FENWAY Sports Group should review Brendan Rodgers’ position at the end of the season. I know some people are going to say give him time, he’s building a young, competitive squad that should be challenging for trophies in the very near future and that we are not a club for changing managers like a revolving door.
But I ask you all this…has he improved us since last season?
I would have to say no! He lacks tactical knowledge in the league, especially since we still haven’t beaten anyone above us in the table, barring Swansea Reserves (the table doesn’t lie) and in Europe.
Brendan didn’t take the Carling Cup or FA Cup seriously. His team selections against Swansea and Oldham cost Liverpool massively. I know people make mistakes, but the thing for me is that the same mistakes are happening and we are not learning from them.
Just look at the defeats against Villa, Stoke, Oldham, West Brom and even the draw against Everton; we couldn’t handle strong physical centre-forwards. How do the team prepare for those types of games in training if we haven’t got that type of player within the squad?
We take big strides forward but then go backwards – being an LFC fan at the moment is like being on a rollercoaster.
It’s all good trying to play passing football within a 4-3-3 setup but when our backs are up against the wall we need to have a different option i.e. 4-4-2 or even 4-2-3-1 to try and mix it up.
The team now lacks metal in midfield and has a weak winning mentality. If we don’t score first and concede, the team buckles under pressure which was evident against Zenit last Thursday night, and last Monday v West Brom.
We need someone who is able to instil a positive and winning mentality not just in domestic games but in Europe, and someone who has done it before – ‘got the t-shirt’, so to speak. You may think I’m mad mentioning Rafa Benitez, but look at the bigger picture. Four years ago we gave Real Madrid a footballing lesson in their own backyard and we were fighting for the Premier League title with Manchester United.
I know people are going to say he took us as far as he could, poor signings etc. but Rafa was our ‘Special One’ – 2 Champions League Finals in 3 years is a great achievement, masterminding victories over Inter Milan home and away, the amazing Chelsea victories in the league and in Europe (don’t forget we were the first team to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in four and a half years, they were 44 games unbeaten at home)…the list is endless.
Yes, some signings were questionable, but he gave us Reina, Xabi Alonso, Garcia, Mascherano and Torres, amongst others who were the spine of a top team. Who knows what would of happened if were able to keep hold of Alonso, Torres and Mascherano. What if Rafa was able to buy Silva or Mata like he wanted? Sorry but Allen (£15m), Borini (£12m) or Adam are not a patch on what we had.
Fast forward to 2013 and we are 26 points off the pace at the top, 9 points off the coveted Champions League place and 3 points behind rivals Everton (who have a game in hand) with 11 games to go. We’re also on the verge of getting knocked out in Europe barring a miracle tomorrow. Clinging onto this season’s competition by their fingernails after the 2-0 defeat to Zenit, and placed seventh in the Premier League, it could be a while before the passports are taken from the top drawer again.
Liverpool failed to retain their heads. The ability to keep the ball extolled so enthusiastically by all at the club was missing once more. Much like the Arsenal game a few weeks ago, the second goal was inevitable following the first. In a league game, giving away two goals is galling; in a two-legged European tie, it can quicken elimination.
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Maybe the surprising thing is such a defeat comes as a surprise. Only six of Liverpool’s starting 11 have played in the Champions League, against a team worthy of the competition. When Rodgers was given his first job at Watford in 2008, Luciano Spalletti had already beaten Real Madrid home and away with his Roma side.
How the dogged experience of Dirk Kuyt or Maxi Rodriguez would have been welcomed on a sticky pitch engulfed by an intimidating atmosphere. That the likes of Sterling, Allen and Jordan Henderson will have gained experience of such an evening is one of the only positives to take for Liverpool. Even Kuyt, Maxi, Gerrard and Jamie Carragher had to start somewhere.
We had one of the best midfields in Europe, now we lack the experience and steel to strike fear into the opposition. The midfield 3 was so easily knocked off the ball.
Anfield was once a fortress, now teams aren’t scared; they are buoyed by our home.
Roy Hodgson and King Kenny were dismissed for not taking the club to the next level. I admit under Roy his signings of Poulsen and Konchesky were not Liverpool standard and the football played was so lacklustre we could have been scrapping to stay in the league.
Look at Kenny. He came in half-way through the season after Roy got the chop but he knew what was lacking within the team and helped us finish the season strong. Last year was a poor finish in the league but we reached two cup finals and should have won both of them. He even ensured we had European football for this season by winning the Carling Cup. The fans thought we were on the up.
This season is worse I’m afraid. Look at the evidence from 2009 onwards…is this progress?
SEASON POINTS TALLY
2009: 86
2010: 63
2011: (FSG arrive) 58
2012: 56
2013: On course for 53
Sooner or later Rodgers is going to need to show the qualities of a top class manager but sadly I don’t think he has them. He has never managed a team with such as a glorious history as Liverpool. Just look at his time at Reading and Watford (won only 2 out of 11 games), he has only ever had a 30% win rate as a manager – is this good enough for Liverpool Football Club?
Compare that to Rafa’s win percentage of 56 % as LFC boss think it speaks volumes of just how lucky we were to have him as manager.
When Brendan arrived at Swansea the ground work on how the team was going to play was already in practice by Roberto Martinez and Paulo Sousa – he just helped it along. Even Michael Laudrup has taken Swansea to another level this season. An example of this is us getting played off the park by them in the Carling Cup. Their passing and fluent game play is a joy to watch when they have their full team out.
Of course the players have to take some of the responsibility, but the buck stops with the manager as he picks the players and tells them how to play. Pretty ironic that Warriors slogan is ‘We Come Not to Play’
FSG appointed their own man in Brendan Rodgers but surely discussions need to take place before LFC becomes a truly average club and disappears off the football map. At the end of the day LFC is, and should be, one of football’s greatest institutions.
Follow me on Twitter @MRSSG
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Rodgers out , followed by FSG
We only got 52 points last season, so 53 points would be an improvement
Duh… We won a trophy and got to another cup final last season . This season is dross
Rodgers is a yes man and that is the only reason he got the job. While we have the likes of him & Ayre (another yesman) at this club and with FSG in charge we will not progress. All FSG are interested in is the commercial aspect of the club.
Time for him to move on
Bring Raffa home
I presume all the divs who loves Rodgers ,were devastated when we sacked hodgson . Hypocrites. RRodgers out
Mourinho is available , lets get him
Good article by the way
Come on Mr Henry / Werner or whoever …..
i know you wont give us a new stadium
i know you wont buy us any top world class players
.. but surely the least you can do is rid us of the championship manager , and give us a decent one ?
please ?
thank you so much Ronny, FSG hope ur ears are open
BR out. No other club would waste so much time with poor manager. Supportthe team & not Rodgers
A correct and logical assessment by Katie Price. A great article to summarize our disastrous session with BR.
BR out !!! FSG should start finding the next proven manager for LFC !!!
totally agree with most comments , i cant understand why any fan would want to keep a manager with his poor record of results .
can any of imagine manu 7th and out of the cups early + persisting with a new manager . or chelsea ? or even arsenal ? no they would have sacked him long ago
we are liverpool fc not stoke , we are one of the worlds biggest clubs , lets set our standards way higher than brendans poor efforts
there are plenty of great managers out there who would love to come to a great club like ours
ill be there tomorrow cheering the team on , but i wont support rodgers as he is bad for this club , and only when he is gone will the fans be united again
you have short memory, check Man utd 1st season under fergie He finished 11th. So knowledeable, yeh right
check your facts pal , you have no clue
Ferguson inherited a team second from bottom of the league in total disarray . He got them to 11th
2nd season ? He got them second in the league
hmm ? success or failure ?
It took fergie years to win anything with Man U!
Chelski wouldn’t stand for the manager not winning anything, but no-one who knows anything about football wants to be like that ‘we want everything now’ club.
As for Arsenal? They haven’t won anything for years!
Spot on Gaz . These Rodgers apologisers dont know football and get their facts ALL wrong
Excellent article Kate .well put and all true. LFC need new man. Rogers is not good
Wanted him out but now I’m on the fence…
I’ll wait until after the zenit the game… Until then I’m
Sharpening my teeth 🙂
Get off the fence . We need a decent manager
Wanted him out 3 months ago .. and I still want him out . Liverpool can do so much better
Whatever happens, changing the manager again this summer would be counter productive. Stick with the plan and stop living in the past. The likes of Maxi, Bellamy, Kuyt couldn’t be stopped from leaving. Squad is now better than last years and playing at a higher standard. We’ve scored more goals than last year, won more home games than last year and our mental strength is improving on last year. Hicks & Gillett almost broke us, Kenny came close to saving us but he let Commoli run amok. £35m on AC will go down as the worst PL transfer of all time, just imagine where we’d be now if we’d’ve spent that money wisely.
More change is not the answer, above all now LFC needs ctability and continuity.
Your talking carp.Liverpool needs a decent manager .then we can have stability. U can’t have stability with a dope in charge . Don’t think you know anything about football or lfc.
Neil Patterson, u can follow Rodgers to his next club, changing him will do us much much more bettter. i dnt even think u support liverpool
Everyone talks about this ‘decent manager’. Name me once of these managers that will come to us. No point listing Mourinho, Ancelotti, Klopp, Guardiola. Those that list these managers are really the ones that are living in a dreamland.
Until such time that we break back into the top 4 and get CL footie again, those managers won’t go anywhere near us.
Unfortunately, Rodgers in the level of manager that we get now. No ‘world class’ manager is going to put their reputation on the line.
Also, those that want Benitez back, go and have a look at his management history prior to Valencia. You might be surprised how similar to Rodgers he is….
Someone on here who talks sense. Fans now just want quick fixes and expect things too quickly.
LFC is still one of the worlds greatest and prestigious clubs . Mourinho would come if we gave him money . Ancelotti maybe . Hyypia or Hiddink would jump at the chance , then there is Rafa or Sanchez-Flores , Pelligrini …..
We are Liverpool FC not Doncaster Rovers FFS
Couldn’t agree more.
Sick of people ranting about how much better we should be doing.
Yes Liverpool is a world renowned team, but we’ve been rottin away from the inside for years and now it’s at least not getting worse.
Mourinho is only a good manager if he is given millions and millions of pounds – which we don’t have! So no point in getting him in!
People need to get real and support the team instead of whining.
Anfield goes too silent too quick for my liking these days. Fans need to get behind the team no matter what.
ALL the fans will never get fully behind a no- mark manager like Rodgers – so get used to crap atmosphere until he is gone
how pathetic…..the Anfield faithful wanted Binetiz out (granted) H&G out (granted) Hodgson out (granted) Kenny was not the second coming as was 1st thought, yes we got to 2 cup finals, but in the league we performed and looked SHOCKING.
Rodgers inherited a weak team, many 1st team players had left, he is rebuilding not only the team but also the fragile moral.
you have to remember we had a terrible start having played most of the top teams in the first 10 games, we are playing better now than i have seen for a very long time.
Mourinho, Ancelotti, Klopp, Guardiola are all PIPE DREAMS, give this guy time he was NEVER expected to achieve CL football in season 1 this was made VERY CLEAR to all that would have listened on the appointment of BR, for me he has next season to showcase!
As far as FSG are concerned, they took us from the BRINK OF LIQUIDATION to one of the most self funding teams in the PL ahead of the FFP sanctions. Commercially we have never looked so good, we are still in the TOP10 richest clubs in Europe WITHOUT CL Football. WAKE UP and smell the coffee guys, this is going to take time, there is going to be no quick fix, the damage was done by H & G not FSG/BR.
Rubbish . Rodgers is not good enough . And FSG are here for our cash not for the glory of LFC . FSGs current policy will only hinder our chances of a return to glory .Wake up and smell reality
Ok my Deluded, in “your” perfect world i am guessing you would expect us to be a Chelski and a Man City pumped full of dirty money not having to worry about wages/fans/player feelings
you need to smell reality buddy we are LIVERPOOL with heritage and a long history of sticking together through thick and thin not making RASH decisions like SACKING a manager who has improved the team and improved the way we play football, as i said next season he should be judged NOT NOW
Mr* not my
No mate , u are deluded .Rodgers has made the team worse , and i suppose u wanted Hodgson given longer too ?
@ Dave, no Hodgson was a complete waste of time, and please inform how he has made the team worse…back up your empty comments with FACTS
Look at season compared to last –
Dalglish – League 7th
League Cup- Champions
FA Cup- Runners Up
Rodgers – League 7th
League Cup – nowhere
FA Cup- nowhere ( Embarrased by 3rd tier side)
UEFA – nowhere
Open your eyes *
Every managers have their blip.
at your logic, Man utd would have sacked ferguson when they lost to Exeter City in the cup a few seasons ago.
Give them time.
I hope LFC won’t become another Newcastle United..or Chelski
@fortheringham
FSG is here for our cash?
Hmm..
I believe that you have such a short memory. When they bought us, we are very very very much in debt… and nearly into administration.
we are in much more healthier state now..
Jeez Open ur eyes , wake up etc etc . Fans like u are so deluded
FSG are H&G mark II
LOL , why are they here if not for money
NO sk , they bought us for less than half what Liverpool is worth , and NET they really havnt spent much at all .
Their decisions have been disgracefully poor , showing how clueless they are about football
also , dont hold your breath for new stadium , because it aint coming . we would have been better off in administration then they would have picked more suitable owners , not more dirty greedy yanks
Please sack Rodgers , it was a risk but its failed .. lets NOT waste 2 or 3 more years on this guy who is out of his depth
I have to laugh at all the Rogers is rubbish Rogers has not improved us this year.
I have supported Liverpool for 35 years and we are not the club we used to blbe but that is mainly due to the change in football being more mercenary I.e footballers just going for the money rather than play for a club they can be proud of.
The rason I have mentioned this is that I see to remember people saying Jamie Caragher was rubbish in his early days but he was given time to develop into the player he is today but it took 2 years. The same can be said for Lucus Levia everybody wanted him out to but he has developed because he was given time.
If Liverpool got rid of Rogers and brought in a foreign manager who just wanted to do a 2 year stint and then do one back home with a big pay cheque as you all know they do at some point.
If you dont let a manager build and become part of the history of the club like Bob Paisley and Shankly then how do you get a manager like them.
Rather that tha some fool like Mourinho turning up with the I am biggerbthan Liverpool attitude.
Give the fella a couple of seasons and then see.
*Thunbs up*
P.S sorry about the spelling, have not got used to the predictive text yet.
Rodgers has proved he is clueless already . Look at what he wasted 30m on in the summer .
Sack the fool rather than waste more years
No hope of success until a proven manager is brought in . BR can not attract top players , and seems determined to fill the team with average ex-Swansea players . He has also shown an inability to get results when the team is performing well .
Im all for patients guys , i was quietly patient with Souey , Evans ,Houillier , Hodgson ( didnt like him but knew he was a proven manager ) and King Kenny. I never gave out about any of them .
… but this Rodgers fellow is (to coin a phrase) out of his depth . People slag off the ridiculous signing of Carroll , but to me the 15m for Allen is more disgraceful . Carroll had something to offer but Allen offers nothing … yet Mr Rodgers continues to play him
I could write for ages on all of Rodgers failings , if you cant see them yourself , i dont think your a knowledgeable football fan … but be warned , if Rodgers stays for another year Liverpool will be further away from where we want to be
its like a nursery playgroup in here !
oh well … i might as well …
RODGERS OUUUUUTTTTTTT !!!!!!!!!!!!!
let me just say as a Liverpool supporter of 35 yrs i have never seen the supporters as divided as i have seen them this season ….and for that FSG , Ayre and BR must shoulder the Blame equally …. Firstly we have a history of backing the manager and the team in good and bad times YES , BUT managers who where of the calabre of Liverpool Football club , after Shanks came Paisley ( backed because he was BOOTROOM ) , after Paisley was Fagan ( backed because he was BOOTROOM ) then KK same story BOOTROOM ….after KK left we went of the rails cuz of Souness but we back him cuz he was an x Pool legend , then Evans Backed BOOTROOM , Houlier Backed because of what he did and was well regarded and then was replaced by Rafa who won leagues in spain and champs league with Valiencia soo we knew the pedigree ….ALL Managers WELL supporters by Most of the Fans ….then we signed Roy Hodgson ( By American owners ) and he was never backed by MOST (cuz we knew he was not of the standard required )King kenny saved us that season and was rebuilding a team and BOOTROOM mentality with Clarke taking over once he got us back into top 4 and he went upstairs again …
sure me made poor signings BUT every single manager including Fergie and Jose / Rafa has made shockers in thier careers … I never rated Carrol even at 10 mil but it was a knee jerk to what happened with Torres , downing , enrique and hendo are showing that KK was wise to get them ESP HENDO ( Future England Captain and potential replacement for Stevy ) what was agued was the money spent and the fault there was FSG and Cammolli , KK was just happy to get the players in ….Last season we played the OLD Liverpool way of pass and move ( Not Tiki Tiki ) and we were becomming a force …beating MAN U , CITY , CHELSEA, ARSNEL , BRING IN YOUTH i.e. Kelly and Flannagan ,wisdom and sterling in the latter part of the season ( slowly The Old Liverpool way ) he signed Bellemy Back remember his goals bringing in experiance …what happening then was what began to difine our back luck of a season …firstly Evra accused Saurez of racisism in a match where we hammered Man u , that caused us to be not focused , then our best player of the season Lucas got injured for the whole season , Gerrard was missing injured and with a relativally weaker team than we have now KK and Clarke toke us to Wembly 3 times winning on cup and if Carrols header was judged over the line we would have won the FA AND KK and Clarke GOT US INTO EUROPA ……what was not told was that KK wanted to sign Jelavic in jan BUT FSG already made their minds up and didnot fund him futher ALSO HENDRY was piling on the pressure on KK and Clarke BY DEMANDING 4th IN THE MEDIA ( Not the liverpool way just by the way ) ……
if we talk about backing the manager we should have had an OUTROAR when KK ( the last manager to get us a league and a legend BOTH as a manager and a player ) was SOOO BADLY treated …he blead for LFC and is more LFC than we all will ever be ….
Now for Rogers i can bet that most of the supporters claiming we MUST stand by him supported KKs sacking ( due to us not get top 4 and a suposedly weak season ) in if in your contincence this is a fact then u guys R Hipporcrites ……..cuz U guys didnt support the Liverpool manager at that time ….
Fact is if you minus the money tht we got from Torres< babel , Ngog it was equal to the money that KK signed BUT for Rogers to waste 45 mill on Allen < Borini < Assisdi >>>they gonna loose BIG MONEY and they will only have them selves to Blame .
Yes Good comment . All correct .
At least the number of mindless fans supporting Rodgers is getting smaller by the week
At last the Liverpool fans are starting to wake up