Brendan Rodgers

[Blue-fox]

2 minutes ago, volpeazzurro said:

Whilst you're first statement can be a good maxim, I also think you have to take into account the opposition ie would you employ the same tactics and formation against Man City as you would against Norwich just because you'd won your previous game? It soon became very clear we were never going to outpass Arsenal, we lacked pace and movement and needed to put them under some pressure. At least Rodgers tried to change things for the second half and it was more convincing but ... how many times did he have to do that after Christmas last year?

 

I'm pleased to hear that it wasn't just me and the people around me losing their swede over bloody Maddison! Every time we were having a successful bit of pressure and Arsenal got into a panic in the second half we had a succession of about 5 corners. Each bloody time Maddison minced over with a cigar on as if we were 3 up with 10 minutes to go! It gave Arsenal time to regroup and gather their composure thereby halting the impetus we had. His one non-urgent turn to acknowledge the crowd tended to suggest it was more all about him and the cool image he wanted to project. Well James, from where I was sitting it didn't work, we all thought you were a bit of a twat! Wake up!

In all fairness we never score from corners anyway, but you’d still sprint over, take a quick short one before they get settled and put them immediately back under pressure.  

[Blue-fox]

6 minutes ago, Matt said:

 

For me todays on the players, I can't even really complain about sideways football because generally we didn't do it today, we were too sloppy, it was slow, there was no fight, desire,

 

These a professional football playing at the top of the game so their skill level should be high but no matter what your skill level, applying yourselves, showing fight, desire, being bother are the minimum requirements. There was next to none when we set out today, you knew what we were getting from the first whistle.

 

However, the bit in bold i've spoke about quite abit but it's so glaringly obvious and has to keep being said they did this against West Brom last season and got bollocked for it, that's where it flips back onto the manager.

I’d say there’s a slight difference in doing that in the first half when 0-0 or 1-0 up (if they did ignore his instructions), than after 15 minutes or so in the second half when we started pissing about with the ball again at the back. Maybe you need a player on the pitch to instigate it, maybe we don’t have those characters. 
 

Also whatever happened to sending a centre half forward with 10 minutes to go. If nothing else you might aswell throw long balls up there and give them something different to think about. 

[Matt]

Just now, Blue-fox said:

I’d say there’s a slight difference in doing that in the first half when 0-0 or 1-0 up (if they did ignore his instructions), than after 15 minutes or so in the second half when we started pissing about with the ball again at the back. Maybe you need a player on the pitch to instigate it, maybe we don’t have those characters. 
 

Also whatever happened to sending a centre half forward with 10 minutes to go. If nothing else you might aswell throw long balls up there and give them something different to think about.

And again, i'll refer you to "football snobbery" again. That's what happened.

[Blue-fox]

1 minute ago, Matt said:

And again, i'll refer you to "football snobbery" again. That's what happened.

Does this football snobbery mean we have to watch this slow, boring and shite build up play? Because it ain’t entertaining 😂

[Hales]

It's so frustrating to watch us start matches so slowly and then show intensity when we are behind. Why can't we start quickly and be motivated? We are a decent side but something isn't clicking initially.  

 

The defending of corners and set pieces is again beyond frustrating. Why is this not improving? Anyone can see its a problem especially opposition managers. If the coaches can't fix it then employ someone who can.  

 

At least today Brendan made subs at half time and brought on attackers and not defenders so that's a positive 😆

 

If Brendan said the players didn't follow the instructions the first 20 minutes that's a worry..... are his instructions not clear? Do they not believe in his tactics?

 

Hopefully it's a blip weekend and me move on to a win but please let the players show some fight and passion from the whistle!

 

 

[honeybradger]

32 minutes ago, Blue-fox said:

Can’t blame him today for me, shouldn’t change a winning side really and we have slowly been getting better so if he did and we played how we did everyone would be saying I can’t believe he changed it. 
 

Got to look at the players for me, no balls about them. No fight or passion. Maddison strolling over to take a corner when we’re 2-0 down is an example. Another is this pathetic slow passing around at the back. I understand that’s how the manager might want us to set up and play, but surely they should just think **** this we need something different let’s up the tempo or run with the ball etc… 

We've been winning but apart from Man United (where Maguire gifted us 4 goals tbf but we pressed well) we havent looked particularly good. The performance today was the same as the one at Brentford, except Brentford didnt take their chances and Tielemans scored a banger. If anything the performance today was slightly better than the ones vs brenford sparta and brighton but a lot of people only look at the result, in general Rodger's tactical setup has not been cutting it at all this season, when all the players are underperforming it's not them it's the coaching.

[Guest Kopfkino]

10 minutes ago, Corky said:

I'm confused. Are performances or results most important? Statistically we played better today than last week when we won but were "awful and outplayed" by Brentford in a lucky win.

 

I thought people could accept having a go if we lost?

You know the answer to that, the performance for the first 20 minutes was so bad that you’re not going to get away with having a go for a bit second half. You know full well it would be a different reaction if we had a performance across 90 minutes, even if the stats and score were exactly the same rather than being horrendous and needing half time and 2 subs to sort it out.

 

Clearly the issue today is the performance first half. Statistically we had exactly the same xG for the first 42 minutes this week as last weeK, the first halves were almost carbon copies in terms of general performance. That’s the issue, we’re a one half team at best 

 

 

[LestaFox92]

19 minutes ago, Langston said:

 

Bloody hell pal take a breath.

Jog, on, you, Pr1ck.

[Fox92]

21 minutes ago, Corky said:

I'm confused. Are performances or results most important? Statistically we played better today than last week when we won but were "awful and outplayed" by Brentford in a lucky win.

 

I thought people could accept having a go if we lost?

We weren't even outplayed or awful at Brentford  We were the better side with the better chances.

[turlo]

30 minutes ago, Kopfkino said:

Yeah if it was a one off then fair enough but it’s the same sluggish start virtually every game and something he often remarks on. If it’s the same so often, it’s clearly his fault and he’s failing to do rectify it.

 

Though maybe it’s not a surprise the players are probably confused when our best first half of 2021 against West Brom saw us 3-0 up and he didn’t like it. Have we started well since the ?

That's the worrying thing as he's made the same remark in his post match interview on several occasions this season. I think it was the Burnley game where he was asked what he told the players to do differently during the half time speech and he said something along the lines of "nothing, as we should be playing with that intensity from the start every time we play" Something is very wrong if the same thing is happening over and over. 

 

[Head Honcho]

I think we desperately need a captain.

 

A captain playing in midfield who can orchestrate the play from kick off to final whistle.

 

Our players for the frst 20 mins today were rudderless.

 

We started the match today not with a team but with eleven individual players who had for some unknown reason forgotten the game plan.

 

This isn't the first time this has happened and I doubt it will be the last.

 

When it does happen your captain needs to be in amongst it, not in goal or at centre back.

[Blue-fox]

20 minutes ago, honeybradger said:

We've been winning but apart from Man United (where Maguire gifted us 4 goals tbf but we pressed well) we havent looked particularly good. The performance today was the same as the one at Brentford, except Brentford didnt take their chances and Tielemans scored a banger. If anything the performance today was slightly better than the ones vs brenford sparta and brighton but a lot of people only look at the result, in general Rodger's tactical setup has not been cutting it at all this season, when all the players are underperforming it's not them it's the coaching.

Or they aren’t playing for him. Which I doubt. 

[Fox92]

22 minutes ago, honeybradger said:

We've been winning but apart from Man United (where Maguire gifted us 4 goals tbf but we pressed well) we havent looked particularly good. The performance today was the same as the one at Brentford, except Brentford didnt take their chances and Tielemans scored a banger. If anything the performance today was slightly better than the ones vs brenford sparta and brighton but a lot of people only look at the result, in general Rodger's tactical setup has not been cutting it at all this season, when all the players are underperforming it's not them it's the coaching.

We were completely better than Manchester United.

We were better than Brentford. Brentford having a few pot shots and more possession doesn't mean they were better than us. They weren't. We had better chances.

 

First half today was shocking, second half we were better, but I was more annoyed how Rodgers changed nothing during the first half. We were getting dominated and Thomas especially looked exposed. 

[nettle]

44 minutes ago, volpeazzurro said:

Whilst you're first statement can be a good maxim, I also think you have to take into account the opposition ie would you employ the same tactics and formation against Man City as you would against Norwich just because you'd won your previous game? It soon became very clear we were never going to outpass Arsenal, we lacked pace and movement and needed to put them under some pressure. At least Rodgers tried to change things for the second half and it was more convincing but ... how many times did he have to do that after Christmas last year?

 

I'm pleased to hear that it wasn't just me and the people around me losing their swede over bloody Maddison! Every time we were having a successful bit of pressure and Arsenal got into a panic in the second half we had a succession of about 5 corners. Each bloody time Maddison minced over with a cigar on as if we were 3 up with 10 minutes to go! It gave Arsenal time to regroup and gather their composure thereby halting the impetus we had. His one non-urgent turn to acknowledge the crowd tended to suggest it was more all about him and the cool image he wanted to project. Well James, from where I was sitting it didn't work, we all thought you were a bit of a twat! Wake up!

His tracking back was shite as well plenty of pointing but no urgency. 

[Corky]

30 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

We weren't even outplayed or awful at Brentford  We were the better side with the better chances.

The match and post-match thread from last week would disagree

[Lako42]

He's got questions to answer on our pathetic defending of set pieces. 

 

It's getting worse and he's responsible for our approach. 

 

Today was an embarrassment on that front. Zonal marking and Arsenal just moved all players to one area. 

 

We consistently have the worst aerial defenders marking the best attacking players. 

 

I'm seeing a complete lack of willingness to change. 

[Fox92]

1 minute ago, Corky said:

The match and post-match thread from last week would disagree

I saw a bit of the post match thread, as I posted in there we were the better team.

 

Not seen the match thread because I was at the game. Brentford were so ordinary and we had the much better chances than them.

 

But people twist stuff around in. They had more possession than us, means fvck all, just like it does when we have more than an opposition and lose.

[Ric Flair]

6 minutes ago, Lako42 said:

He's got questions to answer on our pathetic defending of set pieces. 

 

It's getting worse and he's responsible for our approach. 

 

Today was an embarrassment on that front. Zonal marking and Arsenal just moved all players to one area. 

 

We consistently have the worst aerial defenders marking the best attacking players. 

 

I'm seeing a complete lack of willingness to change. 

This is it for me, the arrogance of his dismissal of our defensive problems the other week when he said he wasn't concerned and it'll sort itself out. Well it's actually getting worse, even with Evans back it's horrid. 

[Pliskin]

Zonal marking only works if you have exceptionally good defenders who are exceptionally good at attacking the ball on the air. We don’t, therefore we shouldn’t be defending set plays zonally. 

[Guest ttfn]

Just now, Pliskin said:

Zonal marking only works if you have exceptionally good defenders who are exceptionally good at attacking the ball on the air. We don’t, therefore we shouldn’t be defending set plays zonally. 

 

 

If you man mark with players who are poor in the air you will run into the same problems as you do defending zonally. 
 

Zonal marking depends on organisation. The problem is not the approach, it’s the execution. We have two problems as I see it, one is the distribution of our best defenders: they don’t seem to be in areas where the danger is highest. We need somebody bigger and better in the air than Vardy defending the front stick, ideally it would be Ndidi if he was fit. The second is that our players always seem to be on their toes when the ball comes in - one of the key advantages of defending zonally is that you are just as on the move as the attacker. We seem to interpret is as a chance to stand 10 statues in our penalty area and hope the opposition’s corners land on their heads.

[Pliskin]

2 minutes ago, ttfn said:

 

 

If you man mark with players who are poor in the air you will run into the same problems as you do defending zonally. 
 

Zonal marking depends on organisation. The problem is not the approach, it’s the execution. We have two problems as I see it, one is the distribution of our best defenders: they don’t seem to be in areas where the danger is highest. We need somebody bigger and better in the air than Vardy defending the front stick, ideally it would be Ndidi if he was fit. The second is that our players always seem to be on their toes when the ball comes in - one of the key advantages of defending zonally is that you are just as on the move as the attacker. We seem to interpret is as a chance to stand 10 statues in our penalty area and hope the opposition’s corners land on their heads.

The one bonus for man to man, is that you can at least disrupt the attacker; zonally, if your defending against someone who is extremely good at attacking the ball, like we saw today, they will win it all day long. No one attacked the space he did, and it was a relatively straight forward goal in the end. 
 

If for example Soumare was marking Gabriel, he could at least make that run and header more difficult, so it isn’t such an easy chance. 

[Silver surfer 1]

Has anybody actually got a clue what Toure does ? Defensive coach ? Yeah right 

[sammy82]

So so poor at defending set pieces, literally looks like men against boys every time the ball gets put in our box, shit myself every time the opposition get a corner, no one seems to know what there doing! Used to love the Elliott taggart Walsh days of the mid 90s, at least they used to attack the ball! It wasn’t that long ago Morgan and huth along with Fuchs and Simpson were outstanding at defending the box, just seems like the whole squad isn’t mentally strong enough when the shit hits the fan, shame really because if we could sort these issues we’d be one hell of a team, don’t expect to win every week but it’s the same shite every time.

[Ricey]

I'm not massively concerned after today but the one thing that does concern me the most is that we saw how important aggression and a strong press is when we played Man Utd. That's when we are at our best and Rodgers knows it. Today was a day that required a similar performance to Man Utd but instead it was alarming how flat, passive, disinterested and unfocussed we looked, despite coming off the back of 4 wins and most of our first-team having a rest mid-week. There were no excuses for it and maybe it hints at deeper problems.

 

The lack of urgency at the end was also concerning. Even when we were on top the body language from the team wasn't one of a side who were fighting to get back into the game.

[volpeazzurro]

2 hours ago, Hales said:

It's so frustrating to watch us start matches so slowly and then show intensity when we are behind. Why can't we start quickly and be motivated? We are a decent side but something isn't clicking initially.  

 

The defending of corners and set pieces is again beyond frustrating. Why is this not improving? Anyone can see its a problem especially opposition managers. If the coaches can't fix it then employ someone who can.  

 

At least today Brendan made subs at half time and brought on attackers and not defenders so that's a positive 😆

 

If Brendan said the players didn't follow the instructions the first 20 minutes that's a worry..... are his instructions not clear? Do they not believe in his tactics?

 

Hopefully it's a blip weekend and me move on to a win but please let the players show some fight and passion from the whistle!

 

 

When as you say Rodgers brought the subs on at halftime and at least the attackers were more positive, does this not mirror precisely what was happening last year ie slow defensive starts followed by more positive substitutions much later on? Did we not go down the pan for half a year.

 

Why not try the other way around, start positive and chase the game? It would certainly fool opposition managers because they'd have to be totally bloody useless to not be able to read our persistent game plan by now.