To those slagging off manager/team tonight.........

[Bjornebye]

He has done exactly what he promised last season. He has now got a team able to play the way he wants effectively. As an attacking threat we are the best in the country and IMO in the top 3 in Europe. Defensively (and that includes DM) we are vulnerable and this needs addressing. Thankfully he has acknowledged that.

 

Sturridge has been brilliant, the way he has got Luis playing is fantastic  but for me, his best work has been done with Sterling. The lad is getting better and better. He is fearless and is a shit load stronger than he was last year. Yes he still runs like a fairy but so what, he has been as good as Suarez for the last 3 months. Fucking brilliant player and evidence that Rodgers is the man for seeing players fulfil their potential. He will get the best out of Flanagan and Sakho. Look at Henderson too, fucking brilliant this year he has been. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can get out of Suso as well.

 

All that said, i’d like him to bring in a few players who are at their potential. Established players not players for the future. 2 or 3 top players and we will not only challenge for the league next year but we will be dining at the top table later on in the champions league as well. Last year was our moist important summer in years for me, this summer eclipses that if we want to capitalise on the talent we have. The squad needs more quality in depth we all know that but fuck me we have got some cracking players. I wouldn’t swap our starting 11 for any other in the land right now. Let’s just hope he is ruthless with those not good enough (Aspas, Lucas (squad player at best but I can see him staying) Johnson) 

[sh#t waffle]

One of the things that excites me most about this team and this manager, is that I believe our defensive issues are predominantly down to personnel (obviously our philosophy being as aggressive as it is means that we'll never be as solid as Mourinho's Chelsea, but fuck that for a game of soldiers anyway) rather than poor coaching.

 

In my opinion it does Rodgers a huge disservice to compare him to Keegan (or even, to a lesser extent, Roy Evans). Even in an attacking sense I always felt that Keegan's (and also Redknapp at Spurs) coaching amounted to little more than telling his players to 'go out there and express yourselves'. Our attacking play under Rodgers is an altogether more sophisticated beast, our movement is phenomenal and can only be the result of diligent and intelligent coaching.

 

Similarly, our defensive organisation, while far from perfect, is not the all round clusterfuck that Keegan's Newcastle (or Evans's Liverpool) was. I believe that Keegan could have spent £100m on the best defenders in the game, but he would still have had not the faintest idea how to organise them into a cohesive unit. I genuinely believe that Rodgers knows how to coach a defense solid enough to close out matches. Put it this way, add Carra circa-2005 and even an average to good fullback such as Enrique being fit all season and I believe we would have comfortably won the title this season. Other teams can do and spend what they like, we'll piss it next year.

[Red Phoenix]

Code was banned for being a royal numpty and having a breakdown. Place is much better without him.

 

Ah thanks, had no idea.

[Nightcat]

I would like to tell the OP who questions my anybody's right to question or criticise the concentration, quality and commitment of millionaire footballers, to fuck off.

 

Fuck off and take Lucas, Johnson, Moses and Aspas with you.

[Ronnie Whelan]

We fucked up on Monday because we were chasing goals and the lads were truly shattered as a result. It's easy to blame them because when it was 3-0, my attitude was let's go for more goals rather than defend what we have. Imagine if we had lost the league on goal difference. For me, it would have been heartbreaking. It was not a run of the mill league game.

 

Anyhow, while I put our chances of winning the league at no more than 2%, isn't it marvellous that we have that 2% shot at the title.

[BCM]

We fucked up on Monday because we were chasing goals and the lads were truly shattered as a result. It's easy to blame them because when it was 3-0, my attitude was let's go for more goals rather than defend what we have. Imagine if we had lost the league on goal difference. For me, it would have been heartbreaking. It was not a run of the mill league game.

 

Anyhow, while I put our chances of winning the league at no more than 2%, isn't it marvellous that we have that 2% shot at the title.

 

Imagine if we win and City draw on Sunday, and we lose on goal difference from sheer carelessness at not taking what we had on Monday.

[Paco]

Imagine if we win and City draw on Sunday, and we lose on goal difference from sheer carelessness at not taking what we had on Monday.

its not just monday. we ve conceded far too many goals this season. 3 at home to swansea for example.

 

but maybe we wouldnt have scored so many if teams didnt push right up on us because they knew they d a really good chance of scoring.

 

hard to know. the conundrum will be improving us defensively while keeping the sensational attacking.

[Adebisi]

Imagine if we win and City draw on Sunday, and we lose on goal difference from sheer carelessness at not taking what we had on Monday.

That would be shitters, but we have a young, hungry and ambitious side (and manager) who will be itching to do better next time around. 

These lads have got a taste of it now, they know what they're capable of and the majority of them are only going to get better and better. 

 

I'm not having none of this 'Everyone is going to be much stronger next season and we'll struggle' shit. People saying that are giving our players a massive disservice. 

[Tony Moanero]

LFC = boss.

[billypilgrimnz]

One of the things that excites me most about this team and this manager, is that I believe our defensive issues are predominantly down to personnel (obviously our philosophy being as aggressive as it is means that we'll never be as solid as Mourinho's Chelsea, but fuck that for a game of soldiers anyway) rather than poor coaching.

 

See, I just don't believe that. I don't think it is "poor coaching", but there is definitely something not yet right about our transitioning between attack and defense. The number of times we've held comfortable leads and then had teams storm back at us means it is wishful thinking to just keep blaming it solely on the players.

[VladimirIlyich]

Biggest disappointment for me is that i wonder if we will have a chance this good again for a while. No European football alongside a fearless young-ish group of players has made for a great season that's failed for the same reasons its worked.

European football will be a big and welcome challenge but without some serious additions we will struggle to juggle the two competitions i feel.

Going back to recent games I wonder if somebody like Kolo Toure at full back might have helped our defence out in times of difficulty? Both he and Agger are very experienced in key games and it does help to have that input at crucial times.

Still not understood why an inexperienced young player has to play out of position when an experienced international apparently cannot? Flanagan and Johnson is obviously who I'm referring to. Never been a fan of Johnson and wouldnt be sad to see him go. As for Flanagan,I dont think he should be playing as much as he has been as i dont feel he's at the level a first teamer needs to be. Needs to be brought along more steady for me.

[Russ Atmosphere]

I think Sakho might have been a good option at full-back especially when we were protecting leads, Agger slotting back in at centre-back. Even Cissokho who had improved slightly since his calamitous beginnings. I think Flanagan and Johnson were fine going forward and supporting the attacks but neither are the greatest at actually defending, cutting Flanagan some slack there because he's done well, just not title-winning well.

[VladimirIlyich]

Quite strange that Rodgers threw Agger on when protecting a lead at Norwich but not at Palace.

[sh#t waffle]

I think he said he was getting ready to do it at 3-1. Why he didn't still do it as soon as it went to 3-2 is anyone's guess.

[Pureblood]

Quite strange that Rodgers threw Agger on when protecting a lead at Norwich but not at Palace.

Protecting the lead wasn't in his thoughts until it was too late.

[VladimirIlyich]

I'd also add that a decent back up GK is a necessity.

[Russ Atmosphere]

I'd also add that a decent back up GK is a necessity.

 

One injury from Brad Jones in the Champions League, we're unseeded too. Shudder.

[Bjornebye]

LFC = boss.

 

This. Close thread. 

[Section_31]

Biggest disappointment for me is that i wonder if we will have a chance this good again for a while. No European football alongside a fearless young-ish group of players has made for a great season that's failed for the same reasons its worked.

European football will be a big and welcome challenge but without some serious additions we will struggle to juggle the two competitions i feel.

Going back to recent games I wonder if somebody like Kolo Toure at full back might have helped our defence out in times of difficulty? Both he and Agger are very experienced in key games and it does help to have that input at crucial times.

Still not understood why an inexperienced young player has to play out of position when an experienced international apparently cannot? Flanagan and Johnson is obviously who I'm referring to. Never been a fan of Johnson and wouldnt be sad to see him go. As for Flanagan,I dont think he should be playing as much as he has been as i dont feel he's at the level a first teamer needs to be. Needs to be brought along more steady for me.

 

My biggest worry with Rodgers dates back properly to Arsenal 2-2 last year when they came from behind and it was a similar feeling to the Palace game. We just seemed to have no midfield at all and the defence was all over the shop for those few panicked minutes. 

 

The honest feeling I get with Rodgers, and he's impressed me greatly this season in a lot of ways, but I get the feeling he just loves attacking footy and thinks that the rest of it is some kind of chore that doesn't deserve as much of his attention. I feel like that's the attitude with the concept of having strength in depth or rotation too, sort of like 'I've got my world class attackers just the way I like it, oh fuck I need a defence - I'll take him, him, him and him, couple of big lads in there -  that'll do. Oh I need some subs as well, I'll take John Shitberg on loan from West Ham and Sebastian Wank from Besiktas, and if they're no good I'll just send them back'. 

 

Said it before but Rodgers is the anti-rafa. He appears to love the spectacle of football but doesn't seem to have much time for the details. 

[billypilgrimnz]

Biggest disappointment for me is that i wonder if we will have a chance this good again for a while. No European football alongside a fearless young-ish group of players has made for a great season that's failed for the same reasons its worked.

European football will be a big and welcome challenge but without some serious additions we will struggle to juggle the two competitions i feel.

Going back to recent games I wonder if somebody like Kolo Toure at full back might have helped our defence out in times of difficulty? Both he and Agger are very experienced in key games and it does help to have that input at crucial times.

Still not understood why an inexperienced young player has to play out of position when an experienced international apparently cannot? Flanagan and Johnson is obviously who I'm referring to. Never been a fan of Johnson and wouldnt be sad to see him go. As for Flanagan,I dont think he should be playing as much as he has been as i dont feel he's at the level a first teamer needs to be. Needs to be brought along more steady for me.

 

 

Agree with much of this. I don't think we get as nearly as close to the title next year - City will be better, and Mourinho may actually stoop to buying a striker rather than complaining about not having any.

 

We have a very, very thin squad that will struggle to juggle another competition. I'm not a big fan of either of our fullbacks either. Flanagan is a reliable back-up, but we need a better starter. Johnson is on a downward slide.

 

In a perfect world, we would get:

 

a starting LB

a starting RB

a starting MF

a better third striker than bloody Aspas

another AMF (or Suso if he comes back and is good enough)

a better back-up goalkeeper than bloody Jones

 

and hope some of our brighter youngsters really come on.

[The Golden Eel]

Think Sebastian Wank would be decent back up myself

[Russ Atmosphere]

Think Sebastian Wank would be decent back up myself

 

[LFC64]

Imagine if we win and City draw on Sunday, and we lose on goal difference from sheer carelessness at not taking what we had on Monday.

In this situation we'd all be forgiven for thinking what might or rather should have been at Palace but then maybe subconsciously City could relax a bit needing just the draw whereas if they needed to win their mentality would be different

[magicrat]

My biggest worry with Rodgers dates back properly to Arsenal 2-2 last year when they came from behind and it was a similar feeling to the Palace game. We just seemed to have no midfield at all and the defence was all over the shop for those few panicked minutes. 

 

The honest feeling I get with Rodgers, and he's impressed me greatly this season in a lot of ways, but I get the feeling he just loves attacking footy and thinks that the rest of it is some kind of chore that doesn't deserve as much of his attention. I feel like that's the attitude with the concept of having strength in depth or rotation too, sort of like 'I've got my world class attackers just the way I like it, oh fuck I need a defence - I'll take him, him, him and him, couple of big lads in there -  that'll do. Oh I need some subs as well, I'll take John Shitberg on loan from West Ham and Sebastian Wank from Besiktas, and if they're no good I'll just send them back'. 

 

Said it before but Rodgers is the anti-rafa. He appears to love the spectacle of football but doesn't seem to have much time for the details. 

I think you're being a little unfair. Whilst I have been ready to criticise Rodgers on occasions this season ( Palace being one) i do think overall he got the balance right given the squad he has. He has played to his strengths, namely our two strlkers, and used Sterling, Coutinho and Hendo along with Johnson and Hendo in support.Our defense is weak compared to our rivals and Mig is not the best imo,  Enrique was a big loss despite Flanno's best efforts but the back 4 defends too deep and looks shaky under pressure. He could have gone with one up front and played a much more defensive game but does anyone think this would have been more successful than the set up he went with ? We need a couple of upgrades at the back and probably a better keeper if we're honest.

[Liverpool lad]

Great thread