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The Brendan Rodgers Faith

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1000x665539While minds are firmly concentrated on this frantic end to the football season, of equal importance is the means by which we have taken this title race right down to the wire. Early exits from cup competitions have played their part and Mourinho’s protestations about our lack of European football have an element of truth about them. The significant achievement though, has been Brendan Rodgers ability to establish and then maintain a level of team spirit that has been lacking from Liverpool teams past.

While Gerard Houllier built a team with plenty of heart, Rafa Benitez constructed one of method and work rate. Rodgers however, has aligned a love of the game with a genuine team mentality. Out on the pitch, players are enjoying their football and the trust among the players has been a vital component.

In eras past, weaker players have looked to stronger ones to get them out of a bind. In this team, weaker players are emboldened by the strong to make them better. If we look simply at Rodgers first year at the club compared to now the contrast is striking. Where previously players passed to Suarez and hoped that he could conjure up some magic, now they beg for the ball to score from him.

The changes were noticeable as the team improved last season. The quality of Sturridge and Coutinho undeniably helped but when a burden is lifted, the release can be energising. Suarez found a forward who he could rely on to score goals if he set him up while in Coutinho he had a provider who would offer him all the angles he could wish for to attack the goal. More importantly though, Suarez began to trust those around him more. There were a number of occasions last year that Suarez looked up, played in Raheem Sterling and Sterling failed to score the goal that was so appetisingly served up for him.

It was easy to put this down to Sterling not being good enough. It was much harder to appreciate that this was actually an investment in the team. As Sterling became more educated, he repaid that show of faith from Suarez. The results have been increasingly clear over the course of this season. This is only scratching the surface of the development of Brendan Rodgers Liverpool side though. It is from these offerings by the bigger players that the team has so drastically improved.

When we think of the indomitable Steven Gerrard winning games for Liverpool over the past 15 years there was a sense that he was scoring or creating not because no one else could but because no one else was brave enough to do it. To be successful at Liverpool you have to be brave. That is still true to this day. We have seen our fair share of players wilt simply due to an inability to be brave. Downing is a brilliant example of this.

What Rodgers has created is a different system. Where previously the onus was placed firmly on the player to prove they were good enough, now the team is encouraged to fill that player with the confidence to be better. Flanagan has improved as players have trusted him. They have passed him the ball and shown their belief in him to do his job. Henderson, a player who many wanted jettisoned – including Rodgers himself – has been trusted by his team mates to deliver and as a result he has grown in stature.

Rodgers has not just encouraged his players on the pitch either. He has invested in players who needed trust put into them. Coutinho had struggled to prove his value at Inter, Sturridge had never been afforded a first team birth and Sakho had been slowly isolated by his home town club.

It all boils down to faith. Rodgers has shown faith in his players and in return they have shown their trust in each other with devastating results. Now it seems that the Kop have all signed up to the gospel according to Rodgers. All that’s left now is simply to believe.

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1 comment

  • Magentle says:

    His faith in his players finally paid off, and that’s why we`re having such a wonderful season.

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