Yes we've got to try something else now. Using the same players and formation as Rodgers did, with a couple of exceptions, isn't working and is totally pointless.

Three at the back to try and shore it up and two up front. Sod the midfield, we can just lump it up to the strikers...

I'd also drop Tilemans, he's a waste of a shirt and has been for weeks now (TB would argure months, and he's probably right to be fair).

Maddison needs to stop being the show pony and making himself look good for the cameras trying to get his big move in the summer. Get back to the quick incisive passing - like that beaut through to Barnes in the first half yesterday, and stop doing all the turns, flicks and tricks. It's not helping us one iota.

I'd keep Evans in the defence though if he's fit. His organisational skills and experience are vital now and I'd just keep Souttar on the bench and look to use him properly next season.

Listened to the RL podcast this morning and Matt Piper was bang on with pretty much everything he said. When he started filling up, he almost got me at it as well.

I genuinely cannot see us staying up now barring a massive miracle and the autopsy into what's gone wrong will run and run, but Piper has pretty much nailed it.

Worth a listen for anyone who hasn't heard it.

I would wholeheartedly endorse listening to what Pipes had to say. As See the Stars says, he pretty much nailed it.

Two up front, who would have thought

As long as we don’t get dropped for not being Premier League we’re away playing Liverpool in Asia and get back about 3 days before the Championship starts <yikes >

Could even use Barnes as second striker if Iheanacho isn’t fit. He would probably perform better as part of a front two than on the wing where he is generally ineffective, although that might be more a result of playing the ball to him with his back to goal rather than giving him something to run on to.

Totally agree with everything written. I wouldn’t go youth but I’d drop Ndidi and Tielemans and go 3-5-2. Just to try something for the last two games.

Put the most hungry players in. Smith to look them all in the eye to see who wants it and those players picked.

Then fight. If not just for two games fight.

Tielemans for me especially has destroyed his legacy with our club with his scandalous performances in the run in. Smith should take blame for not dropping him two games ago.

We've had worse teams and squads when relegated before, but I don't think we've ever had one that is as unlikeable, spineless and weak as this one. As soon as the first Liverpool goal went in, you knew that we had no chance of getting back into it and the players just gave up.

I heard Piper's comments after the match and agreed with all he said. How Smith could talk about 'effort and commitment' after a performance like that just beggars belief. I feel like we've been gaslighted all season.

For the last two games, I'd go with the bulk of those who will likely be here next season. We'll probably get smashed at Newcastle anyway, so might as well try something different.

Iversen

Souttar - Evans - Kristiansen

Ricardo - KDH - Mendy - Soumare - Thomas

Vardy - Iheanacho (or Daka if unfit)

I would be very happy for Tielemans, Castagne, Barnes and Maddison to be dropped completely. They won't be here next season, they don't look like they care and they are not offering enough to justify their place other than name alone.

Genuine question - I know your finances are an issue, how much of a problem do you have on that front if you do go down? Any FFP breaches?

comment by Foxello - "a miserable Rodgers obsessed weirdo" (U6985)
posted 53 minutes ago
We've had worse teams and squads when relegated before, but I don't think we've ever had one that is as unlikeable, spineless and weak as this one. As soon as the first Liverpool goal went in, you knew that we had no chance of getting back into it and the players just gave up.

I heard Piper's comments after the match and agreed with all he said. How Smith could talk about 'effort and commitment' after a performance like that just beggars belief. I feel like we've been gaslighted all season.

For the last two games, I'd go with the bulk of those who will likely be here next season. We'll probably get smashed at Newcastle anyway, so might as well try something different.

Iversen

Souttar - Evans - Kristiansen

Ricardo - KDH - Mendy - Soumare - Thomas

Vardy - Iheanacho (or Daka if unfit)

I would be very happy for Tielemans, Castagne, Barnes and Maddison to be dropped completely. They won't be here next season, they don't look like they care and they are not offering enough to justify their place other than name alone.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well said Foxello.

comment by Merseysidefox (U4842)
posted 1 hour, 8 minutes ago
Totally agree with everything written. I wouldn’t go youth but I’d drop Ndidi and Tielemans and go 3-5-2. Just to try something for the last two games.

Put the most hungry players in. Smith to look them all in the eye to see who wants it and those players picked.

Then fight. If not just for two games fight.

Tielemans for me especially has destroyed his legacy with our club with his scandalous performances in the run in. Smith should take blame for not dropping him two games ago.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agreed 100%

comment by Striketeam7 - the smartest person you know - Bronze medal khunt 2022 - Buy..Bellingham and another mid 20s Thiago type...lets just call him "frank" (U18109)
posted 8 minutes ago
Genuine question - I know your finances are an issue, how much of a problem do you have on that front if you do go down? Any FFP breaches?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
99 Problems will probably have the most succinct info on this aspect.

comment by Striketeam7 - the smartest person you know - Bronze medal khunt 2022 - Buy..Bellingham and another mid 20s Thiago type...lets just call him "frank" (U18109)
posted 14 minutes ago
Genuine question - I know your finances are an issue, how much of a problem do you have on that front if you do go down? Any FFP breaches?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah we’re facked.

No in all seriousness it’s hard to know until the next set of accounts is published because we don’t know what the impact of the belt tightening and the sale of Fofana has had on the rather eye watering losses we racked up last year. It also depends on how many high earning players we get off the books and the relegation wage clauses

In terms of pure revenue, it will cost Top around £100m apparently even with the parachute payment. We have loans linked to PL TV money, so there will be further belt tightening on the transfer and wages front.

The big issue for us is not being able to cash in on the out of contract players - yes it lowers our wage bill, but we’re letting assets walk out for nothing and gives us little to re-invest in the rebuild. I’d expect a few modest transfer deals propped up by the sale of players like Barnes, Maddison and Iheanacho and quite a few loan deals.

FFP is retrospective so I think the club have probably brought themselves in line this season. The worry is how we comply in the championship with much reduced revenues

If we don’t go straight back up that’s when the trouble really starts because the parachute payments drop off steeply

comment by 99 Problems (but Rodgers ain’t one) (U12353)
posted 1 hour, 30 minutes ago
comment by Striketeam7 - the smartest person you know - Bronze medal khunt 2022 - Buy..Bellingham and another mid 20s Thiago type...lets just call him "frank" (U18109)
posted 14 minutes ago
Genuine question - I know your finances are an issue, how much of a problem do you have on that front if you do go down? Any FFP breaches?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah we’re facked.

No in all seriousness it’s hard to know until the next set of accounts is published because we don’t know what the impact of the belt tightening and the sale of Fofana has had on the rather eye watering losses we racked up last year. It also depends on how many high earning players we get off the books and the relegation wage clauses

In terms of pure revenue, it will cost Top around £100m apparently even with the parachute payment. We have loans linked to PL TV money, so there will be further belt tightening on the transfer and wages front.

The big issue for us is not being able to cash in on the out of contract players - yes it lowers our wage bill, but we’re letting assets walk out for nothing and gives us little to re-invest in the rebuild. I’d expect a few modest transfer deals propped up by the sale of players like Barnes, Maddison and Iheanacho and quite a few loan deals.

FFP is retrospective so I think the club have probably brought themselves in line this season. The worry is how we comply in the championship with much reduced revenues

If we don’t go straight back up that’s when the trouble really starts because the parachute payments drop off steeply
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, not great then. It’s funny but I look at Southampton and think they will bounce straight back up , their finances are fine, they bought lots of young talent and their biggest issue was rubbish managers.

If you or Everton goes it looks bad - way worse for Everton than you but not great for you either

Neil Lennon was on TalkSport today. One thing he said was absolute carp, they shouldn't have fired Brendan, he would have kept us up.

I'm more depressed this season that when we were demoted to League 1. It was disappointing then but hardly a shock given how poor we'd been for a number of years. This is terrible, there is absolutely no way that this bunch of players should be as bad as they have been, a poor season ought to have had us comfortably in mid-table, not relegated to the Championship,

At best, this catastrophic mismanagement of the club will result in us having a good season next year resulting in promotion back to the Premier League. It is highly likely though that will be with a squad of Championship level players which will struggle with relegation the following season.

We've been put back years by this, and it was all so avoidable.

Top may as well have built a statue to Rodgers outside the King Power. He’s made him look like an absolute saint