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26 Mar 2015 16:02:58
I think the biggest marker in Rodgers failures is the players he sticks with and the players he has moved out of position: Skrtel, Gerrard (until injuries/suspensions), Johnson (until he grafted Sterling into a right wing back role - madness in my opinion), Allen, Can being played at centre back.

Skrtel is a constant source of bad positioning and bad organisation at the heart of the defence yet is, when available, undropable. He is a poor centre back who can head a ball but do little else. When Rodgers finally realises that then stage 1 of the defensive evolution will finally be complete.

Stage 2 will come when he stops playing three at the back and stops playing Emre Can, a fine young player with bags of potential, in a position that handicaps and restricts some of his stronger attributes (stamina, drive, passing range, ability to take/hold off an opponent).

Stage 3 should follow by playing left backs and right backs in positions they are familiar with i.e. at left back and right back. Moreno hasn't shone at left wing back. Sterling, like Emre Can, is a shadow of the player he could be for us because he is burdened with tracking back to his own 18 yard box instead of on the opponents 18 yard box linking up with Sturridge and Coutinho.

When Rodgers finally concedes that Allen is simply not up to task against certain players, usually the rough housing, aggressive players like Fellaini - not the likes of Yaya Toure who, though physically strong and imposing, is not dirty aggressive like Fellaini - then the better for the team. Rodgers does not seem to know what players to play at what times - this is troubling given he is the MANAGER.

Finally, when Rodgers stops considering Gerrard for a starting berth as soon as he is fit, we can say that he is progressing and learning and developing the squad.

Right now I feel Rodgers is hindering progression of individual players as well as the team. Sturridge is suffering from a woeful lack of service and players pressing behind him - as shown when given a chance he more often than not buries it. Coutinho suffers from being marked tightly and, due to the formation, having few forward outlets to work with. Henderson suffers from a lack of midfield support - when Allen plays Henderson's defensive work rate increases and so his ability to play box-to-box diminishes. And this theme continues throughout the squad.

I want us to attack ruthlessly and in swarms like last season - the problem isn't that we lack a Suarez, the problem is our entire formation has been messed about leading to players out of position and/or playing with other players who do not compliment each other. Lucas should be the first name on the sheet - afterwards it should be Henderson OR Allen, not both. Emre Can should be moved into midfield, perhaps playing alongside, or slightly behind, Coutinho. It would give our midfield a lot of energy and also allow us to chop and change our system depending on who we play/fitness i.e. Sterling/Coutinho Ibe/Sterling Can/Sterling Lallana/Coutinho, etc etc etc limitless attacking midfield combinations backed up by a rock solid Henderson/Lucas spine which could mop up opposition attacks. Obviously Lucas is an injury concern explaining how important a central midfield acquisition is in the summer. Skrtel needs to be moved on - he is not good enough. Lovren has not impressed, but Sakho (our best defender) and Lovren have had barely any game time to adapt and work on their partnership - how can they form an effective pairing if they never have the chance? It needs trying.

I don't think Rodgers has any clue on either his best formation, or best player combinations, or best positions for players - this really is a worry. If he lacks in these areas how can we function cohesively and successfully? And this criticism is ignoring the woeful transfer business.

I'm putting it out there clearly: Rodgers should be finished at Liverpool. He shows no management of the team and no understanding of the relationships between players. Sterling at right wing is a dreadful idea that will bear little fruition against any side - yet that was Rodgers plan against United (and which he maintained for the entire game). The writing is on the wall - it isn't losing, it's how we are losing which is the real concern. As has been mentioned by both Ed01 and various other posters: Rodgers appears to be learning nothing. After 3 years that is not good enough.

Agree7 Disagree17

26 Mar 2015 21:08:13
Seano, very good post, and I agree with most of what you say, but think you are a bit hit and miss with some of it, the midfield is so important, and so hard to get right, take Emre Can, could he do with another season in our back three, to help him develop his game, I think the two games with Man Utd should be taken as they take it with us, they hate to lose these games, BR has tinkered too much in both games, the one away, he dropped Lucas after he put in some great games, then on this one at home, putting Sterling wide on the right, was a disaster, you only have to look at any, every game he has played there, to know that, also the first half against Swansea, then Man U was another disaster, we got lucky first game, then outplayed by Man U, they really closed us down, and pressed us back, and maybe should have got a third goal,
we should wait till pre-season to try out different formations, we really want to start next season, much much better than this one, not sure were I am with Rodgers, and Stevie G , who has been a legend, always will be, but that slip and this stamp has def put me off him, with Rodgers, if he goes, and yes he just might, because we don't look like top four now, who do we get, and I think the Blackburn away game is 50/50, the pitch there will not suit our passing game, we will see once again the same players getting flattened, and spending half their game, picking themselves up, why pick these same players, like in the Bolton game, same story, so we could end up with a cup-final and top four, or another difficult end of season, plus we still need two wing backs, yet again, just to end on a good note, Jordon Ibe will be our best player soon .

26 Mar 2015 21:25:24
Sorry mate - not a very convincing post to say the least. I don't think you watched the same Liverpool I have watched recently.

You want them to attack ruthless and swarm, well I want them to score 20 goals per match and bring world peace. Let's be realistic. You have 11 players on the other team, they are not there to just stand there and wathc us swarm, you may be surprised to find out. Last season we had a world class player in attack, a player who would band down to tie his laces and score a hat-trick while doing it. This year half a season we had Sturridge injured and we had to swarm forward with Lambert, 34 years old SG and Baloteli.

I don't understand what do you want of our defenders. Since the begining of 2015 we have one of the most solid defences in the PL. I think we just finished a run of 6 away games without conceding which didn't happened since Bill Shankly's time. Skertl was not only our best defenders this season but our best player and one of the best defenders in the league for 2015. Can has been fantastic in the back and avarage at best every time he played in MF. Credit to BR who played him in the position he was best for us (same as with Moreno). 'Out of Position' - was he born as a DFM? he is a young guy, maybe he is better in the back - he was for us this season for sure.

I also criticised BR for sticking with Johnson and Gerrad early season but for long time he hasn't. He use Johnson only as substitute and same with Gerrard.

You may have forgotten that BR's role is not to develop players but to play our best players in every game. Lovern wasn't good enough for many games as we all saw, so he sticked to Sakho and Skertl who were better - why was he supposed to bench Skertl who was way better than Lovern? so that Lovern and Sakho will learn how to play with each other and we will lose games until it happened? and what if Lovern is not good enough?

You say it isn't losing, it is how we are losing - well first of all we don't lose so much - in the league we didn't lose for almost three months. And the loss on Sunday was a loss in a tight game. Two fantastic goals for them and a red card for us - nothing much BR could have done about these. Our defence was still solid, our forwards were a bit wastful as always - that Lallana miss which BR couldn't control from the sidelines.

If we don;t bring a manager who won the CL, then all I say is be careful what you wish for. What BR did since Janaury is quite exceptional despite last Sunday. Not many managers in the PL are capable of that. Ah and I don;t know what do you mean by 3 seasons. Last season we finished 2nd and gave one of our best seasons in the last decade.

I thought early season he should go, I am convinced now he should stay. Let him start the season with the same squad hopefully with another top striker and let's see where it takes us. Everyone know that another season out of the top 4 he will go - don't see what the rush. Neither Sir Alex nor Guardiolla are waiting to replace him.

27 Mar 2015 01:04:46
Moreno used to be a left winger. Not even 3 years ago for Sevilla.

27 Mar 2015 05:56:05
@ Fanobip

"This year half a season we had Sturridge injured and we had to swarm forward with Lambert, 34 years old SG and Baloteli."

Whose fault is it that we have Balotelli and Lambert rather than an adequate, quality replacement for Suarez? The buck rests with the manager. I would also add that, in terms of swarming the opposition, it is made harder for the front players to do it when a) we play a solitary striker and b) we play with wing backs. Playing with wing-back and 3 central defenders (+ a defensive midfielder usually) means that, at any given moment, we are defending 6 deep, leaving 4 players, maximum, to press. That isn't enough to force errors and turn over possession - it's a tactical problem Rodgers has created and is yet to address.

"Since the begining of 2015 we have one of the most solid defences in the PL."

We are playing 3 at the back, with 2 wing backs and a defensive midfielder - we are of course going to have a tighter defence. The problem is that this impedes our attack. More worrying is that we need this many men back in order to defend with a semblance of structure.

"Skertl was not only our best defenders this season but our best player and one of the best defenders in the league for 2015."

Sorry but disagree in the strongest possible terms - Skrtel is constantly out of position, constantly dropping deep and constantly failing to communicate. It is this reason why Rodgers has started playing 3 at the back, Skrtel is simply untrustworthy when paired with just one, single team mate. Agger covered for his poor quality when he was here, now Sakho and Can (and Lucas) are. He is probably the most over rated defender in the league and has done nothing to convince me. What about the first half of the season when he was playing and we were getting walloped in every game?

"Can has been fantastic in the back and avarage at best every time he played in MF."

He has been found out multiple times against decent opposition when played as a centre back - the United game a good example of a player not entirely comfortable. He has played decently when in midfield (though it has been a rare occurence) and, more importantly, he offers a physicality and drive in midfield that would, if nothing else, provide a good alternative to Allen. I don't know how you can hail him as 'fantastic' at the back when he has so clearly struggled at times. He is doing well for a player grafted into an unfamiliar position - but I really hope it isn't long term.


"I also criticised BR for sticking with Johnson and Gerrad early season but for long time he hasn't. He use Johnson only as substitute and same with Gerrard."

Instead he is playing Sterling as a right wing back - how does that constitute good management?? And is it not coincidental that Gerrard's absence from the team has coincided with injuries (and now a suspension)? Hardly think Rodgers has been brave here.

"Lovern wasn't good enough for many games as we all saw, so he sticked to Sakho and Skertl who were better - why was he supposed to bench Skertl who was way better than Lovern? so that Lovern and Sakho will learn how to play with each other and we will lose games until it happened?"

Lovren and Sakho had one game together, Spurs away, which we won, and in which their partnership showed promise. We conceded tons of goals with Skrtel at the back!! Do you not remember the first half of the season?? Also, if your assertion is right, why piss away 20million+ on Lovren only to never give the player a chance?? No matter how you look at it it is bad management and Rodgers mishandling of the situation simply made a new players confidence hit its nadir.

"in the league we didn't lose for almost three months."

In the league we lie 5th with a miniscule chance of Champions League football - look at the entire season, as opposed to the recent good run, and tell me it is good enough. Quite simply it isn't and Rodgers is the architect of this. Why should he stay when he has squandered a load of money and, in all likelihood, failed to achieve 4th place?

"If we don;t bring a manager who won the CL, then all I say is be careful what you wish for [. ] Last season we finished 2nd and gave one of our best seasons in the last decade"

What I wish for? To stick with a manager who has already failed or another manager be given a chance to succeed? Hmmm I know what I want. What has Rodgers won since being here? He has achieved CL once and, while in the competition, bombed in what was a spectacularly easy group. Wow, what a guy.

"I am convinced now he should stay. Let him start the season with the same squad hopefully with another top striker and let's see where it takes us. Everyone know that another season out of the top 4 he will go"

The worry is that, if he stays, I see another season outside of the top 4 as a nigh on certainty.

27 Mar 2015 08:01:07
Got to agree 100% with fanobip, glad someone else isn't falling apart after losing 2-1 with 10 men for half a game.

As for Moreno being a winger 3 yrs ago, what? Was he 15 or something? He is going to be class with some proper defensive coaching, which regardless of record breaking run (40yrs people) defence isn't Rodgers priority. If he were a. English and b. From our youth team, following his goal vs Spurs and being part of a record breaking defence he'd be championed all over instead of being knocked regularly.

27 Mar 2015 09:32:28
@ Omega

Moreno, ignoring that Spurs goal, has been mediocre this season and has been directly responsible for a number of high profile goals conceded (against both City and United to name but 2). He has potential but he hasn't shown a lot of it, particularly when it comes to defending. I'm all for supporting the players, particularly new arrivals, but you seem to be ignoring faults and embellishing qualities. As for our defence? We are playing with 6 players geared to get back and defend at all times - the focus is more bodies in the box rather than learning how to position and communicate and defend properly. Look at how few goals we have also scored in the same amount of time because of how the team is set up - there is not enough attacking outlets or enough pressing because of this and we are starting to struggle, again: have a look at a few of our recent performances - Swansea, Blackburn, United - we've been poor and struggled to create many chances in all of them. Sure we haven't conceded many but we need more than that surely? The whole formation has spawned from a combination of bad transfer policy, non-existent defensive coaching and poor team selection/management - and it is now being found out. But guess what we broke an old defensive record - who cares about trophies or the Champions League eh because we broke the record! Yippee.

27 Mar 2015 18:18:56
@Seano. I've never said breaking records outstrips trophies? But credit where it's due we broke a 40 yr old defensive record and Moreno played a big part it that.

Let's not forget this is a massive club full of huge expectation. Let's also not forget the kid is just that, a kid in a new country, new league, new tactics etc etc.

All I'm saying is many here who state they're all about supporting the players, then they slate a young lad like Moreno. If it were Flanno orBrad Smith, their first season and played the same, some good, some poor but always with passion and effort then they'd be praised all day long. Moreno isn't but Imo he should be. He looks like he'll be worth every penny we spent on him. At the same stage of his LFC career Henderson didn't and look at him now.

28 Mar 2015 10:10:51
Nice to see a bit of perspective from fanobip and Omega.

28 Mar 2015 15:01:25
@Omega

I haven't slated the lad, I have given an honest assessment in that he has been mediocre at best. You want to paint him as some world class left back in the making but there has been nothing to suggest that is the case this season. I also take umbrage with your suggestion that he always plays with passion and effort - there have been a number of notable occasions where he has played without any sort of energy at all and where his concentration and focus have been zero. I'm not saying he is the worlds worst, but building up a player to levels he has yet to even come close is part of the reason why fans turn on them - because they don't fulfill these unrealistic expectations. Moreno is young, still learning and could, in the not too distant future, turn into a great left back. He isn't there yet, and refusing to address/notice the weaknesses in his game certainly won't get him there.







 

 

 
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