Brendan Rodgers

[SafewayFox]

9 minutes ago, majaco said:

I didn't know we'd set a record for turgid football.   

 

I think our football seems turgid when other teams are playing turgid fooball. We end up playing against turgidity by turdifying our football by passing side to side looking for gaps just outside the final turd.

 

If records are set towards turgid football, surely Wolves or Newcastle would be setting the records. Both teams bored us into submission..   Granted our submission seemed turded.

Let me edit that but well done for proving my point of ignoring both my question and original comment.

 

Clearly being up with my new born baby, means I missed a full stop. 🤦🏻‍♂️

Edited 21 May 2022 by SafewayFox

[JimJams]

….

Edited 21 May 2022 by JimJams

[JimJams]

2 minutes ago, majaco said:

I didn't know we'd set a record for turgid football.   

 

I think our football seems turgid when other teams are playing turgid fooball. We end up playing against turgidity by turdifying our football by passing side to side looking for gaps just outside the final turd.

 

If records are set towards turgid football, surely Wolves or Newcastle would be setting the records. Both teams bored us into submission..   Granted our submission seemed turded.

Word of the day toilet paper?

[HighPeakFox]

3 minutes ago, SafewayFox said:

Let me edit that but well done for proving my point of ignoring both my question and original comment.

 

Clearly being up with my new born baby means I missed a coma 🤦🏻‍♂️

I really hope this was deliberate  

 

Hope you get some sleep fella  

[SafewayFox]

Just now, HighPeakFox said:

I really hope this was deliberate  

 

Hope you get some sleep fella  

I wish I was that deliberate right now mate.

 

Sleep walking is accurate.

 

As a sensible poster but also a fan of Rodgers, can I ask your opinion on what you think about Rodgers and us if we repeated this season again (obviously minus the European football).

 

Surely, on the pitch - improvements need to be made/seen?

[Webbo]

44 minutes ago, SafewayFox said:

Hahaha.

 

Come on now, I’m not discrediting what he achieved in those seasons.

 

I’m questioning the repeated mistakes he has made this season.

 

In 30 years of Premier League football we have set an unwanted record of goals conceded from set-pieces.

 

Our turgid football (is it any worse than Puel ball) and much more.

 

Feels like any time a Rodgers apologist replies on this thread it’s not directly to what other people say.

 

I’ll copy and paste my question to you -

 

but if next season ends the same as this season with repeated mistakes - does Rodgers still have such loyal supporters on here?

I answered part of your question and ignored the rest because it seemed rhetorical. 

 

Answer my question, given the success that we've had since his payrise, do you think the club were naive to give it him? 

[SafewayFox]

1 minute ago, Webbo said:

I answered part of your question and ignored the rest because it seemed rhetorical. 

 

Answer my question, given the success that we've had since his payrise, do you think the club were naive to give it him? 

So we only answer questions based on history? Nice.

 

But out of courtesy, I’ll answer your question.

 

100% at the time, with the progress made under Rodgers (huge contrast from the Puel style/squad harmony from the outside) on top of the league table (as of the 6th December so not all season) it was NOT naive to do it.

 

I don’t know the exact numbers but his pay rise/length of contract given could be deemed excessive rather than naive.

 

But the moment that contract was signed it meant (rightly or wrongly) expectations were raised - or is that naive to think?

[StanSP]

2 minutes ago, SafewayFox said:

Surely, on the pitch - improvements need to be made/seen?

I hate the term that gets used but even I've not seen a Rodgers 'apologist' deny improvements need to be made. 

 

People used to call me one despite in pretty much any post or discussion I would acknowledge we have serious shortcomings etc. But despite that, even the sheer mention of top 5 finishes and an FA Cup win amongst playing European football was glossed over. 

 

I get why people are frustrated. I get that this is one of our best squads ever and that we're not doing as well to reflect that. But, despite being nonplussed if Rodgers goes or not, I don't mind if he's here next season to give it a go. In equal measure, I wouldn't be surprised it the news came out that he's been given the boot.

[HighPeakFox]

19 minutes ago, SafewayFox said:

I wish I was that deliberate right now mate.

 

Sleep walking is accurate.

 

As a sensible poster but also a fan of Rodgers, can I ask your opinion on what you think about Rodgers and us if we repeated this season again (obviously minus the European football).

 

Surely, on the pitch - improvements need to be made/seen?

That's a nice thing of you to say. I'm not exactly a fan of his (and certainly no apologist either - I just try to avoid those conversations), as much as I take the pragmatic view that I took about Puel - offer me another manager that is clearly better (and I hope most agree that BR was that) and then sack the man by all means.

 

Without Europe and a slew of injuries, I would say that BR has less to hide behind for sure. I think a lot rides on who he brings in, and indeed that really rides on who we could sell/release/drop off on some remote island. I don't think any reasonable person could claim that portions of this season have not been difficult to watch/testing/effing awful (delete as appropriate according to your taste & patience) but I am one of those people that tries to remember the circumstances that led to all the disjointment, and am also a great believer that trauma after trauma (which is what serious injury is, really) is a much deeper mental scar than many here really want to acknowledge. Likewise, the mental draining of two close 5th place finishes (call it failure if you must, my friends, but I wish to be kinder) will have had a long-term effect, and I really hope that this better season-ending goes some way to seeing that off.

 

I'm rambling on - improvements need to be made yes. I don't mind the possession but not when we get stuck in a rut as often as is currently the case. If we stagger into 8th next season, it's potentially borderline stagnating, but it's difficult to say without 12 months of further context

 

 

Edited 21 May 2022 by HighPeakFox

[murphy]

2 hours ago, SafewayFox said:

If you’re calling out BS mate, at least give a factual narrative.

 

As Ric said above it was a third into the season, I’ve gone and looked back it was December 6th 2019 so hardly top 4 all season.

 

I’m not even loudly banging the Rodgers out drum anymore as it’s clearly not happening yet but if next season ends the same as this season with repeated mistakes - does Rodgers still have such loyal supporters on here?

If it is more of the same next season and there is no injury crisis to mitigate it, then he will lose my support and it will be time to move on. 

 

As it stands, I am willing to keep faith because of what he has achieved in the previous two seasons, because he has a reputation for being a top manager and also because of the cost of letting him go.  That is a huge stumbling block.  £30m would really hurt us and it often seems to be glossed over in this thread.  We can't just wish it away.

 

 

 

 

Edited 21 May 2022 by murphy

[Webbo]

9 minutes ago, SafewayFox said:

So we only answer questions based on history? Nice.

 

But out of courtesy, I’ll answer your question.

 

100% at the time, with the progress made under Rodgers (huge contrast from the Puel style/squad harmony from the outside) on top of the league table (as of the 6th December so not all season) it was NOT naive to do it.

 

I don’t know the exact numbers but his pay rise/length of contract given could be deemed excessive rather than naive.

 

But the moment that contract was signed it meant (rightly or wrongly) expectations were raised - or is that naive to think?

Why would expectations be raised? Do you think a player becomes better because the manager has has a wage rise? The idea was to keep him at the club and stay as we're. 

[Ric Flair]

Those that are still staunchly behind Rodgers, what do you make of some of the players saying our season has been a failure whilst our manager goes around trying to claim its still been successful? There's a real disparity in mentality and although the players don't appear to have stopped playing for him, he'll need to be mindful of that.

 

Hopefully what he says to us plebs and the general public, isn't what he's saying to the players and the board because it stinks from here and won't wash.

[HighPeakFox]

4 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Those that are still staunchly behind Rodgers, what do you make of some of the players saying our season has been a failure whilst our manager goes around trying to claim its still been successful? There's a real disparity in mentality and although the players don't appear to have stopped playing for him, he'll need to be mindful of that.

 

Hopefully what he says to us plebs and the general public, isn't what he's saying to the players and the board because it stinks from here and won't wash.

May I respond? I think people need to stop taking notice of what he says too deeply when he's just trying to get through another round of questions and he ends up waffling. He's not trying to claim it's been successful, to me he seems to be just trying to take the edge off it and sometimes gets it wrong. 

 

For those who keep telling us he likes throwing the players under the bus, it takes a fairly determinedly stubborn mindset to insist that that is what he is doing. He's not going to come out and say 'it's all my fault', ever, because it isn't.

[Phenom]

57 minutes ago, LinekersLugs said:

Well said Webbo 

 

I was worried that I was living in a different world dimention reading some of the nonsense on this thread,

 

I’d love a psychologist to assess/formulate then rationalise an understanding on why this thread is so bizarre

 

Some really decent posters, people who contribute excellent rational thoughts in other threads seem totally demented and obsessed by the new cult of “Rodgers out” 

 

Top loves Brendan and so do I 

You should probably reconsider your stance…

[Reg Vardy]

Next season we won’t be in Europe and playing every Thursday.

We won’t play 50 + odd games

Logic says we won’t get as many injuries, as a result of fewer games

We will reshape the team.

The league will be more difficult.Usual “big” six, West Ham will be amongst it,Newcastle will push on,Villa will sign players. Wolves are rumoured to be changing their manager. In short there are ten/eleven clubs pushing for European places next season

I am optimistic about next season, but the notion Europe is a given or even a total failure if we don’t make Europe next season, is way off the mark.

[Ric Flair]

3 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

May I respond? I think people need to stop taking notice of what he says too deeply when he's just trying to get through another round of questions and he ends up waffling. He's not trying to claim it's been successful, to me he seems to be just trying to take the edge off it and sometimes gets it wrong. 

 

For those who keep telling us he likes throwing the players under the bus, it takes a fairly determinedly stubborn mindset to insist that that is what he is doing. He's not going to come out and say 'it's all my fault', ever, because it isn't.

Hmmmm I can agree with that does happen from managers but why doesn't it work the other way and his guard slips and he gives an honest and vulnerable assessment of the underperformance this season.

 

He's claimed its been a positive season on a number of occasions and knowing what we know about him over the years, he'll absolutely try and pull the wool over our eyes.

 

The good thing though in my opinion is that enough has gone on this season for the people that he can't bull shit to and things have to improve and I think they will.

[HighPeakFox]

2 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Hmmmm I can agree with that does happen from managers but why doesn't it work the other way and his guard slips and he gives an honest and vulnerable assessment of the underperformance this season.

 

He's claimed its been a positive season on a number of occasions and knowing what we know about him over the years, he'll absolutely try and pull the wool over our eyes.

 

The good thing though in my opinion is that enough has gone on this season for the people that he can't bull shit to and things have to improve and I think they will.

I think the answer to that is 'because he's guarded'. And most managers are I think - I would be if I was subjected to the same questions, difficult circumstances and pressures both external & internal that managers are.

 

Objectively, finishing 8th (if we manage that) isn't exactly negative, even if it is disappointing both in result and concept, and given how much worse it could be ending, the return of players, results and some momentum into next season gathering could reasonably be assessed as positive. I really do think people are too ready to be offended by something all the time - in this case, what BR says.

[Tommy Fresh]

14 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

May I respond? I think people need to stop taking notice of what he says too deeply when he's just trying to get through another round of questions and he ends up waffling. He's not trying to claim it's been successful, to me he seems to be just trying to take the edge off it and sometimes gets it wrong. 

 

For those who keep telling us he likes throwing the players under the bus, it takes a fairly determinedly stubborn mindset to insist that that is what he is doing. He's not going to come out and say 'it's all my fault', ever, because it isn't.

I don't think people expect him to hold himself fully accountable, however every now and then it would be refreshing to hear him acknowledge when he's made a mistake.

[murphy]

5 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

May I respond? I think people need to stop taking notice of what he says too deeply when he's just trying to get through another round of questions and he ends up waffling. He's not trying to claim it's been successful, to me he seems to be just trying to take the edge off it and sometimes gets it wrong. 

 

For those who keep telling us he likes throwing the players under the bus, it takes a fairly determinedly stubborn mindset to insist that that is what he is doing. He's not going to come out and say 'it's all my fault', ever, because it isn't.

I would have thought that Rodgers would be more astute in his press dealings than you give him credit for, he's an intelligent man, I don't buy the idea that when he is saying that his players aren't good enough he misspeaks.

 

The way to deal with press interviews is to speak in beige, platitudes an blandishments, unless you actually have something to say.  Vardy can do it.  His interviews are aural night nurse, yet I suspect that his personality is anything but.

 

I think that talking down the club and his players is far from accidental on Rogers' part and I think that it is self-serving and unnecessary.

 

[volpeazzurro]

18 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

That's a nice thing of you to say. I'm not exactly a fan of his (and certainly no apologist either - I just try to avoid those conversations), as much as I take the pragmatic view that I took about Puel - offer me another manager that is clearly better (and I hope most agree that BR was that) and then sack the man by all means.

 

Without Europe and a slew of injuries, I would say that BR has less to hide behind for sure. I think a lot rides on who he brings in, and indeed that really rides on who we could sell/release/drop off on some remote island. I don't think any reasonable person could claim that portions of this season have not been difficult to watch/testing/effing awful (delete as appropriate according to your taste & patience) but I am one of those people that tries to remember the circumstances that led to all the disjointment, and am also a great believer that trauma after trauma (which is what serious injury is, really) is a much deeper mental scar than many here really want to acknowledge. Likewise, the mental draining of two close 5th place finishes (call it failure if you must, my friends, but I wish to be kinder) will have had a long-term effect, and I really hope that this better season-ending goes some way to seeing that off.

 

I'm rambling on - improvements need to be made yes. I don't mind the possession but not when we get stuck in a rut as often as is currently the case. If we stagger into 8th next season, it's potentially borderline stagnating, but it's difficult to say without 12 months of further context

 

 

Even as a Rodgers 'outer', I think that's very reasonable and can go with that. If we can finish 8th, on the surface, I don't think it's a bad overall result for this season all things considered. 

 

The football itself however is something else and sometimes the way Rodgers portrays our expectations, for me, is less about realism and more about his own back covering and supposed reputation. 

 

Nevertheless, we are where we are. I don't think he's going anywhere and I don't personally see any exciting managerial knight in shining armour on the horizon anyway. So on a personal level,  I sincerely hope that he can get rid of who he wants, gets in who he and just as importantly, who our recruitment team wants, to enable him to have a less dull and defensive approach to our overall game against suitable opposition next season. Finishing 8th is fine, but I'd sooner finish 9th or 10th fighting ambitiously and thereby entertaining more and giving the crowd more to cheer and cling onto. That in itself creates a better atmosphere. Good luck Brendan. 

[Ric Flair]

6 minutes ago, Reg Vardy said:

Next season we won’t be in Europe and playing every Thursday.

We won’t play 50 + odd games

Logic says we won’t get as many injuries, as a result of fewer games

We will reshape the team.

The league will be more difficult.Usual “big” six, West Ham will be amongst it,Newcastle will push on,Villa will sign players. Wolves are rumoured to be changing their manager. In short there are ten/eleven clubs pushing for European places next season

I am optimistic about next season, but the notion Europe is a given or even a total failure if we don’t make Europe next season, is way off the mark.

It's a curious one because you are absolutely right, qualifying for Europe is never par for the course for us, even if we are now more than capable of doing so and if we don't and in the manner of the mistakes we've made this season then more should be demanded but it's about context.

 

There is an element of what fans may ask for as the bare minimum and for a reasonable outcome that actually isn't reasonable at all. For example, most of our fans aren't demanding top 6 but we want our team to be able to defend set pieces, play a style of football that doesn't render the majority of the game pointless in attempting to create chances and score, not have away form that's relegation standard, beat the majority of the non big 6 at home and have a good go in the cups.

 

However when you add all that together you'd not finish mid table, probably not even 8th unless the standard of those around us significantly improves. So I get that there's an element of unreasonable dissatisfaction mid season and performances should be assessed as a whole. Even so this season we have made a huge amount of mistakes and it's a big drop off from the previous 2 seasons so it's inevitable there's concern for some, anger for others. 

 

I always look at points total rather than positions. This team is a 60 points a season team. Less than that and its likely we'll have rued some missed opportunities and regrets and more than 60 and we'll have maximised our potential and really taken it to the big 6.

 

60 points in some seasons is top 6, but in others it's 7th or even 8th. Yet some seasons 8th can be achieved much much less than that (52 this season potentially) and yet there's a big difference. That's probably why the likes of Castagne feel like this season has been horrible and yet Rodgers points out 8th is decent for us and shouldn't be sniffed at.

 

Context Brendan, stop pulling pissers.

[HighPeakFox]

5 minutes ago, volpeazzurro said:

Even as a Rodgers 'outer', I think that's very reasonable and can go with that. If we can finish 8th, on the surface, I don't think it's a bad overall result for this season all things considered. 

 

The football itself however is something else and sometimes the way Rodgers portrays our expectations, for me, is less about realism and more about his own back covering and supposed reputation. 

 

Nevertheless, we are where we are. I don't think he's going anywhere and I don't personally see any exciting managerial knight in shining armour on the horizon anyway. So on a personal level,  I sincerely hope that he can get rid of who he wants, gets in who he and just as importantly, who our recruitment team wants, to enable him to have a less dull and defensive approach to our overall game against suitable opposition next season. Finishing 8th is fine, but I'd sooner finish 9th or 10th fighting ambitiously and thereby entertaining more and giving the crowd more to cheer and cling onto. That in itself creates a better atmosphere. Good luck Brendan. 

And suddenly it's a very easy, relaxed conversation between people who see some things differently, but have a common goal overall. These moments are what I wait for on FT, and it needs more of us to allow it to happen. The moment anyone says anything reasonable, I am all ears, regardless of the opinion.

[HighPeakFox]

9 minutes ago, murphy said:

I would have thought that Rodgers would be more astute in his press dealings than you give him credit for, he's an intelligent man, I don't buy the idea that when he is saying that his players aren't good enough he misspeaks.

 

The way to deal with press interviews is to speak in beige, platitudes an blandishments, unless you actually have something to say.  Vardy can do it.  His interviews are aural night nurse, yet I suspect that his personality is anything but.

 

I think that talking down the club and his players is far from accidental on Rogers' part and I think that it is self-serving and unnecessary.

 

Fine - I take the point of view, and we can happily agree to differ I think.

[An Sionnach]

Does anybody think a 60 point season would happen without Vardy?. When he is finally gone 50 will probably be par. That is why he will be offered a lucrative extension. The club are scared to death he will call it a day.

[Ric Flair]

5 minutes ago, An Sionnach said:

Does anybody think a 60 point season would happen without Vardy?. When he is finally gone 50 will probably be par. That is why he will be offered a lucrative extension. The club are scared to death he will call it a day.

Yes I do, we've thrown away 15+ points from conceding goals in the last 10 mins and most of those came without Vardy. Our away form this season is nearly relegation standard.