23 Feb 2015 13:33:41
We finished second last year, narrowly missing out on the championship. In all fairness we should have won the championship and it was there for the taking but silly decisions toward the end of the season cost us in my opinion. We sold Suarez, we re-invested in a whole new team, the main objective that Rodgers promised the owners became un-achievable by October. Rodgers knew he would overhaul the squad in the first place and still promised the title this year, by October his tone changed and the 'period of transition' card was pulled out. He should have been honest from the start in my opinion, he likes the sound of his own voice and likes to hear himself say he will be a European & English Champion this season, actions speak louder than words he should stop talking so much. We are playing better, but still not to the levels I want. Against Southampton, if we defensively went about the City game in the same manor we will be going into half time a few goals down. If anyone can say it would be a good season finishing fourth, you are living in a simple world. How going from near champions last year to 15 points off the pace and scrapping for a fourth spot this year is a good season, is beyond me. i'm probably going to get loads of abuse but I wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to Liverpool and it frustrates me to see so many fans with their blinkers on.
23 Feb 2015 14:01:09
I don't think the fans have blinkers on they are just being realistic.Did I miss the interview where BR said we would win the league this year and the champions league or is it just another unfounded rumour Just asking because I have never seen that interview
{Ed001's Note - he promised the owners, not said it in an interview. Do you think they spent all that money in the summer, despite being in breach of FFP over spending, to come 4th?}
23 Feb 2015 16:04:26
Anfield Apple.
You're not going to get a load of abuse, your post is pretty fair but we also have to be realistic. All the cards were stacked in our favour last season and it was a fantastic opportunity to win the league. This season, it was very unrealistic to suggest we would win the league, whether or not Rodgers told the owners he would do so. Just plain old common sense tells us to have won the league, whilst losing Suarez, plus Sturridge, and integrating a number of new signings would be a difficult, if not impossible task. After all, we have to finish above Chelsea and City and that will be a tough ask in any season, with unlimited funds and a fully fit squad to choose from. They are top drawer teams with top drawer managers and will atleast, it seems in the short term be the teams we'll have to finish above to ever win the Premier League.
The realistic ambition has to be top four. A sustainable finish in the top four year after year until we get to the level of those two teams and have the quality of player they have, whether purchased or from home grown talent. Yes teams have managed to win the league without the budget of the bigger teams in the league, Dortmund being one of them, but so far, the Premier League has proven time and time again, the clubs you expect to win the league, do indeed win the league.
My gripe with the majority of posters on here was that they were too quick to throw the towel in and slander a manager who brought us to within inches of winning what we all want. Yes, we were poor, undoubtedly, but 10 games into a season and we have people asking for a new manager, a new DOF, what's De Boer up to these days? How about Bielsa? Is Klopp available in the summer? Even Tony Pulis got a mention FFS! All this, after 10 games. Do you think that's right? It left a sour taste for me, and that constant negativity just spiralled into what seemed a constant belittling of our manager. People were actually looking for any and everything to find faults, whether it was press conferences, team selections, formations, whatever it was. We've had the term "Brendaned", "Foot in mouth" and all manner of negativity towards our manager. Is that right? If you want to find something negative, you will. I could list a few negative things about my wife, and draw up a completely unbalanced picture of the beautiful woman and mother she is. The point being, we stick together through the tough times, and give people the opportunity to show the qualities they have, instead of looking to bury them when the chips are down.
We've improved hugely over the past few months, one of the most in form teams in Europe and now people are saying things like, "he's stumbled into the new formation", "he's playing out of position", "It's all down to Lucas", etc. So even when we improve, it's still seen in a negative light towards the manager. Now today, we're getting "we were lucky against Southampton", maybe we were, but it was still a great result against a very good team, and away from home to boot. We should be like those away fans at the ground yesterday, but instead, there's still a feeling of negativity. A feeling of disappointment that we're actually one of the best teams in the Premier League at the moment and we're starting to rekindle some of the form that made us all dream last season.
The summer signings everyone has been slating the manager for are starting come good, the average age of our side is under 24 I think, that's fantastic. There are so many positives in this squad. They have had a difficult start, but have shown great maturity and a great mentality in turning it around, so instead of us driving a wedge between the manager and those young players, we should be driving them forward together towards success. Liverpool has always been a collective, from the community, to the fans, to the players, to the manager. Modern football is slowly breaking that apart, well. it probably already has.
23 Feb 2015 16:07:06
Omg this is ridiculous the summer money wasn't spent because of 'promises' for the league!
Rodgers may have promised that but I would be surprised, he doesn't seem such an OTT guy, but the eds have said it so it oa fact!
Maybe before Suarez left he might have said it, but noonw expected him to go and if we couldn't of added to him qe would be up there, abs still in the champs league! But all changed when he left and the transfers were partly kneejerk but also part of the owners getting some of europea tip young players in foe future sell on fees Marko, origi, Moreno and can were bought I believe because we had the chance with the Suarez money that like 50 mil, I believe the targets were lambert, lovren, lallana/sanchez for about 60 mil! Which would of fitted in with brwbdans 1 or 2 top player comments!
{Ed001's Note - you clearly need to go back and look at when Can was signed. Also it was never Lallana/Sanchez, it was a case of trying to sign both. Sanchez was the player earmarked with the Suarez money, not Markovic, Origi or Moreno, and certainly not Can.
As for the money spent, it was spent for a title challenge, not to finish 4th, so how is it ridiculous? That was the deal. We will go out on a limb giving you money, even though it will cost us in FFP terms, and you deliver a title challenge. Not sure what you find ridiculous about that? Do you really think they would have risked the club's future for anything less than the hope of the title? They got swept up in the hope of glory like so many others have done in the past at clubs around the world. They didn't buy us to be also rans, they bought us in the hope of reviving the club and winning trophies.}
23 Feb 2015 17:06:19
Jimmy hustle post of the season !
23 Feb 2015 17:52:44
Spot on there Jimmy hustle too much negativity on this site top 4 would be a great achievement i believe in BR 100%
23 Feb 2015 18:52:00
I just think he had to offer the title because of where we finished Ed.
Bravado? definitely, but I like a man who thinks he can get us to where we want to be.
FSG are not stupid, they must understand that Suarez was one of the best players in the world last year.
There are mitigating circumstances, I suppose if you like the manager then these are taken into account and if you don't like the manager then these are called excuses.
I said recently that I would rather give him another season and be absolutely sure he is not the man before sacking someone who could be that man.
{Ed002's Note - They are certainly aware that Suarez was a very good player who was occasionally available to play for Liverpool but was often serving 8 or 10 game bans, dragging the club through the guttering, considering taking the club to court (as he did elsewhere), etc., etc.. They know that they are well rid of the runt. They know the money that has been pissed up the wall. They know that the club has prize money being withheld from them. They know the clubs is being investigated and may suffer further sanctions. They know about the very significant debt the club is in.
But thankfully they know that the club will win the EPL this season and be challenging in the Champions League. Brendo told them, so it must be true.}
23 Feb 2015 21:46:18
To the poster who said that 4th would be a great achievement when BR wasted half a season messing about the tactics and systems and not planning for studges injury which we all knew would happen at some point, I say you are joking and if you think the owners put 100m into this season for 4th place when we almost won the PL last year, that my friend, is regression. BR made the promises and got the dosh as a result hence, he should be held accountable for his blunders and failures and not just given credit when we do well. Or is he immuned to that as well? I want acpersonability and humility from the manager and not false bravado and arrogance which is always bad karma especially if you are still learning the game. Bravado is nothing but an act if there are no actions to support it. Martinez has bravado, too. Where is he now w/ Everton? FSG do not trust BR w/ money hence the commitee of which he is a member. The owners gave him the money and knew exactly what time it was. And guess what? They know about all his blunders as well. It does not matter whether they are circumstances or excuses. They are the hard facts and willfully ignoring or making excuses for him for them (as many seem to do here) all in the name of positivity does not help for a healthy debate. It is not about liking or disliking BR for me. Those of us saying this for me, want to show some balance in the debate of should we or not keep BR. For me, it is not a pro or anti-BR issue, it is a case of where do we go from here and if we are going to do that, we must be honest and take into account everything and not parts that fit a narrative and ignore or make excuses for parts that don`t. I love the way we play under BR and he is a damn good coach BUT he needs help and if he doesn`t accept i, I will not blame the owners for letting him walk because we are LFC and we should not allow one man`s arrogance and ego and whose mistakes are costing the club money it doesn`t have, mess w/ our progress.
23 Feb 2015 21:26:59
They also now that if it can continues progressing he's worth what In todays market 25/30mil ? That coutino is worth 20mil? They know Sterling is worth what 30/35 mil? They also know that apart from this seasons high expectations set by br, hw has pretty much relieved what he was brought in to do! They know that the value of the club to people is wr should be winning the league, which is down to br (rather than they won't make top 4, henae why this season seems such a disappointment although we could finish 3rd and have a cheeky push for 2nd - beat City and 7 points is all that's between us), they know that Brendan in his first interviews said the target was champions league football in the 3rd season, they also know that they barley spent Nything on transfers for Brendan before last summer compared to most top clubs (30 mil 1sr summer, 20mil Jan, 43mil 2nd summer and nothing in Jan) alongside getting rid of pleanty of top earners, they also know he's up there with the best COACHES in world football!
I would also like to ask a questions on tom werners interview the other month? He stated they were happy with the transfer commitee, so what changes have been there?
And this new head office you said about as a reaction to the changes there making is false because if you actually look into it that was planned before the start of the current campaign!!
I will never understand the start to this campaign and i have been defending vrendan this season, but I will say he has to have next season but he cannot have a start liel this, I'm fine with the team operating at 60/70% getting results and getti g out the champs league group (fingers crossed) and then hitting full throttle second half of campaign! No more excuses next season!
23 Feb 2015 19:52:51
Obviously in the no camp then Ed002.:)
I don't agree that we have pissed anything anywhere to be honest.
Yes the players have taken a bit of time to gel but most do.
I put a bet on today that we will win the title by 45 points from Chelsea.
FFP is a con.
The clubs who were at the pinnacle of the game have benefited from FFP while everyone else has suffered.
Chelsea stockpiled players in other leagues to offset FFP restrictions so how is that going to even things up? ( Sorry to talk about Chelsea but they are a great example to use and I am not criticizing them)
Unfortunately we did not have a billionaire owner in the years before FFP was introduced or we would have done the exact same thing.
How can stacking the deck in favour of Billionaire owners ensure a level playing field in regard to FFP?
As for Suarez, I totally agree with you but I was on about his playing ability and not his off the field antics.
Would your beloved team suffer a dip in form if they got rid of their best player, in the short term I would say yes, Its called adjusting.
And before you have a go at me for bringing it back to Chelsea. That is who you support so that's why I use them as an example. I have no Chelsea axe to grind.
{Ed002's Note - Clearly you have no grasp of FFP. Do you work for Liverpool?
Which "beloved" team are you referring to? You are grasping at straws with your whining and trying to make it about Chelsea, but at least you think the money was well spent on the likes of Coates, Tiago Ilori, Joe Allen, Fabio Borini, Luis Alberto, Iago Aspas, Oussama Assaidi, Samed Yesil, Victor Moses, Nuri Sahin and Aly Cissokho.}