I’LL be honest, I don’t know where I’m going with this. I haven’t got it plotted out. I’m not entirely sure what my point is or if I actually *have* a point. I’m just writing because I bloody have to, because I NEED to talk about Liverpool. Call it a purging, a cleansing, an exorcism. Call it what you want, I just need to get it out of my system.
I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been as depressed about Liverpool Football Club as I am at the moment. Honestly. Even in the dark days at the end of Souness’ reign (a far worse team than this), even in the utter horror of Hodgson, I don’t think that I felt this lost, this adrift. I could see ends to those, could see change.
At the moment, all I can see is this going on forever and ever and gradually getting worse. We’re sliding and I don’t see anybody arresting that slide any time soon. I don’t see action being taken. I could be wrong and I hope I’m wrong. I don’t feel wrong though.
I looked at the pitch sometime in the second half last night — God knows when, it seemed to last forever, and thought two words: “Mid-table.”
For the first time ever, I looked down at a Liverpool side and thought, “that’s what we are now”. And the worst part? I resigned myself to it, accepted the inevitability that there was no way back, came to terms with the fact that we are now — and probably always will be — ordinary. This is where we are.
I think that’s what last night was. I think last night was a stopping post or a waypoint or a fork in the road. Or something. And then there’s a part of me that hasn’t got a clue what last night was. I think that’s the part that’s writing this.
It wasn’t the team that I expected. In theory, it was stronger. There were more seasoned professionals on the pitch than I expected, more senior players. There wasn’t the emphasis on youth that I expected. It looked like Brendan had decided to go pretty near full strength — strong enough to show that we intended to take care of this Carlisle team, strong enough that we would make a statement that we’re Liverpool and we take things seriously. That’s what I thought. It’s not what I saw, just what I thought.
I expected Bogdan. I got him. Fair enough. Good on the pens and all that. I expected Rossiter and Chirivella to start; both played well enough against Bordeaux to feel that they deserved a start in a lower profile competition than the Europa League.
They wouldn’t, after all, be playing a team that had just drawn with PSG, they’d be playing a team with the worst defensive record in the universe. Or something, I haven’t got the stats. If I were Rossiter, I would understand not getting on the pitch; the way the game unfolded it wouldn’t have been right. I’d possibly want to know how badly James Milner has to play before I get on though. If I were Chirivella? I’d want to know why I couldn’t get onto the bench. Surely the lad deserves that.
Expected Gomez. Started well this season, got a little exposed, taken out of the firing line. Surely this was the game to put him back in that line? Expected Ibe for exactly the same reason. Are these lads better than old fourth division standard? Of course they are, well better. So was that lad with the mad haircut for Carlisle in fairness, didn’t look fourth division. Whole team didn’t.
So I don’t know what Brendan was trying to achieve; play some of the lads that he needs to do the job in the league into something that looks like form? Didn’t work. Sweep away the opposition? Didn’t work. Build confidence? Get the crowd back on side? Did. Not. Work.
I was okay with the formation. The 3-4-3’s cool with me. I was even okay with it dropping to a five at the back when they broke. I get that. I’m okay with that. At times. I quite liked the fact that the three up front was (mostly) a quite flat three rotating those three across the line to take turns being central, being wide. I liked the fact that we were keeping the ball; Ings keeps the ball, Lallana keeps the ball, Allen keeps the ball.
Possession’s good, possession’s cool, I’ll have possession, the other lot don’t score when you’ve got all the possession. I liked the fact that a decent cross into the box gave us a decent header, gave us the lead. I like the fact that we went for a second. Appetite, I like appetite.
What I didn’t like then? We allow an attacker to charge through the middle of the park. Again. We stand off said attacker. Again. We concede. Again. Dejan Lovren is at the heart of the problem. A-bloody-gain. Wish the lad well and all that, hate seeing anyone stretchered off with the oxygen going but he was abject last night. Can’t stand his opponent up, can’t head at the back, can’t head at the front but we keep lumping it to him at corners. Truly terrible. We concede. And then our heads fall off for five minutes and only one team looks like scoring and it’s the team with the lad who looks like a cockerel in the number ten shirt.
What didn’t I like? The lack of speed, of incisiveness, of decision, of sense, of in-game intelligence, of thought. We have two things out there. One is receiving the ball and moving up the pitch so slowly that Carlisle can put every man behind that ball before we hit the halfway line so that they can watch us run round the edge of the box, turning and twisting and turning and twisting and passing and passing and passing and never actually achieving anything at all. And doing it again and again and again and again for two bloody hours.
The other thing is shooting. Shooting all the time. From miles away. Shooting wide and over and over and wide and straight at the keeper who we managed to not actually trouble once all night. Forty eight thousand shots on goal and we didn’t stretch a keeper who plays in the old fourth division once. Coutinho comes on and it appears that his instructions were: “You know that goal you scored, Phil? Do it again. Just keep going until it happens” and “See that Lewandowski lad last night? Five goals in nine minutes? How great would it be if you scored the same goal five times in one game?”
Hitting the same point in the Kop 15 times isn’t the same. I love Phil but I dearly wanted him to stop shooting and actually make something happen. Wanted anyone to make something happen.
Was there anything I liked then? Liked Emre Can, that’s his position. Doesn’t like it there? Keep using the word Beckenbauer at him until he’s convinced. Liked Joe Allen, thought he had a good game. Like Danny Ings. Love Danny Ings. Love Danny Ings more than is seemly for a 51-year-old heterosexual man but there you go.
Danny Ings has become the ‘us on the pitch’ that we need. There’s the passion, there’s the desire, there’s a lad who wants it, really wants it, who gets it. There’s a lad who’ll bleed for the shirt. On his arse after 70 minutes, like. Ran himself out. First name on the team sheet for me.
That’s one thing I know. The only thing I know. Everything else, I just suspect. I suspect that Brendan’s done. I suspect he doesn’t know where he’s going anymore. The fact that he didn’t put himself in front of the cameras last night — whether Gary Mac had been doing all the pre-match media or not, whether Gary had actually run the whole thing last night and it’s all actually down to him — Brendan should be putting himself in front of the cameras and talking about it. He’s the manager, it’s his responsibility. However it was set up, it’s his responsibility. Letting somebody else stand as the face of that game? Shameful that. Soz, Brendan, but there you go.
I don’t know what Liverpool Football Club is anymore. But there’s this as well; I don’t know who WE are anymore. That’s the we in the ground, the 40,000-ish. The die hards who are always there and the guys who got hold of tickets just for that game because there were some who didn’t ‘auto-cup’ the whole thing because, deep dow, they expected all that. I don’t know who that WE, this WE are. We’re split. We’re really split.
There were songs from the Kop, tons of songs to start. There was backing, there was hope and belief and support for the team. There was support for the pens. There was a brief rendition of ‘Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool’ and it sounded half way convincing as though there are some of us who still believe in him. Probably less this morning.
And there was booing. Too much booing. Any booing is too much but last night there was too much of too much. There was booing at the end of extra time. These lads are about to take penalties — IN FRONT OF THE OPPOSITION FANS — and we’re booing them? Really? This is advantageous in what way?
And there’s that whole ‘Who are yer?’ bollocks. Yes, you can claim that the Carlisle fans started it — as they did — and it was a reply but come on?
They’re Carlisle, they’re a small club coming to a big club and taking them to the wire, they get to do that. WE, US, we rise above that. We’re better than that. They’re Carlisle, these are as big as their days get. We’re Liverpool, we win European Cups. We used to win European Cups. And leagues. Seems so long ago now. The Suarez season seems so long ago, the glory feels like ancient history. We’re Liverpool, we exist to win things, we win European Cups. We used to win European Cups; that’s who we were.
Who are we now? Haven’t a clue. Don’t think anybody has. Maybe that’s my point.
Maybe the point is there isn’t a point anymore.
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Pic: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda Photo
Hi, Ian. Thanks for the article. Hope it helped. You sound as lost as I was after the game. Abject is also the word I used, too.
Here’s what cheered me up: Daniel Sturridge. He changes everything. With him, we look fluid and capable and sharp. Brendan has always made this work when Danny has played. Simple as. And he’s back. He’s rested for Saturday. He’s putting Villa to the sword and dammit he’s pulling us all out of this mess.
Last season we had no top class striker. With Benteke hurt and Sturridge gone, we had no top class striker yesterday. Ings is good and works hard, which is why we love him already. But he’s not top class.
Sturridge will play Saturday. He will be enough on Saturday. He will be enough to get us fourth if he can stay fit. Pray for his ligaments.
Cheers!
I dont agree with you here. First of all Sturridge always has fitness problem. One cannot just simply rely on him too much. He might play against villa and smash 10 goals or not Brendan had 2 transfer windows to address this. Even with all striker available I am not sure how he might stop the slide. The whole problem is we have 2 very out of form CB and no proper DM. This has made the team very nervous defensively and lost all confidence.
The magic word in your comment is ‘confidence’. If Sturridge smashes 10 goals in like Socalpizza (this name is short for something right? lol) said won’t that immensely build confidence? I’ll be far more confident as a player if that happen. With all the problems we have, BR needs to go all out.
I think part of the problem is that Rodgers asked for Sanchez or Bony and was given the choice of Balotelli or Eto’o. Kind of like asking for Costa and getting Aspas. Or asking for Willian and getting Victor Moses. Or asking for Salah or Konoplyanka and getting f-ck all.
Maybe if we had Bony, who scored more PL goals than anyone in the calendar year of 2014, instead of Balotelli – whom Rodgers categorically never fancied – we might be trying to figure out how to get out of our CL group stage this time.
Sturridge scored on his first 3 games (the first since Ray Kennedy), scored in 8 consecutive games, scored more goals in his first 50 games than Suarez, Torres, Dalglish, Rush, Fowler, Owen, Aldridge, etc.
Hard to believe there was a time when his dance used to annoy me.
And yet Rodgers didn’t want Sturridge, turned down the chance to sign him in 2012.
Well there’s a shitload of unsubstantiated rumour about who wanted which player and who sanctioned final buys, etc., but regardless there were plenty of big clubs not prepared to look at Sturridge in 2012 because of all the supposed ‘extra baggage’, which is why the player was still available to LFC a year later when we did buy him, after which he became the player he is today…playing under Rodgers.
Not sure this was a point-scoring comment on Rodgers vs. Transfer Committee. Sturridge and Coutinho (I’m guessing) are the rare committee successes and to be honest, I don’t think anyone saw these gambles paying off as much as they have.
The point is that our owners are not investing in the type of players we need to actually break into the top 4 and instead relying on bargains and gambles – which only seem to work about 10% of the time. Not only has Rodgers got to work with players he doesn’t necessarily want, but 90% of the time they turn out to be terrible.
Now rumour has it that this season Rodgers was actually given the players he wanted (the ones we could afford). And although we’ve played awfully, a lot of his new signings have actually been the highlights. Obviously though – a manager is more likely to work well with the players he wanted. Of course there will be exceptions on both sides. But I don’t want our transfer success rate to be based on diamonds in the rough and rare exceptions.
Play the damn percentages and give the manager (whether its Rodgers or not) what he wants.
Studge said it himself. He had the chance to move sooner, but Rodgers only wanted a one season loan.
As great a player as he his, he cannot be treated as our main striker. His injury record is shocking, and it goes all the way back to when he was a teenager. His team mates are also critical of him and they way he won’t play unless he feels in the mood. It’s no coincidence that when the going is good, he plays, but when he has to work for it, he’s out.
We’re shit now, you can but he pulls up within a month of starting and will be out for X weeks again.
Not sure I agree with this assessment of what is wrong with out team right now. I don’t think we have the world’s greatest defence by any stretch, but when you have 70 attempts on goal in 2 games against Carlisle and Norwich and only manage two goals, it’s clear we have problem that goes beyond any defensive frailties. You ought to be able to concede 1 goal against the likes of those two teams and it not cost you anything. Playing at the back in a team that just can’t score goals breeds a shitload of nervous anxiety that can lead to mistakes even amongst the best defences. The answer is to stop the problem at source: start feckin’ scoring.
the ‘Studge’ cheered me up as well mate.
Absolutely spot on there. Sturridge is very much the key to Rodgers’ career and our season here. He’s got it in him; you can see the spontaneity in our football the moment he’s playing up front. Remember him & coutinho are a deadly combo. However if sturridge cannot stay fit for long, I think Rodgers is just counting it down to the inevitable sack. He’s not been able to integrate that kind of spontaneity from any of the other purchases. That attacking nous upfront isn’t there in the squad. If sturridge isn’t fit, we should strictly go with the wingbacks solution of last year with ings up top. If required, pls bring back markovic in January :). Till then, fill up some confidence in Ibe and get him making more key passes and crosses. Or play some of the kids and get some fresh minds to play some unburdened free football.
Ian, I like this and yet I don’t. I hope you’re wrong. I hope in the not too distant future we can all think back on these pieces as an epic whinge that actually didn’t turn out to be in any way accurate. But you could be right.
I’d love if *somehow* we could just string some stuff together and then string some wins together and it then just clicks. It’d make all our lives so much easier. But it seems a bit of a stretch at the moment. And think about it: lfc is at an entirely unique juncture. No club, none, has anything like our extended or even our recent history (we nearly won the league 16 months ago!) and yet seems to be staring into the abyss, a chasm already peopled, happily enough, by loads of other clubs. We don’t want to be in amongst that, no offence.
We’re kind of hoping for a miracle…
I’d be content with being the “Sturridge and his back-up band” club for a while. No pressure lad, but start doing that wiggly arm thing. A lot. Soon.
With Sturridge in the side, Rodgers has a record of 41-15-12. With Suarez absent, but Sturridge in the side, Rodgers has a record of 19-4-5.
More of that sort of thing, please. Enough of that “walking through a storm” part. A bit more “sweet silver song” part. Thanks.
This is ace. Ian’s leapfrogged fatalism to grab free-will by the horns.
I’ve never been convinced by the concept. Ok, so that absolves me from any blame, but I also don’t take any credit for the few good deeds I have done either.
I’d start Ings in the Villa game. However, there is a pre-determinism in that decision which can be traced back to a butterfly farting in Ecuador, several hundred million years ago.
Great Article Ian
The whole situation is as depressing as I have ever known it,
So instead of talking about the football i have a crap poem for you
Enjoy
Our owners live in Boston and they dont give a fuck
They bought us for a pittance, now their turning a fast buck
They sell all our best players and replace them with shite
I wish they would just do one and fuck off into the night
Our expectations have been lowered and medicrity our new friend
Turgid football wins nothing but Brendans reign never seems to end
We have some good player that i think could come good
But watching them is painful so I am going to the pub
Thanks, Ian, for writing this literature piece, exactly how i am.feeling abt Reds.
totally unrelated~~~
(lots of wishes about Klopp and Ancellotti; but shall we also go through other alternatives;? jist to let our thoughts out to FSG, they might be thinking that US national team boss Klinsmann is the best):
be realistic pls~~
1. Martin O’Neill?
2. Any younger version of Arsene Wenger working in J League or K League or Aussie League or anywhere really.
3. King Kenny again till end of season and Carra as his assistant, to take over once the King steps down? (becaue i cant think of any other former greats or current British managers good enough for us)
Martin o’neil… What fucking planet are you on?
what drugs are you on suggesting O’neil! Things are desperate but not that desperate! Maybe Kenny but no to Carra who hasn’t even managed professionally before.
Carra doesn’t have his badges, he bailed out of coaching for an easier life as a pundit. You cannot be a top level manager without the paperwork in 2015, the rules changed a few years ago, and only a few rare exceptions (Whisky Nose) were made based on top level track records over many years.
Just look at the FIFA classes each year, most PL managers had to do them at the same time to comply with the rules.
ok. Carra has B license. But the main man is Kenny. Assistant manager or head coach can be carra/stevie G or current two assistants, or even some other players such as Hyppia.
(i mean, if BR goes, Kenny might be the only viable solution for immediate upturn in result this season. and he will bridge the transition for the new manager whoever the club appoint next season or season after that)
This sums up my thoughts 100% and yet the piece leaves so many unanswered questions – not least my frustration , my embarrassment but ultimately my passive apathy to where we are headed and that A word is something that sends shivers and shame through me- that is how much we have crashed and like the author my first LFC hero was Sir Roger
i really believe that Kenny/Carra team.can take us to top 4 this season easily, and possibly to title next year with a few minor additions in the summer.
I don’t think it’s brilliant either but last night the team is still missing 3 of its top 4 players in Henderson Sturridge and benteke. Equally Lucas was missing, sacko and mignolet. If for they would all play and hypothetically it will get better. Of course we should have won Sunday but created enough chances to do so. Many team would struggled without its best players. I still believe this team can start winning quite easily if people remain calm and get s little encouragement. I can’t say that with confidence but I do know the te would be far better with those players in it. Don’t get depressed Ian. It can only get better!
most positive comment I’ve read all week! Nice. I believe things will turn around as well, it’s a shame in this day and age most people want things to happen instantly without the patience. Fergie was in a similar situation 25-30 years (he turned it around from one win in the FA Cup) ago but it was OK back then as there was no social media and managers were given more time. Look what happen to him.
Ferguson wouldn’t get seven years of pissing up his kilt now. He would have been tinned as fast as Moyes
very positive comment. and agree fully. But FSG really needs to come out publicly and announce their full backing to BR, it will kill all speculations and let the manager and players focus on getting result (instead of unsettling feeling daily).
once that FSG position.is clear, our fans will also stop speculations (and possibly picking less on BR) and start focusing on SUPPORT through wind and rain (hope sunshine once in.a while too of course)
Coutinho was frustrating last night but I couldn’t help thinking really dark thoughts whilst watching him. I remembered Torres in the year before he went. I thought of Suarez at the end of 12/13 and I thought of Sterling sitting down to negotiate a contract just under a year ago when Liverpool were suffering a similar slump. They all got a feeling that they were wasting their time at Liverpool. That they weren’t playing in the top tier. Gerrard’s had it too in the past, but his is are different circumstances. I think it was Neil who made the point but regardless, I agree that he’s taking all the responsibility on himself. He feels he has to. What with Neymar’s comments, I can feel the curtain starting to come down. Forget the new contract. They’re only to protect the player but they mean even less at Liverpool because we know the deal they struck with Suarez. I think we need to act purely because we know that Sterling decided to go during our nightmare last season and a good run came nowhere close to making him change his mind. There’ll be no feel good factor under Rodgers this season, only unpleasantness and pressure. Coutinho is the more valuable to us. We need to think of him.
I’ll be honest, I’m surprised at the speed of the deterioration at the club. I think there were mitigating circumstances to last season, although I don’t think we did as well as we got with the few ingredients we did have. As we all know, things couldn’t have been better after the Arsenal game. Forget Bordeaux. it was flat but that’s not unusual with players playing together for the first time. It’s been 2 losses (1 away at Utd), a draw we did ok in and should have won and 1 League Cup win against a side playing the biggest game of their lives. Let’s not try and dress this up. It’s been awful. But the depths to which we’ve dropped, isn’t normally reflected by so few poor results. It was always gonna be this way though. The seeds were sown at Stoke. It was evident from the excitement when the fixture list was announced with Liverpool fans pointing out he’ll be gone by Christmas. Imagine how it will get if Everton beat us in the derby. You think this is bad? I honestly don’t think we can let it get that far for Phil’s sake.
Very eloquently put, Mr.Crimes.
Coutinho is no fool – he sees where this is currently heading and it ain’t rosy.
Always thought, post Suarez, we should build the side around him.
To ensure he stays, it may well be necessary to sacrifice the manager.
I’d resolved not to post on TAW again, and especially on the mater of the manager. But I would just like to say this (and I don’t think it has been posited before;-
IF WE HAD WON THE TITLE IN 2013-14, WE WOULD STILL HAVE LOST SUAREZ, WE WOULD STILL HAVE ENDURED LAST SEASON, WE WOULD STILL HAVE BOUGHT WHO WE DID, WE WOULD STILL BE 13th NOW, AND WE WOULD STILL HAVE JUST MANAGED TO BEAT CARLISLE ON PENALTIES!!
Tara.
Have no idea how you come about that logic to that conclusion but there you are.
caps lock bandit
Beautifully written, Ian. Authentic and genuine.
I only disagree with one small part — where you say toward the end: “WE, US, we rise above that. We’re better than that.”
We obviously are not.
This is what I said after we lost to ManU at the weekend. BR doesn’t know what he’s doing or where he’s going because this club has lost it’s way and is fast losing it’s identity.
We are no longer the club with the mystery mojo; with the kop that sings Beatles’ songs before kick off; with the heart of a lion that can face any club down in our own backyard; with the integrity to tell other clubs how to behave, with a manager who is the envy of the footballing world, and with a fan base that is unrivalled and respected everywhere.
I suspect the latter may still be true amongst older football fans but the rest is gone…
How we get those things back is anyone’s guess.
We won’t do it sacking managers left right and center though so give him the rest of the year.
Yeah, we seem to be more Boney M than Beatles these days. Says it all.
Yikes… as a supporter following from the states, I was genually excited when FSG bought the team. Of course, the Sox are an institution and FSG was able to take a team with an eighty year history of blowing it and through shrewd acquisitions, they were able to push them over the top. Honestly, I thought FSG could push LFC through a rebuilding phase, acquire assets, get younger, and build a franchise capable of becoming a juggernaut. Top players would see the model and LFC would be able to attract top talent to pair with young athleticism. Redesign the stadium. Add seats. Add revenue. Add new sonships. Build it and they will come… This is the model in America. This is what FSG envision. This is what IS not and WILL not work in the EPL. The model must be rethought. This display was not acceptable, even for a supporter half way around the world. My one solace is that I can see Stevie play on a Saturday night and for at least that night, everything will be okay.
As soon as you used the word franchise I stopped reading.
:) give Sooner a break. at least he didnt write ‘check/cheque’.
It’s those kind of comments that really welcome an international fanbase. Well done lad.
Fair enough, but isn’t that the issue? FSG see this as a business enterprise. They see this as an asset that can appreciate in value. An asset that can eventually be sold. As supporters, we want to tell them to go fuck themselves for that point of view, and we would be right, but they own the team and we don’t. FSG believe they’ve purchased a brand, not a club.
We’ll continue to fade into obscurity until FSG go. They put profit above football. And even if they did decide to give it a proper go on the football side, they don’t know anything about the game so won’t know who to appoint.
Yes, the future ain’t what it used to be, to quote old Yogi, but maybe now we just have to be thankful for small mercies. I too was disappointed that the young’uns did not get to play but Brendan is lashing shit at the wall in order to hold on. The team just looked confused to me, the tactics over egged and I wonder what, if anything the new assistants are bringing to the table. In the thursday question time it was asked if you could be a fly on the wall at a half time team talk, which?
How about the last game? Ask yourself, how is it that the minute an aspiring player lands at Melwood they suddenly look like zombies? Today’s head scratcher is Aspas, enter here any purchase you care to mention. I can’t believe I am beginning to miss Jonjo, even Jay Spearing for all his inadequacies put a shift in. Rossiter was a breath of fresh air in Bordeaux but instead we see a toiling Milner (again) who, I am sure will be an asset once he is told it is not all down to him. I don’t wish to jump on the bash Brendan’s lifestyle bandwagon, but apparently he owns fifty two houses, about the same number of players we seemed to have bought since his arrival. Talk about spinning too many plates. I can almost hear the crashing crockery.
during MU game i was thinking the same… players like Spearing, Shelvy, Bellamy would have got us a draw at least. Even a guy like Erik Meijer would have spill blood for the shirt in such fixture.
He owns 102 houses but it doesn’t affect his football as his business partner runs the property portfolio for him. He will have around 52 once his divorce settlement is finalised. Irrelevant to football though, as you insinuate.
Well, one thing is for certain. This season’s performance just to goes to show how right all the Gerrard slaggers were about him dragging the team down last year. We look so much more vibrant and dynamic without him, don’t we?
It’s Henderson we miss. I think that’s clear to anyone. Was last season too in the games he missed. There’s a direct correlation.
Oh do shut up. His legs were gone. He wanted a new fat contract and to be a core player. Get over it, Rafa would have sold him long ago, as would Ged, Evans, Fagan and Paisley. Kenny wouldn’t have, it was his blind eye for ageing players that set the initial rot.
The fact we still suffer with a clueless manager is the singular reason we’re in this mess. Rodgers has no clue what to do any longer. He’s just introduced a shoot on site policy, which has no fucking chance of working at this level. He’s floundering from one mess to the next.
The media are loving it. They’ll want Rodger around for as long as possible, even roping in ex-players that can’t stand the club, but they’ll back Rodgers.
Rodgers is our Moyes. Unlike the Mancs, our owners don’t give a shit. They’re still raking in TV money.
Got to say, I agree. We’re in enough of a mess as it is without bringing this up yet again. The squad we have is good enough to beat Norwich and Carlisle at Anfield. Nothing to do with Gerrard. He was wank last season.
The squad we had last season was good enough to beat Aston Villa, but we didn’t. My point here is only that the most simplistic answers- Gerrard’s legs, Hendo’s availability, Rodgers being Rodgers- are usually bullshit. Especially when there is a ton of evidence out there that contradicts.
And he’s now arguing that Brendan’s naivety against Chelsea cost us the title rather than his slip at 0-0. Priceless.
Haha. We were shit last season because of Gerrard, and now he’s gone we’re shit because of Rodgers? Nice work there, lad. All bases covered.
Yes, the answer is a 35 year old who can’t run anymore….
No, this season shows up all those who defended Rodgers so much last season. Rodgers has performed in the exact same manner this season as he did last, leading to Ian’s despair.
Pity some of these people have tucked tail and barely posted on here this year. Would have been nice for such persons admit they were wrong and not resort to poting rarely then outright sillyness regarding a clearly finished club legend when they do post.
It feels liberating to jump ship. One thing I would say was it would have been wrong to sack him at anytime last season (except the end of it). We can’t sack managers everytime they have a poor spell or we’ll have one every 18 months. That will set us back as much as having Rodgers.
Michael – If Klopp and Ancelotti were out the question for various reasons. Would you sack Rodgers this week if you were the owners. Who would you be looking at? I’d be happy if they did but I’ve no idea who would take over.
Wouldn’t sack the manager this week unless we had someone else lined up. Outside those 2 managers mentioned Frank de Boer has been sounded out previously. Not sure about him. Has a great domestic record at Ajax but poor in Europe. Perhaps at a club with better resources he’d be better overall.
I’m sure he’s a good manager but it doesn’t give me any additional confidence over Rodgers tbh.
if and only if BR goes, the immediate impact will ve from Kenny to take over in transition. keep the gloomy face assistant manager and GaryMc to give continuity. Kenny will take us to top 4 with rhe cureent team, easily. the players know and respect him. fans will respect him. He knows the players, he knows the opposition. most importantly for transition, he does not need any bedding in period and he will give us instant upswing.
will he ve the long term solution or just for the transition, it is another topic to agree and disagree.
Well, it is an interesting idea but somehow, I can’t see that happening. My view is it wouldn’t be the correct answer either way at this particular time or ever tbh.
Way to miss the point and no one is arguing for a return of Gerrard. It’s clear you blame Rodgers both for last season and this season, but more than that seem to be able to distinguish between players you don’t want in the team who are shit in spite of Rodgers, and those you do who are only shit because of Rodgers. Great work fella.
seems a lot of fans are pinning their hopes on sturridge.. if thats the case we are well and truly fucked!!
A tangent, but I’ve just read another headline taken from Gerrard’s book detailing how he felt Rodgers was overconfident in the title run-in. Once again, what the fuck were you thinking Stevie?
Yep. Nothing to do with his slipping on his arse. Really with friends like Stevie…..
It’s at times like these that we should be rallying around the manager and players.
Are we really helping things in the ground with our angst and anger towards players and the manager?
When the team’s confidence is shot to bits (regardless of who is to blame) shouldn’t we be doing all we can to increase confidence and support the team?
Wave our flags. Belt out Fields of Anfield Road with all our heart. Show the team when we sing YNWA we really mean it. Maybe, just maybe it’ll give the team a lift and we’ll see something special happen. If not I’m sure natural selection will run it’s course – but at least we know we tried, we cared, we did our bit.
i am with you, Stuart. thats why i kept emphasizing that FSG should come out with the strong statement of backing to BR at a time.like this. that will clear up the nay sayers in press and among us. and wil start to.focus on SUPPORT again. cheers. hope someone with twitter or direct line with FSG would suggest this asap.
Hard to argue with this really. How can you talk about identity with stats like these:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/11888345/The-stats-that-damn-Brendan-Rodgers-work-at-Liverpool.html
I’m afraid I’ve crossed over to the dark side. It wasn’t the Stoke game for me (though I’d have been happy had club and manager parted ways then) but the United game. When you’re rendered apathetic by defeat to United, you know its time for a change. Still, we’ll always have 2013/14 and I’ll always be grateful for that. He’s tried his best, it isn’t working out, it could be the weight of the suit, incompetence/intransigence or the impossibility of working with the FSG model. Let him go with some dignity.
Stevie stirring the shit again. Whatever the outcome, Brendan will not suffer financially and in this ridiculous era of revolving managers will probably end up with a job, and another contract in sunny Spain. I had a nightmare of a thought involving Klinsman yesterday when someone wondered who was “advising” FSG. Brendan is fast becoming the target of every media talking head, and but for McLaren would be under even more scrutiny. However, he does not seem to help himself having read his last comments. Jim Boardman gave the definitive “thumbs down” when interviewed on talksport, and asked whether Brendan should be fired. We also have to suffer the opinions of countless ex footie players, managers and even past directors of clubs that have achieved nothing, all given the chance to voice their subtle character assassination of our manager. For some strange reason, I am hoping for a resounding thrashing of Villa tomorrow, a bag full of goals and for a comedic post match show featuring Rodgers and Sherwood. The Abbott and Costello of football. I am beginning to think I need therapy regarding why I give a fuck about these egotistical overpaid knobs and I am feeling guilty of slowing down to rubberneck this car crash of a season. Where will it all end? Hopefully with us all realising it is a mugs game, and yes, we are the mugs. But, as the tee shirt says, “it’s only sausage rolls but I like it.’
Jim Boardman’s nothing to do with us by the way.
Eh? He was, wasn’t he?
Robin C, no insinuation meant by my remark regarding BR and his houses etc. I am sure he has effective people looking after his finances. However, divorce is considered one of the biggest causes of stress in life, and I haver never met anyone who has not been profoundly effected by the breakup of a relationship, especially one involving a lifetime raising children and investing together. I feel sorry for the poor sod, I really hope he turns it around and rises like the proverbial Phoenix, but he doesn’t do himself many favours does he? I recall Keegan’s many meltdowns, which only served to prove his passion for the game and especially his supporters. Brendan can make heartfelt apologies to the fans, then do exactly what they abhore, one up front, Lovren, players out of position etc etc. We are regarded as knowledgable supporters, and your imput as well as others here on the wrap prove that. Brendan is in a world of hurt now, but again I would love to see him succeed but bloody hell, he can be a sanctimonious dick at times.
You may have misunderstood ‘as you insinuate’. It was meant to back up your point about mentioning it but not jumping on the bandwagon of his personal life.
Anyway, I still hope he can turn it around. Can’t see it though tbh. He seems to have lost his way which is hardly surprising given the pressure he’s under in his job and possibly, as you say, his other issues. And yeah, he doesn’t help himself sometimes.
This was coming years ago…the second FSG walked in….no one did a thing… sheep like fans said “YNWA” and dismissed those who hated FSG from the office as “plastics”….fuck them and fuck FSG.
Cheers Robin, appreciate your thoughts as always.