The Kopite View

Relying On Sturridge Again Is A Big Mistake

It is a real worry for Liverpool and their supporters that their manager Brendan Rodgers is once again relying on striker Daniel Sturridge to produce the goals needed for the club to have a successful season.

After the loss of Luis Suarez the Reds’ boss failed to replace the brilliant Uruguayan and although he signed the likes of Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli he was depending on Sturridge staying fit and the result was that he hardly played at all last season with lengthy injury problems.

“Players like that make the difference,” said the Reds boss. “We haven’t scored three goals since he last started a game.

“He gives you a big opportunity to win games and compete at the top end of the table.

“He is a fantastic talent and now the job is hopefully he can stay fit.”

Rodgers is obviously delighted to have Sturridge back and scoring goals but if he is relying on the England striker staying fit then Liverpool supporters won’t be building their hopes up with his injury record.

Rodgers has spent plenty of money on strikers like Benteke, Ings and Origi but if he is still depending on Sturridge and not convinced with his signings then it is another example of his poor management.

We all hope Sturridge stays fit because he is a quality striker but Rodgers is making a big mistake relying on his fitness once again.

Rodgers Has To Accept Criticism

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers came out fighting after his team’s 3-2 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.

“There has been a frenzy, there is no doubt about that, to get me out of here,” Rodgers said.

It is obvious Rodgers is not happy with some of the attention and criticism being aimed at him at the moment but what does he expect being manager of Liverpool Football Club.

Rodgers has to expect criticism, especially when results and performances are not the best and there will always be speculation regarding potential managers.

It is believed that Rodgers is having a go at former players who have disappointed him with some of their comments but many of these ex-players are now working in the media and expected to give opinions about their former club on a regular basis, so they are just doing their job and not instigating a witch hunt.

Most supporters have also lost faith in Rodgers and the win over Aston Villa will only act as a temporary reprieve unless he can string a run of positive results together like he did last season after the defeat at Old Trafford.

Rodgers has to have thicker skin and toughen up if he wants to continue being Liverpool manager because if he is starting to take offence to what others are saying then he is not man enough to manage Liverpool and no manager has ever been sacked by a “frenzy,” he is sacked because of results.

Players Gave Supporters Something To Cheer About

Liverpool beat Aston Villa 3-2 at Anfield yesterday in what was a much needed win for manager Brendan Rodgers. The Reds’ boss has been under immense pressure in recent weeks and the win gives Rodgers some welcome relief.

Milner’s early goal inside the first minute was the catalyst to the win and gave Liverpool the perfect platform to ultimately win the game. The goal settled the Reds down and they dominated the whole of the first half on possession without creating too much in the way of chances as the visitors sat deep in a defensive shell.

Liverpool knocked the ball around confidently and pressed to get the ball back when they lost possession.

The second half was more creative with Liverpool creating more chances as they passed the ball quicker and their play encouraged the crowd to cheer them on in what was much better atmosphere at Anfield than recent weeks.

Daniel Sturridge will get all the headlines for his two stunning goals but Luca Leiva was instrumental in the win with his commanding performance in the middle of the park, the Brazilian covered every blade of grass and broke up so many Villa attacks with his superb positional play and sense of danger combined with his desire to get on the ball as he made himself ability for a pass and rarely lost possession.

Milner had one of his best games in a red shirt highlighted by his superb early goal, his workrate is never in question but his quality has been, but yesterday he produced moments of magic, like his pass for Sturridge’s first goal.

Moreno had another good performance down the left flank and Clyne offered more of an attacking threat down the right side by providing some teasing crosses to attack.

But the most encouraging factor about the win was the players’ desire and hunger that has been lacking this season. The players chased and harried the Villa players for 90 minutes and the Anfield crowd responded with encouragement and singing.

This is the best atmosphere there has been at Anfield so far this season and it was all because the supporters had something to cheer about by the effort shown from their team.

Que Sera, Sera

Liverpool face Aston Villa today at Anfield in a must win game for manager Brendan Rodgers. The pressure is intensifying after recent disappointing performances and results and the majority of supporters have lost faith in Rodgers turning things around, especially after Wednesday night’s penalty shoot-out win over lowly Carlisle in the Capital One Cup.

I am one of the many that would like to see Rodgers replaced and the names of Klopp and Ancelotti as possible replacements only encourage me to see our manager replaced sooner rather than later.

But the criticism of Rodgers has turned nasty recently and although we all think it is time for a change of manager with Rodgers looking more unlikely to change Liverpool’s fortunes around, he doesn’t deserve some of the disgusting treatment dished out by some keyboard warriors.

The supporters need to keep supporting the team and hopefully there are no masks of Klopp at Anfield today or planes with banners flying over the ground because the players need the fans’ support.

It is getting so ugly that many supporters are hoping Liverpool lose to accelerate the departure of Rodgers.

We have to keep supporting the team no matter who is in charge and if Rodgers can somehow, although unlikely turn things around, then great and if he doesn’t then surely the hierarchy will see sense and replace him but we have to back the team and whatever will be will be.

Reds Sink To New Low

Liverpool scraped through against minnows Carlisle United at Anfield last night after winning 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out after both teams couldn’t be separated after 120 minutes in a 1-1 stalemate.

This was supposed to be a game that Liverpool should have gained some much needed confidence from with a comfortable win, but in what has become a common theme in recent months, Liverpool struggled to break down a team intent on frustrating by sitting deep and well organised defensively.

Liverpool are struggling to create chances and look clueless for ideas to break down teams set up in this way, but to struggle to break down a second division side is not only worrying it is embarrassing.

Brendan Rodgers is a man under pressure and he showed this with his team selection by playing so many first team regulars. The Reds’ boss started Skrtel, Clyne, Moreno, Milner, Lallana and Firmino in a strong team that meant he was desperate for a confidence boosting win.

The fixture was an ideal opportunity for Jordon Ibe (Liverpool’s only attacking wide player to gain some much needed confidence) to start, and Jordan Rossiter to gain more experience after his impressive game in France last week.

Rodgers decision to play so many regulars didn’t help his cause as he watched his team struggle again and this poor performance against a second division team heaps more pressure on the Liverpool manager’s position.

This was another embarrassment for Liverpool and Rodgers and they are sinking to new lows that leave you wondering how much time the owners can give Rodgers to turn things around, because it looks like it has got to the stage where it is impossible for him to turn things around with  his players not believing in him anymore.

Rodgers Needs Positives Tonight 

Brenan Rodgers is a man under pressure with most Liverpool supporters calling for his head and the number of managers like Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti that have been linked to the club is not helping his situation.

However, Liverpool are in the middle of a hectic schedule with three home games in the next eight days starting with a Capital One third round tie against Carlisle this evening.

Tonight’s fixture is one of those games where Rodgers can’t really win because his team is expected to win comfortably against the Sky Bet League Two side and anything less will heap more unwanted pressure on his uncomfortable situation.

Rodgers will no doubt make a host of changes for tonight’s game with an important league game against Aston Villa on Saturday his priority, but despite his anticipated changes he will expect his team to overcome Carlisle.

I would like Rodgers to give Firmino a full 90 minutes tonight because we’ve hardly seen him since his big money move and the player needs the chance to get his match sharpness and settle into his new team and tonight’s fixture is ideal for the Brazillian.

It would also be good to see Gomez in the middle of defence to see him play his preferred position, probably alongside Lovren who has been displaced by Sakho at the moment.

Adam Lallana needs more games too and will hopefully start tonight and Emre Can needs more opportunities in the middle of midfield.

Up front, I hope Rodgers selects Origi and Ings. The Belgian has looked very raw and not convincing so far in his first few opportunities but tonight is a game that could help his confidence, especially if he is allowed to play alongside a strike-partner and Ings deserves another opportunity to start after his tremendous performance on Sunday.

Hopefully tonight’s game won’t be about criticising Rodgers again but about positives that is very much needed at the moment.

Make Or Break Time For Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers faces the biggest 11 days of his Anfield career with his team playing four home games in that period. The Reds’ boss has come in for severe criticism this season despite a decent start to the season where Liverpool picked up 7 points from a possible 9 in their first three games of the season, but a very poor and disappointing performance against West Ham resulted in a 3-0 defeat, followed by a 3-1 defeat to bitter rivals Manchester United last weekend in what was another poor performance that brought much criticism by supporters of Rodgers’ team selection and tactics. A draw away to Bordeaux last Thursday night in the Europa League did little to raise spirits and with the pressure building on Rodgers he must have a positive run of results in the next four games.

Liverpool start with a home game against Norwich City today, followed by a Capital One Cup clash against Carlisle United before facing Aston Villa next Saturday and then another Europa League tie against FC Sion.

On paper the run of fixtures look kind to Liverpool but with the way they are playing at the moment there is no guarantee that they will win those games. The defence is leaking goals and many supporters are calling for the inclusion of Sakho to shore up the defence after his impressive performance against Bordeaux the other night.

Rodgers has a problem in midfield with a lack of creativity and the injury news to Jordan Henderson is a massive blow as the Liverpool captain is facing a further two months out of action after breaking a bone in his foot in training.

The lack of pace and width in the team is another problem and Rodgers tactics of playing a lone striker is resulting in the forward being left isolated too often in games.

The return to fitness of Daniel Sturridge could see Rodgers switching to two up front and the England striker could be a timely boost for Rodgers and he will be hoping the striekr’s return will end his team’s struggles in front of goal.

But Rodgers future won’t be decided by playing attractive football, he must get his team winning, even if it is ugly because football is a results based business and Liverpool need to win games if Rodgers is to keep his job.

Positives And Negatives From Bordeaux Draw

Liverpool earned a decent if not convincing result in France last night with a 1-1 draw in their Europa League opener against Bordeaux. Adam Lallana’s quality finish in the second half gave Liverpool the lead before a late equaliser by substitute Jussie earned Bordeaux a share of the points. Here are the positive and negative points I’ve taken from the match.

POSITIVES

1. The biggest positive of the night had to be the youngsters that featured for Liverpool. Jordan Rossiter started the game and he didn’t look out of place, the 18-year-old produced a mature performance, linking the defence with the attack with his passes and he was keen to make himself available for a pass and keen to get on the ball. Rossiter also provided good cover for the defence by making countless tackles and a few fouls during the game as he showed a determination that has been lacking in Liverpool’s midfield this season. Pedro Chirivella joined Rossiter in the middle of Liverpool’s midfield after Kolo Toure had to be replaced after picking up an injury during the first half, and after a shaky beginning to his night, the 18-year-old settled down and produced a confident performance by showing us how good his passing ability is. Cameron Brannagan came on late in the game to make his debut and the experience for all three youngsters is invaluable.
2. Joe Gomez produced another fine performance in Liverpool’s defence, he has all the attributes to make him a top class defender and produced another accomplished performance on his European debut.
3. Mamadou Sakho received his first start of the season and also captained the team and although Liverpool supporters believe he is the best central defender at the club, his performance should prompt manager Brendan Rodgers into realising this. Sakho produced a solid and assured display of what Liverpool need at the back as the French international made countless challenges and snuffed out most of the danger that Bordeaux provided. Sakho’s use of the ball was more impressive than what we see from Skrtel and Lovren with the French international always looking to play a forward pass to start an attack. He must start on Sunday or Rodgers will be asked questions.
4.                                                Negatives

1. Once again Rodgers played a lone striker, this time Origi, who looks raw and quite a distance from being a first team player, but it doesn’t matter who Liverpool play up front at the moment under Rodgers formation because they are left isolated with very little support.
2. Adam Lallana returned from injury last night and produced a moment of magic to score Liverpool’s goal, but these moments are all too rare and overall he was very disappointing and needs to improve with Firmino challenging for his place in the team.
3. Jordon Ibe had another quiet game and has disappointed after an impressive pre-season. But being dropped after two ineffective Premier League games hasn’t helped his confidence and it is showing with his reluctance to take on a defender, playing as a wing-back doesn’t suit his game, he needs to be attacking defenders with his pace.
4. Rodgers needs a win and although it was great to rest some first team regulars and give much needed experience to some youngsters, Liverpool should be beating a poor Bordeaux team and if he selected a stronger side and played with more attacking intent a win was there for the taking. A win at home to Norwich on Sunday is a must for Rodgers.

Sakho Start Is Just A Token Gesture By Rodgers

Mamadou Sakho has been left out of Liverpool’s defence this season with Brendan Rodgers taking preference to the Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren partnership despite calls by supporters to play the French defender.

Sakho will finally get his chance tonight against Bordeaux in the Europa League because Lovren and Skrtel haven’t travelled with the squad. Rodgers has decided to leave some of his regulars at home including striker Christian Benteke.

Many people see the Bordeaux match as a chance for Sakho to stake a claim in Rodgers’ defence but it just looks like a token gesture by the Reds boss and proof that he isn’t first choice anymore in Liverpool’s defence.

I don’t think it matters how Sakho plays tonight because Rodgers looks as if he wants to persist with the unconvincing Lovren and Skrtel partnership.

It’s hard to see how Rodgers rates Lovren as a better defender than Sakho. Despite Sakho’s un-gamely style, he makes far better use of the ball and is much better at tackling and although Lovren is possibly stronger in the air, Sakho is still very strong.

Sakho has much more pace too, that helps him out when dragged wide in one-on-one situations, whereas Lovren looks there for the taking every time when isolated.

We can only hope that Sakho has a very good performance tonight in France and Liverpool get a much needed win and hopefully Rodgers finally sees sense that Sakho should be first choice in Liverpool’s defence.

Supporters Are Losing Faith In Rodgers

After Liverpool’s last two disappointing defeats and underwhelming start to the season, the pressure on Brendan Rodgers is mounting.

Many supporters thought it was time for the manager to go in the summer after a poor end to last season and the embarrassment at Stoke on the last day of the season looked to be the final straw for Rodgers.

But the owners have granted Rodgers more time to turn things around despite failure to finish in the top four or win a trophy last season. It’s a change of attitude from the owners after sacking Liverpool Legend Kenny Dalglish so quickly, considering he took the club to two cup finals, winning one of them.

Maybe the £9million pay-off is putting the Americans off sacking Rodgers, whatever the reason, the Reds boss looks like he has lost his way at Anfield and it is hard to see him turning things around.

I really hope Rodgers does turn things around but how long can he go on with the games coming thick and fast.

The team lacks direction and the players have lost confidence and Rodgers looks like he can’t motivate them anymore.

The Premier League is unforgiving with no easy games and the West Ham game was a great example of this.

After the exciting football and title run-in from a couple of seasons ago it would be sad to see Rodgers go and maybe this is why the Americans are giving him a chance to turn things around, but I just sense his lack of experience and never managing a big club before is showing and the owners need to decide how long to let him go on struggling.

The supporters are turning against Rodgers and I don’t see many backing him after the last two ‘gutless’ defeats.