Development

I've taken some time to think about development at the club, and how some of our players have come along since Brendan took over:

Sakho (24): Much improved recently in my opinion. No longer as nervous when I see him in the starting 11.
Coutinho (22): Came in with a lot of raw talent, and now it's turning into class. If he keeps improving at the rate he has been then that'll turn to world class.
Henderson (24): Ten times the player he was under Kenny. Looking worth every penny of his 16million transfer. Future captain.
Can (20): Getting better with every performance, already showing great potential, only 20!
Markovic (20): Glimmers of promise, I can see the same raw talent Coutinho showed at 20 in him.
Sterling (20): Boy to man. Still leaning. If he keeps going he'll be world class by 22.
Sturridge (25): Won't be around forever. Really hope he catches a break with injuries. Already developed into a world class talent by Brendan.

Look overall I'm saying... Even though it sounds cliche, lets think long-term here. Let's look at the job Brendan has done with some of these raw talents. Have there been errors, 100% however he seems to be getting rid of 'deadwood' quickly. Since Rogers took over we've sold:

Aquilani
Downing
Adam
Cole
Carroll
Shelvey
Spearing
Downing
Morgan
Kelly

Now I do regret seeing Agger, Reina and Suarez go. However it's clear that MOST of what we've got is far better than what we 'had'.

Wanted to get some thoughts on a positive thinking stance I think some fans could use a good dose of  YNWA.

These are better players and can only get better which is encouraging.

But it's still the method of recruitment that frustrates me a great deal - and this is neither Rodgers and Dalglish's problem.

The major issue is an incredibly flawed recruitment process - started off with Commolli, and now continues with Fallows and Edwards. What I am talking about is this bizarre obsession with statistics which they think is the best indication of buying players. It was so flawed because Downing was bought on the basis he had the same assists as Silva or something like that I think. I cannot remember the name of the program by which Edwards and Fallows use, but it has been disproved by other managers at clubs who similarly used the same strategy - it would be great if somebody could post info on that matter. Besides, many of the abilities for a player cannot be measured using a computer (first touch, ball control).

From what I gather, FSG like to have a recruitment based on this, considering they hired Commolli, and then Edwards and Fallows. It failed with Commolli, it is failing with Edwards and Fallows. Tottenham are the other club I know who use this similar stat based program - worked out tremendously for them didn't it?

There is no better way of recruitment than simply having a widespread scouting team and studying the ability of a player by eye. Newcastle - despite their troubles - have shown this successfully with top scout Graham Carr, Arsenal had Gilles Grimandi, and even United with Martin Ferguson, along with the top top Southampton scouts. Computers have failed the club, and I wonder why FSG persist in a failing strategy.

There is a reason why the old fashioned method of scouting hasn't gone out of fashion - because it works. Fallows and Edwards, like Commolli, will be primarily to blame for the clubs failure in progress. Of course, the manager has a say - I'm sure Brendan gets many targets like Dalglish's wanted a team of top British talent, but the manager is not getting the vital and important feedback he needs from his recruitment team.

In addition to questionable signings that don't seem like the managers choice, the manager isn't getting the info he needs on the players he wants. And it's all thanks to a flawed strategy from a useless recruitment team which looks even more arrogant as the failings continue.

he needs help in his coaching staff for me... there’s an open thread in the forum maybe highlighting a problem with the goalkeeping coach and IMO opinion we are in desperate need of a defensive coach...

Maybe if that were done, development could be all over the park as appose to the forward positions, where the development has been excellent

he needs help in his coaching staff for me... there’s an open thread in the forum maybe highlighting a problem with the goalkeeping coach and IMO opinion we are in desperate need of a defensive coach...

Maybe if that were done, development could be all over the park as appose to the forward positions, where the development has been excellent

I hear this all the time but which teams have a defensive coach? There is no such thing!
It's basically how do you transition from defence to attack and vice versa.

Our problem is the transition from attack to defence leaving our defence exposed, that has been chortled to dome extent with Rodgers finally realising the futility if playing Gerrard as DM.

Individual defensive errors now are our biggest problem, not sure how you Cisco those.

I hear this all the time but which teams have a defensive coach? There is no such thing!
It's basically how do you transition from defence to attack and vice versa.

Our problem is the transition from attack to defence leaving our defence exposed, that has been chortled to dome extent with Rodgers finally realising the futility if playing Gerrard as DM.

Individual defensive errors now are our biggest problem, not sure how you Cisco those.

Of course they exist!!! so I respectively disagree...

If BR needs help dealing with the transition from attack to defence... then a more defensive minded coach could assist him with that!

Of course they exist!!! and i respectivaly disagree...

Can you name one team who has a specialist defensive coach mate?

And I'm talking football here and not the NFL.

If you can I'll hold my hands up but I'm not sure there is and as I've always said if people think we need a defensive coach then they possibly think we need a new manager altogether as the current manager is the coach at our club and the football we play is how he wants it to be played.

I hear this all the time but which teams have a defensive coach? There is no such thing!
It's basically how do you transition from defence to attack and vice versa.

Our problem is the transition from attack to defence leaving our defence exposed, that has been chortled to dome extent with Rodgers finally realising the futility if playing Gerrard as DM.

Individual defensive errors now are our biggest problem, not sure how you Cisco those.

Completely agree.

The reason we don't have Steve Clarke is because his methods don't adhere to Rodgers. Rodgers - preferably when suited - wants his defenders to play high, as opposed to Clarke whose coaching method is a bit more deep.

Granted, we need coaches who are adept at defensive issues like set pieces - which puts greater scrutiny on what back from staff like Pascoe and co are up to.

I've taken some time to think about development at the club, and how some of our players have come along since Brendan took over:

Sakho (24): Much improved recently in my opinion. No longer as nervous when I see him in the starting 11.
Coutinho (22): Came in with a lot of raw talent, and now it's turning into class. If he keeps improving at the rate he has been then that'll turn to world class.
Henderson (24): Ten times the player he was under Kenny. Looking worth every penny of his 16million transfer. Future captain.
Can (20): Getting better with every performance, already showing great potential, only 20!
Markovic (20): Glimmers of promise, I can see the same raw talent Coutinho showed at 20 in him.
Sterling (20): Boy to man. Still leaning. If he keeps going he'll be world class by 22.
Sturridge (25): Won't be around forever. Really hope he catches a break with injuries. Already developed into a world class talent by Brendan.

Look overall I'm saying... Even though it sounds cliche, lets think long-term here. Let's look at the job Brendan has done with some of these raw talents. Have there been errors, 100% however he seems to be getting rid of 'deadwood' quickly. Since Rogers took over we've sold:

Aquilani
Downing
Adam
Cole
Carroll
Shelvey
Spearing
Downing
Morgan
Kelly

Now I do regret seeing Agger, Reina and Suarez go. However it's clear that MOST of what we've got is far better than what we 'had'.

Wanted to get some thoughts on a positive thinking stance I think some fans could use a good dose of  YNWA.

Ahhhhh, old Stewie Downing, so bad you named him twice haha!

I've taken some time to think about development at the club, and how some of our players have come along since Brendan took over:

Sakho (24): Much improved recently in my opinion. No longer as nervous when I see him in the starting 11.
Coutinho (22): Came in with a lot of raw talent, and now it's turning into class. If he keeps improving at the rate he has been then that'll turn to world class.
Henderson (24): Ten times the player he was under Kenny. Looking worth every penny of his 16million transfer. Future captain.
Can (20): Getting better with every performance, already showing great potential, only 20!
Markovic (20): Glimmers of promise, I can see the same raw talent Coutinho showed at 20 in him.
Sterling (20): Boy to man. Still leaning. If he keeps going he'll be world class by 22.
Sturridge (25): Won't be around forever. Really hope he catches a break with injuries. Already developed into a world class talent by Brendan.

Look overall I'm saying... Even though it sounds cliche, lets think long-term here. Let's look at the job Brendan has done with some of these raw talents. Have there been errors, 100% however he seems to be getting rid of 'deadwood' quickly. Since Rogers took over we've sold:

Aquilani
Downing
Adam
Cole
Carroll
Shelvey
Spearing
Downing
Morgan
Kelly

Now I do regret seeing Agger, Reina and Suarez go. However it's clear that MOST of what we've got is far better than what we 'had'.

Wanted to get some thoughts on a positive thinking stance I think some fans could use a good dose of  YNWA.

I agree with you, although I would like to have seen more of Aquilani, in the games he did play in he did well. Maybe Shelvey was sold too cheaply, and Kelly I definitely would have kept.

Can you name one team who has a specialist defensive coach mate?

And I'm talking football here and not the NFL.

If you can I'll hold my hands up but I'm not sure there is and as I've always said if people think we need a defensive coach then they possibly think we need a new manager altogether as the current manager is the coach at our club and the football we play is how he wants it to be played.

There are forward coaches - Teddy Sheringham at west ham - so there must be specific Defensive coaches...

*crosses fingers and clicks on to google

didnt Commoli also get us Suarez? theres always a silver lining. Anyways

We weren't getting value for money with Reina and Agger tbh.

Agger would have still been a squad player and Reina was not performing well. They were both on 100+k a week. Nobody would have predicted Migs confidence would have dropped so badly or that one of the defenders of the season last season would also not perform right away. But they could still come good with time.

didnt Commoli also get us Suarez? theres always a silver lining. Anyways

We weren't getting value for money with Reina and Agger tbh.

Agger would have still been a squad player and Reina was not performing well. They were both on 100+k a week. Nobody would have predicted Migs confidence would have dropped so badly or that one of the defenders of the season last season would also not perform right away. But they could still come good with time.

True! Maybe I'm a bit harsh on him but his targets were largely misses, but there were quite a few hits such as Bale and Modric at Spurs, including Suarez here. But he often overspent - remember that Pavlyuchencko guy, and of course Carroll. But its arguable that Fallows and Edwards are much much worse.

Ahhhhh, old Stewie Downing, so bad you named him twice haha!

I've taken some time to think about development at the club, and how some of our players have come along since Brendan took over:

Sakho (24): Much improved recently in my opinion. No longer as nervous when I see him in the starting 11.
Coutinho (22): Came in with a lot of raw talent, and now it's turning into class. If he keeps improving at the rate he has been then that'll turn to world class.
Henderson (24): Ten times the player he was under Kenny. Looking worth every penny of his 16million transfer. Future captain.
Can (20): Getting better with every performance, already showing great potential, only 20!
Markovic (20): Glimmers of promise, I can see the same raw talent Coutinho showed at 20 in him.
Sterling (20): Boy to man. Still leaning. If he keeps going he'll be world class by 22.
Sturridge (25): Won't be around forever. Really hope he catches a break with injuries. Already developed into a world class talent by Brendan.

Look overall I'm saying... Even though it sounds cliche, lets think long-term here. Let's look at the job Brendan has done with some of these raw talents. Have there been errors, 100% however he seems to be getting rid of 'deadwood' quickly. Since Rogers took over we've sold:

Aquilani
Downing
Adam
Cole
Carroll
Shelvey
Spearing
Downing
Morgan
Kelly

Now I do regret seeing Agger, Reina and Suarez go. However it's clear that MOST of what we've got is far better than what we 'had'.

Wanted to get some thoughts on a positive thinking stance I think some fans could use a good dose of  YNWA.

Brilliant assessment, I wouldn't say Henderson is ten times better, 2x yes maybe. He is mostly about work rate and fitness which he always had playing in a weird position. He's added some nice passes to his game. like the guy a lot but lets not get carried away.

There's a difference between a player being better than he was and being good enough for our ambitions. Not all those players you listed fall in to the latter's category. Regardless of how well players bought are doing, our recruitment is an utter shambles. We simply do not buy good enough players and are continuing to make the mistake of over paying for players. We spent over £120 million in the Summer and not one of our players bought is anywhere near the price paid.

We spent over £120 million in the Summer and not one of our players bought is anywhere near the price paid.

Emre Can 10 Million
Alberto Moreno 12 Million
Manquillo  5 Million
Lambert 4 Million



I don't see those players being overpriced.

There's a difference between a player being better than he was and being good enough for our ambitions. Not all those players you listed fall in to the latter's category. Regardless of how well players bought are doing, our recruitment is an utter shambles. We simply do not buy good enough players and are continuing to make the mistake of over paying for players. We spent over £120 million in the Summer and not one of our players bought is anywhere near the price paid.

I think Lallana and Lovren will prove to be worth it eventually. Its easy to write them off now when the form is bad but when they came in nobody would argue with the quality.

I think its clear we're willing to pay 20-25 million for a quality player as long as to begin with their wages are at the lower end of the scale.

But i think where we're at we are looking for quality bargins. I believe they are out there! But our scouts / committee just aren't finding them

Brilliant assessment, I wouldn't say Henderson is ten times better, 2x yes maybe. He is mostly about work rate and fitness which he always had playing in a weird position. He's added some nice passes to his game. like the guy a lot but lets not get carried away.

Colloquialism mate