Does Rodgers deserve another season.

[Jairzinho]

I wonder what would happen if, say, Rodgers went to Spurs and they won the league.  Stranger things have happened (not many, admittedly).  Would people then want him back or is he in the forbidden bin with Rafa?

 

Shit, let it go.  

 

Forbidden. How could we possibly employ someone that not everyone has exactly the same opinion about?

[Major Tom]

No. Topple 4 clubs that have infinite resources.

Ok, but he didn't do it in six years the first time round and he probably only had two better resourced clubs to top. So, genuinely, do what again? I'm not digging at you here, either.

[Pureblood]

Forbidden. How could we possibly employ someone that not everyone has exactly the same opinion about?

 

Yes, I see the dilemma.  

[RobbieOR]

Ah come on Robbie. What manager has a chance if that's the case?

 

Do you honestly think the man that brought Alonso, Torres, Mascherano, etc to the club, as well as getting the very best out of Gerrard, wouldn't be able to do it again?

 

Take names out of it and look at the stats of both managers. There really shouldn't be an argument.

 

We were a different club and draw back then getting those players. 

 

I have also never said he was a better manager than Rodgers either, I just don't think he'd take us where we want to be again. 

[Lario]

Ok, but he didn't do it in six years the first time round and he probably only had two better resourced clubs to top. So, genuinely, do what again? I'm not digging at you here, either.

 

 

Fair enough. But one of those clubs was run by the most powerful man in football, and happened to have one of their greatest sides of all time. And they needed a record points tally to beat us to the title.

Do you really think he got a fair crack of the whip in the last few years when the cunts were in charge? Do you not think he took his eye off the ball a bit with everything going on behind the scenes?

 

 

We were a different club and draw back then getting those players. 

 

I have also never said he was a better manager than Rodgers either, I just don't think he'd take us where we want to be again.

 

We may have been a different draw, but that was because of Benitez. We were feared across Europe, and statistically the best team in the Champions League. I'd have every faith that Rafa would get us back into the CL in his first season back with us, and then all of a sudden we're a good draw again, and the ball starts rolling. He certainly wouldn't throw a game in Madrid. He'd probably be disgusted if we didn't win it. He'd have had Manquillo do a man-marking job on the fake one, and we'd have smothered them all over the pitch.

[RobbieOR]

 

 

Fair enough. But one of those clubs was run by the most powerful man in football, and happened to have one of their greatest sides of all time. And they needed a record points tally to beat us to the title.

Do you really think he got a fair crack of the whip in the last few years when the cunts were in charge? Do you not think he took his eye off the ball a bit with everything going on behind the scenes?

 

 

We may have been a different draw, but that was because of Benitez. We were feared across Europe, and statistically the best team in the Champions League. I'd have every faith that Rafa would get us back into the CL in his first season back with us, and then all of a sudden we're a good draw again, and the ball starts rolling. He certainly wouldn't throw a game in Madrid. He'd probably be disgusted if we didn't win it. He'd have had Manquillo do a man-marking job on the fake one, and we'd have smothered them all over the pitch.

 

Mate, we were guaranteed to be in the Champions League every year. We're not now. We're never going to be guaranteed to be in it every year unless we get taken over by a sugar daddy. That itself brings an extra doubt when trying to sign players. 

[BCM]

Because I don't see how he's going topple four clubs that have infinite resources when he can't do it in a league where there is only one team. 

 

Thats a fair enough opinion.

 

Personally i think he would have taken Liverpool onto great things with the side he had in 2007/8 if it hadnt of been for Hicks Gillett near bankrupting the club.

 

In his last 2 seasons he spent £75 mill total. Thats £40 mill less than Rodgers spent last summer.

 

Anyway lets see what happens in the summer.

[RobbieOR]

Thats a fair enough opinion.

 

Personally i think he would have taken Liverpool onto great things with the side he had in 2007/8 if it hadnt of been for Hicks Gillett near bankrupting the club.

 

In his last 2 seasons he spent £75 mill total. Thats £40 mill less than Rodgers spent last summer.

 

Anyway lets see what happens in the summer.

 

I agree with that. It's something which we might never recover from.

[Brownie]

It did almost feel as though the CL was practically safe at the start of each season back then.

 

I remember debating it lots with Catch22 because I thought the team that was built should have won a title. He was adamant that as the club with the 4th highest wage bill that was always the realistic target.

 

What i've seen since has told me that I was wrong and he was right. In that sense 08/09 was an over achievement just like 13/14.

 

To Rob's point, I think times are harder now due to the emergence of City and also how Arsenal now spend due to the situation with their stadium debt.

 

We've stood still financially in that sense and we've lost a place in the pecking order.

[RobbieOR]

It did almost feel as though the CL was practically safe at the start of each season back then.

 

I remember debating it lots with Catch22 because I thought the team that was built should have won a title. He was adamant that as the club with the 4th highest wage bill that was always the realistic target.

 

What i've seen since has told me that I was wrong and he was right. In that sense 08/09 was an over achievement just like 13/14.

 

To Rob's point, I think times are harder now due to the emergence of City and also how Arsenal now spend due to the situation with their stadium debt.

 

We've stood still financially in that sense and we've lost a place in the pecking order.

 

I think that the way we performed in the league under Rafa bar his last season was pretty much to par. We were brilliant in Europe and he would probably have done better under him this season in it but it would take a miracle for any manager to have us finishing in the top four year on year in our current situation.

[Brownie]

I think that the way we performed in the league under Rafa bar his last season was pretty much to par. We were brilliant in Europe and he would probably have done better under him this season in it but it would take a miracle for any manager to have us finishing in the top four year on year in our current situation.

How times have changed eh?

[RobbieOR]

How times have changed eh?

 

Depressing really.

[Guest davelfc]

 

 

There is no value in qualifying for a competition you are not prepared for, and certainly not good enough to participate in. As this year shows, it leads only to ritual humiliation. Maybe that's why it was gift wrapped for Louis Van Gaal with this defeat.

 

As for evidence of a Liverpool title challenge next season… Rodgers must have been visiting the same smokehouses as Raheem Sterling and Jordon Ibe if he thinks this squad is up to it without a significant influx of new blood.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/11567877/Hull-City-vs-Liverpool-Five-things-we-learned.html

[Stu Monty]

I think that the way we performed in the league under Rafa bar his last season was pretty much to par. We were brilliant in Europe and he would probably have done better under him this season in it but it would take a miracle for any manager to have us finishing in the top four year on year in our current situation.

I wouldn't say it takes a miracle for us to finish top four year on year, I think it's possible. I just think that if it ends up being a year in then a year out you have to accept that as part of a process of trying to gradually improve. Each season trying to improve the odds of the top four finish, whilst also trying to win the league if everything aligns.

[Iceman]

Here's something to consider while we ponder on Dodger's future. We have not one solitary striker who has the speed, fitness and finishing ability that we require, and the start of next season is mere months away.

 

So unless someone at the club is at this very moment drawing up a hit list of shit hot players for us to sign, we are basically fucked for next season too. I have zero confidence that we will sign anyone decent and for that reason I am in favour of Klopp coming in and bringing some decent players along too, whether they be stolen from Dortmund in a shithouse way, or scouted by Klopp as players he's always wanted to sign but never had the cash to do so.

 

Something has to be done or next season is going to be an absolute shitfest that even Pennant won't be able to polish. No Sturridge. Extremely likely no Sterling. No Gerrard. Still no replacement for Suarez. Fuckoff.

[RobbieOR]

I wouldn't say it takes a miracle for us to finish top four year on year, I think it's possible. I just think that if it ends up being a year in then a year out you have to accept that as part of a process of trying to gradually improve. Each season trying to improve the odds of the top four finish, whilst also trying to win the league if everything aligns.

 

When we do get it right one of the other four teams are going to have to drop out and when they do they'll spend big to get in. There is also a possibility that our best players will get cherry picked if we get in. 

 

I agree with you about the year in year out theory though. There shouldn't be any panic should we drop out.

[billypilgrimnz]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/11567877/Hull-City-vs-Liverpool-Five-things-we-learned.html

 

I agree with the Can observation. This could have been the season for him to learn the ropes as a Premier League midfielder, but instead we've played him there like twice and then just used him as a Mr. Fixit all over the shop and made him look a little silly at times.

 

Poor planning and resource use all round.

[mattyq]

Because I don't see how he's going topple four clubs that have infinite resources when he can't do it in a league where there is only one team. 

I'm not interested in the Rafa debate again as it's been done to death and much as I love him he's not coming back unfortunately

However, i do think there's a wee bit of revisionism going on here

The Mancs had Ferguson at the height of his power with a better team than they have now.

The Chavs had Mourinho with a better team than they have now and the Arse had Wenger with a very good team.

There's no doubt that the 4 teams above us have more resources but label them as infinite is just plain wrong. 

[RobbieOR]

I'm not interested in the Rafa debate again as it's been done to death and much as I love him he's not coming back unfortunately

However, i do think there's a wee bit of revisionism going on here

The Mancs had Ferguson at the height of his power with a better team than they have now.

The Chavs had Mourinho with a better team than they have now and the Arse had Wenger with a very good team.

There's no doubt that the 4 teams above us have more resources but label them as infinite is just plain wrong. 

 

It's not wrong, they can mainly spend what they want. 

[FrenchEyeGlass]

hey guys why dont we discuss the prospect of kim kardashian divorcing kanye for me? or bill gates giving me a couple million for shits and giggles?

 

may as well, given that we're already discussing shit that is never going to happen.

 

love rafa but theres more chance of balotelli becoming this years top goalscorer than him becoming our manager.

[Iceman]

You don't even have to spend as much as them. It's folly to try.

 

Instead focus your resources and efforts to build a team that can beat the cannon fodder and then switch it up and go really defensive and play for the draw or snatch a 0-1 when you play the top 4 teams. 

 

Being unable to do the defensive thing and only focusing on attacking is not going to work if you don't have the best player in the league. That's when the gulf in spending will really show itself. You just can't match the cunts, so why try. Just nullify them with stupifyingly boring shite footy whenever you play them, and then thrash the hell out of the cannon fodder and build up the goal difference. 

 

Guerilla football. If you are reading this you are part of the resistance. 

[Coro]

 

love rafa but theres more chance of balotelli becoming this years top goalscorer than him becoming our manager.

 

[ritchie]

I'm not interested in the Rafa debate again as it's been done to death and much as I love him he's not coming back unfortunately

However, i do think there's a wee bit of revisionism going on here

The Mancs had Ferguson at the height of his power with a better team than they have now.

The Chavs had Mourinho with a better team than they have now and the Arse had Wenger with a very good team.

There's no doubt that the 4 teams above us have more resources but label them as infinite is just plain wrong. 

 

United and Chelsea were 2 of the top 3 teams in Europe during much of Rafa's spell and were regularly in CL finals and semi finals. Arsenal were usually getting to quarters and semis as well and reached the final in 2006. We were going toe to toe with them in Europe and changed a 'top 3' to a 'top 4' due to good management and excellent signings (04-07).  

 

The Premier League has been toss this year. Chelsea the only good team in it and they're not a patch on Mourinho's first team who we were beating in CL and FA Cup semi finals. The top 4 haven't been particularly strong but the standard below it has been wretched and that's eased United to a top 4 finish they haven't deserved. Rafa's 80+ point teams would have had a far better chance of winning the league in recent seasons.

 

I agree that the top 4 as it is are only going to improve now because they will spend a fortune. The last few seasons they haven't been a patch on what they were from 04-09. Particularly United without Ferguson.

[thompsonsnose]

United and Chelsea were 2 of the top 3 teams in Europe during much of Rafa's spell and were regularly in CL finals and semi finals. Arsenal were usually getting to quarters and semis as well and reached the final in 2006. We were going toe to toe with them in Europe and changed a 'top 3' to a 'top 4' due to good management and excellent signings (04-07).  

 

The Premier League has been toss this year. Chelsea the only good team in it and they're not a patch on Mourinho's first team who we were beating in CL and FA Cup semi finals. The top 4 haven't been particularly strong but the standard below it has been wretched and that's eased United to a top 4 finish they haven't deserved. Rafa's 80+ point teams would have had a far better chance of winning the league in recent seasons.

 

I agree that the top 4 as it is are only going to improve now because they will spend a fortune. The last few seasons they haven't been a patch on what they were from 04-09. Particularly United without Ferguson.

Only Chelsea and Arsenal have good squads at the right age.

The rest, as you say, have been poor this year.

Utd have done everything possble to help us this year, and the top 4 was very gettable for a club that knew what they were doing.

Alas, we are not that club at the moment.

[Major Tom]

Insane.