QPR vs Liverpool. Sunday 30th December. Kick Off 4pm GMT

Rodgers to miss QPR clash

Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh will deputise for manager Brendan Rodgers in the technical area at Loftus Road today, after three members of the travelling party were struck down with illness.

The Reds boss has been sent home from London ahead of the Barclays Premier League game against QPR on doctor's orders after succumbing to a bug that has made it impossible for him to be in close proximity with the players.

Glen Driscoll, LFC's head of performance, and goalkeeper Brad Jones have also been sent home by the club's medical team.

Club doctor Zaf Iqbal said: "It was impossible for Brendan, Glen and Brad to attend the game. They are not fit to be at the match and any contact with the rest if the squad could cause the bug to spread to more of the playing staff."

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/rodgers-to-miss-qpr-clash

Get well soon boss.

Mental - well, this will change everything!

We support the club in all times. Unfortunately these days, there are not many good times, and haven't been for years. Fans are therefore entitled to air their view on what's going on. Supporting the club every week doesn't mean you should readily accept mediocrity.

Yes, but there is airing your views and there is waiting to but the boot in. I think a lot of fans will be sat at home waiting with baited breath to lay into us big time should we lose today...

^^^ Just seen that on Twitter, hope Brendan gets better soon, we'll see how we get on today without him eh 

It will be interesting regardless of the result to see what people make of his absence.

Colin and Mike are top coaches, they'll get the lads ready for this.

Just hope the rest of the lads are ok.

It will be interesting regardless of the result to see what people make of his absence.

Colin and Mike are top coaches, they'll get the lads ready for this.

Just hope the rest of the lads are ok.

If they make anything other than him being ill I'd be surprised mate, there is an epidemic of a nasty virus going round that's keeping you coughing for over a month. Everyone seems to have it and it's extremely contagious, I'd bet he's got that.

Get well soon Brendan.

It will be interesting regardless of the result to see what people make of his absence.

Colin and Mike are top coaches, they'll get the lads ready for this.

Just hope the rest of the lads are ok.

Brad Jones has been sent home too, yeah, were in good hands, can you imagine what people will say if we give QPR a battering ??
"We can do it without Rodgers" 

Yes, but there is airing your views and there is waiting to but the boot in. I think a lot of fans will be sat at home waiting with baited breath to lay into us big time should we lose today...

If people are (as you suggest) sitting getting excited about being able to criticise BR if LFC lose then they're not good reds.

However...

If we are as poor as against Stoke and Villa then people are entitled to criticise and that's a whole different matter.

Must have got the shits.

Not the only one shitting it about this game, mind.

just when you think you have heard and seen everything along comes this.
Has a Liverpool manager ever missed a game due to illness?(other than Gerrard) Hope hes got a sick note.No doubt the press will make a big deal of it. Poor Brendan can't win today can he no matter what the result he will get it in the neck.
Get well soon Bren.

I'm not disputing that time mate - the truth is I don't know without checking but... Genuine question: where does the 'extra' half-hour come from? Surely time zones are set in hours not half hours; is there something I'm missing?

Edit: I've just checked - still don't know why but India is 5.5 hours ahead - you learn something new every day. 

If you think that's strange Nepal is 5.75 hours ahead

On topic, get well soon boss.

just when you think you have heard and seen everything along comes this.
Has a Liverpool manager ever missed a game due to illness?(other than Gerrard) Hope hes got a sick note.No doubt the press will make a big deal of it. Poor Brendan can't win today can he no matter what the result he will get it in the neck.
Get well soon Bren.

To be fair if its the noro virus - then they are saying try to quarantine to reduce infection as much as possible. Me and the young 'un had it week before Xmas and surgery basically said use one toilet and leave on for wife and the big lad.

It's brutal like.

If they make anything other than him being ill I'd be surprised mate, there is an epidemic of a nasty virus going round that's keeping you coughing for over a month. Everyone seems to have it and it's extremely contagious, I'd bet he's got that.

Get well soon Brendan.

Didn't mean it like that mate. I'm more worried about the ongoing tactics debate and how this will spin it.

Sounds like the same thing my brother has, very bad dose by the sounds of it.

Brad Jones has been sent home too, yeah, were in good hands, can you imagine what people will say if we give QPR a battering ??
"We can do it without Rodgers" 

Exactly, and if we lose it'll be because he didn't give the coaches enough tactical freedom.

Gutted for Brad too, will Gulasci be on the bench or is Doni back?

To be fair if its the noro virus - then they are saying try to quarantine to reduce infection as much as possible. Me and the young 'un had it week before Xmas and surgery basically said use one toilet and leave on for wife and the big lad.

It's brutal like.

shitting through the eye of a needle isnt fun is it.

I'm not disputing that time mate - the truth is I don't know without checking but... Genuine question: where does the 'extra' half-hour come from? Surely time zones are set in hours not half hours; is there something I'm missing?

Edit: I've just checked - still don't know why but India is 5.5 hours ahead - you learn something new every day. 

Many countries are ahead/behind GMT in multiples of half hours mate.


Really excited for the match. Going for a 2-0 win- Suarez and Gerrard.

just when you think you have heard and seen everything along comes this.
Has a Liverpool manager ever missed a game due to illness?(other than Gerrard) Hope hes got a sick note.No doubt the press will make a big deal of it. Poor Brendan can't win today can he no matter what the result he will get it in the neck.
Get well soon Bren.

Doctors orders, they don't want it spreading to the rest of the playing and coaching staff mate.

The media will have a field day with it no doubt, only a win will shut them up!

I got a laugh out of this on Twitter;

Kristian Walsh ‏@Kristian_Walsh
I'd give Jamie Carragher a club suit and tell him to have a blast for 90 minutes.

Without being disrespectful to Mike Marsh and Colin Pascoe, I'm sure Brendan has his team set up the way he wants and his team plan set out. It's up to the players to play to this plan. It's only if, and hopefully not, something goes wrong that the 2 lads will be called upon.

Without being disrespectful to Mike Marsh and Colin Pascoe, I'm sure Brendan has his team set up the way he wants and his team plan set out. It's up to the players to play to this plan. It's only if, and hopefully not, something goes wrong that the 2 lads will be called upon.

Definitely, but that team will have been decided with consultation from Pascoe and Marsh so it should be a seamless transition for the lads to take over for this.

I reckon the lads are well briefed on what to do if anything goes wrong. They'll more than likely be on the phone for the match anyway?

I got a laugh out of this on Twitter;

Kristian Walsh ‏@Kristian_Walsh
I'd give Jamie Carragher a club suit and tell him to have a blast for 90 minutes.

Reading that actually just made me laugh!

Looks like it is time to see what Colin Pascoe can do as a manager for the day.

Dani Lawrence, girlfriend of Liverpool keeper Brad Jones who misses out today through illness, tweets: "Norovirus causing havoc in London today!"


Great I've been in London all day for the past two days. If I've caught it I'll be pissed.

Bad luck for the boss but the team will be set up ready for the game.

Just need the coaches to make the right changes when needed during the game.

No Suso, no Shelvey please.

I'd go with:

Reina

Glen
Skrtel
Agger
Enrique

Lucas
Allen
Gerrard

Cole
Suarez
Downing

Good luck lads.

Noro virus, sounds like something out of 27 days later, the walking dead, resident evil.

The end is nigh.

Apparently Henderson will start? If so I expect we're looking to play at pace and press them high when out of possession, basically put the shits up them (sorry Brendan) early on?