Early thoughts on Rodgers

[clangers]

He has no experience of managing a big club. Maybe we finishing 14th or something like that this season, just a couple of points above relegation zone.

 

We'll probably finish where we are the moment, we are the definition of a mid-table team, win one, lose one and repeat.

[Original202]

@BBCSport: Liverpool have never had fewer points after 19 games since the three points for a win rule was brought in.

 

No amount of bullshit can defer from that fact

 

And in the same period how many times have we had a worse squad of players? This is easily one of the worst squads we've had in decades and even for the odd bit of individual quality, it's the most unbalanced squad I can remember.

[Trucker Paddy]

 

And in the same period how many times have we had a worse squad of players? This is easily one of the worst squads we've had in decades and even for the odd bit of individual quality' date=' it's the most unbalanced squad I can remember.[/quote']

 

Same squad got to 2 cup finals last season and was 1 point off 4th last Christmas.

Are you saying Norwich Swansea and WBA all have better or equal squads? All with a new manager I may add.

The villa result given there performances before and after was the worst in our PL history IMO.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Same squad got to 2 cup finals last season and was 1 point off 4th last Christmas.

 

The same squad? What are you on, TP? Why are you only mentioning the first half of last season, why not the second half, which was directly before Rodgers took over?

[Strontium]

He has no experience of managing a big club.

 

 

Untrue, he has half a season's experience of managing a big club now. And we're just getting worse.

[Navman]

Difficult to be rational after tonights performance, especially after some promising performances during our unbeaten run in Nov

 

My biggest worry is the senior players arent turning up for him - which worries me (the equivalent of having unemployed Harry Redknapp sitting in the crowd) - always a bad sign for me

 

Ince and Sturridge are ok signings, but wont solve our issues. He needs the team to be more progressive with the ball, tighen up at the back

 

Also I would like him to drop "rest" a few of our established players and perhaps see Carragher back in (or Coates) and shake things up a little

 

The press are going to build up the QPR game as a "6 pointer" and I think if we dont get a win there us as fans will be writting this season off (except for a cup run)

 

I will always support the manage, but I dont trust Rodgers as much as I did in August - his tactics and buys so far have been disappointing

 

I also dont think he is immune - I am sure if there are rumblings from the fans March/April time (aka to the transfer letter) he'll be in trouble

[Section_31]

I reckon FSG will look to flog the club rather than just bin Rodgers and start again. They probably thought success would come far easier and that it'd be a case of getting a manager in and giving him some money, but it's obviously not that simple and I seriously doubt their long term commitment to keep going back to the drawing board.

[INTORRESTING]

3 points came in about 1981? worst for 30 years, fucking terrible. I blame the owners not Rodgers. He should never have been given the job

[Trucker Paddy]

 

The same squad? What are you on' date=' TP? Why are you only mentioning the first half of last season, why not the second half, which was directly before Rodgers took over?[/quote']

 

2nd half was shit, I'm not defending it, but in that 2nd half we still reached 2 cup finals under the shadow of the Suarez fiasco, Rodgers is now beginning to luck like what many suspect a man who got lucky with Martinez Swansea, 2 let me repeat that two of the Swansea team that played us last month were signed by Rodgers, he's looking way outta his depth and no amount of charm offensive can disguise it.

[G Richards]

I still have the same view of Rodgers. A young manager who has a big job on his hands, and only time will show if he is the wrong choice, an inspired choice, or something in between. The 19 game thing is accurate - it is the worst 19 game start since 3 points were introduced. But let's have some context. In his first 19 games Rodgers also amassed more point than Kenny managed in his last 19 games.

 

It is far too soon to judge him. He gets a full season and then we will see where we are. My suspicion remains we will finish about where we finished last season. It will not set the pulse racing by any means, but Rodgers will show us what he is made of in his second season, once he has three transfer windows under his belt and the whole project carries more of his stamp on it.

 

While everyone else stumbles, the temptation is to imagine we could just sneak into the top four with a good run. And then we lose games and it all looks a bit depressing again. We are not there yet, but Rodgers deserves more time.

[Major Tom]

I still have the same view of Rodgers. A young manager who has a big job on his hands, and only time will show if he is the wrong choice, an inspired choice, or something in between. The 19 game thing is accurate - it is the worst 19 game start since 3 points were introduced. But let's have some context. In his first 19 games Rodgers also amassed more point than Kenny managed in his last 19 games.

 

It is far too soon to judge him. He gets a full season and then we will see where we are. My suspicion remains we will finish about where we finished last season. It will not set the pulse racing by any means, but Rodgers will show us what he is made of in his second season, once he has three transfer windows under his belt and the whole project carries more of his stamp on it.

 

While everyone else stumbles, the temptation is to imagine we could just sneak into the top four with a good run. And then we lose games and it all looks a bit depressing again. We are not there yet, but Rodgers deserves more time.

 

Good post. Rationality prevails.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

2nd half was shit, I'm not defending it, but in that 2nd half we still reached 2 cup finals under the shadow of the Suarez fiasco, Rodgers is now beginning to luck like what many suspect a man who got lucky with Martinez Swansea, 2 let me repeat that two of the Swansea team that played us last month were signed by Rodgers, he's looking way outta his depth and no amount of charm offensive can disguise it.

 

Would you accept that it's not the same squad, though? We both agree the second half - which was 11 defeats and 3 draws from 19 games - was shite, but he then lost 4 of his 6 top scorers. The one player he replaced him with was injured very early on.

 

The job he has here is fucking hard. It'd be hard for anybody - Kenny, Rodgers, LvG, Mourinho, anybody - to come in and turn it around without funds and time. I'm not happy, nobody is happy, it's just that the team was a mess when he took over, despite having a lot of money spent on it. It'll take time for him to prove to be great or shit. I believe he has what it takes, but it's just a belief. There's no real evidence either way.

[Trucker Paddy]

 

Would you accept that it's not the same squad' date=' though? We both agree the second half - which was 11 defeats and 3 draws from 19 games - was shite, but he then lost 4 of his 6 top scorers. The one player he replaced him with was injured very early on.

 

The job he has here is fucking hard. It'd be hard for anybody - Kenny, Rodgers, LvG, Mourinho, anybody - to come in and turn it around without funds and time. I'm not happy, nobody is happy, it's just that the team was a mess when he took over, despite having a lot of money spent on it. It'll take time for him to prove to be great or shit. I believe he has what it takes, but it's just a belief. There's no real evidence either way.[/quote']

 

I'd say bar the forwards it's a very similar squad, I think Borini the jury is out and I think Allen was a lazy signing as he's no better than Henderson and the money shoulda been spent on a striker.

But nothing can defend this start, I don't want him sacked, I do want him to stop talking bollicks, and even you can admit there's something very stupid about setting up your team away to stoke the same way you do at home to Fulham

[the walsh]

agree if this season goe,s tit.s up again which look.ds likely the owners might just sell up we need rafa back

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I'd say bar the forwards it's a very similar squad, I think Borini the jury is out and I think Allen was a lazy signing as he's no better than Henderson and the money shoulda been spent on a striker.

But nothing can defend this start, I don't want him sacked, I do want him to stop talking bollicks, and even you can admit there's something very stupid about setting up your team away to stoke the same way you do at home to Fulham

 

Whilst I don't agree with your assessment of Allen, actually I massively disagree with it, it's obvious to me that we shouldn't have started that way today. Actually, Allen should have been playing. I guess the temptation of starting with the same team which knocked 4 past Fulham was too much to resist?

 

But my main point here is that the forwards are very different. It's why our draws - our most common results - aren't being turned into wins. The losses would still be a problem, and there's many others problems, but we'd be putting the ball in the back of the net if we weren't having to rely on an attacking line with Sterling, Suso and Shelvey as heavy contributors. Just two or three draws into wins would have made a massive difference. When he gets the players to replace the outgoing ones, if we're still losing and drawing at the same rate, your case will be way too solid to argue against.

 

If, however, buying better attacking players somehow improves our child-driven attack, and we start picking up more points as a result, then surely it'll be too solid to argue against giving him more time and money?

[stringvest]

I've been on the fence with regard to Rodgers' chance of success at Liverpool. I'm less confident than before after tonight's performance. Selection was wrong, in my opinion, and we are repeating the same selection mistakes. More worryingly, there is no sign of improvement in any important aspect of our game since he arrived. Yes, there have been anomalies, and we have flattered to deceive on occasion, and yes, there are some mitigating factors, but I am disappointed in his ability to regularly extract good team performances out of the players at his disposal.

 

I'm under no illusion that we have players any better than average in almost every position, but there are teams with roughly the same level of player regularly producing coherent, effective performances rewarded by decent results.

 

I don't think there is any point in getting rid of him, largely because I'm fairly sure that the club will change hands in the next 12-18 months, and whoever is the manager when that happens will be shipped out anyway.

 

If Rodgers manages to make a silk purse out of the sows ear, them I'll be delighted for him and the club. I feel after tonight that is less likely than I did as I was tearing the wrapping from my Chrizzy pressies.

[Trucker Paddy]

 

Whilst I don't agree with your assessment of Allen' date=' actually I massively disagree with it, it's obvious to me that we shouldn't have started that way today. Actually, Allen should have been playing. I guess the temptation of starting with the same team which knocked 4 past Fulham was too much to resist?

 

But my main point here is that the forwards are very different. It's why our draws - our most common results - aren't being turned into wins. The losses would still be a problem, and there's many others problems, but we'd be putting the ball in the back of the net if we weren't having to rely on an attacking line with Sterling, Suso and Shelvey as heavy contributors. Just two or three draws into wins would have made a massive difference. When he gets the players to replace the outgoing ones, if we're still losing and drawing at the same rate, your case will be way too solid to argue against.

 

If, however, buying better attacking players somehow improves our child-driven attack, and we start picking up more points as a result, then surely it'll be too solid to argue against giving him more time and money?[/quote']

 

See while I agree our strikers are an issue, IMO the fact the midfield doesn't chip in with goals is as big a problem, Allen and Lucas won't score them, he won't play Henderson(not saying he's prolific BTW), and Shelvey just isn't good enough and should be loaned out to see if he can develop.

We don't even shoot from outside box anymore

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Goals from midfield are definitely an issue now that we have lost Kuyt, Maxi and, in real teams, Steven Gerrard. That's going to take some time to sort, though. Sturridge will be a good replacement for Kuyt, in my opinion. Outside of that, we'll just have to wait and see. It won't happen in just one window, though. We've got lots of hard nights like this coming up over the next half season. 19 games of pain, but things will start to get better.

[Trucker Paddy]

Goals from midfield are definitely an issue now that we have lost Kuyt' date=' Maxi and, in real teams, Steven Gerrard.[/quote']

 

Henderson scored winner v udinese and hasn't started a game since

[Anubis]

I don't think there is any point in getting rid of him, largely because I'm fairly sure that the club will change hands in the next 12-18 months, and whoever is the manager when that happens will be shipped out anyway.

 

Is this a gut feeling, or things you've heard (which I'm not asking you to share)?

 

I only ask because a number of posters have said similar, and some seem to base it on things they've heard in the background.

[Evelyn Tentions]

Biggest problem is that if he does get the boot, no manager of any quality is going to be interested in taking over.

He is even more stubborn than Kenny in his team selection. Cole and fucking Downing and Shelvey. Fuck.

The January transfer window is make or break time. Unless we can come up with more than Ince and, maybe, Sturidge he, and by extension us, are fucked. The more of this shit we serve up the less likely we are going to be to sign any quality players. Especially since our scouting team seems to be Blind Freddy and Mr Magoo spending money like an oil sheik.

[Bogman]

Goals from midfield are definitely an issue now that we have lost Kuyt, Maxi and, in real teams, Steven Gerrard. That's going to take some time to sort, though. Sturridge will be a good replacement for Kuyt, in my opinion. Outside of that, we'll just have to wait and see. It won't happen in just one window, though. We've got lots of hard nights like this coming up over the next half season. 19 games of pain, but things will start to get better.

 

 

Oh I do hope you're right because this has been appalling just recently

[Pinhead]

I've been on the fence with regard to Rodgers' chance of success at Liverpool. I'm less confident than before after tonight's performance. Selection was wrong, in my opinion, and we are repeating the same selection mistakes. More worryingly, there is no sign of improvement in any important aspect of our game since he arrived. Yes, there have been anomalies, and we have flattered to deceive on occasion, and yes, there are some mitigating factors, but I am disappointed in his ability to regularly extract good team performances out of the players at his disposal.

 

I'm under no illusion that we have players any better than average in almost every position, but there are teams with roughly the same level of player regularly producing coherent, effective performances rewarded by decent results.

 

I don't think there is any point in getting rid of him, largely because I'm fairly sure that the club will change hands in the next 12-18 months, and whoever is the manager when that happens will be shipped out anyway.

 

If Rodgers manages to make a silk purse out of the sows ear, them I'll be delighted for him and the club. I feel after tonight that is less likely than I did as I was tearing the wrapping from my Chrizzy pressies.

 

So who would that be then? Sheik Mouhammed?

 

Like the last time the club was up for sale, there are nobody interested in buying LFC.

[Evelyn Tentions]

agree if this season goe,s tit.s up again which look.ds likely the owners might just sell up we need rafa back

 

I'm with the crowd on this one

 

Edited December 26, 2012 by Aggers Elbow

[Major Tom]

So who would that be then?

 

Dubai, China or Equatorial Guinea. We're not fussed, any country will do.