Rodgers Needs Positives Tonight

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.