IT’S been another mixed bag of a season so far but it could yet finish on a positive note, depending on whether we can finish in the European places.
There have been some highlights though – Luis Suarez, in general; the progress of many of our young stars; Steven Gerrard getting through most of the season uninjured, amongst others.
For me though, one of the biggest positives has been the maturing of Glen Johnson.
It’s easy to forget that we signed the England international almost 4 years ago, and that he has now played over 125 games for Liverpool.
Johnson has received much criticism for his defensive lapses and ‘off-days’ and much of that was justified; there was a top player in there just waiting to come out but it wasn’t half frustrating to watch him struggle for form sometimes.
But at the age of 28, he appears to be peaking at just the right time. Having cementing his place as England’s first-choice right-back and had a solid run of games for Liverpool this season, Johnson – at last – appears to have come into his own, both in the attacking sense and defensively.
It’s hard to argue with the fact that Glen is clearly one of the best attacking full-backs in the league. He has plenty of technique and I’ve many times expressed my desire to see him play further up the pitch, such are his attacking qualities.
But this season he appears to have worked out any kinks in that all-important defensive side of his game too. It’s possible that he’s the only member of Liverpool’s defence not to have made a costly individual error this season.
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Suarez is clearly going to win Liverpool’s Player of the Year award, but Johnson would be a front-runner if not for the genius of the Uruguayan.
The question is: is Johnson the finished article, or can he get even better?
Provided he keeps his concentration and those lapses don’t find there way back in, I can’t really see where Johnson can improve his game. He’s even managed to bring some consistency to his performances this season and you could even say he was one of the few players you could rely on week-in, week-out.
However, he could perhaps do with adding a few more assists and goals to his game. All the great attacking full-backs over the years have chipped in at the opposite end and if Glen could bring on that aspect of his game then it would be hard to see where else he could better his game.
It’s definitely been a long time in coming, but it looks as if Johnson has finally started to show the kind of form that justifies the £17.5 million the club reportedly spent on him in July 2009. Long may that form continue.
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What a load of old tosh,for me his mental lapses in defence mark him out as a weak link,awful defensive positioning and woeful “feet plated” lack of aerial strength,he often watches strikes launch themselves for a header and stares at them,mouth open and unable to move,do you watch football ????? The sooner kelly and wisdom are back the better,hes costing us goals every game.FFS what a load of rubbish.
Not fair. Just like most of the players Johnsonis disillusioned with Rodgers lack of formation and tactical naivety
Or is it an aamazing coincidence that nearly all our defenders are having a poor season
They were ALL top class last season
Johnson has been laxidasical under 4 managers…..can’t blame Rogers for that!!
Bull .all the defense is poor under Rodgers ONLY. Skrtel player of year last season
Rodgers is a clown
Completely agree….should have been dropped a long time ago – cannot defend, not due to ability he’s just lazy.
Completely agree….should have been dropped a long time ago – cannot defend, not due to ability he’s just lazy.
Ha ha, very funny! Or were you serious? Did you not see the previous game against Spurs, falling over unchallenged for Vertonghen’s second goal. He’s good going forward, not very good at all going back. Saw bits of yesterday’s game, Southampton seemed to do most of their attacking on the left, did Johnson put in a tackle, make a telling block?
Yes Johnson had a poor game yesterday but I think for 3 seasons he has been an excellent player. Easily the best attacking right-click in the premier
So exactly how many goals/assists has he got this season?????? & also he’s a DEFENDER!!!! not a forward
WRONG again—HE IS NOT A DEFENDER! My grandson would leave him for dead against his defending!
Not fair . Johnson is class player
Ok, but the premise of this piece is thatJohnson is the finished article, more specifically, ‘For me though, one of the biggest positives (of this season) has been the maturing of Glen Johnson’. I don’t see how anyone can agree with that, whether you think it’s fair or not!
Finished article ? No
But he is still a class player . Would get into any top team no problem
I wish he would get that chance…..costs us at least 5 goals a season like Reina.
Due to Rodgers ridiculous naive system
True…..however we’re not discussing Rogers – Look at how Rafael has improved as a defender – down to hard graft & reading the game. Johnson is a prime example of how standards have slipped at LFC – Not good enough but half decent so we just make do?????
Correct Simon
Today was not a good day to extol the virtues of Glen Johnson, he was in a poor place yesterday, dunno if the Soton boo-boos got inside his head but he was never at the races. His early season form was pretty good but he has definitely gone off the boil.
All our defenders and keepers have made glaring errors this season, it is simply bad organisation and non-existent or sub-standard coaching. Brenda is directly to blame. Not good enough.
Ib think bcos he didn’t go forward as before help is game this season and also there so many joung players looking and fighting for that right back, I will like our Coach to pls train Kelly to centra back(full back)
All the players love playing for Rodgers!
Our issues at the back are at centre half and and depth.
Skrtel is done as a Liverpool player! Terrible defender.
We need to be more aggressive and we need an organiser. Notice no carragher yesterday and the defensive problems really started again.
Hahaha . Nobody likes playing for that dope . Gerrard and Suarez especially are winners – they won’t be happy with this mediocre rubbish
Players love playing for Rodgers? No trophies and no CL football, yeah they must be chuffed to bits!
lol . They cant wait for Rodgers to be sacked
No doubt about it . Rodgers idiotic tactics are to blame for all our defenders loss of form
Sack the div now
after the thrill of a couple of wins ,we go pull the plug again, starting to think B,R is tactially out of his depth,I was of the opinion of giving the man a chance till end of season,but its immaterial now,as regards Johnson in my opinion he is an average r/back who shows no strenght in an aerial battle & is easily turned on the floor.The defence in general yesterday was shite ,think the squad thought all they had to do was turn up.F.S.G should look at the bigger picture & invest decent money & get a proven man in to turn around this club around,the longer this form continues the further away we will go from top 4 status.
At last … It took you long enough
All you experts should band together and hold coaching and football tactical management lectures, its easy to sit on the couch and point the finger but the truth is, no of you would have the first idea how to manage a team like Liverpool. We can all get promoted on fifa but in the real world players have bad days and managers get it wrong.Give Rogers a chance he hasn’t even had one full season yet and already you want his head.
We have got rid of all the deadwood and will finish higher than last season. Why all the negativity?
It will take a few years for us to get back in cl but when we do we will be solid.
Rodgers has had a chance and failed pathetically . This is the worst season in over 50 years .
kop on kidda
Yes I agree we will finally get back in the CL but…. When? The game plan of Rodgers has completely changed in the last few weeks and there is no cohesion about our play. Where did the total domination with the football go to? All I saw against Spurs and Southampton was long ball dross. It’s either the players have lost all faith in his ‘ philosophy ‘ or Rodgers himself doesn’t believe in it cause its obvious to anyone we have changed our style of play. Question is have the players adjusted to his tikka taka so much that they cannot go out and change things effectively. As for the defense it’s obviously a Rodgers problem. We had the best defense for so many years and all of a sudden we are leaking goals left right and centre. It’s obviously the way Rodgers sets out his teams as we still have the same core defensive personnel as in past years. Not hiding the fact that leaking goals has been a constant wherever Rodgers has managed. The same problems were had at both Reading and Swansea when it came to defending. We can’t keep chopping and changing managers but if we are at least not fighting for the CL spot at the end of the next campaign then Rodgers can pack his bags along with his 250 page ” philosophy ” FFS I cringe just hearing about it.
Most of what you say is true but I can’t believe you would give him another year…he will only make us worse. He is hopeless
It’s true he probably should go at the end of the year but we all know that’s not going to happen seeing he is FSG’s pinup boy
Johnson is top class … but Rodgers is very good at 2 things
1. bullshi*ting a lot
2. making our previously excellent defenders look poor with his stupid system ,and ignorant tactics
How did one of the worlds greatest clubs get lumbered with such a 2nd rate manager ??
FFS Reading sacked him after 5 months !!!!
Reading had more sense than we do
If we take 8 points from the next 8 games we finish above last seasons tally, so how can this be the worst season in 50 years? We have scored 10 more goals than last season already. And all are attackers are young enough to improve. We just need to buy at the back in the summer and we can start pressing for top four.if we get rid of the manager it will set us back another three years, we have been playing better football than under kenny,and we will get better and better with time.
Indeed, some nutters on this blog. While some notable errors have been made the football is broadly much better than in the last 3 seasons. Clearly some issues remain esp the fragility of the back line – bringing in a good defence coach rather than sacking the manager would probably be a better idea.
Nonsense . We are going nowhere with this Muppet
To say we will get better and better with time is just hopeful nonsense
Rodgers has proved himself inept and naive tactically…it won’t get better until a new man is in place
Rodgers has fooked up our defense . Only Rodgers . If he stays its more mediocrity next season.
Total delusion Craig . Wake up
Johnson had a horrible game against southhampton, and im usually a big fan of glen..
Well said Glen. lol
His attacking is on and off while his defensive job is watching opponent score,what a great player we have,i’ve been tolerating with him since he join liverpool and never ever like his attitude as a player.
dave which games were you watching ? I do not agree with this article , Johnson together with Skrtl , Agger, Carra together with Reina etc is crap thats is why we are where we are today, look at how many times Johnson’s passes went astray and lost possesion by kicking against opposition , i say our entire defence except for Enrique should be overhauled BR should starting looking for defenders and not midfielders
Johnson is great but at times when he is not in form he is just terrible like in the last match with Saints he was having so much problems in tackling Lambert. Dont know what happen to him. Wish him best in all the next games.
It’s the system .none of the defenders are comfortable with it. Johnson is an superb player
Well said Glen. lol.