Liverpool FC Forum

Top job by a top bloke and good manager. Long may it continue.

Very impressed with Brendan Rodgers... But why does he keep refusing to admit we are in the title race?? Even Gerrard feels that we are in the race... The club needs to have high ambitions...

maguskwt » Thu Feb 13, 2014 12:41 pm wrote:Very impressed with Brendan Rodgers... But why does he keep refusing to admit we are in the title race?? Even Gerrard feels that we are in the race... The club needs to have high ambitions...

I'm sure behind closed doors they are thinking the same, but we could still not finish in a top 4 spot so publically I think it's the right move to stay grounded and only talk about pushing for top 4. If we were 2nd or 3rd with more of a cushion from 5th then BR may be saying something different.

maguskwt » Thu Feb 13, 2014 12:41 pm wrote:Very impressed with Brendan Rodgers... But why does he keep refusing to admit we are in the title race?? Even Gerrard feels that we are in the race... The club needs to have high ambitions...

Come on, you surely must know why. 

The main reason is not to put too much pressure on those squad players who aren't as strong minded as Gerrard. Psychologically the expectations could be detrimental to the team. The one game at a time philosophy is right here.

Secondly by not accepting you are in the title race, just as Mourinho does, you pass on the pressure to one of your competitors. You have to be really brazen and confident by coming out and openly stating you are in the title race. The pressure for results comes immediately and so does the extra scrutiny. 

We all know we have a chance but we got to play the psychological game, just like everyone else.

I think he said last night that we are now contenders, personally I'd rather he continued trotting out that 'we are happy with top 4' line to keep the press of our backs, as tubby says just because Rodgers plays a straight bat in public doesn't mean he isn't moving heaven and earth behind the scene's to win the title.
Playing everything down just means you don't have those 'reds title dreams in tatters' or 'reds chokers' type headlines next time we draw a game.
Playing it cool was what we were famous for in our halcyon days, mind you it was a lot easier back then to do that in the days before 24 hour sports news channels and forums etc.

Dang..second manager that got the sack after we beat them. Now when do we next play Man Utd?

SouthCoastShankly » Thu Feb 13, 2014 12:49 pm wrote:

maguskwt » Thu Feb 13, 2014 12:41 pm wrote:Very impressed with Brendan Rodgers... But why does he keep refusing to admit we are in the title race?? Even Gerrard feels that we are in the race... The club needs to have high ambitions...

Come on, you surely must know why. 

The main reason is not to put too much pressure on those squad players who aren't as strong minded as Gerrard. Psychologically the expectations could be detrimental to the team. The one game at a time philosophy is right here.

Secondly by not accepting you are in the title race, just as Mourinho does, you pass on the pressure to one of your competitors. You have to be really brazen and confident by coming out and openly stating you are in the title race. The pressure for results comes immediately and so does the extra scrutiny. 

We all know we have a chance but we got to play the psychological game, just like everyone else.

Spot on. It's the best way to deal with the pressure, by saying there is none. Let's be honest, not many fans (including our own) think we'll win the league, so why set yourself up for a fall by saying otherwise? 

I'm sure BR knows we're in the fight and it wouldn't surprise me if he's said as much to his captain...but for now we take one game at a time and see how it goes. Finishing top 4 this season is the bear minimum...anything more will be a bonus.

Gutsy stuff against Arsenal today.  Bringing on Hendo for the very limited (it's just so rude to say fkg useless) Cissoko was what I like to see from a manager. Sterling absolutely proved it was the right decision and for me it's a possible solution to a problem.

devaney » Sun Feb 16, 2014 9:37 pm wrote:Gutsy stuff against Arsenal today.  Bringing on Hendo for the very limited (it's just so rude to say fkg useless) Cissoko was what I like to see from a manager. Sterling absolutely proved it was the right decision and for me it's a possible solution to a problem.

I didn't watch the game. Were we having 3 at the back after Cissoko came off?

maypaxvobiscum » Sun Feb 16, 2014 11:01 pm wrote:

devaney » Sun Feb 16, 2014 9:37 pm wrote:Gutsy stuff against Arsenal today.  Bringing on Hendo for the very limited (it's just so rude to say fkg useless) Cissoko was what I like to see from a manager. Sterling absolutely proved it was the right decision and for me it's a possible solution to a problem.

I didn't watch the game. Were we having 3 at the back after Cissoko came off?

Not really. Sterling did some great defensive work. Worked like a little terrier. He's in great form and his attitude is outstanding.

I'm not too much concerned about being knocked out the FA Cup. We played well and the set up of the team was good. A few eyebrows on team selection (Brad Jones especially)

However Daniel Sturridge disappointingly should have put those two chances away early in the game!

mramo » Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:41 am wrote:I'm not too much concerned about being knocked out the FA Cup. We played well and the set up of the team was good. A few eyebrows on team selection (Brad Jones especially)

However Daniel Sturridge disappointingly should have put those two chances away early in the game!

The pass again from Coutinho was exquisite. You could see by Coutinho and Suarez's reaction they thought that chance was on a plate and he should have done better. He should have took it slightly earlier but I do think the keeper made an absolutely outstanding save.

Sturridge had three good chances in the game and failed to take one of them and it proved decisive.

mramo » Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:41 am wrote:I'm not too much concerned about being knocked out the FA Cup. We played well and the set up of the team was good. A few eyebrows on team selection (Brad Jones especially)

However Daniel Sturridge disappointingly should have put those two chances away early in the game!

thought jones played well mate, made one or two great stops and commanded his area very well. distribution was also decent.
sturridge was gutted and just sat on the pitch at the final whistle, he knows he had chances and should have done better.
for me that was a massive learning curve for danny and im sure he will gain from the experience and be better for it.

Stu the Red » Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:08 am wrote:

mramo » Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:41 am wrote:I'm not too much concerned about being knocked out the FA Cup. We played well and the set up of the team was good. A few eyebrows on team selection (Brad Jones especially)

However Daniel Sturridge disappointingly should have put those two chances away early in the game!

The pass again from Coutinho was exquisite. You could see by Coutinho and Suarez's reaction they thought that chance was on a plate and he should have done better. He should have took it slightly earlier but I do think the keeper made an absolutely outstanding save.

Sturridge had three good chances in the game and failed to take one of them and it proved decisive.

That said, Suarez also missed a couple of really good chances that on another day he would have taken. The main one is the shot saved by Flappyhandski at the beginning of the second half.