Liverpool F.c.

[carmine]

Brendan Rodgers is a football genius.

long may he stay at Liverpool, he was born to manage Liverpool the new messiah.

I think Rodgers is a good manager Nev but he's also a young manager learning his trade. The moment he became manager at Liverpool he was under far more scrutiny. Thats part of big club management as you are aware. One aspect where he continues to let himself down, causing knock on pressure is making comments to the press without thing. Things like "if you spend over 100m you expect to challenge for the title" which is a quote made in reference to Spurs last season or referring to Henderson as being the "moral conscience of the club and the lad promptly gets booked for diving.

My point is, he needs to button up more and get back to basics of blending in a team of new players without conducting interviews and blurting out ill thought out statements that will come back to bit him on the arse. More experienced mangers like Ferguson tend to use the press to their benefit. With Rodgers its to his detriment. It just heaps on more unwanted pressure.

His performance last season as the manager was extremely good for the most part in the attractive football played and his management of players, Suarez in particular. Now however he's facing a real challenge for a young manager conducting an expensive transition within a club with high expectations. Its a really tough new learning curve.

Another reason why United will be proven right to ultimately go with a manager of van Gaal's experience.

If Rodgers steers Liverpool through this he'll become a very fine manager. I hope he does and as to the comments on here by some with regards poor player acquisitions, i reckon its way too early to judge them. For the most part anyway.

[Somtamme]

Agree, he is relatively young for a manager and hopefully one lesson he has learnt, is how to take away all the hype and selling ability of players' agents. You cannot credit him for the acquisition of Suarez either.

[carmine]

Agree, he is relatively young for a manager and hopefully one lesson he has learnt, is how to take away all the hype and selling ability of players' agents. You cannot credit him for the acquisition of Suarez either.

But he takes full credit for doing his job which was getting the absolute optimum out of a great player and an incredibly difficult character to man manage.

[uptheos]

BR a football genius, I'm too sure about that as yet. All you can say so far he is probably an improvement from previous managers.

Against Newcastle away, Moreno had a poor game and his defensive qualities were found lacking - he needs to improve.

There is definitely a case to bring back some of the on-loan players plus new recruits like Nathan Dyer (Swansea) and Nathaniel Clyne of Southampton.

Dyer would be a good buy, he's a genuine winger which Liverpool could use and would free up Sterling to play a more central role instead of being wasted out on the right.

[JacknDanny]

BR a football genius, I'm too sure about that as yet. All you can say so far he is probably an improvement from previous managers.

Against Newcastle away, Moreno had a poor game and his defensive qualities were found lacking - he needs to improve.

There is definitely a case to bring back some of the on-loan players plus new recruits like Nathan Dyer (Swansea) and Nathaniel Clyne of Southampton.

Obviously NOT a scouser, as nevs sarcastic post has obviously gone right over your head.

[fonsboy]

we're bloody awful. no clue anywhere, what's the gameplan? it's the polar opposite of last season. look like a bunch of strangers and the manager isn't looking like he knows what he's doing right now. that was the worst i've seen us play in ages. <deleted>'s sake.

I was thinking the same what the frig are our tactics??

BR's post interviews are starting to irk, whether it is a front for the press or not it appears he is seeing the match very different to the rest of us.

I don't know why BR wouldn't entertain having a defensive coach and instead insist more training will fix issues at the back. 2 season of <deleted> defending must give credence to this being a weakness of his as a manager. Obviously defense is only a small part and the midfield contribute to that also.

I wonder how the weight was distributed in the summer's transfer policy between the owners, the committee and manager. Surely 3-4 supreme quality players would have been better spending when you missed out by 2 points the season before. We have a CL spot and hanging on to this for a year with 130M spending should have been a good bet.

MB should never have been bought and to me it should highlight to the owners that whoever is doing the off season business and what ever strategy they have it is flawed for the second summer in a row. I admire BR for for taking it on the chin but i do not believe he would have bought that player. There is nothing about Mario Balotelli that suits BR's football ethos, he is actually the antithesis.

I'm not blaming MB for our woes they obviously run deeper, but the decision to purchase him, how we got to that point and subsequent impact he is having on LFC says a lot about the lack of planning/thought that went in to finding a striker or that there are restrictions or a policy that <deleted> BR and/or the committee.

The only thing that I can hang on to for the moment is, it took BR until February 2012/13 season before it started to click with a squad that on paper was well inferior to the one we have now.

NB. Glen Johnson should not be on the park again for LFC

Bob the lack of creative quality yesterday was frightening . The midfield was more or less the same as it has been since Brendan took over & it looked as tho` they had just met . You are correct about his post match comments absolutely mind numbing . And the clowns on here going on about giving the team time to gel . Signing a load of new players does not seem to be doing Southampton much harm .

[nellyp]

The players are quality and not performing? So your suggesting it is the manger who is not getting the best from this team, but likewise it was this manager who brought in these non performing players.

No I am not. If you read the post you will see it says "to the level expected". I believe these guys will do so but, unfortunately, they are not doing so yet.

I will say it again, these players are not trash. and all of this reminds me of how Henderson was written off by all the naysayers not so long ago, as was, unbelievably, Sauarez.

Still, I realise that we have a long way to go, so I will have to suck it and see .

[Somtamme]

BR a football genius, I'm too sure about that as yet. All you can say so far he is probably an improvement from previous managers.

Against Newcastle away, Moreno had a poor game and his defensive qualities were found lacking - he needs to improve.

There is definitely a case to bring back some of the on-loan players plus new recruits like Nathan Dyer (Swansea) and Nathaniel Clyne of Southampton.

Dyer would be a good buy, he's a genuine winger which Liverpool could use and would free up Sterling to play a more central role instead of being wasted out on the right.

Yes, I was crying out for Liverpool to step in for Dyer, but I dunno why they made the move for Lallana instead. He's ok but not right for this team. All Lallana is doing is holding up the ball and looking for ppl to run on. His style and type of play are just not needed. He may be pleasing on the eye, but doesn't cut it for me.

[carmine]

we're bloody awful. no clue anywhere, what's the gameplan? it's the polar opposite of last season. look like a bunch of strangers and the manager isn't looking like he knows what he's doing right now. that was the worst i've seen us play in ages. <deleted>'s sake.

I was thinking the same what the frig are our tactics??

BR's post interviews are starting to irk, whether it is a front for the press or not it appears he is seeing the match very different to the rest of us.

I don't know why BR wouldn't entertain having a defensive coach and instead insist more training will fix issues at the back. 2 season of <deleted> defending must give credence to this being a weakness of his as a manager. Obviously defense is only a small part and the midfield contribute to that also.

I wonder how the weight was distributed in the summer's transfer policy between the owners, the committee and manager. Surely 3-4 supreme quality players would have been better spending when you missed out by 2 points the season before. We have a CL spot and hanging on to this for a year with 130M spending should have been a good bet.

MB should never have been bought and to me it should highlight to the owners that whoever is doing the off season business and what ever strategy they have it is flawed for the second summer in a row. I admire BR for for taking it on the chin but i do not believe he would have bought that player. There is nothing about Mario Balotelli that suits BR's football ethos, he is actually the antithesis.

I'm not blaming MB for our woes they obviously run deeper, but the decision to purchase him, how we got to that point and subsequent impact he is having on LFC says a lot about the lack of planning/thought that went in to finding a striker or that there are restrictions or a policy that <deleted> BR and/or the committee.

The only thing that I can hang on to for the moment is, it took BR until February 2012/13 season before it started to click with a squad that on paper was well inferior to the one we have now.

NB. Glen Johnson should not be on the park again for LFC

Bob the lack of creative quality yesterday was frightening . The midfield was more or less the same as it has been since Brendan took over & it looked as tho` they had just met . You are correct about his post match comments absolutely mind numbing . And the clowns on here going on about giving the team time to gel . Signing a load of new players does not seem to be doing Southampton much harm .

Not even a third of the way through the season and you have written your team off!

[Somtamme]

It's not writing them off, it's identifying were there are problems, and thinking about how to improve. Ignoring these deficiencies is not supporting your team, but blindly following the crowd.

[longstebe]

We thought that was painful to watch, wait for our next 2 games.

[fonsboy]

Not fogetting that Joe Allen looked like a 12 yo kid, playing with the adults.Liverpool have spunked over 100 million on trash

You need to reassess your view. 100 million has not been, as you so subtly put it,"spunked" on trash.

The players are quality players who are not performing to the level they were paid to achieve.

Which players are actually trash?

Nelly : did you watch the Newcastle game ? it was terrible , The players are quality , tell me who these quality

players are because they were not playing in that game . The midfield on Saturday was more or less the same as last season , the way they played you would have thought they had never seen each other before . Also Brendan spent over

100 mill. & the midfield as still not got one real quality player . Stevie is now a shadow of his former self . Coutinho is the only one who is anywhere near quality . Henderson is a squad player at best . & the less said about the weakest player I have ever seen in an LFC shirt the better ie Joe Allen . But the buck stops at the manager who for me is now clueless at what to do next .

[nellyp]

Not fogetting that Joe Allen looked like a 12 yo kid, playing with the adults.Liverpool have spunked over 100 million on trash

You need to reassess your view. 100 million has not been, as you so subtly put it,"spunked" on trash.

The players are quality players who are not performing to the level they were paid to achieve.

Which players are actually trash?

Nelly : did you watch the Newcastle game ? it was terrible , The players are quality , tell me who these quality

players are because they were not playing in that game . The midfield on Saturday was more or less the same as last season , the way they played you would have thought they had never seen each other before . Also Brendan spent over

100 mill. & the midfield as still not got one real quality player . Stevie is now a shadow of his former self . Coutinho is the only one who is anywhere near quality . Henderson is a squad player at best . & the less said about the weakest player I have ever seen in an LFC shirt the better ie Joe Allen . But the buck stops at the manager who for me is now clueless at what to do next .

Yeah I watched the Newcastle game, and yes it was dire. So much so that I gave up with 15 minutes to go and went for a chill on the balcony. There is no passion in our games.

You said yourself that the midfield was the same as last season and we were running rings around lots of teams with them. The quality is there it is simply not performing. I think that Henderson is more than a squad player, and has improved his game, but again he is not at the forefront enough. Allen is brought in to help us stop losing the ball in midfield.

I think that BR needs to wake up to the fact that MB will never be good enough up front on his own. it's almost as if the team have given up trying to penetrate with him there on his own. Johnson needs to be used as a sub, leave the new backs settle in and lets have some confidence in the back line so that we can move forward more quickly (with purpose rather than getting into the final 3rd and petering out).

This team is not good enough yet, and we are lucky that so many teams are also playing below expectations. I see nothing from Utd, Spurs, Arsenal, Everton or Swansea that has me jealous of their ability, and to be honest, Southampton are starting to be the main concern.

Long way to go, so teams will improve and others will get worse. Hopefully we will be getting better. I expect nothing from the next 2 games, but hope we win them both. I am a realistic supporter, and that's what we do.

[fonsboy]

Not fogetting that Joe Allen looked like a 12 yo kid, playing with the adults.Liverpool have spunked over 100 million on trash

You need to reassess your view. 100 million has not been, as you so subtly put it,"spunked" on trash.

The players are quality players who are not performing to the level they were paid to achieve.

Which players are actually trash?

Nelly : did you watch the Newcastle game ? it was terrible , The players are quality , tell me who these quality

players are because they were not playing in that game . The midfield on Saturday was more or less the same as last season , the way they played you would have thought they had never seen each other before . Also Brendan spent over

100 mill. & the midfield as still not got one real quality player . Stevie is now a shadow of his former self . Coutinho is the only one who is anywhere near quality . Henderson is a squad player at best . & the less said about the weakest player I have ever seen in an LFC shirt the better ie Joe Allen . But the buck stops at the manager who for me is now clueless at what to do next .

Yeah I watched the Newcastle game, and yes it was dire. So much so that I gave up with 15 minutes to go and went for a chill on the balcony. There is no passion in our games.

You said yourself that the midfield was the same as last season and we were running rings around lots of teams with them. The quality is there it is simply not performing. I think that Henderson is more than a squad player, and has improved his game, but again he is not at the forefront enough. Allen is brought in to help us stop losing the ball in midfield.

I think that BR needs to wake up to the fact that MB will never be good enough up front on his own. it's almost as if the team have given up trying to penetrate with him there on his own. Johnson needs to be used as a sub, leave the new backs settle in and lets have some confidence in the back line so that we can move forward more quickly (with purpose rather than getting into the final 3rd and petering out).

This team is not good enough yet, and we are lucky that so many teams are also playing below expectations. I see nothing from Utd, Spurs, Arsenal, Everton or Swansea that has me jealous of their ability, and to be honest, Southampton are starting to be the main concern.

Long way to go, so teams will improve and others will get worse. Hopefully we will be getting better. I expect nothing from the next 2 games, but hope we win them both. I am a realistic supporter, and that's what we do.

Couple of points Nelly , first cannot agree our midfield was running rings around whoever , our midfield has been

our weakest area since the days of Mascherano & Alonso , we have never had a real quality D/M since then , Stevie my 2nd best ever player next to Souness can no longer last a full 90 , ideally he should be used as an impact player

coming on with 30 mins to go & the opposition tiring , altho he may not be as good as he was , he is still our best midfielder , I hate to say this but someone like Barkley is who we need a big imposing man . Brendan was/is obsessed with nimble little players a`la Barca , that maybe ok for la liga but not the prem. The 2nd point : I would say you are a very loyal fan but not a realistic one . Over the last 20 odd yrs we have hit some lows , but I doubt we have ever been as poor as we were against Newcastle that is being realistic .

[StevieH]

Couple of points Nelly , first cannot agree our midfield was running rings around whoever , our midfield has been

our weakest area since the days of Mascherano & Alonso , we have never had a real quality D/M since then , Stevie my 2nd best ever player next to Souness can no longer last a full 90 , ideally he should be used as an impact player

coming on with 30 mins to go & the opposition tiring , altho he may not be as good as he was , he is still our best midfielder , I hate to say this but someone like Barkley is who we need a big imposing man . Brendan was/is obsessed with nimble little players a`la Barca , that maybe ok for la liga but not the prem. The 2nd point : I would say you are a very loyal fan but not a realistic one . Over the last 20 odd yrs we have hit some lows , but I doubt we have ever been as poor as we were against Newcastle that is being realistic .

that was sh*te against newcastle but you're being selective mate. the &lt;deleted&gt; hodgson had us in a relegation scrap with konchesky and poulsen in the team while we saw some terrible dross under both evans and souness.

[nellyp]

Couple of points Nelly , first cannot agree our midfield was running rings around whoever , our midfield has been

our weakest area since the days of Mascherano & Alonso , we have never had a real quality D/M since then , Stevie my 2nd best ever player next to Souness can no longer last a full 90 , ideally he should be used as an impact player

coming on with 30 mins to go & the opposition tiring , altho he may not be as good as he was , he is still our best midfielder , I hate to say this but someone like Barkley is who we need a big imposing man . Brendan was/is obsessed with nimble little players a`la Barca , that maybe ok for la liga but not the prem. The 2nd point : I would say you are a very loyal fan but not a realistic one . Over the last 20 odd yrs we have hit some lows , but I doubt we have ever been as poor as we were against Newcastle that is being realistic .

nah, I still think we have had teams who have played as bad as the current team. Against Newcastle and Hull I was bored and frustrated, but I have been the same in the past. I also think that last season our midfield had some great games where they did run rings (or straight lines through) people, with the ball zipping from the front to the attack; it's unfortunate not to see any of that this season. All in all I would say I am a realist, I don't think we are any better than we play, but I realise things can get better; both realistic views.

I completely agree with the midfield situation. We need somebody to shake everybody into life, and I have always said that for me SG is not vocal enough to wake players out of their apathy. Leading by example and team talks are great, but when the chips are down I would prefer to have John Terry (God forgive me) shouting at players to "wake the f@$k up!!"

[Somtamme]

Adam Lallana should be on strictly come dancing, not gracing the green pasture of Anfield.

[StevieH]

Adam Lallana should be on strictly come dancing, not gracing the green pasture of Anfield.

he's a really good footballer and will absolutely come good at liverpool.

though it's perfectly possible you know far more about ballroom dancing than i do.

these two things are not interdependent.

[smokie36]

Adam Lallana should be on strictly come dancing, not gracing the green pasture of Anfield.

he's a really good footballer and will absolutely come good at liverpool.

though it's perfectly possible you know far more about ballroom dancing than i do.

these two things are not interdependent.

Yes Lallana will...in the same way Lamela is beginning to show signs of what he is capable of.

Sometimes you just have to be patient with a player.

Same things were said about Bale the Summer before he rocketed.

[kurtramsbottom]

Adam Lallana should be on strictly come dancing, not gracing the green pasture of Anfield.

& you should be in the sir alex ferguson stand singing about stevie gerrard with the rest of your boys instead of posting all ye bitter-twisted crap on here!

[JacknDanny]

@ stevieH. Yeh, agree Berahino looks very good prospect and should not be forgotten, much less injury prone than Sturridge. But my point earlier, if you buy someone like Balotelli he needs service, especially that which he can attack, Liverpool in my book only really have Sterling, they did not need Lallana. Get someone out on the right.

Found the heat maps I was looking for.

I thought I was maybe imagining it when I saw your daft post..... but I was right.

Here is Sterlings heat map V Hull. Played on the right for the most part.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fixtures.html#s2014-m755384

And here is Lallanas, in the same game..... mainly on the left and NOT through the middle.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fixtures.html#s2014-m755384

[JacknDanny]

Well I had to do something!! Trying to stay away watching this cr@p game

[Somtamme]

Actually this heat map, shows Coutinho more further forward than Lallana, and it's Lallana's movement towards the centre, which concentrates the play into the middle. Coutinho was already in the squad, and doing well, so BR need not have bought Lallana. you need to watch Ruud Gullits assessment after the game at Hull to see this movement. I still think Lallana flatters to deceive, but just doesn't cut the mustard for me. someone like Nathan Dyer for me, would have added new to this team.

[fonsboy]

@ stevieH. Yeh, agree Berahino looks very good prospect and should not be forgotten, much less injury prone than Sturridge. But my point earlier, if you buy someone like Balotelli he needs service, especially that which he can attack, Liverpool in my book only really have Sterling, they did not need Lallana. Get someone out on the right.

Found the heat maps I was looking for.

I thought I was maybe imagining it when I saw your daft post..... but I was right.

Here is Sterlings heat map V Hull. Played on the right for the most part.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fixtures.html#s2014-m755384

And here is Lallanas, in the same game..... mainly on the left and NOT through the middle.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fixtures.html#s2014-m755384

Daily Fail now banned in LOS.......

[wilai]

^ Download expat shield (free) mate. That'll sort it

[fonsboy]

Couple of points Nelly , first cannot agree our midfield was running rings around whoever , our midfield has been

our weakest area since the days of Mascherano & Alonso , we have never had a real quality D/M since then , Stevie my 2nd best ever player next to Souness can no longer last a full 90 , ideally he should be used as an impact player

coming on with 30 mins to go & the opposition tiring , altho he may not be as good as he was , he is still our best midfielder , I hate to say this but someone like Barkley is who we need a big imposing man . Brendan was/is obsessed with nimble little players a`la Barca , that maybe ok for la liga but not the prem. The 2nd point : I would say you are a very loyal fan but not a realistic one . Over the last 20 odd yrs we have hit some lows , but I doubt we have ever been as poor as we were against Newcastle that is being realistic .

nah, I still think we have had teams who have played as bad as the current team. Against Newcastle and Hull I was bored and frustrated, but I have been the same in the past. I also think that last season our midfield had some great games where they did run rings (or straight lines through) people, with the ball zipping from the front to the attack; it's unfortunate not to see any of that this season. All in all I would say I am a realist, I don't think we are any better than we play, but I realise things can get better; both realistic views.

I completely agree with the midfield situation. We need somebody to shake everybody into life, and I have always said that for me SG is not vocal enough to wake players out of their apathy. Leading by example and team talks are great, but when the chips are down I would prefer to have John Terry (God forgive me) shouting at players to "wake the f@$k up!!"

All good points , John Terry in his prime ok , but not now . One thing is for sure since Luis went & Daniel injured my w/e`s are not the same , hoping & praying things improve .

[carmine]

Couple of points Nelly , first cannot agree our midfield was running rings around whoever , our midfield has been

our weakest area since the days of Mascherano & Alonso , we have never had a real quality D/M since then , Stevie my 2nd best ever player next to Souness can no longer last a full 90 , ideally he should be used as an impact player

coming on with 30 mins to go & the opposition tiring , altho he may not be as good as he was , he is still our best midfielder , I hate to say this but someone like Barkley is who we need a big imposing man . Brendan was/is obsessed with nimble little players a`la Barca , that maybe ok for la liga but not the prem. The 2nd point : I would say you are a very loyal fan but not a realistic one . Over the last 20 odd yrs we have hit some lows , but I doubt we have ever been as poor as we were against Newcastle that is being realistic .

nah, I still think we have had teams who have played as bad as the current team. Against Newcastle and Hull I was bored and frustrated, but I have been the same in the past. I also think that last season our midfield had some great games where they did run rings (or straight lines through) people, with the ball zipping from the front to the attack; it's unfortunate not to see any of that this season. All in all I would say I am a realist, I don't think we are any better than we play, but I realise things can get better; both realistic views.

I completely agree with the midfield situation. We need somebody to shake everybody into life, and I have always said that for me SG is not vocal enough to wake players out of their apathy. Leading by example and team talks are great, but when the chips are down I would prefer to have John Terry (God forgive me) shouting at players to "wake the f@$k up!!"

All good points , John Terry in his prime ok , but not now . One thing is for sure since Luis went & Daniel injured my w/e`s are not the same , hoping & praying things improve .

Fonsboy, as ones of the "clowns" you refer to as suggesting that time should be given for the team to gel i would suggest again that you take a step back and think again.

Presumably you would agree with me that your scouts have a sound knowledge of football and an eye for player ability?

Would you also agree that to have handed out over 100m in a transfer window suggests that the management and recruitment staff felt that the incomings were quality improvements in the strengthening of the squad?

Would you also agree that regardless theres a high likelihood that not all will succeed, but only time will obviously tell?

Would you agree that to have even been considered in the first place their individual performances must have warranted the recognition to be considered worthy of buying?

My point is, and in consideration please bear in mind the rather large increased burden of the CL, don't you think its totally &lt;deleted&gt; ludicrous to be judging your manager and team in such a manner after ten &lt;deleted&gt; league games?

[uptheos]

Rodgers transfer record.

I saw this on Yahoo and wondered if people on here agree with it or not and if so where?

Edited November 4, 2014 by uptheos

[StevieH]

you can't say "jury's out" on markovic and then call can a "miss". same with the two spanish full-backs &lt;deleted&gt;. i think jury's out on all this summer's signings at the moment but the historic ones are probably all about right.

and to be brutally honest, i don't think you can call it purely rodgers' transfer record. because of this nonsensical committee thing we have going on.

[nev]

Adam Lallana should be on strictly come dancing, not gracing the green pasture of Anfield.

& you should be in the sir alex ferguson stand singing about stevie gerrard with the rest of your boys instead of posting all ye bitter-twisted crap on here!

he's a Liverpool fan.