Brendan Rodgers (Liverpool -> Celtic -> Leicester)

Got to say i cannot recall any other managers having fans calling for a stay of execution, based on the chance , to give their backroom staff a chance to bed in.

Just when will it be time for Rodgers ,  and Rodgers alone,  to be blamed for what we witness?

HE is the MANAGER. The single most frustrating trait he has IMO, is repeating the same mistakes over and over.

I honestly cannot remember a manager changing formations , during games , as much as this fella. He has all week to work with the players on the game ahead. All week to assess the opposition yet, it all gets torn up on the day. These are the basics of football management .

Also the 4-3-3 formation does not work .It isolates players all over the pitch, and playing a holding midfielder at home to WEST HAM?

Hard to disagree with any of that

I'm just trying to look for silver linings and all that.

Exactly what i feared and what i've said since losing 3-0 at Old Trafford, that was the time where we could have saved our season by sacking him, and not wasting another 2 years with him at the helm. It's clear as day that he is not ready for a top club, not ready to manage top players, not ready to manage crucial moments in a team's season, you name it. He is a decent manager, suited for a mid-table team like Stoke or West Ham, in no case he is the one to take forward a big club as ours, there are numerous examples of his weird decisions and tactical mistakes that ultimately lead to us not being capable to perform in crucial games (see the FA Cup semifinal, the title-deciding game against Chelsea or against Man Utd at Anfield last season).

He was given enough time and money to build a team that can compete on all levels, the only manager to receive that sort of backing since i can remember, and he failed miserably, with us struggling past the likes of Ludogorets, Besiktas or Basel, let alone top 4 sides.

His signings are abysmal, and him constantly alienating players by playing them in a system that doesn't works or out of position. Not to mention that he lied to us numerous times in his interviews, making our club a laughing stock. Saying he'll play only those who are in top form, but constantly picking liabilities such as Lovren and Lallana who time and time again have buried us.

Don't fool yourselves, this season we produced only 45 minutes of good football, we were lucky against Bournemouth of all sides, even though we played abysmal football, at Stoke we were bailed by a golazo from Coutinho and at Arsenal, again refs helped us with the dissalowed goal. Why we couldn't mantain the rythim from the first half, and turned into a mediocre side in the 2nd is another thing to be looked at.

The problem also resides with the owners who are proving time and time again that they don't have any notion about football, even from a financial point of view. You're investing over 100 mil on players you either send on loan or sell on much lower fees, how do they think they'll recoup the money invested in them ? Wouldn't be a much better solution signing 1 world-class player with a bigger wage, than wasting the same money on 3 piss-poor players who would waste your money and will not help the team. With a world-class player you have more chances of securing top 4 football and in this way attract more money into the club and also more top players would be willing to join you.

The time for changing the gaffer is long overdue, and by backing the current one we're just prolonging the agony our club is in.

Another post I find difficult to argue with

Again, silver linings and all that (for me at least)

The time for changing the gaffer is not four games in to a season. That Ship has sailed and like him or not, we have to wait until next Summer before we see change. That gives him the chance to prove his doubters wrong (his detractors like you will never be convinced even if he wins the league). The onus is on him to prove he can learn from past mistakes, put aside his pride and do what's best for the club when it comes to player selection. The last thing we need as a club is vitriol from the stands each and every match. For better or for worse, he's our manager for the season, we need to publicly get behind him and the team, even if in private we feel otherwise.

So, we turned from the greatest club in the country into a learning school for managers ? We have to wait until next Summer no matter how poor we're going to perform ? Are you having a laugh ? So low into mediocrity have we descended ?

He proved time and time again that he doesn't learn from his mistakes at all, on the contrary, he keeps making the same mistakes again and again. Our defence is a shambles for the past 2 years and he didn't improved it at all. Besides he signed Lovren and sold Agger, with the croatian being nothing but a downgrade to Agger, and he keeps playing him even if we have a better solution in Sakho (even Toure or Can would do a better job),  it's really mindboggling to say the least.

It's been also 2 years since we need a strong DM in the Mascherano mold, but we're never interested in signing one, it's pretty obvious our midfield is soft and when under pressure from opposition we crumble really fast.

Many of that 75% were willing to give him a chance to prove us wrong.

I doubt that very much Si.

Yes, many might have said they were "willing to give him a chance" but I doubt many actually meant it - let's be honest here buddy: if one genuinely wants to give someone a chance they a) forget past mistakes made and start from ground zero and... b) they at least wait until a wider picture emerges. [West Ham just might turn out to be a blip or maybe even a team which excels away from home; a surprise package - they did stuff the gunners after all].

Four games in - Crystal Palace sit 2nd; Leicester 3rd and Swansea 4th FFS - I would hope no-one is going to suggest any or all of them are genuine 'contenders'.

So... Is a railing against him, after one defeat (as pish as it was), really giving him a chance? Nah not in my opinion but each to their own.

I doubt that very much Si.

Yes, many might have said they were "willing to give him a chance" but I doubt many actually meant it - let's be honest here buddy: if one genuinely wants to give someone a chance they a) forget past mistakes made and start from ground zero and... b) they at least wait until a wider picture emerges. [West Ham just might turn out to be a blip or maybe even a team which excels away from home; a surprise package - they did stuff the gunners after all].

Four games in - Crystal Palace sit 2nd; Leicester 3rd and Swansea 4th FFS - I would hope no-one is going to suggest any or all of them are genuine 'contenders'.

So... Is a railing against him, after one defeat (as pish as it was), really giving him a chance? Nah not in my opinion but each to their own.

I can only speak for myself and not others who were willing to give him a chance, it's the manner of the defeat that is my issue. It's not the first time and it's the kind of defeat we have seen all too often over the past season which irks me.

It starts with a tactic of playing people out of position - two attacking midfielders playing on the wing - and in a formation that has never suited us. Firmino was bought as a second striker, someone to play off the front man and add goals to the team but 3 games in and he's shafted to the right. I can tell you now, while he is capable of playing there, he very clearly was a central player at Hoffenheim.

And Coutinho is an even more incalculable scenario. He has proven to be our main attacking outlet, everyone on the pitch is looking to give him the ball, and Rodgers plays him on the left and limits his impact. Not only that, he puts a right footed fullback behind him just to completely negate the whole left wing. He has to be played central but Rodgers insists with his 4-3-3 and isolating the striker up top and putting square pegs in round holes on the flanks.

If he wanted wingers, he should of bought them. But he's played his hand in trying Ibe and Lallana there showing them to be his first choice and it took 45 minutes of football to show it wasn't working against Stoke and it's continued ever since.

Which leads to the biggest issue. Christian Benteke. I was worried about his signing and nothing has shown me to think otherwise despite Benteke grafting his balls off trying to make it work. The lad looks good, his aerial ability is excellent and his footwork is surprisingly good. But he can't get behind the line with his lack of pace (despite not being slow) and without any support from a midfield that is completely not working he can't use his strengths because he's all alone in the box the vast majority of the time.

It's the exact issue we had last season and it's rearing its head again. Isolated striker, awful errors in defence and a midfield that is passing for the sake of passing without any cutting edge.

And even after signing Benteke - we are still the team with the fewest crosses in the league. Unfathomable.

He's on to his 4th different squad of players in his fourth season and he still doesn't know how to fit everyone in and get a team working all over the pitch. How many chances does he need?

I doubt that very much Si.

Yes, many might have said they were "willing to give him a chance" but I doubt many actually meant it - let's be honest here buddy: if one genuinely wants to give someone a chance they a) forget past mistakes made and start from ground zero and... b) they at least wait until a wider picture emerges. [West Ham just might turn out to be a blip or maybe even a team which excels away from home; a surprise package - they did stuff the gunners after all].

Four games in - Crystal Palace sit 2nd; Leicester 3rd and Swansea 4th FFS - I would hope no-one is going to suggest any or all of them are genuine 'contenders'.

So... Is a railing against him, after one defeat (as pish as it was), really giving him a chance? Nah not in my opinion but each to their own.

I partly agree mate, I do think there has been a lot waiting with sharpened knives for the right opportunity to use them.

I wanted a change of manager last season, the thought of Klopp or Ancelotti was enough to turn my head, but now he has been backed I think we have to give him time. I have never been in favour of changing horses mid season, but maybe Christmas will be the right time to re-evaluate our progress or lack thereof. Obviously if a Klopp or Ancelotti become available in the meantime I would still jump at the chance ...

I never had much optimism for this season, I don't trust our committee (or Brendan) in the transfer market, or Brendan's ability to make the signings work but he surprised me once, I am just hoping he can do it again.

I suppose the truth is I have as many doubts about who FSG would replace Brendan with as I do about Brendan, so I think we have to give Brendan at least a decent opportunity to put things right. 

So, we turned from the greatest club in the country into a learning school for managers ? We have to wait until next Summer no matter how poor we're going to perform ? Are you having a laugh ? So low into mediocrity have we descended ?

He proved time and time again that he doesn't learn from his mistakes at all, on the contrary, he keeps making the same mistakes again and again. Our defence is a shambles for the past 2 years and he didn't improved it at all. Besides he signed Lovren and sold Agger, with the croatian being nothing but a downgrade to Agger, and he keeps playing him even if we have a better solution in Sakho (even Toure or Can would do a better job),  it's really mindboggling to say the least.

It's been also 2 years since we need a strong DM in the Mascherano mold, but we're never interested in signing one, it's pretty obvious our midfield is soft and when under pressure from opposition we crumble really fast.

Newsflash, George: We've been in decline for a long time, certianly long before Rodgers or FSG arrived on the scene. Our problems have far deeper roots than just ownership or managerial staff. If we were going to sack the manager it should have been in the Summer. Bring in a new manager, along with the new coaching staff and new players. FSG chose to replace the coaching staff and players but to stick by the manager. It's too late now, four games in to a season you can't just sack the manager because you don't like him. It would absolutely cause more harm than good to our season by doing that.

We've seen no evidence during the first four games that he has learned from past mistakes. In 34 games time we may be lifting the title, no one knows. You might not like or agree with the decision to stick by him but the decision was made nonetheless and spouting vile vitriol at every match is not going to change that decision, it would only serve to undermine the team which ultimately will harm our chances of success this season.

Something changed for me on the run-in last season. I've never been convinced by BR and have been open about that - at the end of last season I said BR should go and admitted that I'd changed my view during those last few weeks.

Well.......the way we capitulated in the home run last season was evident for me on Saturday.

I accept that many will disagree and I am the first to say that there are a lot of issues negatively impacting our club at present - but I'm afraid to say I now believe that BR is one of them.

Did I believe in him? - Not really;

Did I support him? - Yes;

Will I continue to as long as he is the manager - Yes;

Do I believe he's "the man"? - No, not remotely;

Do I believe there are a number of managers who would improve us? - Yes;

Do I believe that changing the manager will "fix" us? - No, but I believe it will improve us on the park. Even with the restrictions imposed by FSG.

Sad but true (in my eyes).

So, we turned from the greatest club in the country into a learning school for managers ? We have to wait until next Summer no matter how poor we're going to perform ? Are you having a laugh ? So low into mediocrity have we descended ?

He proved time and time again that he doesn't learn from his mistakes at all, on the contrary, he keeps making the same mistakes again and again. Our defence is a shambles for the past 2 years and he didn't improved it at all. Besides he signed Lovren and sold Agger, with the croatian being nothing but a downgrade to Agger, and he keeps playing him even if we have a better solution in Sakho (even Toure or Can would do a better job),  it's really mindboggling to say the least.

It's been also 2 years since we need a strong DM in the Mascherano mold, but we're never interested in signing one, it's pretty obvious our midfield is soft and when under pressure from opposition we crumble really fast.

Not really that straightforward though is it George?


Under Brendan we have played some of the best football this club has ever seen and blitzed the opposition 4,5 and 6 goals a time.

If Stevie keeps his footing, we win the league and that would have bigger than Istanbul or anything we have won in our history and put Brendan up there with any of our previous managers - only behind Shanks and Paisley for me.

Its disappointing how things have gone so far this season and we may well end up partong company with Rodgers but the picture you paint is way off the mark.

I don't think its the damage, I think its the risk.

I'm not sure Brendan is still worth the risk. If we leave him, let him spend money and start next season, how will thing go if
we are 10 games having lost, say 4 games or more. The club will eat itself if that happens. The season could be
written off by October, fans will go mental. Player dissent will surface.

Then the option may well be to sack him mid-season. Which could be very difficult unless people like Klopp are still
not in a job.

I would love for him to stay and succeed but it doesn't change the facts that its an enormous risk to stick with him.

I said this a few months ago and it still stands, if we lose against MU (either team could lose that one), calls for Rodgers to go will ramp up.

If we then get someone else in we will hear all the same stuff about needing time and all that.

Not really that straightforward though is it George?


Under Brendan we have played some of the best football this club has ever seen and blitzed the opposition 4,5 and 6 goals a time.

If Stevie keeps his footing, we win the league and that would have bigger than Istanbul or anything we have won in our history and put Brendan up there with any of our previous managers - only behind Shanks and Paisley for me.

Its disappointing how things have gone so far this season and we may well end up partong company with Rodgers but the picture you paint is way off the mark.

Do you mean under Suarez we have played some of the best football this club has ever seen, and BTW I highly doubt it was the best football this club has ever seen because back in the day the team used to be able to defend AND attack.

It has almost nothing to do with Brendan, he just got lucky that he inherited one of the best strikers in the world and was able to play him together with Sturridge who had a rare period of being motivated, skilled and injury free. I am absolutely convinced that even Hodgson would have had a damned good stab at the title with that team in 2013/14.

Not really that straightforward though is it George?


Under Brendan we have played some of the best football this club has ever seen and blitzed the opposition 4,5 and 6 goals a time.

If Stevie keeps his footing, we win the league and that would have bigger than Istanbul or anything we have won in our history and put Brendan up there with any of our previous managers - only behind Shanks and Paisley for me.

Its disappointing how things have gone so far this season and we may well end up partong company with Rodgers but the picture you paint is way off the mark.

Suarez carried the team on his back, let's be real, it's a wonder what a world-class player can do to a team and the other player's confidence.

If Stevie keeps his footing it's not guaranteed we don't concede in the 2nd half on a counter, because before Demba Ba's goal we looked shaky on every Chelsea counter because in our madness we were throwing everyone forward at every attack as if we were obliged to win that game. I think that it was something to do with Brendan trying to prove a point against Mourinho, his ego played a big part.

What are you two on about?

EVERY league winning team is "carried" by players - Shearer and Sutton, Cantona and Keane, Silva and Yaya - when was the last time a manager won our league with a team of anonymous no-marks?

Winning a league means at least two or three players have to produce brilliant football for a significant proportion of the season.

The point you made George, was that Brendan was unable to handle a top team with big name players - in all honesty ourselves, City and Chelsea were all good enough to win the league that season depending in how the cards fell - which means you were wrong. It wasn't some other manager guiding the team by remote control - it was Brendan on the touchline. That's incontrovertible and why the decision to stick or twist is a difficult one.

Like Federer you change your standards according to whichever players and managers you happen to like. By your own reasoning Balotelli has never proven himself to be a top-level striker yet not a week goes by without you banging his drum.

It's not just a question of ability - which Brendan has shown he has - it's how often and for what length of time that level of performance can be produced.

   
     
 


Players bought by Brendan Rodger
 Fabio Borini Roma £10,400,000 13 July 2012
 Joe Allen Swansea City £15,000,000 10 August 2012
 Oussama Assaidi Heerenveen £3,000,000 17 August 2012
 Nuri Sahin Real Madrid On Loan 25 August 2012
 Samed Yesil Bayer Leverkusen £1,000,000 30 August 2012
 Daniel Sturridge Chelsea £12,000,000 2 January 2013
 Philippe Coutinho Inter Milan £8,500,000 30 January 2013
 Luis Alberto Sevilla £6,800,000 22 June 2013
 Iago Aspas Celta Vigo £7,000,000 23 June 2013
 Simon Mignolet Sunderland £9,000,000 25 June 2013
 Kolo Touré Free Transfer Free 2 July 2013
 Aly Cissokho Valencia On Loan *

 20 August 2013
 Mamadou Sakho Paris St Germain £15,000,000 2 September 2013
 Tiago Ilori Sporting Lisbon £7,000,000 2 September 2013
 Victor Moses Chelsea On Loan *

 2 September 2013
 Rickie Lambert Southampton £4,500,000 2 June 2014
 Adam Lallana Southampton £25,000,000 *

 1 July 2014
 Emre Can Bayer Leverkusen £9,750,000 3 July 2014
 Lazar Markovic Benfica £19,800,000 15 July 2014
 Dejan Lovren Southampton £20,000,000 *

 27 July 2014
 Divick Origi Lille £9,800,000 *

 29 July 2014
 Javier Manquillo Atletico Madrid On Loan 6 August 2014
 Alberto Moreno Sevilla £12,000,000 *

 16 August 2014
 Mario Balotelli AC Milan £16,000,000 25 August 2014
 Joe Gomez Charlton Athletic £3,500,000 *

 20 June 2015
 Adam Bogdan Free Transfer Free 1 July 2015
 Danny Ings Free Transfer Free 1 July 2015
 James Milner Free Transfer Free 1 July 2015
 Nathaniel Clyne Southampton £12,500,000 1 July 2015
 Roberto Firmino Hoffenheim £29,000,000 *

 6 July 2015
 Christian Benteke Aston Villa £32,500,000 22 July 2015

Brendan Rodgers bought 31 players for £289,050,000


almost £300 million just to get twatted by Stoke and hammered at home by west Ham. I am not blaming Brendan for all of this by any means but the end result is we have spunked money on average players very average players

 
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When you look at the balance of the squad built it doesn't suit width being a feature really.. The only natural wide player we have is Ibe who is raw and needs managing through currently.. To play the likes of Firmino/Coutinho/Ings/Origi wide just detracts from their main qualities and doesn't offer natural width at it's best anyway.
Milner could do a job wide but only really in a flat midfield 4 rather than a front three but we don't have that natural balance on the left in the squad as a balance to that either.

The manager needs to find the best formation to suit and our strength is through the middle.

Look at the squad right now

Right backs of
Clyne
Flanno when fit
Gomez could play there

Left backs
Gomez
Moreno
Enrique (not wanted but doesn't look to be on the way out until his contract is up but I'd be gobsmacked to see him get a start even in the LC)

CBS
Skrtel/Lovren
Sakho/Toure

(I don't see Illori getting games in the EL- the manager will rotate those four imo)

Midfield
Lucas (only option is holding)

Hendo
Milner
Coutinho
Rossiter
Can
Texeira (if he stays)

Are all naturally central players, none apart from Milner and Coutinho can play wide but both are more comfortable central and aren't what you would call natural width

Ibe - The only natural wide option but is raw

Up front
Ings
Benteke
Sturridge
Origi
Firmino

Again all better through the middle, none are what you would call wide options in terms of hitting the by line and getting balls in, they could drift wide as part of a two or three but are all better central.

The manager needs to forget width Imo with what we have and only use Ibe mainly as a sub to stretch the game if need be later on..

Our strength is central and we should use that.. We lack bodies in th box in the first few games, and to be honest a lot of last season too so for me looking at that squad we need to use what we have and get some of those lads in areas they can hurt the opposition.. We look fairly easy to defend against this season with Benteke isolated on his own.. Benteke from what I have seen doesn't just need to have crosses slung in anyway, he has a great touch and if we get some of those options around he would be adept in bringing those into play.
Coutinho needs runners in front of him, the amount of times he looks up only to see one man marked tight frustrates him you can see.. Get some lads in front making runs in and off Benteke and for Coutinho to find

Suarez carried the team on his back, let's be real, it's a wonder what a world-class player can do to a team and the other player's confidence.

If Stevie keeps his footing it's not guaranteed we don't concede in the 2nd half on a counter, because before Demba Ba's goal we looked shaky on every Chelsea counter because in our madness we were throwing everyone forward at every attack as if we were obliged to win that game. I think that it was something to do with Brendan trying to prove a point against Mourinho, his ego played a big part.

Really? I suppose that's why we finished 7th in 12/13 season when Suarez was still at the club, wasn't it?

When you look at the balance of the squad built it doesn't suit width being a feature really.. The only natural wide player we have is Ibe who is raw and needs managing through currently.. To play the likes of Firmino/Coutinho/Ings/Origi wide just detracts from their main qualities and doesn't offer natural width at it's best anyway.
Milner could do a job wide but only really in a flat midfield 4 rather than a front three but we don't have that natural balance on the left in the squad as a balance to that either.

The manager needs to find the best formation to suit and our strength is through the middle.

Look at the squad right now

Right backs of
Clyne
Flanno when fit
Gomez could play there

Left backs
Gomez
Moreno
Enrique (not wanted but doesn't look to be on the way out until his contract is up but I'd be gobsmacked to see him get a start even in the LC)

CBS
Skrtel/Lovren
Sakho/Toure

(I don't see Illori getting games in the EL- the manager will rotate those four imo)

Midfield
Lucas (only option is holding)

Hendo
Milner
Coutinho
Rossiter
Can
Texeira (if he stays)

Are all naturally central players, none apart from Milner and Coutinho can play wide but both are more comfortable central and aren't what you would call natural width

Ibe - The only natural wide option but is raw

Up front
Ings
Benteke
Sturridge
Origi
Firmino

Again all better through the middle, none are what you would call wide options in terms of hitting the by line and getting balls in, they could drift wide as part of a two or three but are all better central.

The manager needs to forget width Imo with what we have and only use Ibe mainly as a sub to stretch the game if need be later on..

Our strength is central and we should use that.. We lack bodies in th box in the first few games, and to be honest a lot of last season too so for me looking at that squad we need to use what we have and get some of those lads in areas they can hurt the opposition.. We look fairly easy to defend against this season with Benteke isolated on his own.. Benteke from what I have seen doesn't just need to have crosses slung in anyway, he has a great touch and if we get some of those options around he would be adept in bringing those into play.
Coutinho needs runners in front of him, the amount of times he looks up only to see one man marked tight frustrates him you can see.. Get some lads in front making runs in and off Benteke and for Coutinho to find

Bingo.

Coutinho needs to be at the top of a diamond behind Firmino and Benteke. The diamond makes so much sense for us with the players we have.

Really? I suppose that's why we finished 7th in 12/13 season when Suarez was still at the club, wasn't it?

It was the time he needed to adjust to EPL, his breakout was the next season.

It was the time he needed to adjust to EPL, his breakout was the next season.

Really? He joined in Jan 2011, so by your estimation, he needed an eighteen month adjustment period to the EPL.

Really? He joined in Jan 2011, so by your estimation, he needed an eighteen month adjustment period to the EPL.

18 months with Kenny and 12 with Brendan.Then his break-through season came.

Players bought by Brendan Rodger

His transfer dealings and his inability to get the best out of the players once they have signed are the prime reason I am unhappy with Brendan.

Forgotten about Lallana mate? I know he has been pretty anonymous and injured for large parts of his time here , but he did cost us quite a bit and possibly could even add width?