the pitch. They were better defensively - more organised, more committed and played as a unit - the chances we had were few and far between. They bossed midfield, the high energy, pressing game meaning we had little time on the ball. And up front they looked dangerous - we didn't.

Individual incidents can have an impact on the game but ultimately we need to look at ourself - it was another poor performance and another deserved defeat: blaming penalties and/or red cards that weren't given is a sign of desperation. If the game was close you might have a point but the gulf in class was huge - Chelsea never looked in danger of defeat and, on another day, could of made the scoreline far more embarrassing.

09 Nov 2014 11:40:52
Take a look at the set piece defending for Chelsea's first goal. Didn't Brendan laugh off the question about needing a defensive coach? That man could turn a back four of Kompany, Ramos, Ivanovic and Lahm into shambles.

He has been pathetic at organising a defence for the best part of 3 years. I would rather have a new manager who can gain the right balance I think its to late for BR anyway.

I almost pulld my hair out when I saw the goal. LFC have plenty of players in the box yet they do absolutely nothing. They just stand there when the ball comes in and leave Mingo exposed against 4 Chelsea players who had enuff time to pass the ball to each other and then score if they wanted to. Yet, we blame Mingo for being a poor keeper. Even Courtois would look useless in that horific system. I cannot understand our chronic defensive woes under BR because while at Swansea, he had one of the best defenses in the PL that year so can`t understand what is going on. For sure, it`s not the players because they were all good b4 they came here and suddenly, they are rubbish. IMO, BR is not interested in the defensive side of things due to the horrific way he sets the team up defenively which is going to get him sacked.

Redohio,
I was a little too vocal against you yesterday which I'm putting down to watching the shambles that is Liverpool at the moment but I have to ask you a question. A lot of your posts state that you think BR is a great coach but then you say chronic defensive woes?
If he is such a great coach how has our defense not improved last year and now again this year, is that not the coaches job.
Again apologies for yesterday's reply.

DWARFONABOAT, go and check his career to date with his other clubs, his teams have always leaked goals and plenty of them, the man is to arrogant and will fall on his sword. . sooner or later his team will take a hiding and he'll wander were it came from, the man is in total denial about that defence.

I say he is a good (not great) coach because of last year and what he was able to do w/ a small squad. He got us playing the best brand of football some of us have ever seen for the past decade plus. He put us in our best ever position to win the PL and had we won you wouldn`t be questioning his coaching credentials if we were struggling the year after. We can debate why we didn`t win BUT the fact of the matter is he got us into that position. He got Suarez playing the best footie of his life and gave Studge, Raheem and Couts their careers back after rotting on the bench or in the cold or w/ their personal probs (Raheem). I know many on here can`t or just won`t bring themselves to admitting that BUT I will do it for them. BR DID ALL THAT! Those are the facts. Not opinions, facts. I will give him his credit for our great improvement and our relative success because he deserves it. Now that he is struggling, being stubborn, employing pathetic and failed tactics, showing the ability to not be able to coach the defence to defend a simple corner kick or free kick, and who seems to have become a completely diff person for reasons only he can tell us or won`t tell us, he should be getting the blame which he rightfully is. ED01 agrees w/ me that he`s a very good coach BUT one who has his flaws (foot in mouth disease, apalling in the transfer market, inability to fix our leaky defence for 3 yrs, etc), who needs help BUT refuses to take it and for some dumb reason, refuses to change his boring, stale tactics. In short, one who needs help. A lot of help. Those are his clear flaws that will be the end of him if he doesn`t change. Accepting you are weak in certain areas and showing a willingness to change is also part of being a good individual, not just a coach and he is digging his own grave by not recognizing this glaring fact. Should he be sacked? If he continues his pathetic behaviour and results don`t change, then yes.

And lest I forget, apology accepted.

Redohino mate he may of rescued the players you mention but they were all decent footballers that were bound to come good yes he helped but he did not make them into supermen .Also mate we shipped in 50 premier league goals last season and if we did not have SAS last year we would be were we are this season to date . His two centre halves were scared stiff of costa and both couldn't mark a pools coupon his right back should be playing for some one else joe Allen tidy footballer but not good enough for LFC Henderson has just gone back to his first season performances Stevie is playing in a role not suited to P.C has played well but with out the front man making runs he can't do much. Sterling carrying the team at 19 scary our team depending on a youngster Mario has been a let down but he has played up front on his own when he obviously can't do that role he needs a partner all in all the whole team looks disjointed lacks confidence leadership from manager and belief in their own ability these are things top managers like the guy in the opposite dug out Saturday bring to his players his team and I don't believe that Brendan has brought to our side to date but hopefully he can after the break because if he does not he will be under intense pressure to keep his position

Albey, he helped them be great last season and that is the fundamental job of a coach so you made my point for me. The other points you make are valid and I agree w/ all of them.

09 Nov 2014 11:23:13
If i was FSG i give BR until january to turn things around, if not i replace him with a top top foreign coach.
I am sry to say it but i am fed up with BR, he talks a good talk.
Suarez and Sturridge were the difference last season and we had no europe.
He has no clue how to buy players that will really bring us back to the top.
If FSG are clever they bring in a director of football with a football brain.
At least will FSG will be informed that lallana/lovren/lambert are good players but for 50mil they better spend the money on better players from europe.
English players are overpriced and the real top english players are not for sale unless we get lucky.(Sturridge)
Yesterday Chelsea had 9 players on the pitch from other countries and they will win the league.
Man U will buy 2 cb in winter and in summer add 3 top players and be better than us again.
We spend the money unwisely and have been doing this for years
Malta

09 Nov 2014 12:09:55
I seriously think we will drop further down the table if we don't make a change asap. And Rodgers should not be given 1p in Jan.

09 Nov 2014 10:36:27
Mignolet was our best player the last to games (apart from the pass at the final whistle)

He's still a poor keeper.

I agree. He has his faults BUT has been good in recent games.

09 Nov 2014 09:27:03
What is everyone's problem with yesterday? It was a glorious defeat, like on Tuesday. Like ken frankie and welshboydave said, we didn't NEED anything from the game, were still in touching distance, so we didn't NEED anything, we played super super well. Get over it guys, come on, we didn't NEED anything remember.

09 Nov 2014 10:27:59
I was only going on your original (and totally wrong, don't forget that) point that we needed something from the Madrid game,
Your a grown man, that regularly gets his posts chopped or cut for being abusive, calling people out on dead threads, grow up lad FFS, stop embarrassing yourself!

Nice bit of sarcasm there bud, it ain't looking good for us.

When a team is going through a rough patch they need a little luck, it doesn't matter how good they are. Sissoko was a clear red card last week and Gary Cahill is challenging Joe Hart for England's number one after yesterday performance. We are not getting any luck at all. If the refs do there job right then we might of been talking about 4 points in the last two games. But you never hear the critical lot mention that.

Mighty is right. However, our woes are showing no sign of dissipating due mainly to BR`s failed system and his inabilility and/or stubborness to admit it and change his ways. You have to take care of what you can control (tactics, training, systems) and your luck will come.

09 Nov 2014 09:16:20
Eds, I was listening to a sports radio station here in the UK, the presenters were talking to a well known local reporter and commentator who is a Liverpool fan. He was saying along the lines that despite our season so far, he didn't believe BR was under pressure from the Owners etc. Think that is naive. Surely BR will be under pressure, especially after the amount of money being spent on new recruits, the possibility of not qualifying for the next round of the CL. We've already played Ludogarets and Basle and struggled. We're playing Ludogarets on their own psych next.

Also, I've heard some fans say that BR is having his Fergie moment! I.e. When Fergie was nearly sacked after 3 seasons but managed to turn it around. Hence, these fans are saying that BR should be given 2 more seasons. Can't believe I'm hearing these things. That Fergie moment was 25 years ago, BR may be having that moment, but the games changed so much since those days, that it's nots feasible to give him 2 more seasons (let alone 2 more months). Some fans needs to stop harking back to those days.

09 Nov 2014 10:43:08
i would trust Ed002 on these matters. BR is under immense pressure.

{Ed002's Note - I have not said anything at all about sacking BR at this time. However, he is of course under pressure - RH would have had a better return in terms of points at around this stage of the season. A lot more pressure has been added by what are seen by many as naive tactics. The most significant issues are arising as a direct result of his foot and mouth problems. I understand that the owners have been asking for "opinion" on the situation.

A word about the Fergie moment. People forget that ManU did so well not only because they were patient with Fergie but also because they were inpatient with Ron Atckinson and sacked him relatively early in the 1986 season (November - exactly around the time we are now) in order to bring Ferguson. So it is not enough to be patient. You have to be patient if you have a Ferguson and less patient if you have an Atckinson. By the way, the season before Atckinson was sacked, United, under him won 13 of their first 15 games, were favourite to win the league but then finished 4th - remind you of someone? It is true though that when he was sacked ManU were second from bottom - and we are not there (not yet anyway). I don't think BR is a 'Fergie' or anything close to it. Much more Atckinson to me. But whoever he is he clearly struggles to change the team and this should be the main test. Some managers, like Van Gual in ManU this season, struggle to get the results but you can see a difference, small imprvements in going forward, in the spirit, in the energy, in fighting back. When things improve it is easier to have a case to have more patient. Anyway, no more posts from em about the need to sack BR - I gave up on that one, I think he is with us until the end of the season, let's see where this brings us. Maybe Sturridge will bring the change everyone expect him to.

By opinion do you mean they are asking those more knowledgable to the game whether Rodgers should go? For me the last two seasons I have stuck with Brendan. First season I can accept transition trying to get the passing game installed in the players. Last season nobody expected what happened to happen but those last 5 games he needed to just do what was needed rather than continue trying to constantly attack and win the games such as the Chelsea one. This season instead of taking that philosophy we are slow, no fight, poor shape except the Madrid game. The 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 formation does nothing for our team it leaves the striker whether Its Balotelli or Sturridge in the Southampton and City games isolated, the wingers don't seem to get forward enough and Gerrard in the defensive midfield role isn't working this season. As for the money spent Can looks like if they get him fit he could be a great signing but the rest have struggled. Lallana is not being used for some reason, all the defensive players bought have no hope because the lack of defensive coaches at the club and Lambert and Balotelli are struggling with the lack of creativity and support upfront.
Back to the original question do you think if results up until the United game mid December continue the way of recently Rodgers could be in serious trouble?

{Ed002's Note - No of course not.}

09 Nov 2014 11:24:44
Ed002, are you allowed to mention who they've gone to in respect of asking for "opinion on the situation"?

{Ed002's Note - It is really not worth it right now. What it shows is that they are looking to help and to find a way to make improvements. The owners are not taking specific questions on Liverpool in interviews any longer. The are answering only broad general questions and questions about the stadium. They are focused on sponsorship and looking to increase commercial revenue (hence the meetings in the Middle East and London during recent days). They really don't need the distraction of the team performances - a team which they invested in to (a) get success on field, and (b) provide a boost to commercial negotiations.}

To be fair to Rodgers, out of the past 10 years this is only our second worst point total after 11 games. Unfortunately for him, the worst is himself in 12/13 with 12 points.

09 Nov 2014 12:03:09
Ok, thanks Ed002 for the reply.

Very informative. Thanks, Ed!

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09 Nov 2014 04:03:57
Ed002, why does mourinho despise Liverpool, what is the underlying reason?
I thought it was wrong for Toure to be on the bench today.

{Ed002's Note - Paranoia. Mr Mourinho does not despise Liverpool.}

Hibsylfc, I think deep down he'd love to manage LFC. . can't see it happening though. .too much baggage.

Mou is a pro. He doesn`t that LFC. He just loves beating us. Simple!

09 Nov 2014 03:04:42
The boys, in total, from what Brendan picked, did a good job today. Yes we were unlucky not getting the penalty but the boys did well.

After the shocking performance at Madrid, which has wrongly been made out to be a great game, we did very well today.

Coutinho, who arguably was the best player on the pitch in a red shirt, was substituted for very defensive Joe Allen. Why would you do that??

Was impressed with Mario's work rate and determination during the first half but think he was substituted a little bit too late.

For me, Lallana should of come on because we didn't have any creative people having taking Coutinho off!

Brendan really needs to think about his formation, Mario upfront on his own isn't working, and his substitutes! The game was crying out for Lallana!

{Ed001's Note - a good job is losing now is it?? Losing convincingly at that. Sorry but they were again completely outplayed, that is not a good job by any stretch of the imagination.}

09 Nov 2014 03:30:50
And by outplaying what do u mean Ed001? Would u have said the same thing had we had the penalty to equalize?

{Ed001's Note - yes, because Chelsea were by far the better side yesterday. I don't even get why you are asking, unless you missed the game. Chelsea did the same as Madrid, just enough to beat us, they could have gone on and scored more, but they sat back and just let us do our best. Again our best was simply not enough, or even close to enough. Hitting and hoping from long range to get lucky deflections or handballs is hardly tactical genius is it?}

When Mourinho after the game says something to the effect that he was never worried in the second half because the pressure was nowhere near what he normally expects at Anfield, you have to ask questions. Perhaps he's just rubbing it in a bit but I rather suspect he was just being honest.

A relegation fighting team would have given better performance than Liverpool yesterday. After resting 8 players and making a big show about selection I thought we will kill this game and what we got? A miserly performance. Just before the goal by Costa the whole formation was haywire, giving away ball so cheaply like amateurs.

It is quite simple really, Rodgers has gone back to the system which he sold to FSG when he got the job.

It is called *Possession Football*. He even referred to it in was of his most recent interview as 'dangerous possession'.

Our game is based on playing out from defence and it is just painful to see how slow we have been in our build up play. Our defence always ends up with more passes than our midfield. Quite astonishing to be honest.

Then our attack, how many more times does Rodgers have to see with his own eyes that Balotelli is not a lone striker?

I said yesterday that Mourinho would have a big fat grin on his face if Rodgers started Balotelli up on his own again and just love it when I am right!

Eds and reds did u think at the start of the season this was a game we would win? Chelsea were the winning team when we had SAS, they greatly improved their squad by buying the finisher they needed and strengthening everywhere there were weaknesses. They are/were odds on to win the PL from the start so would anyone have thought we could of beaten them irrespective of circumstances and recent form? I for one never thought we would so the result is hardly a suprise. They did play better yesterday than the performances which have brought such criticism ie west ham, newcastle ( every game since Spurs!) so I do think there needs to be some acceptance of what the poster is saying. Let's face is balo is never going to work out as long as he has got a hole in his donkey (see what I did there!) and God knows what the answer is with the CB pairing but hopefully a new GK will be bought in jan to give the defence confidence and a world class striker to pair sturridge (whilst getting rid of balo) and then we can crack on to challenge for 4th and fingers crossed we can remain in the competitions till then and have a chance at some silver wear. The BR out argument will run on I just hope this game is something we build from to smash palace in 2 weeks

{Ed001's Note - with the right manager, you expect to stand a chance of winning. With Rodgers in charge, following a dreadful transfer window, no I didn't expect us to stand a chance of winning. But that isn't because of Chelsea's quality, it is because of our lack of fight, quality, work rate, pace, movement, defensive positioning, attacking threat etc etc.}

Brendan needs to be thankful Costa and Hazard left their shooting boots back home, otherwise the scoreline would have been humiliating. Not to forget Mr Werner was at the game yesterday and hopefully he takes the necessary measures to arrest the club's slide, even if it means getting rid of Rodgers and his cronies from Swansea. Allen on for Coutinho when the team needed goals was just stupid by Brendan, i have lost all faith in him. Its laughable how so many blind LFC supporters try to pick out non existent positives in the team.

We were outplayed. BR is turning the team into a very bad team at the moment. everyone just look lost in the field. knowing our owners, i feel BRs time with us are not long.

he has very little time, if any

Chelsea didn`t need to play all that well to beat us and that is the most difficult thing to accept.

09 Nov 2014 00:16:50
What this rumour with balo and 3rd party. Thought you couldn't do that in england