THE biggest Liverpool defeat in Steven Gerrard’s career on the last day of his Liverpool career — an embarrassing epitaph to an Anfield CV that puts him among the finest to wear the red.
He looked apologetic. Sorry he couldn’t sort it. A lad who has poured heart and soul into the club watching it bullied and battered by the current ninth best team in English football. Liverpool owned by Charlie Adam on the day its last remaining superstar exits stage left.
Gerrard looked pained. I know the feeling. That was the biggest Liverpool defeat in my lifetime. And it was to Stoke City. Now we’re shorn of a leader when we need a leader the most. Losing star quality in a squad with too much ordinary.
For what felt like the whole of the second half, crowing Stoke fans sang about Liverpool being “fucking shit”. It was hard to disagree with their glee. Stoke. Taking the piss. Out of Liverpool. And being right. Absolutely, nailed on, right. That fucking hurts. And it should fucking hurt everyone involved with Liverpool Football Club.
At five-nil down at half-time there was a strong temptation to just get off. Go home, close the curtains, turn the world off and forget it ever happened. The John W Henry approach of late, if you like.
This type of thing doesn’t happen to Liverpool. The only other time I’ve witnessed the Reds concede six was in 2007 when Arsenal won 6-3 at Anfield in the League Cup. I’d managed to block that night and Julio ‘The Beast’ Baptista out to be honest. We’ll never see the likes again, I thought. But then this. Jesus Christ, this.
We stayed. Stayed to see Steven score for Liverpool one last time. Stayed to see Jordon Ibe have a go. Stayed to watch some bellend wave a fiver at the away end for the majority of the second half.
Stayed to see Brendan Rodgers’ last game as manager of Liverpool.
I think that’s it for the manager. I think he’s done. I don’t see how you recover from that embarrassment. The players will point the finger at him for that. And he will point the finger at them for that. Ditto for how the season has panned out full stop. How do you make that unhealthy situation healthy again?
There’s been a lot of talk this week about Liverpool’s identity as a club. Well Liverpool’s identity right now is a club that has finished sixth in the league and lost 6-1 at Stoke City. A club that’s lost home and away to Crystal Palace, couldn’t beat Hull, was humiliated at Wembley and crashed out of Europe twice.
The team has sleepwalked its way through the past two months and three wins in 10 tells its own story.
What came before was bad enough — today was downright embarrassing. A new low. The worst for 52 years. Genuinely stomach-turning shocking.
Now Liverpool must do something about it. And that something is always sack the manager.
Again the summer transfer window is being talked of as a cure all. After a record spend of £117m last year, it’s got to rank as extremely unlikely that the same people get another chance to pick. And the manager is always the fall guy. Can you sack a whole committee? I’d give it a go. I doubt FSG will. That would mean questioning their own strategy. And the appetite for that doesn’t seem to be the best.
Liverpool now desperately need to make a statement that this result — and this season — isn’t acceptable. That three seasons without a trophy isn’t OK. The club has to say to the world it aspires to more. It does that by thinking big. By being bold. If it doesn’t then what are we in it for? And the sell. What’s the sell? How do we persuade the next Raheem Sterling to sign on the dotted line here rather than there?
Brendan has been flying the plane and building it but today it crash landed after skimming mountain tops for weeks. A new pilot is the likely course of action when Michael Gordon gets the markers and the flip chart out to review the season. It’s either that or admit his own failings have played a part. I know what my money is on.
No one – not players, owners, or fans – can accept today. Rodgers spoke when he arrived at the club of the three types of supporters that follow any team. All three types will now contain considerably less backers for maintaining the status quo when it comes to running the team.
“No 1 are those who love their club and will love their manager whoever it is because Liverpool is their life and their passion,” said Rodgers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJHkG1Os5iM
“The second group are supporters who will accept you but to earn their real respect you will have to be successful, and that’s fine.
“The third group are the critics and you never change them ever.”
I was in the second group. Not convinced when he arrived but impressed as time went on — it’s impossible (or it should be) to not respect the job he did last season in taking Liverpool so close.
But that was then and this is now. The game moves quickly. From almost reaching the highest of highs this is the lowest of lows. 6-1. Six. Fucking. One.
I’ve been convinced there were pros and cons about Rodgers, even in recent times; that there were shades of grey when it came down to whether he should remain as Liverpool manager rather than the black and white terms so many speak in.
But after this dark day the grey has all but disappeared. A result like that is only black. And so is the future for Rodgers, I reckon.
There was very little evidence of fight in that Liverpool side today and it was hard to understand the plan. A midfielder routinely roasted on the right of defence. Two more middle men toiling against experienced defenders up front. Attacking-wise Liverpool were bordering on non-existent, hardly a surprise with no striker in the starting line up and Raheem Sterling left to enjoy the greedy bastard chants from the safety of the bench. The plan at that end of the pitch was pull a worldie out the bag. And that isn’t a plan.
At the other end of the pitch, too many times Stoke players ran unchallenged to fire off pot shots at goal and — Gerrard’s defiance (loved the counting down of the six-second rule) and Philippe Coutinho’s kick of the advertising hoardings aside — where was the anger as the ball hit the net six times? Where was the spirit to not take what was unfolding before them lying down? Stoke wanted it more. They pressed better. Fought more. Were more physical. Moved the ball faster. Liverpool, by contrast, were a mess.
It’s long been common knowledge that some Liverpool players once contrived via underperforming to get Graeme Souness the sack. History repeating? Harsh maybe. But when you witness a performance so lacking in quality, passion and fight from so many it makes you wonder. Those players know Rodgers is under pressure. Did they do their upmost to keep him in a job?
When you’re questioning the commitment of the players — and many have today — then the next question is always why? Why have Liverpool lost 12 games? Why have Liverpool gone backwards? Why can’t Liverpool score?
There are mitigating circumstances but it always comes back to the manager and that felt terminal. He picks the team and he hasn’t found a way to make them win enough. Now he can’t find a way to stop Stoke hitting us for six, either.
Another season like the one that has just finished has no appeal unless we’re now officially ‘just another football club’. No one is waiting for Liverpool to catch up, Liverpool need to run faster and run better or they risk being sucked into the pack for good. Can they do that under a manager whose stock has now dramatically plunged?
Liverpool needs to be ruthless in everything it does in the pursuit of the ultimate goal. With every target for the season missed, better managers and better players could and should be sought.
Sticking with Brendan Rodgers would now be a huge leap of faith by FSG. It would also add to the questions that are mounting about their ambition.
Here to win? Prove it. Get the best.
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda-Photo
We’ll know for certain what FSG’s about after this summer
They’ll sack him, but I think they’ll just stick with someone that can continue their “don’t splash wages spend on potential” motto that means they don’t have to spend a dime. I doubt even if Klopp’s interested, they’d let him shape the club his way, and that my friend is why Klopp probably won’t entertain it
They have to restructure the entire club competent with actual advice from actual football people, not a snake like Ian Ayre, fuck I hate that bastard, he’s Wormtongue coming to life
On the 10 anniversary of Istanbul we loose 6-1 at stoke, For the past 8 years we have had American owners and for 6 out of 8 years we go into a season with 1 main striker and it all turns dog shit. We have only won 1 trophy in 9 years and been in one other final and Kenny got the sack for not being good enough. H & G had no money and were parasites but at least they were transparent parasites. FSG are just as bad as H&G they just hide it better. At least H&G signed some good players, and this is not me defending those two blood suckers it pointing out how shite FSG are at buying players and it is because they want to buy them where the problem lies. They are unable to deligate power because when they did they shit themselves when Carroll and Suarez came in and Torres and Babel went out, but it cost them fuck all and they went on to make an extra 50 mil on Suarez.
Since then we miss out on world class players because FSG employ donkeys, they want a low profile inexperienced manager because they do not want to be challenged even then they hang their own man out to dry in each of his three summer transfers windows.
Season 1 no strikers and letter of apology from JH
Season 2 no players that make any difference to the first team
Season 3 No Strikers that make a difference to the first team and money wasted on players not needed and contracts left to be run down
Rodgers is a good coach that has been let down by his owners management team. It does not help that as a young manager Rodgers does not seem able to buy world class players when given an opportunity but that is because he is a young manager and this is his first elite club.
FSG what the fuck are you playing at?
Ian Ayre may hate Rafa and you may think he is the devil incarnate but he is about to go to Real Madrid as their manager, do you think that somebody at Madrid is still smarting over the 5-0 humiliation they sufferered under Rafa’s Liverpool? Rafa would walk over hot coals for Liverpool and you don’t even pick his brain. Madrid went out and spent over 300 million so that it did not happen again.
So on your watch FSG you have
1 Kept Hodgeson
2 Sacked Kenny after reaching two finals and winning our only trophy in 9 years
3 Not used the advice of Rafa
4 Sacked your first director of football. Even though he bought Suarez and Henderson and got rid of all Hodgesons misfits
5 Not backed your manager of choice and hung him out to dry via your transfer commitee that seems intent on getting rid of any experienced player and replacing them with youth but then not giving youth (sterling) a contract to make sure he stays with us?
6 At what point (FSG) do you stop treating us all as dickheads?
If you can’t be arsed to run the club as it should be, which is choosing a manager that has won things and is in the top 5 in the world and giving him a transfer budget and letting him get in the group of players they want to win things with and suite their system.
Or sell the club and let others make us dream
I almost never disagree with anything Gareth Roberts writes or says in podcasts, but there is one point here I do take issue with. Regarding this paragraph:
“It’s long been common knowledge that some Liverpool players once contrived via underperforming to get Graeme Souness the sack. History repeating? Harsh maybe. But when you witness a performance so lacking in quality, passion and fight from so many it makes you wonder. Those players know Rodgers is under pressure. Did they do their upmost to keep him in a job?”
And here’s why I disagree. For several months various players made public statements about how they were all in to ‘win a trophy for Stevie’. There was a great run of 13 games when it really looked like they meant it. Then 30 seconds after Stevie came onto the pitch at Anfield against our biggest rival he had a childish tantrum and got himself sent off, banned for 3 critical games leading up to the FA Cup semi-final. He knew what he had done. It was deliberate. It was written all over his face that he wasn’t surprised by the red card.
The squad imploded after that. No need to describe it. It was as if the players thought “Well, shit, if Stevie doesn’t care about winning for himself, about going out of his own illustrious career on a high, why the hell should we care about busting our guts to win it for him?”
I AM NOT BLAMING STEVIE! I understand why he exploded in frustration that day. But he also slipped last season — remember that?
I do believe the squad threw in the towel after the United game. I just can’t help thinking that they did it more about what I’ve said above than about any conspiracy to oust Brendan Rodgers.
Or perhaps it’s a combination of the two aspects. Sure, some are probably unhappy about being played out of position. But a squad that went gangbusters for 13 games winning for the manager doesn’t suddenly decide overnight to become turncoats against him because they don’t like his tactics. Especially if they have absolutely zero idea of who would potentially replace him and the upheaval could put all of their futures, their settled lives on Merseyside with their wives/girlfriends/families, at risk.
The manager is always the fall guy, and FSG may decide the bitter anger and discontent — even hatred — some supporters feel is just too tall a mountain to scale at the start of a new season and therefore decide to sack him in the interest of making a fresh start with a clean deck.
If they do, I hope our fans who sing that famous anthem every week will give thought to what the words of that anthem actually mean. Brendan Rodgers is a decent man who gave his heart and soul to Liverpool Football Club for 3 seasons. He has shown respect for the Club’s greatest player, its history, values, traditions, and culture. He loves the Club and has never said one derogatory word about it. If he must go, the least — the bare minimum — we should do is send him off with good wishes for his future success and the assurance that he does not walk alone.
If we can’t manage to do that, then we are nothing better than clones of Manchester United fans who ruthlessly pursued and drove David Moyes out — another thoroughly decent and honorable man.
You’re welcome to disagree with what I’ve written, but at least think about it.
That red card against United could be seen as a pretty huge turning point in the season. Unless of course one’s agenda requires a look elsewhere.
For me, I find it astonishing that 11 players can go out there and offer that performance and the lion’s share of the blame falls on the manager. I understand the irrational response to an irrational event, but it’s the players who bare full responsibility for that garbage yesterday. Every one of them, including Steven Gerrard. Is Steven leading the conspiracy against the manager or the rest of the team can’t really be fucked to play for him either? It’s a pretty ridiculous theory. I’d suggest if anything they had less enthusiasm for being part of the Steven Gerrard Retirement Tour. But all of it is speculation and all of it really beside the point. There is no excuse as players to allow what happened to happen. If Rodgers had played Sterling as keeper just to really tell him to fuck off there would still be no excuse to be losing 6-1 to Stoke.
Of course the manager has earned a fair share of blame, but I feel for him. No goalscorers and having to carry a legend who was largely past it but could contribute just enough to justify a place on the team sheet. 5th place would have been just about right. Title winning form came while Steven was injured and most of the team was fit.
So how do players come back from a loss like that? Blame it on the manager I guess, and pretend it didn’t happen. I would rather avoid more “rebuilding.” Unbelievable highs and unbelievable lows seem to come together pretty often in life. I prefer FSG surprise everyone, splash some cash and stick with the manager. It’d show at least there are still some balls at the club, which would already be a dramatic change in the right direction already.
Absolutely spot on, RayK! Spot on!
One additional comment. We thought it was hilariously funny and we crowed about it arrogantly for weeks when we annihilated mid- to lower-table clubs like Norwich last season. Bitter medicine when we have to suck down the humiliation ourselves.
If the LFC had a good team, the fact that Gerrard announce it would stop would not influnciar the rest of the season. We have the example of Xavi in Barcelona.
The FSG has spent a lot of money since he arrived, but invested badly. This is a fact.
Football management, buying players and cast assembly needs to be reevaluated.
Brendan Rodgers has talent, but unfortunately was not prepared to lead this restructuring and the responsibility is not his alone, but who thought he was the right man.
We need a manager who has experience in the creation team, to be a champion and to be able to attract the big players like Jurgen Klopp.
The board and the FSG also need to know what you want to LFC and work seriously to put LFC in place that is right.
I suspect what you’ve seen is the natural consequence for asking players to continually:
change formations
change positions
accept seeing teammates kicked to touch for no reason
What is our formation? at the moment it isnt the formation that started his first season, it isn’t the one that started his second, nor the one that after the awful start to season 2 ( yeah remember it was not all buckle and swash from August) , it wasnt the one that propelled us to 2nd, it isnt the one that started this season, nor the one from the middle. I think at this point Brendan doesnt know and nor do the players and it looks like it.
I’ve never been convinced by Brendan and yes I’ve wanted him gone for a long while now, however I won’t throw insults or brickbats at him. He was chosen for the job even though he didnt have the background for it. It has come about 10 years to early for the guy, a guy who i suspect would be a fantastic Assistant Manager strangely, the guy that on the training field would have the players dying for him. But at this point, not the main man.
6-1 to Stoke. Yup it is untenable
Though you know, would it surprise you if he didn’t get sacked??
Let’s just hope all the little keyboard warriors are satisfied with his replacement. Something tells me that they won’t be.
Is there another way of communing on here without a keyboard??
Can’t you see the progress under Rodgers Josek?
;)
I am I would suspect, like the majority in the sense of a converted middle category supporter of BR because quite frankly he has done an outstanding job in his 3 years and he has earned my repect. And if, by the way, you remember the shambles of a club which we were already when he walked into the Club, and this is my main point.
Brendan Rogers was given the job because he was prepared to walk into the Lions den, where no sane experienced manager dared to tread at that specific infamously low point in our great history after H&G and Hodgson, and do you know what….he grabbed the Lion by the fuckin tale and tamed it in little over 12 months. Experienced or not!! His 1st task was to renew a totally inadequate squad which by and large he achieved in spectacular style by almost delivering the Holy Grail in his 2nd FUCKING YEAR….YES THAT`S RIGHT …..2nd YEAR!!!!!!! and for a novice which let`s be honest, that is indeed what Brendan was and he will be the first to admit it
Now for a total novice to have and to show the courage, strength, dignity and utter fucking respect which he has done at every yard of his journey with LFC, well that`s enough for me and for that reason alone (if the axe falls) I will sincerely thank him for giving it his best shot and leaving the squad in a far better condition than it was upon his arrival in 2012. He has shown he has massive bollocks and I would say the biggest set of anyone (SG8 aside) currently at the Club because as we all know too well he has virtually provided us all with the Holy Grail for the 1st time in 24 years when far more experienced and many would say, better managers had failed. And he has achieved this in spite of a lack of a John Smith & Peter Robinson like administrative leadership, and lack of presence of a Chief Executive to run the club on a day to day basis and to assist our talented young manager whom I know will go on to be THE best club manager of his generation. Even off the pitch Brendan has carried this club almost single handed with no assistance from the owners, alone he has burdened the colossal weight of LFC and if we were all to stand back and consider that impossible and unsustainable task and then ask ourselves for how long, realistically was Brendan expected to shoulder that immense burden.
I am almost 50 and for the passed 3 years have been living in Australia after leaving Liverpool where I was born and have been a lifelong supporter, and I honestly can`t find the words to express the sense of being, of identity and pride that I feel being associated with LFC especially after the clubs tour down under in 2012 and the scenes witnessed at the MCG.
And yet this week I find myself thinking what an absolute shame it is at what`s happening to Brendan when at his moment of need he is in deed walking alone when we should stand by him and support and back his achievements. We are aware that he needs cohesive support and we should be focusing on the Club`s owners to get their act together and bring in a person of much needed substance and who has a reputation for getting the job done, preferably a fan, I don’t know who that person should be, but for those of us who are old enough to remember the above mentioned and how much their know how and leadership qualities and passion for the LFC shaped our Wonder Years, I for one think that special people off the pitch has been the missing single ingredient for too long and they are as important as the players and the manager.
I do think as a club we missed am opportunity to become the Barcelona or Real Madrid of England and organise a fans buy out of the Club after H&G. And maybe until that happens we are destined to be what and where we are as a football club. A PAR FUCKING 6 !!!!!!
I appreciate what you have said, John, but “Organize a fans’ buyout of the club”? Our fans don’t even want to pay for their own and their kids’ tickets! And they think anybody who doesn’t actually live in L4 is an outsider. How could such people ever be organized to raise the money to buy and run the club? I’m not mocking you, but laughing gas anyone?
Also, I’m dead sick of the same old crap being regurgitated constantly. That’s why I tried to say something new and different in my comment above. In Istanbul at 3-0 down at halftime the fans went berserk to get behind their manager and players. Surprise, surprise the team turned it around and Rafa himself said “The fans turned it around in Istanbul.”
What have we done this season, when the manager and squad needed the fans’ support desperately? We whined and moaned bitterly and continuously, and at 2 critical points we thought it was more important to protest ticket prices. We turned Anfield into a library.
We are shameful. THIS was the season when hundreds should have turned out to greet the coach for every home game. But no, we’re too busy thinking about what the club should give to us. We are Bitters. We got what we deserve.
no matter how bad, to use one result as the reason Rodgers must go is shameful. I know you can point to other poor games, but the reality is we need goals. Goals that balotelli, borini, Lambert and sturridge haven’t provided. How does a new manager get these goals out of them? If your thought is to buy better strikers, tell me why Brendan doesn’t deserve a shot with them. He brought out the absolute best of suarez and sturridge. He deserves a chance with the clubs number 1 target for once. A new manager does not mean no committee, so let’s hope they sought it out in the summer and everyone is happy with the signings we bring in and are all willing to fall with the decisions they make. The owners have a supposed strategy, and I for one would prefer they see it through another season with their man in charge than bow down to pressure of the people who know better because they wrote so on the internet or in a paper.
But he has 3 strikers that he has bought, 2 of them this season. It cannot I’m afraid be nothing to do with the manager.
For someone increasingly resigned to Rodgers’ end, this is what frustrates me: Borini, Aspas, and Lambert were all bought as 3rd string strikers, yet we expect them to carry our season? As for Balotelli, he was clearly never the manager’s choice. After Remy, Rodgers wanted Bony, but FSG didn’t see “value” in his 20M release clause – yet a player that neither fit the system nor the work ethic somehow did.
Hard to see Rodgers at the start of next season, but it brings me no joy to see it all go down like this.
I would like performances next year that keep the commentators’ talk of missing Steven Gerrard to a minimum. LFC have had a Scouse captain for 450+ games. Its not going to happen again. A one-off. The whole season has been sentimental. It makes LFC a family. It has also made LFC not just about the best performance. He’s almost undroppable because he has done amazing things. This is the emotion of LFC. Put the team result in question by playing a 35 year old ,then keep him on to turn this team result around. Tail wagged the dog this year.
The underlying problem for Brendan is that he is an inexperienced manager with no success record behind him.
If we had appointed a proven winner 3 years ago then at this point support for the manager would still be strong imo. However, Brendan has won nothing and was appointed on the back of a set of theories. We haven’t seen his “domination” style football during his 3 years. And, unfortunately for him, it looks like the players have had enough.
We need a manager that has a proven record. Oh, I know Shanks didn’t have that but at the point he arrived we weren’t the big club we are now and his sort come along once in a generation (if you’re lucky).
Man U haven’t exactly had a stellar season but the Manc fans tolerate it because Van Gaal has “history” behind him. They didn’t tolerate Moyes because his history was that of managing a mid table mediocre club and never managing to win a trophy. Does that sound familiar?
Rodgers is a good man and we should respect him for that. However, I worry about next season if he is still in charge. Time to move on.
“Liverpool now desperately need to make a statement that this result — and this season — isn’t acceptable. That three seasons without a trophy isn’t OK. The club has to say to the world it aspires to more.”.…
The problem I have is that I don’t think the club, in it current incarnation, is capable of doing that. I think it’s gonna have to be down to the fans to demand it from the owners, but will they listen? The owners seem great at running a business but have absolutely no clue at how to run a football club and they havnt helped themselves by surrounding themselves with inexperience. We have inexperience on the pitch, on the sideline, around the negotiating table and in the board room. And so nothing is every done correctly.
I want change but it can’t just be the manager. There is so much that needs change at the club!
@Michael. In John Henry, I don’t see a man who has the passion and drive to do whatever it takes to make LFC a driving force again. LFC brand will live on and one day we will win the Premier League, and it won’t be with these owners.
Lverpool FC we love you.
If we won the league last year would anyone want to sack Rodgers now? If not then we should stick with him. He deserves one more season at least. Let’s not underplay the loss of Suarez and sturidge.
What a ridiculous argument!!!
If he’d won the CL this year would anyone want to sack him? No!! But we didn’t, just like we didn’t win the league.
If my granny had balls she’d be my granda!!!
Ifs and buts aren’t a valid excuse!
Rodgers has had enough of a chance enough is enough we need proven manager cup winning experience someone who knows what its like to be a clear winner and put the winning passion into the Liverpool squad next season
But we didn’t and that’s the flaw in this argument also you cannot ignore the disaster this season has been just because we nearly won something last season, maybe you will argue he nearly got us to two cup finals so should stay, but sometimes nearly isn’t enough. Bury your head in the sand if you like regarding Rodgers ability but we have been awful for most of the season, even during the mini revival we were lucky at times. It’s not just the goals that are missing from last season it’s a defined style of play, bar Spurs away it’s been slow boring and predictable for the most part. It is hard to see a way back for Rodgers after yesterday.
This absolutely right and let’s not forget that last season we were woeful in defence but our attacking ability bailed us out. In the final reckoning our defensive frailty cost us. Something that has not been addressed this season.
If we’d won the EPL last year we’d still have the same squad we have now and would still have bottled all cups as we did. The recruiting we did mid-season was as a CL team who were runner-up. Winning the EPL would not have saved us from the shambolic season.
So, is the argument that if we had managed to win the league last year and performed as we did this year, without Suarez and with Sturridge mostly out or not performing at his best through injury, and finished sixth we would not be calling for Brendan Rodgers to be fired?
Let’s say some of us were indeed to be calling for that, ceteris paribus except for us having won the league last season. What would you all be saying to us? What sort of ‘names’ would you be hurling in our direction?
“I’m not a Brendan out person…..but…..”
I must have heard that said by every other person leaving the ground yesterday, I want him to stay but it was hard to put up a case and back him. It is harsh to call for a managers head after one result (that’s a Stoke DVD next week though) but who can honestly recall a performance that we’ve been amazing in this season, Spurs away? possibly? just? Yesterdays performance probably summed up our season as a whole, currently there are no signs for encouragement, we’re going backwards. It was tempting to leave at half time, maybe before, but we stayed purely to say thanks to Stevie and (as strange as this sounds) we were so poor they didn’t deserve us leaving. Liverpool needed to see the fans at the end to see how angry and disappointed we were, for them to walk off with their holiday haircuts and reflect how disappointing they were.
The most worrying thing for Brendan is that recently, and especially yesterday, he looked lost, he had no idea what to do. He sat down at 3.0 and didn’t stand back up till half time……I think he would have stayed there then if he could. He has always been confident, probably too confident, in his own ability, but not yesterday. How can you say you are “150% certain” you’ll be manager next year and 24 hours later say you’ll “go if owners want.” After a performance like that fans want to see fight, to say that isn’t good enough, to guarantee it will never happen again, to apologise, to show that it hurts you as much as it’s hurt us. He didn’t do that. At half time he walked past the fans who just looked at him asking “what you going to do” he kept his head down. We weren’t better in second half Stoke just settled.
If the players are under performing against him he has brought that on himself. His treatment of some has been shocking. Markovic knows he’s going to be replaced at half time each game now, Lambert gets “save the day appearances” (5.0 down, 30 seconds of the semi final), players in for a game then not seen for weeks (Moreno, Borini for example). Can needed replacing or moving way before half time yesterday. He puts his head in shirt at 2.0 even before his even bigger blunder. Brendan didn’t have to wait till half time to change it. What was the point of taking Sterling yesterday? That line up needed a forward, 70 minutes with no focal point is a joke no matter the score. He then managed to make himself look a bigger fool by saying “there were players out there who could contribute more”…….who Brendan…..it’s 6.1……..who’s contributing more?? Either leave him at home or play him but don’t put him on the bench as if you’re a parent punishing a 12 year old by grounding him and making him watch his friends play. Good luck trying to convince him or anyone else that we’re moving forward.
Sacking him would only present the problem of who to bring in. Is there really anyone else out there who we could convince to come. The obvious choice is Klopp but he’s had a similar season to Rodgers in Germany and would he want to come? After him your looking at replacing like for like. Another manager with potential. Brendan does have credit in the bank due to last season but that was 12 months ago. You’re only as good as your last game and unfortunately for Brendan, until August, you’re only as good as a 6.1 defeat……to Stoke.
“I’m not a Brendan out person…..but…..he’s probably going now”
After yesterday and on many occasions this season, you can’t help glance back at last season and how close we came to winning the PL, bastard thing we almost won it, we had it, we were there, we were so close to winning that bastard title, and now, we have hit rock bottom, Gerrard has moved, Suarez too, Sterling soon, Sturridge future looks bleak. It’s the worst feeling ever, c’mon FSG make us great again please, make the fans sing again.
I absolutely agree that a 5-1 defeat is unacceptable for Liverpool, regardless of opposition, competition, dead rubber excuses.
We started the season with Sturridge, Balo, Lambo and, the hanger-on, Borini. At least 2 of these were bought by “the committee” who, incidentally, presumably also failed to get rid of Borini. Didn’t we all have doubts at the start? Why is it surprising that we haven’t scored the goals we did last year?
The red machine may have crashed and burned this year, but I don’t think we need a new engine. There’s a couple of spark plugs need replacing and a change of oil. I just hope that the new spark plugs are the ones our driver wants, not the ones that are left after the shelves have been raided by the quicker, keener, more organised teams around us.
Change the driver? For who? By far the most obvious candidate is Klopp, but he’s left Dortmund in the same position as us. His tactics have been found out and he’s lost the goals from his team while conceding more. He hasn’t found a fix for it in Germany, with only 1 heavy-weight to fight against. Why do we think he’ll fix it here with 3 heavy-weights and another perennial top-4-achievers.
FSG have some hard decisions. If they think their strategy is right for the long term, they need to commit to it, long term. That means sticking with the manager, sticking with the transfer policy and accepting defeats and inconsistency will be par for the course unless we hit upon a perfect storm…..again….
Just changing the manager and keeping everything else the same isn’t going to achieve anything, except make even less money available for goals.
To those calling for more YNWA sentiment towards BR, remember our years of success were characterised by ruthlessness not sentiment. ‘Always make sure your players’ legs go on someone else’s pitch’ – Bob Paisley.
By those standards, we over-indulged Gerrard this season but he’s gone now so he’s no longer part of the equation. And he was still our top scorer, so what if he’d left last season! As discussed on the podcast, there’s no longer any evidence for managerial continuity bringing success in the present game but plenty to the contrary.
This is not a knee-jerk response to one result, although a record-breaking defeat that epitomises a season of disappointment is arguably sufficient for the owners to consider their options, it’s a reaction to a solitary point from Hull, West Brom, Palace and Stoke in the run-in. Four bitter pills that would have ruined our season regardless of what was at stake, washed down with the warm, flat pint that was the semi-final surrender against fourth-from-bottom Villa. I was there to see Roy Evans’ team destroy the same opponents at OT in ’96.
Like Evans, Houllier and Benitez, Rodgers has now completed the familiar arc of a modern-day Liverpool manager; revitalisation, title challenge then decline. He’s just done it in a shorter time frame and without the tiresome distraction of winning trophies. Yes, last season’s title tilt will live long in the memory, but alas not in the trophy room. Thanks for your efforts Brendan but that ghost on the wall who set the standards for this club said it best: ‘If you are first you are first. If you are second, you are nothing’ – Bill Shankly.
‘People calling him a charlatan…sorry lads but he’s the real deal’ – Gareth Roberts.
‘I love Brendan Rodgers. I think he’s mustard’ – John Gibbons.
The prosecution rests.
Well the prosecution is a knobhead then mate. What’s your point? You might have thought it was cut and dried he should go at an earlier point. Well done you. You win the being right award. Presumably you were calling him out when we nearly won the league. What with you always being ‘right’.
My nan would have won the league last season. It was a perfect storm of circumstances. The fact that he fucked it up was the real disgrace. Stevie Wonder could see that.
Course she would. Course it was. Black or white. No grey. Well in ‘the prosecution’.
The only thing Liverpool related that gave me a laugh today,
Well in Robbo.
Brilliant stuff as always Gareth. Couldn’t disagree with a single word. I like all the lads at TAW, but you’re probably the one who, for me, tells it like it is the most. There are simply no silver linings to be had on a day like that, and while most of us will wish Rodgers well, the task for FSG regarding the manager is very clear now. Just hope it’s equally clear to them what they have to do with improving the squad.
It was 6-1, not 5-1.
Rodgers signed both Borini and Lambert. He also signed Sturridge (but wanted him on loan). Balotelli is the only one he didnt want but he chose him over Eto’o so he did give it the ok. He also decided to put Borini on a long term big wage contract, meaning it was always going to be difficult to get rid. Your whitewashing of Rodgers here is a nonsense.
Your knowledge on Klopp/Dortmund/German football is honestly infuriating and exposes you as an ignoramous. For a start, Dortmund came 7th, not 6th. Then you say “His tactics have been found out.” Yea, thats why Dortmund have improved remarkably from 16th to 7th since the 5th of February. It had nothing to do with an unbelievable injury list from August to December. It had nothing to do with players being exhausted after 6 years of continuous success with a tight squad on a shoe string budget, with no rotation due to low numbers, during which his best players were sold from under him every summer, mainly to his massive donestic rival. Maybe you’re right and its madness he’s the most sought after head coach in the entire fucking world by 99% of clubs and nations. Sincerely doubt it though. He’s lost 3 from his last 18 and made it to yet another cup final, which was strangely absent from your post. Yes, “his tactics have been found out” indeed.
Oh, and please stop with this myth that Klopp only had one team to beat in Germany (even if this was true, its completely superceded by the fact he’s shown he can win the big games in Europe vs Real Madrid etc). When he took over, the likes of Schalke, Werder, Leverkusen & Hamberg were bigger clubs, not just Bayern. Its only down to Klopp’s successes in Europe and the selling of players that has made Dortmund once again 2nd choice in Germany.
Its insinuated in your remarks that you don’t think Klopp is a monumental step up from Rodgers. Maybe you think both are on the same level. This is both hilarious & embarrassing at the same time. Not even Brendan Rodgers thinks he’s on the same level as Klopp. If we sack Rodgers, where does he go? Newcastle? West Ham? You think Klopp’s next job will be at that sort of level? Or will it more likely be a Real Madrid or Man City?
Because Rodgers finished outside of top 4 we only have to pay him off 1 year of his contract, so this talk of a £10m payout is poppycock. Thats what it would have been had we sacked him while coming 4th. So £2.5m is hardly going to make that much difference in “buying goals.” And whilst were on that subject, yes we need to buy 2 strikers, but last season has got to peoples heads.
Sustained success in the league and in Europe has always been, and always will be, based on a solid defence. History shows this. Rodgers has shown himself incapable of building any sort of decent foundation from which to build. When you don’t concede you don’t lose. When you are tough to score against your team, your attackers, know only a goal or two is enough to win the game. That gives incredible confidence to everyone. This is why champions never concede circa 50 a season as Rodgers teams ALWAYS do. Rodgers bought Lovren, not the committee. Dropping Lovren stopped us from conceding 60.
Apart from that your comment was spot on……
Lol. Nice comment. The 5-1 was a typo and with no-editing allowed, what am I to do…..
So Rodgers has bought all the “duds”, but the committee buys the successes? I don’t have the inside-knowledge of transfers or contracts that you seem to have I admit.
Liverpool are in the 3rd qualifying round of the Europa League. So are Dortmund.
So getting to a cup final is cause for acclaim? Liverpool had 2 semi finals and failed to win either, despite being much the better side in one and Costa getting away with a bad stamp. Dortmund managed to win theirs on penalties because, somehow or other, Bayern missed every single penalty they took……Dortmund managed to score 2/4 and still make the cup-final. THAT’S the kind of margin we’re talking about.
6 years leading to exhaustion? Only 5 players from the 2008 Dortmund squad are still in the 2014/15 squad…..and the size of that squad? 35 players.
Have you forgotten that Rodgers went 13 games unbeaten? How is that any worse than losing 3 in 18?
I’m saying that FSG need certain shapes to fit their board of holes. While Rodgers might not be a perfect fit and there’s a few gaps that need filling, Klopp wouldn’t even get close to fitting. The whole board would have to change and be rebuilt around him. Are FSG prepared to throw away their board and start again?
How come I can’t see my previous comment? Took me an inordinate amount of time to write! Cheers.
I’m obviously not as angry about yesterday as most. Embarrassing, i know, but I was fairly pleased as each goal went in. The game meant nothing to me.
When we had that good run I thought we could put the poor start to the season behind us and cite mitigating circumstances. This poor spell at the end (regardless of yesterday) changed that but I still thought as he’s got £15m of his contract left and he’s unlikely be sacked. So, I was fairly pleased about yesterday as there can be no more talk of 5th and par or we lack strikers. Both have merit but against Stoke neither do in reality. I think we needed this wake up call. If it benefits us long term then I’m happy for the humiliation. In short, I didn’t want an end of season review that acknowledged we made some mistakes, got some things wrong and must improve. I prefer the ‘everything’s fucked’ more drastic view. Hopefully, we’ll now tear everything up and start again because whatever it is we’re trying to do it’s failed.
The main thing for me is he seems to have lost the dressing room. If true, as I believe, then there’s no going back. I’d rather a manager support his players with cringe worthy t-shirts than fall out with them all. Too many players have been disrespected by Rodgers in my opinion. I don’t know Johnson’s circumstances yesterday, I’m guessing he was injured but I was livid to see Sterling on the bench and no Johnson. I’m no fan of GJ but I respect him more than Sterling and would like to have seen him given an applause for his career. Rodgers seems a divisive man among the players and I don’t like it.
Much has been made of Rodgers post match comments but after the Arsenal game when he said 4th place was gone was an unbelievable comment. Ok, I thought it too but then I’m not the manager. It’s hard to believe since that comment that we could have finished 5 points above Utd had we won our games yet finished 8 behind because we gave up. I think it also had a bearing on the Villa game.
During the early stages of the first half yesterday I was convinced that horrid little goblin was gonna get sent off because he was so keen to show us what we’d rejected. The fact that he scored in a rout was a real low.
I blame some of our players too. On reflection, I think Sterling’s had a huge impact on our season going tits up towards the end. His BBC interview came days before the Arsenal game and we’ve looked wank ever since. He’s given nothing to the end of campaign. I can’t think of one semi decent performance from him since then. Another thing I’d say, the last few weeks has been a distraction with the Sterling circus but I also think the Gerrard situation has added to it. I wasn’t bothered about the Palace result. I saw it as Gerrards last game at Anfield and that was about it. I saw some stick for that view but then today I read how Gerrard was let down. Well, if we’re gonna turn every game into a testimonial like game then we can’t expect to be surprised when it’s played like that. Gerrard was one of the players who let us down yesterday. I’m not into this blaming everyone but him because it’s his last game.
So, I think yesterday was a good thing. Something has to give and hopefully that will be the straw that broke the camels back.
It’s still raw. I think in the cold considered light of day we’ll see that we should give Rodgers more time.
Hopefully he hasn’t been sacked by then.
What swung it for me was the revelation about how he stayed up all night drinking tea and trying to find answers. It dawned on me that he doesn’t know that much about football. I’m sure a lot of football is down to trial and error but I don’t want Liverpool’s manager to be working like that. In hindsight, we can see the level of trial and error from this season. Gareth mentioned a few weeks ago that it’s not about how a manager sits on the side but the Palace game (?) when he was slumped against the dugout and later the West Brom game (or was it Hull – my memory is appalling) when he squatted against the advertising boards worried me considerably. I agree his personal life or teeth have no bearing on things but his body language does. Another thing that rang alarm bells was seeing a struggling Rodgers turn to Colin Pascoe for advice. It was like someone punched me in the face and said ‘have you seen the people running Liverpool’. It’s small time.
It’s not just the management though. Ayre can’t get a deal done due to procrastination. The committee can’t get their targets identified and FSG look more and more like they’re only bothered in making the books look good. Truth is, I’d give anything for Kenny to still be in charge. My view at the time was the mantra ‘the games passed him by’. Now, I’m not too sure. I just can’t see any spine at the club. I think whatever happens we need a strong manager. One that can unite the fans. I’d even have Rafa back. I may be sounding like the fans I see as having idiotic views but all of a sudden I can see their point. Whatever the case we need a strong manager. Things feel so bad that I even envied Utd when I saw LVG making a complete tit of himself last week at the awards. If he’s your manager doing that then he’s a laugh. It’s easy to put him down for it but he didn’t appear like someone who needs to sit up all night drinking tea to find the answer. He seemed perfectly relaxed and confident.
Anyway, seeing Rodgers post match interview yesterday and the level of how broken he was there’s no point discussing the merits of last season or any progress over the 3 years. I think the word we use is ‘untenable’ and that’s exactly what it is.
I always maintained the highly controversial view that it was Suarez who got the extra 10% off the squad last year and him that carried us close to victory and I’ll never think anything different. He was the catalyst that lit the spark, not Rodgers. Ironically, it took Suarez the knowledge that he had 1 more year on huge wages and then he could fulfil his dream and leave for Spain before we saw the best of him. He was so desperate to get out prior to that he was prepared to sacrifice his dream and join Arsenal. Being Liverpool should have been a clue when Rodgers spoke to Sterling like he was a child. Oh great, he’s gonna make them discipled and focussed. No, he’s gonna make enemies like a teacher using the same approach does. You need a higher level of respect if you’re gonna pull that off. Kenny could get away with it. Your dad could get away with it. If Rodgers tried that with me I’d want to take him on.
It’s all narratives that we interpret. Some can say he’s a great tactician, some can say he’s clueless. Some can say he’s good with the players, some can say he inhibits them. To be honest, I’m sick of the whole debate. If the answers are so uncertain then I think we need a change. I feel for Rodgers but we’ve not been good enough despite the circumstances. We need a new start.
NONSENSE, BR OUT
I’m for sacking him, if Rafa or Klopp would take it. One thing is that if he does somehow stay it can’t be under the same conditions as this season. I’d make him accept a DOF, or some other supervisory form of structure and clear out his staff, which seem pretty fucking useless. Why is Sammy Lee on the bench in Southampton and not here? Can’t there be some presence of the old, winning Liverpool associated with the day to day of the club?
Rodgers has been given a massive slap in the face by this season. If he could learn from it, keep his gob shut and realise that the club exists to win trophies, and not be a laboratory for new formations – 7 midfielders, ffs – then he might deserve a reprieve. Somehow I doubt his ego will allow that.
While many of us saw Lovren as an astute signing, someone who would “sort it out,” his collapse was both dramatic and devastating to the club. The upshot was that Rodgers was eventually forced to give Sakho a chance, and he has generally been one of the right spots of a dark season.
But where was he during the late collapse of the season? Injured.
I would argue that our best 11 contains Sturridge, Sakho, Lucas, and Flanagan. If you want to get artistic and add the player that Rodgers wanted instead of Balotelli, which is probably a long list that doesn’t include Eto’o, you could say that 5 players from the first 11 were absent for much, most, or all of the season. Doesn’t help that the “marquee” signing, Lallana of Team of the Year 2013-14 fame, missed pre-season and struggled with niggling injuries throughout.
Does Rodgers deserve a go with a fit squad of his choosing? Hard to claim that after such a historic collapse that featured Sakho, Lucas, and Lallana. But I wouldn’t be devastated if he stayed, so long as the transfer folly is ended and we sign a top class striker (obviously we’d have to pay through the nose in our situation).
Honestly, I’d much rather see Ian Ayre thrown to the dogs.
TBH I remembered loads of people questioning why we were signing Lovren (myself included), he wasn’t better than any of the centre backs we had bar Toure. In fact it’s now evident that he’s a downgrade on Agger
Should’ve put that 20 million to a striker
I had no opinion on Lovren when we were trying to buy him, but my niece lives in So’ton and her husband – a passionate So’ton fan – told her “Tell uncle Kevin they’ve pinched the wrong bloke.” I thought he was having a lend of me but he was right. Lovren was deemed to be a kind of Carra, but he couldn’t be further from that. And the Sakho/Lucas combo, undoubtedly the catalyst that steadied the ship as well as saved Mignolets arse, was not and will not be Rodgers preference; in fact he is still apparently trying to shift Lucas out of the club.
Brendan this Brendan that for fucks sake, the players were diabolical.
Yes emre can was played out of position but he also should have had the nouse as footballer not to fucking head back into his own 6 yard box when the opposition were in there
FANS LIKE YOU MAKE ME Sick, not only that, i would slap some sense into your head if i foookin could..the players hate Brendan ROdgers, they fucking hate him and dont want to play for him, fuck BR, why the hell would we keep him?? So we can get relegated? would that make you happy?????? you TWAT..SO your butbuddy BR can stay in a job??? FUCK OFF….1 point from games against HULL, WestBROM, PALACE and STOKE, if you dont think we can get relegated under this clown fucking think again bitch!
What is wrong with you?
We are are club ran by image men and bullshit charlies. All traded their wives for younger flashier models. Look at the top four managers and spot the difference.
I don’t think BR can find a way any more. In first season we struggled to begin with, signed Cou and Studge and found a way and were strong in 2nd half of the season. 2013/14 BR found a way to play Sturridge and Suarez and nearly won the league. This season after a poor start it looked like BR had found a fix, but evidently not. I think being LFC manager is too much for him right now.
I have been critical of Rodgers and would like him gone. All in all, I think he’s tried hard, had some strong moments but managing LFC for a 4th season? No thanks. European performances have been really poor, and this season is not too dissimilar from 2012/13 overall.
How good Rodgers will be eventually is hard to say. He hasn’t won anything major, came close last season but we were shocking defensively, so a major flaw there. It looks like he’s lost the dressing room now. In big games of late there’s been no really motivated players on the pitch. We lost 6-1 to Stoke, we could easily have lost 6-1 to Palace the week previous.
However Rodgers isn’t the only issue. We have 0 leaders now Gerrard’s gone. Sakho maybe. Sturridge and Henderson – kind of. Emre Can – promising. But we need more than 4. Coutinho does his leading on the pitch – tends to perform well in big games for example. But we need real characters coming into this first XI.
It’s time for BR and a lot of the players to go – Toure, Lovren, Allen, Sterling (for 50m+), Lallana, Lambert, Balotelli, Borini, Enrique to join Gerrard and Johnson. We should get around 100m for that lot, add that to 40-60m transfer budget and bring in 5/6 big players with big characters. That’s what we need to do to have a crack at the title next season.
I’m very apathetic tbh. Glad this dreadful season is over. (Not just LFC, the whole Premier League has been boring from start to finish, top to bottom – worst season for a long time).
Anyway everything resets now. Everyone’s back to played 0, and 0 points. Let’s have a positive summer, get the right man and players in, and start next season with a bang.
Hopefully the club handles this summer with competence, come on LFC a good summer and we can be right back amongst things and setting the footballing world alight again :-) (It really was shit without us this season!)
The holes are there and Brendan needs to go due to his transfer mediocrity but we shouldn’t throw the baby out of the bathwater. The 3-4-3 system Rodgers implemented for a chunk of the season allowed us to have the best defensive record we’ve had since Rafa left. It gave Skrtel new lease of life and a role for Can. I would continue that system next season but bring in some essential quality additions to build on that foundation:
1) Allocate 35-40 million to buying Lacazette. Perfect fit for the profile of striker needed to replace and complement Sturridge. Next big thing. If you can’t get him then go for the likes of Higuain, Aubemayang, Vietto. All realistic buys and affordable wages if the club gets its act together.
2) Get a goal scoring central midfielder who is also quality at set pieces. A lot of goals have been lost this season from poor set pieces and Gerrard being on his last legs in a struggling team. Making Henderson the set piece taker or getting Milner is not suitable at all. Pjanic, Cabaye, Khedira are all possibilities. We need more flair and guile to dictate the midfield and this was what was missing in big game losses vs United, Villa, Arsenal.
3) Get a back up GK who is credible instead of that imposter Brad Jones. A prolonged injury to Mignolet this season would have been worse than any damage Sturridge caused with his absence. Mignolet needs to maintain his golden glove level of form with proper competition. Get Matt Ryan or Tim Horn to be his young talented understudy.
4) Keep Sterling by hook or by crook. Convinced that a new manager would convince Sterling to stay if he makes quality purchases. But if Sterling insists, cash out on him and spend it wisely on a DM and new full back which are lesser priorities after a new ST, CM and back up GK.
Next season XI that can get top 4 and potentially win a domestic cup/Europa League:
3-4-1-2. Manager: Klopp
Mignolet
Sakho Skrtel Can
Sterling Pjanic Lucas Henderson
Coutinho
Lacazette Sturridge
From then on you keep building and upgrade the defence and rotation options for a title challenge in 2016/2017.
DREAM WORLD, under BR relegation is more likely than a title challenge,, what a shitload of fuck! Absoulte garbage post!
In December just before the Man Utd game Liverpool had been on a shocking run of form which believe it or not had meant Liverpool had done worse from Aug to Dec than the same period the season Hodgson was in charge. I said at the time that Rodgers had till Xmas to save his job because the shocking run was down to Rodgers’ poor team selections and tactics and inability to sort our defence out. I think at that stage of the season Liverpool were breaking new records for the wrong reasons. If i can remember i think it was Liverpool’s worst start to a season since the 50’s. Then miraculously Rodgers then all of a sudden completely changed the team, formation and tactics and started doing all the things which the fans had been saying for months. It’s no coincidence that all of a sudden Liverpool went on a brilliant run of form. I then thought that Rodgers wasn’t a one season wonder after all and he had finally learned from his mistakes. How wrong was I. After going on a brilliant run which nearly propelled us into the champions league spaces what does Rodgers do? He for some bizarre reason then changes everything that was working perfectly well. He keeps changing the team, tactics every game and starts doing the same mistakes that he was doing earlier in the season by doing things which clearly don’t work. It’s no surprise that this coincided with our shocking form in the last 2 months of the season. Just when you think Rodgers is learning he then goes and does that. I think Rodgers time is up. I will be amazed now if FSG don’t sack Rodgers. If Rodgers had kept the same team/formation more or less till the end of the season and we still had this shocking run of form then fair enough you could say it’s not the managers fault but this second shocking run of form has again been down to Rodgers. Rodgers has now had 3 seasons and all 3 seasons our defence has been awful. Now to add to that our attack is rubbish. How can this be after 3 seasons? We’re no better now then when he took over from Dalglish. Maybe the squad is younger but the quality certainly isn’t any better. This isn’t good enough. I’m fed up with people saying oh well you lost Suarez and Sturridge so it was expected. Hang on a minute, teams all over Europe sell their best players (think Athletico Madrid or Porto) but they replace them with other good players. Rodgers record in the transfer market is rubbish. The majority of his signings have either been not good enough or they don’t get a chance. Why does Rodgers keep buying players and then hardly ever plays them? Think Aspas, Alberto, Lambert, Borini, Assaidi, Sahin, Ilori, Markovic, Manquillo. The amount of money he’s wasted is outrageous. He’s signed 24 players and out them about 5 have been a success. The manager has the final say on transfers so transfer committee or not the buck stops with him. Liverpool need to get it right in the transfer market this summer but with Rodgers woeful record in the transfer market he can’t be trusted. We need a manager who is well known all over Europe to help entice the top players, we need a manager who doesn’t keep making mistakes over and over again. This is Liverpool and we deserve better. It’s time for FSG to take action before Liverpool slip even further behind.
If Brenda is there at the start of next season it will be a massive slap in the face to the fans !! Klopp would be great, no bullshit talk, no teeth whitening or ditching his wife for a younger bird !! I cannot wait to see the back of him the little hobbit
I really hope that all the hate-filled, abusive fans are true to their word and swerve the club next season if the manager stays. They belong across the park, not taking up valuable seats at Anfield.
He is a young manager, why waste three years experience to sack him after he goes through the learning part. Makes no sense to me. He has made mistakes, but he will learn. Why let someone else pick him up before we know for sure?
This red line view on score line defeats is nonsense also. Would have seen Ferguson sacked a number of times (Newcastle, Southampton spring to mind)
Let’s all take a week. It’s the end of the season. But to fire him with no replacement lined up is madness. Rafa back is not the answer. Never go back.
LEARN? Wake the fuck up retard. we have conceded 100 goals in the last 2 league campains, Suarez and Sturridge was papering over the huge cracks last season, just like the cracks in your iqless brain!”
Pack in the routine abuse, mate. It’s becoming a bit tiresome now.
Ooh don’t call him mate! He won’t like that!
Might get a season ticket for Tranmere. Conference Premier, Go-ed
After Rodgers being the first manager in 50 years to not win silverware in his first 3 years and suffering the record breaking result against Stoke on Sunday – LFC must move on. Nothing personal against Rodgers, he’s a nice guy and has a great tan but I don’t see any positives in him staying for another year.
If Klopp is openly available for the job next season and FSG pass, I’ll be cancelling my fucking November flights from Melbourne to Manchester and won’t bother buying any tickets.
A few facts (or certainly as I believe):
– Rodgers refused to accept a Director of Football model which ultimately led to the notorious transfer committee which I believe is one of the major causes of the severe issues being complained about today
– Rodgers refused / scoffed at the idea that a defensive coach might be needed at the club. “There is no chance of us bringing in a defensive coach … I think it is just a lack of coaching time that is hurting us. We need to reinforce basic principles at defensive set pieces, but we know that already. We have to get better and we will be working on it.” A 6-1 drubbing to Stoke and several hand over the eyes defensive performances over the last 2 years are testament to his lack of defensive nous.
– As Rene Meulensteen suggested (and I don’t think he is a genius but he obviously helped the Mancs win a few titles) “Brendan Rodgers’s biggest failure is that he’s not invested in his staff. Playing in the Premier League and the Champions League, it’s a different rhythm that requires a different style of training and a different management strategy through the week. You need to know these things”. As Rodgers admitted above re defensive coach it was about lack of coaching time and he did not have the experience to manage that issue as our abysmal European campaigns testified.
So the issue is FSG and their structure and the Manager and his ego. He wants to be a world class manager (and may well be one day) but won’t accept anyone working above him or with him that can guide him.
Not sure how this will get resolved but to be honest am not confident it will be resolved in the near future.
People talk about the 240 million FSG have spent but their net spend is only around 120 million and let’s not forget how much money we made from tv last year (90 million). They have actually not invested huge amounts and don’t be fooled into thinking they have.
If Financial Fair Play is going to be relaxed (which I am not convinced is a good idea) then it is time for FSG to step up to the plate (they might recognise a baseball analogy) and put their hands in their pockets and vastly over pay (in transfer and wages) for some quality players that will make a difference (as Man City have done for so long).