For me tomorrow is a potentially defining game in Rodgers Liverpool career.
Up to now, we haven't had any chances to get to finals/win trophies where we have been clear favourites.
In his first season we were nowhere near winning anything and weren't ready to challenge.
Last season we were totally unexpected title challengers, so while falling short hurt, the manager was rightly given a lot of credit for us being there in the first place.
This season we have already lost one semi-final, but we were big underdogs against a title chasing Chelsea side, and in defeat we pushed them very hard and played well in both legs.
Tomorrow is the first chance where we are clear favourites, despite Villa's relatively improved league form. There is nothing to cushion the blow of failure. Rodgers needs this.
In the final itself, assuming we would play Arsenal, it will back to being underdogs again and a degree of 'it was always going to be tough' but losing to Villa is not an option and will put him under huge pressure next season IMO.
Despite the noises from FSG that Rodgers is their long term man I have little doubt that they would be ruthless if they felt he was under performing.
This is not only a big game in our season but a big game for Rodgers as Liverpool manager.
Souness won a trophy in his first full season.
Evans won a trophy in his first full season.
Houillier won a treble in his 3rd season.
Rafa won a trophy in his first season.
Progress can be measured in different ways and is subjective, but Liverpool managers get to finals and win stuff or they don't last.
That's the bottom line.
Rodgers Biggest Game?
posted on 18/4/15
The biggest game in Rodgers' tenure was and is still the home PL game versus Chelsea last season.
Winning the FA Cup won't be bigger than that. But it'll certainly help in healing some wounds.
posted on 18/4/15
comment by SM67 (U19913)
posted 30 minutes ago
The biggest game in Rodgers' tenure was and is still the home PL game versus Chelsea last season.
Winning the FA Cup won't be bigger than that. But it'll certainly help in healing some wounds.
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agreed
posted on 18/4/15
I disagree. Winning that game would still have left us work to do and would have basically guaranteed nothing. Winning the FA cup final would guarantee the trophy.
posted on 18/4/15
comment by Mamba - Break it down... Ohohohohohohohoh... Now Stop! Mamba time (U1282) (U13041)
I disagree. Winning that game would still have left us work to do and would have basically guaranteed nothing. Winning the FA cup final would guarantee the trophy
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We had such a momentum. Knowing that we had beaten Chelsea would have given us such a boost. To win our last two games against Pulice and Newcastle would have given us the title MATHEMATICALLY
We would have blown them away.
posted on 18/4/15
the Chelsea game was the title decider Mamba
everything after that was irrelevant
posted on 18/4/15
All ifs and buts. Lets talk about what we know for sure. After beating Chelsea, we would still have needed to win another two games (which we didn't anyway). Anything can happen in a football match. On the other hand, in a cup final its winner takes all. Other results dont matter and if you win then you win and thats it, and vice versa. If we get to the final, it will be Rodgers biggest game so far IMO but I accept the validity of the points you guys raise.
posted on 19/4/15
Agreed Mamba, going forward it'll be a new foundation of confidence to build upon IF we win against Villa and then Arsenal.
posted on 19/4/15
posted on 19/4/15
Told you it was his biggest game.
He is massively up against it now.
posted on 19/4/15
In addition to our pathetic record at Eithiad, Emirates and Stamford Bridge it's not looking good for him. We won at OT because united had Moyes buy have lost the other 2.
It's not just Rodgers. Players like Henderson, Sterling, Allen go missing in big games. Weak mentality.