Liverpool FC Forum

by **redno7** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 12:04 pm

Redrider » Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:39 am wrote:The race is underway and the early leaders drop from first to fifth at the first bend as the serious runners and riders start to hit the rail.
The phoney part of the season is over, reality bites and Brendans early good fortune runs out. sadly he has been exposed all too quickly on the back of one game against a workmanlike but mediocre Southampton side.
Team selection with four centre backs was to say the least unusual, preparation in understanding the opposition strength and tactics was non-existent, we all knew that Southampton wre going to arrive with a blocking pressing game but the team were not set up to expose its weakness down the flanks. The tactical substitutions were haphazard and achieved nothing. Overall a managerial and tactical disaster.
But more seriously what has also been exposed is a continuing weakness in being able to use the owners money wisely in the transfer market. Last year, Allen and Borini were quckly exposed as sub-standard and they are still with us, supplemented now with Asapas and the other Spaniard who has made such a significant impact i can't even remember his name! All in all £30m worth of talent making no impact and with not enough ability to step in and cover for players missing through injury or suspension.
In fairness Sakho and Mingolet look as though they may make the grade, but both are going to require time to acclimatise and gel, Illori we have not seen yet, Moses is only on loan and appears more flash than productive. Thank goodness for the experience of Toure, which is going to be sorely tested.
Looking ahead i see little improvement on last season, we are again destined for a mid-table miasma, with the only glint of light on the horizon being the eventual owner enforced departure of Brendan.

I think your talking bollox and you know it.

by **RedAnt** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 12:12 pm

You speak sense Thommo, and good on ya for trying, but you're playing down our defeat. When you watch the match, then it's easy to point at the positives, but in the grand scheme, we lost our fourth game of the season, at home, to one of the newly promoted teams. Had it been away v's City, I'd be on board, but I'm afraid it's all too familiar. A couple if injuries to a club of our stature shouldn't require an entire rethink that involves more square pegs in round holes.

We messed around in the transfer market again, buying weak luxury players, whilst flirting with expensive names. We failed to fill the gaps needed, failed to cover each position, and worse, we loaned out all our young players to get experience elsewhere, whilst we go into the season with half a squad.

We lack muscle and fight. We can't lift our game when things are going against us. I could go on I suppose, but I'm depressing myself.

I said it was all too familiar, and it is. If we want to make our targets this year, we can't be getting owned at home, by the Saints, on the back of a 2-2 struggle against the Swans.

A lot of our hopes this season rest on other teams under-performing and dropping points. They've done that, and we've given them all 5 points back out of 12.

That may just be a catostrophe.

by **Doeboy** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 12:26 pm

It's a learning curve for BR to. I mean 10-12 years ago he was was working for Waitrose and he is now competing against guys who have been in and around top flight football for a long time

by **Thommo's perm** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 12:49 pm

RedAnt » Mon Sep 23, 2013 11:12 am wrote:You speak sense Thommo, and good on ya for trying, but you're playing down our defeat. When you watch the match, then it's easy to point at the positives, but in the grand scheme, we lost our fourth game of the season, at home, to one of the newly promoted teams. Had it been away v's City, I'd be on board, but I'm afraid it's all too familiar. A couple if injuries to a club of our stature shouldn't require an entire rethink that involves more square pegs in round holes.

We messed around in the transfer market again, buying weak luxury players, whilst flirting with expensive names. We failed to fill the gaps needed, failed to cover each position, and worse, we loaned out all our young players to get experience elsewhere, whilst we go into the season with half a squad.

We lack muscle and fight. We can't lift our game when things are going against us. I could go on I suppose, but I'm depressing myself.

I said it was all too familiar, and it is. If we want to make our targets this year, we can't be getting owned at home, by the Saints, on the back of a 2-2 struggle against the Swans.

A lot of our hopes this season rest on other teams under-performing and dropping points. They've done that, and we've given them all 5 points back out of 12.

That may just be a catostrophe.

Sorry mate but Hull, Cardiff and Crystal Palace were promoted? Southampton are an experienced PL side who have consistently give us a rough ride.
I understand your frustration and negativity but I say the same to everyone: It is not a catastrophe yet. We are only five games into the season and already have ten points. I know we havent played well for a full game, but lets not get depressed over a 1-0 defeat. Lets see how we fare when Suarez comes back.
If we still cant beat teams, lets think about worrying...
:nod

by **RedAnt** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 12:55 pm

My bad. Still shouldn't be losing 1-0 to 'em like. They're experienced, sure, but had a rockier road than ours in recent years. I'd be more confident, but recent years, and that feeling of familiarity suggests to me that we'll lose some 15-20 points in similar ways this year. Had I seen anything from Brendan to suggest he can identify and solve problems, I'd be feeling better. I've moaned enough now.

Come in Brendan, show us what ya got against the scum!

by **Doeboy** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 1:09 pm

Thommo's perm » Mon Sep 23, 2013 11:49 am wrote:
RedAnt » Mon Sep 23, 2013 11:12 am wrote:You speak sense Thommo, and good on ya for trying, but you're playing down our defeat. When you watch the match, then it's easy to point at the positives, but in the grand scheme, we lost our fourth game of the season, at home, to one of the newly promoted teams. Had it been away v's City, I'd be on board, but I'm afraid it's all too familiar. A couple if injuries to a club of our stature shouldn't require an entire rethink that involves more square pegs in round holes.

We messed around in the transfer market again, buying weak luxury players, whilst flirting with expensive names. We failed to fill the gaps needed, failed to cover each position, and worse, we loaned out all our young players to get experience elsewhere, whilst we go into the season with half a squad.

We lack muscle and fight. We can't lift our game when things are going against us. I could go on I suppose, but I'm depressing myself.

I said it was all too familiar, and it is. If we want to make our targets this year, we can't be getting owned at home, by the Saints, on the back of a 2-2 struggle against the Swans.

A lot of our hopes this season rest on other teams under-performing and dropping points. They've done that, and we've given them all 5 points back out of 12.

That may just be a catostrophe.

Sorry mate but Hull, Cardiff and Crystal Palace were promoted? Southampton are an experienced PL side who have consistently give us a rough ride.
I understand your frustration and negativity but I say the same to everyone: It is not a catastrophe yet. We are only five games into the season and already have ten points. I know we havent played well for a full game, but lets not get depressed over a 1-0 defeat. Lets see how we fare when Suarez comes back.
If we still cant beat teams, lets think about worrying...

Well said. Too many people are going overboard with the defeat. Yes very disappointing but it is just one game. Let's see how we bounce back. On top of that, we have all this 'we were lucky to win our first 3 games' nonsense. People need to understand games against any half decent league side are not going to be easy unless they have a real poor day. Gone are the days where when the likes of Stoke, Southampton turn up to Anfield and we absolute hammer them. Teams now set up firstly not to lose so make it hard. On top of that, our squad is not as strong as the 5 teams above us and if we do have injuries/suspensions, we look very vulnerable as was the case on Saturday.

Yes we may not yet have hit top gear yet, but give BR and the guys a chance. We are missing our best player and although I have definite misgivings about some of our signings this summer and also felt we needed to strengthen in central midfield, we need to give the new guys a chance to bed in and judge them a little further down the line.

by **jacdaniel** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 1:42 pm

What happened on Saturday had been coming. We've been so poor in the 2nd half of every game so far.
We look desperately unfit and the number of injuries we've had might also point to lack of fitness.

We just don't seem to be able to play to a high standard for more than 45 mins.

Still fairly happy with the 10 points but we need to start playing much better than we are or we'll quickly be dropping points every week.

by **redno7** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:02 pm

If someone had said to us before the season started... after 5 games you can have 10 points (including a win against scum) and be up in 5th place with 2 point separating the top teams we'd have bit their arm off. Then we factor in the return of Suarez, if he can continue his form from last season, a bit of luck and a good wind behind us, we could still be around this position come new year. Where's the disaster? we might not be stroking it around like Barca but we're right up there.

by **jacdaniel** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:17 pm

redno7 » Mon Sep 23, 2013 1:02 pm wrote:If someone had said to us before the season started... after 5 games you can have 10 points (including a win against scum) and be up in 5th place with 2 point separating the top teams we'd have bit their arm off. Then we factor in the return of Suarez, if he can continue his form from last season, a bit of luck and a good wind behind us, we could still be around this position come new year. Where's the disaster? we might not be stroking it around like Barca but we're right up there.

Im delighted with our points so far. 10 points from those fixtures is a good return.
Im concerned with the performances though. We don't have to knock it around like Barca but we can't even seem to hold the ball for 2 minutes in the second half.

by **tadhger09** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:46 pm

Pity the manager to a certain extent but for the life of me I cant figure out why he would risk his reputation and go along with this foreign approach to the game. The unconventional route that FSG are heading down is untested in this sport and I'm surprised that Brendan would buy into this rogue project.

If he fails then tough Sh*t Brendan, you knew the road the owners were going down, if he succeeds then we have the next messiah on our hands and Massive credit would be due to him.

The way forward is not by buying cheap and hoping the players blossom on a very big stage, but buy according too the clubs aspirations on the football field and not the end of year accounts.

I realise there has to be a healthy medium and they can't be expected to cough up huge money every window for world class talent. Instead of buying 3 unknowns at 6 or 7 million, just buy 1 player for 20 odd million.

There is one very obvious down side to buying unknowns, we end up filling our squad with very ordinary players which hinder the chances of younger players fresh from the academy e.g Suso was sent out on loan and we have Alberto after coughing up 7 odd million on him. Suso cost nothing and is at a similar level as Alberto, f*cking mind boggling IMO.

The sooner our American friends realise football is about results and trophy's and not a game of monopoly playing for real money.

I welcome security and the club being on a stable financial platform but I don't welcome our club being over treated as a business first and foremost and a football club/team second and last.
:veryangry

by **Redrider** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 4:17 pm

To quote a phrase from John Henry - Is Brenden smoking something over at Melwood?

Only last weekend, Brendan Rodgers’ decision to field four centre-backs in defence in the 1-0 defeat to Southampton was roundly criticised.

But the Northern Irishman insists he is only concerned with the long-term future of the club and will continue to make calls he feels are necessary in order to restore Liverpool FC back into Europe’s elite.

“I know I can sleep at night knowing I will do the very best for the supporters and the club,” he said.

“Sometimes, especially at the beginning of something which is delicate and difficult, you’ll make decisions which maybe are unpopular.

“But I want to be the one who steers the club back in the direction it should be going in and that is not easy.

“I know I am making decisions in the best interests of the club and that will always be the case.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport/footba ... rs-6086847

The statement above comes from the Daily Post and is typical of the inane, stereotypical rubbish that Brenden resorts to when he is cornered. Just how is playing four centre backs against Southampton good for ' the long-term future of the club' and 'necessary in order to restore Liverpool FC back into Europe’s elite' ?

I don't believe any of that claptrap and if he really means it then he has lost the plot entirely.
What was clearly required against Soton was pace and support down the wings to bypass their pressing game, Enrique and Kelly were required at full back, not two centre backs with less mobility. Agger should not have played and Gerrard should have been given a more forward role in place of Aspas with one of Skirtle, Toure or Sakho replacing him and given the protector role alongside Lucas, leaving the other two as traditional centre backs.
Why can't he admit he just 'cocked up' with his selection and bought a dud in Aspas instead of spouting rubbish about the 'longterm future of the club' and 'restoration to Europes elite' ?

by **Benny The Noon** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 5:01 pm

Let's be honest here BR will be going what he thinks is best for the club - whether that is the right thing for the club will always be debatable.

BR made a mistake on sat and he is trying to take any focus away from single defeats by focusing on the overall picture - that isn't a bad thing as long as himself recongnises where he made an error and ensures it doesn't happen again.

A good manager will ensure the single defeats don't happen again for the same reasons.

by **Stu the Red** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 5:37 pm

tadhger09 » Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:46 pm wrote:
I realise there has to be a healthy medium and they can't be expected to cough up huge money every window for world class talent. Instead of buying 3 unknowns at 6 or 7 million, just buy 1 player for 20 odd million.

There is one very obvious down side to buying unknowns, we end up filling our squad with very ordinary players which hinder the chances of younger players fresh from the academy e.g Suso was sent out on loan and we have Alberto after coughing up 7 odd million on him. Suso cost nothing and is at a similar level as Alberto, f*cking mind boggling IMO.

On the first point thats a very risky way of doing business. But to an extent I agree thats what we need at present. Its risky because if the "one player" you purchase picks up a long term injury, you're no better off than you were before his arrival, with £20,000,000 down the drain.

Unfortunately, we aren't in a situation were we can lose that kind of money, even for one season out of five.

On the second point, I've always found decisions like that mid boggling. Rafa and Houllier before Rodgers were always at it and to be quite honest, its part of the reason we're in the situation we're in currently.

by **RedAnt** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 6:13 pm

It seems we've played players out of position for years, needlessly. It always frustrates me.

Rodgers though likes his players to be able to cover at least four roles on the pitch. Some kinda total football I suppose. But we should specialise. Sometimes in the greater picture, the little details, like a goal from a corner here, a match winning tackle there get overlooked. We often seem to unnecessarily complicate things.

Why mess around on corners and free kicks? Get the big men in the box and put the ball on his head. When you get near goal, take a shot. When you're at the touch line, don't cut back in, cross the it! All too often we overcook it, and that's often because players are played out of position, so natural instinct dosent kick in.

by **damjan193** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 6:57 pm

I think Rodgers knows that he ***** up against Southampton, but do you really believe that he's going to admit it? I like the man as a manager but he is an arrogant person and a big egoist.

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