28 Sep 2015 19:55:14
Interesting one for us reds. in my opinion a great squad but can't seem to transfer that onto the field. For all the people stating Rodgers has showed no improvement over his 3 year tenure, and to be totally honest I would partly agree.
Squawka posted that Liverpool despite their defensive and goalkeeper problems we have kept the 2nd most, joint with city, clean sheets in 2015 behind only west brom. Make of that what you will but definitely an improvement in his DEFENSIVE side of the game, obviously there is a lot more aspects to football than just the defensive part of the game and his troubles in able to sustain the goal scoring prowess we saw in the 2012/2013 season, which you could also say is his inability to keep our top players (Suarez, Sterling) and then the many players he has pushed out of the club (Gerrard Carra Reina Agger to name a few) the man has remoulded the squad and for me we are only 2/3 starting 11 players away from competing again with a good manager.
Despite Rodgers' improvement in defence, although we still look very shakey, he is not that "good manager" I'm afraid It is more like 1 step forward 3 steps back with Rodgers. Hoping for Ancelotti or Klopp both top managers, or should I say I'm dreaming!
28 Sep 2015 20:34:11
A great squad?
Not for me
28 Sep 2015 20:43:12
The stats do not show reality, I`m afraid. We still cannot defend a set-piece, any ball in the box causes panic, we don`t track runners in the box, we defend too deep and allow strikers to come on to us, since BR got here. The stats will NEVER tell you all these things I mentioned. The cleansheets we get for example are based more on externuating circumstanceslikeaverage opposing strikers, ref decisions, and occasional good defensive work from us. City have a better defensive system than us and possess the ball better than we do as well as keep teams on the back foot consistently. we don`t do any of that so again, thos stats do not explain a thing in reality
28 Sep 2015 20:59:14
Clean sheets on the hole mean nowt when every second game u concede 2 and 3 . And the squad isn't great at all . No spine . The basics ignored . Most clubs build a spine . Then fill around it . The great innovator knows better . Build the fringe around the base . And use a bunch of non designated midfielders (utility) in the side .
28 Sep 2015 22:14:23
Great, I admit probably a little over exaggerated but we definitely do not have a bad squad and I think we easily compete with Utd, Spurs and anyone else but Arsenal Chelsea and Man City. But hey ho no room for optimism is there?
28 Sep 2015 22:16:46
With decent refereeing in the Arsenal and Bournamouth games we were 1 clean sheet out of 9 games this season.
28 Sep 2015 23:29:36
We don't have a bad squad, we just have a couple of gaping holes that need sorting out like keeper and defensive midfielder.
29 Sep 2015 00:16:51
We have a good squad which can be great with two to three top players to plug our holes. Our issues lie in the dugout
29 Sep 2015 02:23:04
We don't truly know how good our squad is because Rodgers has not played all of the players in their best position for an extended period of time. Do we know how good Can, Firmino, Gomez etc could be for us, when they haven't got a good run in their natural positions? Do we know how good our defenders are when they have Skrtel as their partner?
29 Sep 2015 05:05:22
clean sheets are great but not so much when the cost is you lose your attacking impetus. you need to play to score goals in order to actually win games and not draw them.
29 Sep 2015 06:43:10
Broadly agree with that liverpres, however I also think we all jump too quickly to make talented youth into regular 1st team starters and then berating when when they show their immaturity. We need to get better at making a plan for gradual integration and Can and Gomez should be part of that IMO rather than taking 1st team positions just yet.
Genuine first team PL starters for me should be
Sturridge, Benteke, Ings upfront
Coutinho, Llalana, Firmino, Milner, Hendo, Lucas in midfield
Moreno, Sakho, Skrtel, Clyne at the back
Players to integrate against weaker sides, or as substitures where appropriate, or if in super hot form (and someone above is struggling) should be Can, Gomez, Ibe, Teixera, Rossiter, Origi, Chirivella
I have left out Allen, Lovren and Toure who should be used as senior cover where required