comment by There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)

From where we were 10 years ago both in relation to league position,squad size quality and depth and even financially speaking we are improving and you cannot deny that.

Can you tell me that you are in a stronger position now than 10 yrs ago,5 years ago or even 12 moths ago and if you think so then please enlighten us all

Be A Grizzly (U2206)
posted 1 hour, 43 minutes ago
makar : "I see no improvements" Then you either don't have eyes, or don't have the brainpower to interpret what your eyes are seeing. Which is it?

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My brainpower clearly is not intereperting us being 2nd bottom, with the same problems that have plagued us for seasons

Good answer Phil and it seems that you can answer normally when it comes to Everton and I agree with you there.

Now considering you've measured progress in a way which takes in many different factors perhaps you could allow Liverpool fans to take in many factors also and maybe take the ten years you've given to Everton as opposed to the five games you've allowed Liverpool.

That shouldn't be so hard, even for you. Should it Pointless Phil?

What's the solution then Makar?

Given the situation we now find ourselves in after a series of blunders, I would say our only hope is to wait it out for out team to gel. Don't go expecting results for quite some time though.

TOOR,during the time Moyes has been in charge of Everton we have gone from a side struggling to stay in the league to a side now pushing for the top 6 position year in year out.That is improvement and due to our financial constraints and our fans understanding of those constraints then Moyesie was given time and rightly so.

Now conversely Liverpool have gone from Champions League regulars to now residing in the relegation zone,albeit after only 5 games of the season.Now under the previous managers you have had,none have been in such a lowly position,I for the life of me cannot understand how this is classed as progress.

If you count style of play or percentage of possession as progress then again what points do you have to show for it.You have a leaky defence and a forward line without a recognised goal scorer.

To me you are weaker now than at any time during Moysies reign and longer before it.Your increasing relience on youth underlines your squad weakness,but as a bonus and its the only upside I can see for Liverpool at the moment,you seem to have a few decent prospects coming through

Phil

"Your increasing relience on youth underlines your squad weakness,but as a bonus and its the only upside I can see for Liverpool at the moment,you seem to have a few decent prospects coming through"

It's because they are decent that they are coming through. Not because we need them to. Jonjo has been there, or there abouts, for a couple of seasons. Sterling has been rated by Rafa, Kenny and Rodgers, and has earnt his chance. He's keeping Downing out of the team.

Yes Makar I'd agree with that and considering how the system looked better against Sunderland and then even better against United it seems to show progress towards that.

But we definitely should expect results soon as now our system is clicking and performances much better.

Pointless Phil youre comparing Moyes' ten years to various different Liverpool manager's time. This is where youre going wrong. We are talking about progress based on Rodgers' time and from the games so far, despite the results there has been clear progress in terms of the team gelling into the new system.

TOOR the deluded.When will this perceived progress bear fruit.Possession of the ball and 91% pass completion rates don't earn you points.Defenders who keep clean sheets....so far its been 3 2 2 1 and 2 goals conceded and scoring goals 0 2 0 1 1.

I cannot again see how not being able to keep clean sheets and at the same time not being able to score goals as progress.You may play controlled football against teams,but those same teams are all at least matching or scoring more goals than you.

If you are happy with what Rodgers is doing to your club then fair enough.I hope he continues on this line of progress all season long

I expect that the two previous games show its getting there and I don't think it's too soon for the next game.

If it takes longer then sobeit, it will come though, that's inevitable. I would think that the delusion would be in not thinking continuing to play a system game after game will mean it won't finally click, as has been evidenced throughout football history.

Those teams that get relegated obviously also play to a system game after game.Continuing to play a system whether it be a proven system does not guarantee progress.Having a system that is also flexible and can be tweaked to any given opponent is the way to go.Having only one way of playing with no back up or plan B is to me a flawed system.Brendan sides seem to have no other way of playing so in theory should be easy for opposing managers to set up their teams accordingly.

Newcastle last week were battered by us first half,Pardew decided to put a battering ram of a forward on to accompany the one they already had and it worked.What would Brendan do in that situation,change one sideways passer for another?

Nonsense. To be expected from you. Our players are easily top six but due to the system change ans the players changing it will take time for it to gel before they play like they are top six material. Having players who arent good enough to stay in the league but playing in a continuous losing system is completely different.

Where do you get this stuff? Are you really that stupid?

I do see TOOR's point about the progress of the team's style of play, at least they are creating chances.

But, this is the weakest LFC side I have seen since I started watching football back in the late 70's.

Also bringing up the recent trophy count TOOR, well done on winning a cup last year, but Birmingham and Portsmouth also won trophies recently, and where are they now? You need to put that win in perspective, your side have become weaker and weaker for a number of years now, and I think there will be a long road back.

You may well pick up wins in your next few games, but for LFC beating the 'smaller' teams needs to be a given, and at the moment it's not.

How many of you are confident of winning at West Brom, Norwich or Stoke? If I'd have asked that question 10 years ago I'd have been laughed off these boards. The fact I can ask it speaks more of the situation you guys are in than anything else.

HM Murdoch, you haven't been watching very closely if you think this is the worst team since the 70's.

Souness team was horrible, so was the Evans/Houiller hybrid, while Hodgsons should be viewed only in prison as punishment.

We have been the better side against Sunderland, Man City and now Man Utd. Deservedly bested by Arsenal, game of two halves against West Brom.

We are improving, and most importantly, the players are clearly right behind the manager.

I didn't bring up Liverpool winning trophies. You'll have to go back, have a reread, then have a think about changing your response there.

@ righeous1: Yes they weren't great teams, but they won games and challenged the top of the table, Hodgson's excepted, but his side were already part of the slide.

comment by There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)

You have players on your books,Henerson,Downing and Carroll that have featured in relegation teams.You having got a winning system at present because under Rodgers you haven't won a league game in 5 attempts so its not a winning system with Liverpool.To me it's a system that has it's flaws,AVB tried to introduce a system at Chelsea with far superior players to your squad and he was binned within a season.

Your team is going to struggle all season with the Ulsterman at the helm.

@TOOR: I guessed from your inference at EFC being 'potless', you were referencing your Cup win last year.

Souness team finished 8th.

Hodgsons would have finished about 12th if he hadnt been sacked.

It's not even about league finish.

You are saying this is the worst team you have seen, that is about performance not results and league finish.

We have played 10 games under Rodgers in total, played well in probably 6 of them.

Not bad considering he has only just started.

The system is not responsible for putting the ball in the back of the net.
That is the players duty,and quite frankly,nothing will change,because we dont have proven consistant scorers outside of suarez and gerrard,and without those two we struggle to create or finish against well organised teams.

No. I was referencing Everton showing progress despite not winning anything. Which in even smaller terms is similar to Liverpool in that we have been showing progress but not winning games after our first five attempts. It will come though.

comment by righteous1 (U7048)

Out of all the premiership sides with new managers in charge Liverpool sit as the lowest club with perversly the greatest pot of money available for transfers.

Not bad considering he has only just started has a hollow ring to it wouldn't you agree

'You are saying this is the worst team you have seen, that is about performance not results and league finish.'

I wonder if you'll still be saying that if you're still in the bottom 3 in April.

It's all about results. If your team can't get results, you'll go down. I can't think you'd be happy with that.

I'm not for one minute saying I think LFC will get relegated this year, far to early in the season for those sort of comments.

Without a quality PL striker, I think Liverpool will continue to struggle a bit.

I thought they played very well yesterday, but for all their good approach play, didn't create that many actual chances & those they did create were lacking a quality finish. (barring Gerrards obviously)

With the defence leaking more goals than it should be, the lack of cutting edge at the other end of the pitch is exacerbated.

Top managers adjust their sides & style of play dependant on a number of variables - opposition, weather condidtions, injuries etc etc. Rodgers gives me the impression that he was only 1 way of playing & he wants the players to adapt to that way, & that way alone. That's all well & good, but if the personnel at your disposal aren't suited to playing in a particular manner, then you either have to ship them out or adjust your style accordingly.

The window is now shut so the players he has are what he's stuck with, his insistence in playing his 1 set of tactics, shows his immaturity as a manager in my opinion, as top managers adapt, he's not giving the impression that he has anything other than 'plan a'.