Brendan Rodgers

[The Year Of The Fox]

14 minutes ago, Simmo86 said:

Trying to think earlier but when was the last time we scored an injury time winner?

Sheff Utd away BCD

 

Ian Nacho VAR v Everton (h) was probably the last one with fans (that was the start of our downward spiral that day- awful performance)

[Ric Flair]

1 hour ago, Pliskin said:

@Ricey is bang on the money. 
 

I’ve been saying for a while this team has a soft underbelly that rears it’s head far too often. 
 

There’s been two exceptions to this and that was Brendan’s first half season here and then the FA cup run… but other than that for two consecutive season we’ve completely self imploded. 
 

I am concerned that it’s a characteristic thing, it seems that at some point in the season we implode. The issue is, that following these implosions, the form seems to nose dive and we limp to the finish line.

Prior to this season we'd never ever thrown away a 2 goal lead bar Everton in the cup and we won on penalties. This season alone we have done it about 4 or 5 times. We'd also not turned over a 2 goal deficit until this season and done so a few times, so it shows the chaos.

 

We were so begrudgingly good at seeing out leads under Rodgers up until this season, he used to shut the game down and although it was frustrating at times, as we seldom conceded very late goals it wasn't something to really nit pick on. This year though we're a disgrace, we need to be at least 2 goals to the good in the closing minutes and even that's still pure stress.

[Corky]

How we do compared to West Ham and Wolves is significant now. Whether we should be in the top six is another matter, not being the best of the others should be a defining factor.

[turlo]

Would love to know what the atmosphere in the dressing room was like post match and whether the players got a good bollocking - Rodgers doesn't seem the type to give it the hairdryer treatment or kicking boots across the room

[coolhandfox]

26 minutes ago, Corky said:

How we do compared to West Ham and Wolves is significant now. Whether we should be in the top six is another matter, not being the best of the others should be a defining factor.

When we have a fit health squad just fine.

[Buzzell]

2 hours ago, Fox92 said:

First goal was comical. He's so high and so slow that when the ball goes over the top he just cannot get back. Soyuncu can get back but lunges in like he always does. They are both idiots man.

 

I've never seen such a tall defender get beaten with ease so often.

Agree. They just don’t work well as a pair. I cannot believe how weak Vestergaard is, both physically and in the air, considering his height.

[Harboro]

2 hours ago, Pliskin said:

@Ricey is bang on the money. 
 

I’ve been saying for a while this team has a soft underbelly that rears it’s head far too often. 
 

There’s been two exceptions to this and that was Brendan’s first half season here and then the FA cup run… but other than that for two consecutive season we’ve completely self imploded. 
 

I am concerned that it’s a characteristic thing, it seems that at some point in the season we implode. The issue is, that following these implosions, the form seems to nose dive and we limp to the finish line.

I’m sure Brendan mentioned these dropoffs in preseason so it’s something he’s aware of

 

To me it seems as if they’re trying to buy in that winning mentality. If you look at the summer transfers, emergency buy Vestergaard aside, they all have trophies. Daka and Salzburg won the Austrian league and cup for the last 3 years, Soumare and Lille beat petro state germain to Ligue 1 last season, even Bertrand won the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup with Chelsea

[Rigga]

6ft 6 yet chooses to grapple with Sanchez on every corner rather than take charge and use his obvious extra height in clearing out lines..

 

couldn’t even get above Kane when up for the header that led to the 2nd goal..

[KFS]

11 minutes ago, Rigga said:

6ft 6 yet chooses to grapple with Sanchez on every corner rather than take charge and use his obvious extra height in clearing out lines..

 

couldn’t even get above Kane when up for the header that led to the 2nd goal..

That’s all I see when I close my eyes. If he beats Kane to that ball we win. Sickening 

[The Doctor]

This place is reactionary as ever I see...

 

I was opposed to his appointment in the first place with the big concern being about recruitment as I saw us being in need of a big rebuild back in 2019 and his record prior to coming here was somewhat questionable. However, he's on the whole proved me wrong there - Justin, Fofana, Castagne and Daka are all very good signings, you can see the logic behind Soumare if he settles in to the tempo of this division, he's resurrected Iheanacho who I think everyone thought was done here given his time under Shakespeare and Puel, plus blooding through Thomas and KDH. Vestegaard though is an obvious concern and his short term moves like Under and Bennett were not exactly successful. Would you trust him to continue the rebuild given the likelihood that Tielemans leaves + Evans being on his last legs? I think with reservations yes, you give at least one more window and see if Vestegaard was just a misstep or a sign of things to come.

 

The other concern is of course his history of bottling things, Liverpool 2013/14 being the obvious shout, plus the two failed CL challenges here, and his record in Europe, this season's abysmal Europa League show, last year crashing out to Slavia Prague, his Celtic record is well discussed but even back at Liverpool, going out in the round of 32 in Europa his first season, out in the group stage in the CL in 14/15 and straight out of the Europa League then. He's not going to be a manager to establish us as a successful European team and maybe that's a deal breaker, maybe there's no point having a manager that can't do that when we're aiming at the level of being consistently in the European hunt.

 

This season has been a bit rancid but there's signs of the team we used to be occasionally poking through despite issues with illness and injury (and I don't think people are appreciating enough the impact of long COVID on player performance, De Bruyne talked a lot about the impact it had on him long after he was cleared to play again and I think we're seeing it with Bertrand) - if people want to question his injury management given the state we've been in since Rennie left and his medical team were put in place that's fair but I think there are mitigating circumstances given with project restart and the Euros a lot of players have had 2 months off in 2 years.

 

He's burnt through a lot of good will created over the last two seasons with some baffling tactical decisions over the last couple of months but despite all of that things really aren't as bad as some of you are making out.

[Vardinio'sCat]

Don't mind Brendan myself, he does have to tell porkies at points, but then so do Jurgen and Pep.

 

I do like the way he has been pointing out he likes pace in his backline every 5 minutes recently, I think we know what that is about.

[Ric Flair]

38 minutes ago, The Doctor said:

This place is reactionary as ever I see...

 

I was opposed to his appointment in the first place with the big concern being about recruitment as I saw us being in need of a big rebuild back in 2019 and his record prior to coming here was somewhat questionable. However, he's on the whole proved me wrong there - Justin, Fofana, Castagne and Daka are all very good signings, you can see the logic behind Soumare if he settles in to the tempo of this division, he's resurrected Iheanacho who I think everyone thought was done here given his time under Shakespeare and Puel, plus blooding through Thomas and KDH. Vestegaard though is an obvious concern and his short term moves like Under and Bennett were not exactly successful. Would you trust him to continue the rebuild given the likelihood that Tielemans leaves + Evans being on his last legs? I think with reservations yes, you give at least one more window and see if Vestegaard was just a misstep or a sign of things to come.

 

The other concern is of course his history of bottling things, Liverpool 2013/14 being the obvious shout, plus the two failed CL challenges here, and his record in Europe, this season's abysmal Europa League show, last year crashing out to Slavia Prague, his Celtic record is well discussed but even back at Liverpool, going out in the round of 32 in Europa his first season, out in the group stage in the CL in 14/15 and straight out of the Europa League then. He's not going to be a manager to establish us as a successful European team and maybe that's a deal breaker, maybe there's no point having a manager that can't do that when we're aiming at the level of being consistently in the European hunt.

 

This season has been a bit rancid but there's signs of the team we used to be occasionally poking through despite issues with illness and injury (and I don't think people are appreciating enough the impact of long COVID on player performance, De Bruyne talked a lot about the impact it had on him long after he was cleared to play again and I think we're seeing it with Bertrand) - if people want to question his injury management given the state we've been in since Rennie left and his medical team were put in place that's fair but I think there are mitigating circumstances given with project restart and the Euros a lot of players have had 2 months off in 2 years.

 

He's burnt through a lot of good will created over the last two seasons with some baffling tactical decisions over the last couple of months but despite all of that things really aren't as bad as some of you are making out.

That's a fair assessment 

[Guest ttfn]

1 hour ago, The Doctor said:

This place is reactionary as ever I see...

 

I was opposed to his appointment in the first place with the big concern being about recruitment as I saw us being in need of a big rebuild back in 2019 and his record prior to coming here was somewhat questionable. However, he's on the whole proved me wrong there - Justin, Fofana, Castagne and Daka are all very good signings, you can see the logic behind Soumare if he settles in to the tempo of this division, he's resurrected Iheanacho who I think everyone thought was done here given his time under Shakespeare and Puel, plus blooding through Thomas and KDH. Vestegaard though is an obvious concern and his short term moves like Under and Bennett were not exactly successful. Would you trust him to continue the rebuild given the likelihood that Tielemans leaves + Evans being on his last legs? I think with reservations yes, you give at least one more window and see if Vestegaard was just a misstep or a sign of things to come.

 

The other concern is of course his history of bottling things, Liverpool 2013/14 being the obvious shout, plus the two failed CL challenges here, and his record in Europe, this season's abysmal Europa League show, last year crashing out to Slavia Prague, his Celtic record is well discussed but even back at Liverpool, going out in the round of 32 in Europa his first season, out in the group stage in the CL in 14/15 and straight out of the Europa League then. He's not going to be a manager to establish us as a successful European team and maybe that's a deal breaker, maybe there's no point having a manager that can't do that when we're aiming at the level of being consistently in the European hunt.

 

This season has been a bit rancid but there's signs of the team we used to be occasionally poking through despite issues with illness and injury (and I don't think people are appreciating enough the impact of long COVID on player performance, De Bruyne talked a lot about the impact it had on him long after he was cleared to play again and I think we're seeing it with Bertrand) - if people want to question his injury management given the state we've been in since Rennie left and his medical team were put in place that's fair but I think there are mitigating circumstances given with project restart and the Euros a lot of players have had 2 months off in 2 years.

 

He's burnt through a lot of good will created over the last two seasons with some baffling tactical decisions over the last couple of months but despite all of that things really aren't as bad as some of you are making out.

Welcome back!

[The Doctor]

6 minutes ago, ttfn said:

Welcome back!

Cheers. It's been a hectic couple of years - logged out after getting a short ban over Rodgers appointment and ended up then being consumed with PhD, planning a wedding and moving house, but finally settled down and heading back into work while finishing off the doctorate part time as of February.

[Stadt]

On course to concede 71 goals. Only West Brom conceded more than that last season.

 

3 clean sheets all season in the league. 
 

5th worst defence.

 

Year on year our defence is getting worse. 

Edited 20 January 2022 by Stadt

[BrianSwan]

He deserves a poor season after two 5th places and a cup

[Pliskin]

16 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Prior to this season we'd never ever thrown away a 2 goal lead bar Everton in the cup and we won on penalties. This season alone we have done it about 4 or 5 times. We'd also not turned over a 2 goal deficit until this season and done so a few times, so it shows the chaos.

 

We were so begrudgingly good at seeing out leads under Rodgers up until this season, he used to shut the game down and although it was frustrating at times, as we seldom conceded very late goals it wasn't something to really nit pick on. This year though we're a disgrace, we need to be at least 2 goals to the good in the closing minutes and even that's still pure stress.

It’s not so much individual matches more over a period of time. We saw after project restart a complete implosion, Bournemouth being the nail in the coffin that season, and then Newcastle the following season. 
 

We’ve tended to tail off in the second half of the season in both Brendan’s full seasons here, which is possibly down to injuries, and a lacking in experience. It’s almost like the goal is within touching distance and just evaporates sensationally in front of our eyes. 
 

My personal opinion is it is down to a lacking of experience on the pitch, we need some battle hardened outfield players to help calm the lads when it’s needed, the talent and ability is there, but a wise head when needed isn’t, someone to to shout to Youri “keep it simple mate”, when you’re 80 seconds away from a complete shit house of a win! 

 

[Ric Flair]

13 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

It’s not so much individual matches more over a period of time. We saw after project restart a complete implosion, Bournemouth being the nail in the coffin that season, and then Newcastle the following season. 
 

We’ve tended to tail off in the second half of the season in both Brendan’s full seasons here, which is possibly down to injuries, and a lacking in experience. It’s almost like the goal is within touching distance and just evaporates sensationally in front of our eyes. 
 

My personal opinion is it is down to a lacking of experience on the pitch, we need some battle hardened outfield players to help calm the lads when it’s needed, the talent and ability is there, but a wise head when needed isn’t, someone to to shout to Youri “keep it simple mate”, when you’re 80 seconds away from a complete shit house of a win! 

 

I don't buy the lack of experience part, there's real leaders and winners. I just think we're too nice and the manager is at the forefront of that. There's no masters of the dark arts or enough players who hate losing that much that will resort to pretty much anything in order to win when the pressure is on. 

 

That might sound contradictory but what I mean is there a difference between experience and being able to lead your team like Kasper, Vardy, Evans, Tielemans, Morgan, Fuchs, Albrighton etc but if the whole gaff is on the rocks and your manager is seemingly too nice and startled at what to do, that sheer will to win through any means possible and hostility and aggression is what we don't have enough of. The Huth's, the Wasyl's, dare I say it the Ulloa's. He was made of steel when it mattered.

[ealingfox]

 

 

10m quid a year.

 

[Pliskin]

19 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

I don't buy the lack of experience part, there's real leaders and winners. I just think we're too nice and the manager is at the forefront of that. There's no masters of the dark arts or enough players who hate losing that much that will resort to pretty much anything in order to win when the pressure is on. 

 

That might sound contradictory but what I mean is there a difference between experience and being able to lead your team like Kasper, Vardy, Evans, Tielemans, Morgan, Fuchs, Albrighton etc but if the whole gaff is on the rocks and your manager is seemingly too nice and startled at what to do, that sheer will to win through any means possible and hostility and aggression is what we don't have enough of. The Huth's, the Wasyl's, dare I say it the Ulloa's. He was made of steel when it mattered.

I absolutely agree that we are too nice, one of the main reasons Spurs win that game, because they have that nasty grit about them that will keep pushing and pushing. And they probably knew there was a chance we would shit ourselves if they get a chance. I think in some instances experience can help, you’ve got that post 25 Y/O midfielder seeing Kane run through the middle of the park he gets taken out, it is something that can be coached but sometimes a more experienced head would take that upon themselves to do. 
 

But you are spot on, this team lacks grit and a bite, and it does stem from the manager, who just wants us to be as refined as possible, but you can’t be that unless you get your hands dirty. 
 

Man City can be as dirty as anyone, so can Chelsea and Liverpool. 

[moore_94]

23 minutes ago, ealingfox said:

 

 

10m quid a year.

 

We have also won more games at home in the past 2 seasons than Newcastle have won home AND away in the past 2 seasons

[Lesta2014]

Press conference day so will find out if kdh and Thomas subs were injuries or tiredness etc?

[NasPb]

56 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

It’s not so much individual matches more over a period of time. We saw after project restart a complete implosion, Bournemouth being the nail in the coffin that season, and then Newcastle the following season. 
 

We’ve tended to tail off in the second half of the season in both Brendan’s full seasons here, which is possibly down to injuries, and a lacking in experience. It’s almost like the goal is within touching distance and just evaporates sensationally in front of our eyes. 
 

My personal opinion is it is down to a lacking of experience on the pitch, we need some battle hardened outfield players to help calm the lads when it’s needed, the talent and ability is there, but a wise head when needed isn’t, someone to to shout to Youri “keep it simple mate”, when you’re 80 seconds away from a complete shit house of a win! 

 

We're too physically weak, lack leaders, were soft, and our mentality has been worsened when things get tough by Rodgers. Love the guy but it's true 

[Aus Fox]

10 hours ago, Stadt said:

On course to concede 71 goals. Only West Brom conceded more than that last season.

 

3 clean sheets all season in the league. 
 

5th worst defence.

 

Year on year our defence is getting worse. 

It’s almost like we are playing without our whole first choice back line and having to play our 6th choice CB with two midfielders in the backline…

[Fox92]

6 minutes ago, moore_94 said:

We have also won more games at home in the past 2 seasons than Newcastle have won home AND away in the past 2 seasons

Doesn't back up people's opinions though

 

As I said in another thread, there is a reason football is played in seasons. "Past 2 seasons", "past 5 seasons", I couldn't care less - each season circumstances of not only City but every other club, and the league itself, changes. Really annoys me how people (including Sky) have started using "since the start of last season" or "since xx manager joined"... they just do it to justify their opinion.

 

I might start using "since Brendan Rodgers joined, Leicester City have won the FA Cup, Community Shield and finished top 6 twice compared to Newcastle United who have not achieved any of that or come anywhere near that".