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Evaluating Rodgers: Tactics and youth

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LFC training managerLIVERPOOL’S season may not have resulted in a great league position or any silverware lining the trophy cabinet at L4, but measuring Brendan Rodgers’ performance in his first season cannot be limited to these two indices alone, important as they are.

The tasks facing the Northern Irishman when he took over from Kenny Dalglish were as numerous as they were monumental and it is worth assessing all of these aspects when considering how he has handled his first season in charge.

In this first part of analysing how the effective the new boss has been we will consider the change in the team’s tactics and the incorporation of youth players into the first team. The second part will evaluate his use of first team players and how we did in competitions with an overall verdict being passed on year one of Brendan Rodgers Liverpool career.

One of the primary reasons Rodgers was brought in to Anfield was to ‘reinvent’ the team’s way of playing. The owners wanted an attractive and expansive style of football to be implemented on the pitch creating a Liverpool identity to rival that of Ajax or Barcelona both of which are known for their individual approach to football.

The reasons for this are obvious. It adds to the ‘brand’ of the club and attacking football helps attract fans, players and ideally business partners wanting to be associated with a stylish or trendy football club. There is no doubt that Brendan Rodgers has managed to alter the way Liverpool play football and while the change has not provided instant on pitch results, in terms of a dramatic increase in league position or silverware, it has proved effective. Liverpool have become a team that looks to punish opponents when they are ahead and a number of 4 and 5 goal wins have come against lower opposition that Liverpool have seemingly struggled against in the past.

However, the ground that has been gained by being able to finish off teams that we expect to beat has been countered by the inability to take points off the top teams. Against Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City and Tottenham Liverpool took only 8 points compared to 11 the season before. If Everton are included, Liverpool took 10 points compared to 17 last year.

Much was made of the fact that Liverpool failed to win against the top 6 for a large proportion of the campaign but this perhaps stretches the point too far. We lost against the same opposition 3 times this year compared to 4 last year and the team was competitive against the top clubs, Arsenal at home apart. Home and away to City we had the opportunity to win, we should have beaten Arsenal away and the Chelsea ties were close too. Had Rodgers’ teams been skittled by our competitors there would have been a much greater cause for concern but only Arsenal beat Liverpool by more than one goal.
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While many will suggest that Rodgers should not be judged by how the Reds performed in the first half of the season while he was changing the system of play and he was lacking personnel to fit into his plans, it would equally be myopic to emphatically state that the Liverpool after the turn of the year is the genuine article.

Dalglish conjured an equivalent upswing in form from the players after Roy Hodgson’s timely departure but he failed to match those levels the following season. The difference this time though, is that Rodgers oversaw the improvement of the team taking them from levels that were not good enough to a standard that was befitting of Liverpool.

This would lend credence to the theory that his methods were beginning to take shape, as well as his squad, as he brought in players to fit his attacking, dominating approach. Overall, it is clear to see that the manager has fostered a system of more attacking football and, given the improvement over the course of the year; it appears that the groundwork has been laid for this framework to be a success in the future.

An additional priority for our new boss was to bring through more young players into the first team. For years, Liverpool have poured money into the Academy without producing many players that go on to play in the Premier League, let alone the Liverpool first team. A prerequisite to making Liverpool more competitive for the new manager was to harness the talent within the youth system and make a profit if not a product.

The argument of whether young players need playing time or simply ability to succeed is not appropriate to be handled in this piece but Rodgers has afforded more chances to young players than any Liverpool manager for well over a decade. Not only did Liverpool have the youngest average squad age this season but they also had three teenagers in six starting XI’s in the Premier League. No other team did this. Debuts were handed to Andre Wisdom, Suso, Jerome Sinclair, Samed Yesil, Jordan Ibe, Adam Morgan and Conor Coady.

Liverpool fans have longed to see the saplings get an opportunity in the first team so they are afforded a chance to grow and Rodgers has delivered by the bucket load. Not all these players will make it at Anfield but they will be given an opening to showcase their talents. This has already proved successful for the club with the likes of Suso being chased by other teams already. Having more experienced youngsters to call on also helps add more depth to the squad.

If the system continues like this, Liverpool will at least see a return on their youth products if they are unable to carve out a career on Merseyside. It takes bravery to pick young players ahead of their more seasoned counterparts and if Rodgers builds on this next year Liverpool will be all the better for it.
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17 comments

  • Sam Wanjere says:

    I can’t wait for the next instalment of this review.

    As a related aside, in recent days I’ve had the chance to look at Spain in the FIFA Confederation Cup matches, U21 World Cup and the ongoing U20 edition in Turkey. They all play similarly, personnel interchangeable, the only major difference is more mistakes the lower down you go. How is this relevant to our situation at the moment?

    Year Zero is hardly different from early mistakes, but when made early enough they provide invaluable learning opportunity going forward. I see no reason why LFC fans shouldn’t harbor optimism.

  • bsbpjfkdrb says:

    Not wanting to go back to the past but when rodgers played the more senior players things took a turn for the better. Also he had suarez, gerrard and lucas available for the most part of the season. Everyone has a dig at kd but delivering a trophy and reaching another final after being out of management for 15 years says much of the man’s ability. Rodgers still has to prove he can win trophies and has done nothing yet besides play attractive football.

  • Stivv obi says:

    Football is great when it’s being exhibited with great passing techniques,good movement of the ball n making opponents after the ball for a couple of minutes. It creates passion and precision engineerity in we ‘fans’. Rogers has proven he can bring barcelona to liverpool and that’s wht i love!

  • chimezie promise .N. says:

    bring in experience players to lfc,that is the only way to move forward,not youth of 20,21

  • red says:

    KK spent a lot of money on players (rightly or wrongly) and produced 2 finals + 1 trophy. BR too, spent a lot of money and no final + won nothing. What fans should care is the result.

    Tiki-taka system/tactics, youth, rebuilding needs time and similar reasons are just EXCUSES for BR and FSG failure. Is that too hard for you to understand ???

    Barcelona too after Louis Van Gaal time, repeatedly axe managers if they don’t perform. Until they found great Rijkaard and then Guardiola. Chelsea too, always axing manager that do not perform. I see great achievement for them. They are winning lots of trophy. They are never compromise of their required STANDARD. Their managers are required to perform NOW or GET LOST.

    What I see here is that LFC continuously LOWERING their standard. From title challenger to top 4, and from top 4 some fans are happy with top 6. Come on, this is LFC. We deserve better. And to tell you bluntly, Man Utd and Everton fans are laughing at you now !!!

    • Matt says:

      I don’t think any Liverpool fan is happy with a top six finish, I hate it personally but I also know that we are going through a change of the way we play and for that we need technically gifted players this takes time to find.
      I’m really excited about this season I believe we will be more competitive and we will be winning more games especially against bigger clubs. I’m behind the players and the manager because that’s my duty as a fan, what goes on behind the scenes is something completely out of my control. So instead of whinging about the players and manager get behind the club and support them, time to get over it because BR is not going anywhere. YNWA.

    • stevieG says:

      Perfect analysis red . Spot on

    • jgaray says:

      You don’t spend 100M to win the capital one cup and Lose in the FA final, place 8th (51 pts) in the league and score only 47 goals. The 2nd half of that season was absolutely disgraceful. Your eyes are wide shut. Tiki-taka system/tactics, youth, rebuilding needed 1 year to lay the foundation. Right now there is a 2/3 year gap between our youth and senior squad. LFC started 3 teenagers in the starting XI for 6 games in the EPL, had the youngest squad in the premier league, scored 24 more GOALS compared to last year, won 2 more games, lost 5 LESS games and drew 3 more games. We had Lucas missing 14 games, Kelly missing the whole season and players finding their feet in the new system. In the 2nd term, LFC placed top 4 in the PL. Comparing our situation to Barcelona and Chelsea is quite disingenuous. 2 years ago LFC was about to go into administration. Wake UP!!!! Times have changed and rightly FSG had to take stock of everything that LFC possess in order to redefine itself going forward. It hurts if you see the glass half empty and long for the Football League First Division or 2001-2006. But things changed post administration scare. The right way, LFC are building a squad that will compete for trophies and the Top 4 year in and year out.

  • Jas says:

    A little on Mkhitrayen:
    When asked in an interview what he “would like to say about Liverpool” he replied:
    “It is they who have to say something” meaning as a Player currently contracted to another Club and as a gentleman (unlike our Suarez!) it would be wrong for him to comment BEFORE liverpool make a bid for him! Obviously that means UNFORTUNATELY we haven’t made an offer for him! Damn! What is Brendan thinking! This guy would be perfect for us, on and off the pitch. A true pro and a gentleman to boot!
    I sooo hope we get him!

  • Jas says:

    PS…
    I would like to say Kenny Dalglish is a Legend. He will ALWAYS be a legend. One of our most loved players and managers! And a really nice, humble guy too!
    But please, let’s move on now guys. By supporting Brendan we are not being disloyal to King Kenny. He would want us to get behind Brendan and the team, so lets do that. No one can replace Kenny of course. But we must move on and get behind the team. Kenny will always be the guy who won us the Double! Lets give Brendan a chance now. Remember it took Fergie 5 or 6 years to win his first major trophy! I’m sure we won’t have to wait that long! y.N.w.a.

  • daniel says:

    if lfc isnt top of d league by december…rodgers shuld be sacked

  • Jas says:

    Watch Out! Trolls About!!

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