FOOTBALL is, as the old saying goes, “a funny old game”. Virtually nothing is certain in the so called “beautiful game” and even less so, it seems, in the Barclays Premier League where unpredictability is rapidly becoming a by-word.
Take Liverpool for example. Who would have predicted in 2008/09, when the Reds finished runners-up to Manchester United after going the whole season unbeaten at Anfield, that just one year on we’d finish the season languishing in 7th place?
Who would’ve said that we’d still be in the process of attempting to re-dress the balance three seasons on? And, who would’ve predicted when Kenny Dalglish was offered the job of manager on a permanent basis, that one season later, the job would be given to a relatively inexperienced, young manager from Northern Ireland, who very few had ever paid any real attention to? Not many I venture to say.
That’s the truth of it though, that’s where Liverpool are as a football club. As to where we’re going, well, funnily enough, that’s difficult to predict with any degree of surety, however, it would appear that the club are on the right track and with Brendan Rodgers now firmly at the helm, it’s fair to say that slow, steady progress is being made.
Rodgers was, to many, a surprise appointment as LFC boss. As mentioned above, his relative inexperience at the top level of the game left many, fans and pundits alike, scratching their heads when the announcement was made. Since taking the job, however, he has shown some very impressive qualities, the introduction of which have served to highlight their absence at Anfield over recent seasons; things such as media awareness/friendliness, in-game management and an organised, progressive footballing philosophy.
One of Rodgers’s accepted strengths upon joining LFC was in the area of man-management. This is an oft mentioned yet vastly under-appreciated aspect of managing a football team and, for me, is what separates average/good managers from the successful/great managers. Its one thing to have the best players but it is another thing entirely to be able to get those players to play to the absolute best of their abilities; Rodgers is beginning to do that.
The best way to exemplify Rodgers’s abilities as a man manager is to look at the cases of three individual players, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Jose Enrique. All three came to Liverpool in the summer of 2011 when the transfer dealings were infamously under the influence of Damien Comolli, the least thrifty man ever to hold a set of purse strings. Consequently, with the exception of Enrique who cost around £6 million, they were purchased at massively inflated prices, thus making the pressure to attain instant success in a Reds’ shirt all the more intense.
Jose Enrique began his first season as a Liverpool player in fine style. Assured early season performances from the left-back seemed to justify his capture from Newcastle United and, before long, many LFC fans were wondering why Spain had never thought to give him a chance for Los Rojas. However as the season wore on and Liverpool began to shake, crack and eventually crumble, so too did Enrique.
High profile errors, particularly against Manchester United, highlighted the defender’s loss of form and, as his confidence waned in front of our eyes, Enrique displayed an alarming fragility in the back four, so much so that by the end of the season many fans were unhappy to see him in the first XI.
Stewart Downing, the most expensive of the trio weighing in at an eye-watering, mind-boggling £20 million, began the season as he would continue it. Against Sunderland on his debut, Downing didn’t have a bad game, in fact he almost scored a wonder-goal but the crossbar denied him. That would be the story of Stewart Downing’s first season at Liverpool – decent in patches but no end product. His lack of goals or assists was overlooked by many in the early stages of the campaign as his general play was promising and the team itself wasn’t doing too badly.
In the second half of the season however, when as a team Liverpool appeared to be running in quicksand, the focus very much switched to Downing’s lack of telling contributions, the crowd got on his back and his confidence drained. He would end the Premier League season on zero goals and zero assists, simply unacceptable for a winger.
Jordan Henderson arrived from Sunderland for yet another exorbitantly high transfer fee. £16 million it cost the club to prize the England U-21 Captain from his hometown club and for much of the season many Liverpool fans where left asking why? Henderson started 37 Premier League games for the Reds last season, making him the most regularly used member of the squad.
He got off to a half-decent start, netting his first goal in the early season sacking of eventually relegated Bolton. Unfortunately, this would prove to be a false dawn for the young lad as he regularly found himself being played out of position (often deployed on the right of midfield) and struggled to make a real impact during the season, despite his appearance record.
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All three of these players looked surplus to requirements at Anfield just a couple of months ago. Rumour has it that Henderson was offered to Fulham as a potential makeweight in the failed bid to land Clint Dempsey in August. We know that Stewart Downing was told that he could leave the club in January several months ago. As for Jose Enrique, when Rodgers plumped to move Glen Johnson to left-back and play Andre Wisdom at right-back consistently, many of us were all but sure that Enrique would be moved on post haste. Like I said though, nothing can be taken for granted in football, and over the course of the last few months things have changed quite considerably for the three players in question.
Stewart Downing has started 12 of the last 13 games for Liverpool in one position or another. Having spent the vast majority of his career at left-midfield, Downing has been asked by Rodgers to play at left-back and right-midfield, as well as in his natural position, and it’s paying dividends. Although not a natural defender, Downing is positionally aware and his pace helps him get out of trouble if needs be.
Playing from the right is probably where he’s at his most effective, cutting in on his left foot he has a decent strike on him and has an eye for a pass; attributes he showed against Fulham when he scored his first league goal for Liverpool, assisted Gerrard and, but for wasteful finishing, could’ve had two more assists. Downing is very much a confidence player and the faith that Rodgers has shown in him in making him an important member of the squad has seen the England man produce by far the best form of his LFC career to date.
Jose Enrique is another one that has come on leaps and bounds under Rodgers in recent times. After being unable to make the starting line-up earlier in the season in his preferred role of left-back, Rodgers experimented with Enrique by playing him further forward. This unshackling from defensive responsibilities seemed to invigorate the Spaniard who, in three or four games, went from looking a bit dodgy at the back to being one of the team’s most potent attacking weapon, developing a wonderful understanding with Suarez in the process. Playing further forward has also helped Enrique defensively, strange as it may seem.
His pace and ability to tackle back and provide cover for Downing or Johnson behind him, earned him high praise both from the manager and the fans and that’s done his confidence the world of good. Having made the switch back to left-back, he now looks much more comfortable defensively as well as having the belief in his ability to make things happen when he does get forward. A tribute to how far he’s progressed in recent times is the extent to which his hamstring tear has come as a blow to the side.
After almost leaving the club in the summer as mentioned above, Jordan Henderson has redoubled his efforts to prove his worth as a Liverpool player and it’s beginning to have a marked affect. Having been deployed primarily as cover for Lucas since the Brazilian’s return from injury, Henderson’s energy and industry in the midfield have seen him given a starting role in a number of recent games.
Playing at the apex of the midfield trio may not strike you as Jordan Henderson’s natural position, however he has been quietly effective in the role when asked to fulfil it and against Sunderland on January 2nd Henderson badgered his former club relentlessly and was certainly a candidate for man of the match. Henderson has gone from a bit part player to somebody that I want to start every game at the moment. Off the ball I feel that his pressing and persistence, stamina and fitness are key ingredients to Liverpool being able to play the style of football that we desire. On the ball, I’m of the opinion that Jordan Henderson has a lot in his locker that as yet hasn’t been on show in Liverpool red. A consistent run of games should help to bring that to the fore.
That these three players have become bona-fide options, more than that even is a testament not only to the unpredictability of football and the players’ own efforts, but also to the man-management of Brendan Rodgers. Whether it’s been tough love, carrot and stick, an arm around the shoulder or something completely different, the manager has taken three fringe players on the verge of being total flops at Anfield and, for the moment at least, is getting the absolute best out of them.
Those players aside, the squad as a whole seems to very positive and a close, tight-knit unit; players are gee-ing each other up on the pitch, celebrating together and playing with smiles on their faces – even Luis Suarez. Team spirit and togetherness is massively important, all the top teams possess it and it’s something you can’t buy; let’s hope under Brendan Rodgers, it can help take us back up where we belong.
You can catch up with Neil on Twitter @Neil1980 or on his blog http://itsallinthegameblog.wordpress.com/
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Doesn’t it say something that Hendo, Downing & Enrique are playing better than Brenda’s own signings Allen, Borini, Assaidi and the newly departed Sahin?!
Yes . All Rodgers buys are atrocious
BR jhad great man management skills? Except for Henderson who had shown a little improvement, what did BR did to Downing and Enrique to deserve such credit?
Except for some sprinkle of decent football, did Downing suddenly morph into a 20 mill winger? Didn’t BR tries to sell him not too long ago?
As for Enrique what noticible difference did BR did to improve his game? He was already good when he came to LFC. That was why we signed him up remember?
IF BR is SO GOOD WITH MAN MANAGEMENT, what did he do to Borini and Allen who did not exactly blown us away with their presence? What did he do to improve already world class players such as our Captain Marvel and Reina who are more or less still in a rut?
This article is nothing more than an attempt by first and foremost a BR fan rather than a LFC fan (wonder whether he is part of BR’s PR team) to pull wool over our eyes.
What we have in BR is exactly what we thought he is, an inexperience and incompetent small time manager who chew off much more that he can swallow and now we the fans and this once great club are paying the price for FSG’s manager misadventures.
Oh just to add another point, if BR i sooo good with man management, why did he got rid of Sahin, a player whom he signed and played a key part in Dortmund winning the Bundesliga?
Can’t BR use work his magic on such potential?
rodgers couldn’t manage a burger van
At least our Captain agrees with me. Gerrard on Goals on Sunday “Brendan Rodgers’s man management is fantastic”. Still think you could do a better job??
What kind of ridiculous nonsense is this article ? Sometimes i dont think fools like u even watch Liverpool play
Liverpool are in crisis not making progress
This article is delusional nonsense …. again !
I think you’re living in a parallel universe. Downing was putrid yesterday. Liverpool were awful and I was left to wonder what all the hype about Sterling was for. I’m a patient guy who normally supports the managers for a long time (barring Dalglish and Hodgson) but I’m losing patience. However, I really hope your correct and I’m wrong.
No your not wrong . I have seen zero signs of good management . Rodgers will be remembered as our biggest embarrassment
LFC under BR had yet to beat a team at the top. We were overwhelmed by Villa, a team in freefall.
We had made our worse start since 1954 under BR.
And yet we have some so called “fans” outthere that says we are in a good place with BR in charge.
I can understand the need for patience but its not to be abused and that is what exactly BR is doing with our patience.
Your right Chan , dont know why people must write such biased articles
You should all be ashamed of yourselves. Calling out other people and questioning their support for the club, when it is you who offer no support whatsoever. Chan, you don’t even appear on this site unless we have lost a match, and then it’s to moan about anyone who dare keep positive and call them out. Don’t question other peoples support when you have never once offered any support for the club you supposedly follow. You ain’t an LFC fan…you’re a Chan-fan!
Chan is right . you are talking nonsense as usual
Souey, you are a very confuse soul. Confusing between support for a club and support for an individual.
I support the club and anyone who is good for the club.
BR is NOT good for our club and these are based on facts (our results, his signings, etc)
What we have in people such as yourself, just like BR based your thinking on fantasies (how many times BR had said we are making progress when we lost a game when clearly we aren’t?).
We do not expect to the title or get 4th place in BR’s first season but to make our worst league start since 1954? And this coming from a guy who says “judge me after 10 games”.
Clearly, you are just as delusional as your hero.
yes football is a funny old game . who would have thought mid january , with liverpool languishing mid table , having failed to win 1 single game against a decent team , with a seemingly out of his depth manager – that there would be an article claiming ‘the club is on right track ‘ or ‘progress is being made’ or that the author would be praising the managers man management skills ?
i think everyone would think the author either is totally mad , or is stupid and knows about football
im not sure which one the author is , but these articles are so farsical , no one can do anything except laugh when reading
Our situation is not funny , i find these stupid articles embarrassing for Liverpool fans everywhere . what would other fans think ? mid table and struggling and we have fools thinking he is doing good job
Exactly, why do you think we are a mid table team now? No thanks to this so called “fans”.
Fans of Manure must have laugh themselves silly when they read articles like this.
Dumb ass kissing article . Kiss Rodgers ass in private not online . Dope !
I happen to agree with the author and but for the absurd 10 or 12 ranters that bombard any positive assessment of Brendan Rodgers tenure, everyone else that understands football can see the progress Liverpool are making. I thought it was a lot more people ranting but I’ve come to realise through name recognition that it’s the same idiots every time…either projecting their miserable lives onto Liverpool’s fortunes or Everton fans in camouflage. Who knows but it’s tiresome to say the least.
Great analysis.
well said brad , see the doom n gloom merchant, pulling away at what BR is trying to do , what the club are trying to do too , we’re supposed to be the best supporters in the world , dont see much in here
Funny how the ONLY time you ever comment ‘Brad’ is to praise Neil’s more ridiculous articles ….. hmmm , funny that
Got to agree with Doug, Brad. By the way Brad, are you part of BR’s PR team?
Are we truly making progress? Like i said earlier, what did Downing did to deserve such praise? Did you see him in the Manure game?
Or you think we are making progress just because BR said so after every draw or defeat?
We paid more than 25 mill for Allen and Borini. Did they set they Prem alight? Did BR’s man management worked on them, his own signings?
How come it had still to work on class players such as Gerrard and Reina? Why did he have to loan out AC? Can’t he work his magic on him?
By the way, i think Moyes is doing great at our rival club, fighting for a CL spot with so little resources available, punching above their weight every season. That is what i call great man management.
You’re such an idiot Chan the most fickle person ever. You were calling for and praising Newcastle and Pardew last season…why aren’t you this season? Moved on have we? Now it’s Moyes and the Blues? You are the epitome of a despicable modern-day ‘fan’…unfortunately, more and more of your type are attaching themselves to our club.
@Chan:
1) Gerrard is playing arguably his best football for nearly three seasons. The stats prove it.
2) Allen has not been given a decent run in his natural position.
3) Borini has been injured for most of the season so far.
4) We’ve played with only one fit striker up until the arrival of Sturridge.
5) Whether people choose to accept it or not, the players brought in over summer were not meant to bring us instant success but become a foundation for at least the next 4-5 years. The only problem with this approach is us as fans who expect the same club that was less than 48hrs away from administration to remain in contention with Man U et al.
6) RE point 5. Where we are right now suck, I repeat SUCKS. However this has to happen. We all need to forget who we were and start focussing on who we intend to become. In my view, next year’s dark horse.
Sorry , nonsense
Allen has been playing ALL season where he played for swansea
It was Rodgers fault we had only 1 striker
ALL of Rodgers buys have been disastrous wastes of money , none of them good enough for LFC
We dont expect to be in contention , Liverpool fans expect to see progress . There is NO progress under Rodgers -we are getting worse
@Danny,
1) Show me those stats, are you confusing the 08/09 season stats? Our captain seems like another person this season.
2) You mean BR paid 15 mill to play him out of position when we are so cash straped? And people says he is a great manager.
3) Before his injury Borini played almost every game. Can you show me some stats what he actually did for us?
4) And whose fault is that?
5 & 6. Correct. Like i said so many times. I do not expect us to win the league or even get 4th or even challenging but to have our worse start since 1954?
Truly dumb article . Stop dreaming lad
i agree with snake plissen’s comments about the overpriced allen only a championship player.borini at a 11million price tag was better sitting on the bench than what he does on the field .and the other two who cannot get a game.what a farce and they are giving him more money to spend.he is so out of his depth tatic wise and transfer policy wise.
Id luv to live in the fantasy world the writer lives in , it wud be great , Liverpool dont have a fool as a manager and everythin is fantastic
Good man-management ? I think you will find that both Downing and Henderson performed to a much higher level for their previous clubs .
And Enrique was top drawer for Kenny in the first 6 months last season before having a dip . So all your points are incorrect .
Anyway if Rodgers was that good at getting the best out of players , we would be ten points clear at the top instead of struggling in middle
I am surprised that you can be so optimistic? Because back in the real world we are not getting better, we are getting worse – that’s the bottom line. Have we improved since last season? Not even slightly.
The proof of the pudding is results and the league table. Over half way trough the season Liverpool have yet to beat any of the top 10 teams, and with Man City away and Arsenal away as 2 of our next 3 games, I don’t expect that stat to change any time soon.
BR is an amateur pure and simple. We should have gone for a proven manager who has delivered at the highest level, not a one season wonder that has failed at 2 championship clubs. Since when has avoiding relegation with Swansea been qualification to manage a club like LFC? Because that BR’s only achievement in football to date. In my opinion this whole BR implementing a new philosophy at LFC is a myth and frankly insulting. LFC have always played pass and move football – we mastered that 40 years ago. Now we pass the ball about, mostly sideways, but defensively and in midfield we are weak and feeble. I don’t know how you can say the squad is a ‘close, tight-knit unit’ when teams like Stoke can just mug us off as if we are little boys, which is exactly what happened.
I am sick to the back teeth of BR, the owners, and websites telling me that the we are moving in the right direction and the future is bight, unless we all accept that we are mid table fodder. The sad thing is that this was obvious from the start.
Well said . It is mindless and silly to praise a manager with Rodgers woeful record
100 correct sp . Everything i was going to say . BR out
Couldn’t agree more! The start of the Man U game was full of errors. It’s obvious Allen should be dropped because he offers nothing … As diffensive mf .. Never mind passing forward . 14 million wasted. Add asaidi to the list of offers nothing and is a cool 18 million. And sturrage? Jury is out , mancini, di matteo and rafa were not convinced. Lets prove them wrong, but i doubt it. He is an amateur manager who knows nothing about transfers. Every major signing came from clubs he has worked in the past. Funny how BR doesn’t mention Swansea anymore and the miracle he achieved there. Downing was an utter disgrace and continuous to play.
Our world class keeper has become a liability (probably down to training ) and our defence has been average. Progress? You must be joking.
Oh BR defence , he made the substitutions and made a difference. Should we credit him for that? Hmm, no, experienced managers don’t do that. We haven’t beaten a top 10 team yet! Get that? Is some statistic to look at.
Give him to the end of the season. Then get sot of him. Too late to chop and change now.
Just to expose another one of your incorrect statements, that being ‘It’s obvious Allen should be dropped because he offers nothing’.
One answer!!
C:\Users\Jack\Desktop\Player Focus Premier Possession Winners.mht
LOL . You are a plonker
Even the most idiotic mindless moronic infantile juvenile stupid person can see Allen is a waste of space .
Not only has he done nothing , but he has been totally exposed as a weak easily bullied wimp , and is the cause of other midfields overrunning us
Yes Erin, he had stoped to mention Swansea, funny he used to refer to them alot.
I noticed he actually stop when that Laudrup guy is doung a much better job than he did with his former club.
yeah . everything you said SP plus more
100% correct and well said. Oh by the way, BR’s former clubs had actually done better AFTER he left.
Check out his latest ex, Swansea.
Another fine piece of fantasy from this sites very own JRR Tolkien
This is simply not true , you are trying to paint a nice picture of Rogers by making stuff up and ignoring the truth .
Neither Downing nor Henderson have hit their top form under Rogers , they have merely been ok recently .Enrique was just as good early last season .
To say Rogers has shown impressive qualities is not true either . Any other manager would have these quality players a lot lot higher
You should try telling truth not making stuff up to suit your own agenda
More delusion . ill have whatever this writer is smoking
More lies and drivel . Stay off the drugs Neil
No . Cant agree with any of this , its unfairly biased . You dont make any sense at all
You describe last season under Kenny D as Liverpool “languishing in 7th ” yet this season we are worse off and in 8th and you say we are making progress and you are praising this manager . ????? I dont get it
I have to agree with the others , the author seems detached from reality , or else he is Brendan Rodgers PR consultant
He meant with Rafa we finished 7th in his last season and under KD we finished 8th last season, so really no progress yet not backwards either
Hugh, don’t mention daglish pls. I don’t know if he actually pay those amount of money to buy aunty carrol,drowning and henderson or he duped fsg. His bad market is what br is trying to manage if you don’t know
Yes i agree. KD should at least be investigated for possible “bung” for those obscene amount paid for such mediocre bunch of players.
And that comment, right there proves what a first class whopper you are. Do us a favour and bog off back to Utd, City or Chelsea…or even Newcastle who you loved so much last season.
Everybody who supports the club knows it was Comolli who paid those ridiculous prices…that was his remit, not Kenny’s. So I ask you Chan, whilst you and all your bandwagon commenters question other fans; what’s your true agenda? Cos supporting LFC it ain’t…
Kenny is a legend , its not his fault if our owners or Comolli paid too much , the manager doesnt negotiate prices these days . FSG knew they were paying way too much but still did it to appease the fans over Torres
@ Souey and Terry,
Who is that everyone? You mean KD has no responsibility in all this mess? When i want a Rolls Royce and was told ist too expensive but still went ahead, its not my fault then if the catual value is many times its true worth?
How does FSG know at that time being new to English football? Ain’t DC and KD supposed to be their advisers?
For your info, i had been an LFC fan for 28 years and gone through the spice boys year, so dont tell me i am not a fan.
Now buzz off back to your Manure dreams.
Wake up writer none of this is true . Rodgers is worst manager in our history . Try watching some matches
Remember, nothing is certain in this game. And unprdictability is something you should’nt forget. (estanbul for example) so you can’t predict our next match
bullsh*t . I predict the next match is against Norwich
Well u have done it again NP , yet another biased piece of hogwash . its so untrue and made up its nearly funny
‘Good man-management ‘ and ‘making progress’ ????? Nonsense . Any fool who thinks these things is not playing with the full deck