Jimmy, like it or not we've got what we've got and have to make the best that we can out of it for the next 14 games. Now there are some players who I wouldn't countenance as starters. There are some players who we desperately need back as soon as possible. But more importantly we need a run of games where we can consistently play the same squad.
I actually physically cringe when I hear the 'quarterback' tag thrown around. The two games are very different beasts. You don't hear me calling your ears 'gills' do you. I rather have Brendan call Gerrard a 4 and half or something. Gerrard passed it to and from CBs more often than ping it forward as the game facts indicate. It's also a fact that he sat as deep as Kolo. In the Everton game, Gerrard operated at the real DM position, well in front of the 2 CBs and only a short distance behind Coutinho. Whilst against WBA the distance between our two most creative players could have been light years apart as far I'm concerned.
It's fair enough to mention the derby (in which he did get tactics spot on) but he isn't Swansea manager anymore. At a club that wants to win titles you have to get it right 90% of the time and Rodgers doesn't...yet. He's a young manager though and hopefully he'll learn as he goes. Now he could do a lot worse than look at the clubs above us if he wants to see some examples of the ways you can build a proper midfield that suits the Premiership (a bit less Allen....a bit more Yaryar) . I'm still a bit gutted we didn't strengthen, especially in the midfield area but because of that it's even more important that BR gets his tactics right going into the last third of the season.
Gotta agree with Dave here.. Sorry but, is it fashionable to still bash Skrtel? He's been our best defender, sure he has limitations, but then again, all players do, he'd be even better if he had a regular partner! Johnson's poor form it appears is due to an injury he's had since the ManU game, from which he hasn't recovered, if we had decent backups he'd have had a proper rest at the right time, instead of playing through an injury which obviously contributed to a loss in form. Toure, well, nice try lad but I think he'll be onto pastures new, he helped out at the start of the year, and as "experienced" backup from the bench for the rest of the season, he'll do OK, just hoof the phuck away next time there isn't a ball on! Sakho, looked great at times, but thats the problem, he's not played often enough! Aly, well, he tries but he's just not that good... best of luck next year lad! Flanno, limited but makes the defence a bit more solid, more than capable backup for Johnson until he returns, prob. would keep him in the side even if/when Johnson is available. The much "maligned" Midfield of Lucas, Allen and Hendo, took it to the likes of Spurs, City and in the second 45 against Chelsea, a dross midfield wouldn't be able to outplay those teams, away from home! Given the untimely injures to our Defence and Midfield, BRod hasn't had one chance to play his first XI I believe (has he?), the constant changing in personal as led to tinkering of the system. I'm hoping we get a chance to play the strongest team in its best formation, for the last 10 odd games, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
Enrique has been out of form for about a year now. Even when he was fit, Rodgers wanted a new LB. I'm not saying that's a position we need to strengthen ASAP but in an ideal world, we need better. And I don't think he is a great defender - he's fast and strong but his positioning is terrible, no aerial presence and no intelligence. Credit to him because he wants to play with his feet and actually has the bollocks to try it but he often dwells on the ball and slows the attack. As I say, he's not a player I would urgently look at upgrading. The same applies to Skrtel in that he's a decent enough option but also, he's 29 and I'm thinking about the long term. However, I will say that any physical player will get the better of him. That's a fact. Can we have a defender that is easily bullied by a physical presence?
I never said he does get it right more than wrong, far from it. What I was getting at is I've seen a few comments about him getting the tactics wrong but saw very little praising him after the derby. IMO, if your going to criticse for one then you need to praise for the other. I'm also disappointed about not recruiting a CM in the window
I think saying his positioning is terrible is a bit harsh. It's not the greatest but far from the worst, he's much better than the regular RB Plus, when caught out of position, he has the power, pace and drive to recover (again, unlike the opposite side). Also disagree with the out of form comment. He wasn't "on-form" but he wasn't playing poorly, he was still doing a better job than most IMO. Fair shout on Skrtel's age but surely we need some experience in the side? Granted, Skrtel's isn't the best example to have too.
look we'd all like montoya, shaw and whomever else is the big new name out there. Skertl is a good player but i don't think he's top 4. but these days top 4 is becoming unlimited funds type players, is he top 6 even. i don't know. He's comparable to distin and better than evans so.... enrique under rated IMO here. yeah he's a head down merchant, yeah he could release a pass earlier and keep things moving. but compared to a lot of lft fulls out there he's damned good. again he's not cole, shaw, and evra, baines and such but is he top 6 or jst top 10 prem? I dunno but he's decent. yes buy a better one, yes make him a squad player but the issue we have is we loaned in for cover a player who is poor and enrique is out. Johnson I think he is good but not really top 6 good. likes to attack but i don't think he's as good as he thinks he is. allen is average, theres lots and lots of better players in the prem than him IMO. Lucas is sadly looking very much of his best and i am not sure he'll ever get back to it.
I agree with you MITO - I think we're on the same wavelength. I think you echo my comments but in a nicer way (I don't know why I'm being so harsh today!!). The question is (as MITO points out ), are the players I mentioned above good enough to get us into the top 4 and beyond? I do maintain that even with a fully fit squad, we're still lagging.
give us 20 "good" players and 5 top players like sas and you will get there. thats a prem squad. right now we don't have 20 good players we have moses, allen, aspas, alberto, borini, (sorry but right now) ilori, cissohko, jones.. thats 8 players I'd put in the average camp. some i'd actually call journeymen they are that bad. johnson, enrique, skertl, sahko, agger, gerrard, henderson, coutinho,mingloet.. 10 players they are all at least good some perhaps very good. Top 4 players. sturridge and suarez.... i'd have put reina but whats the point. I don't know where to put lucas nor stelring yet thats reality, we need to be able to carry the kids with potential like alberto and ilori if thats the choice but we cannot carry 7 players on our bench then look down it and grimace when we need an option. so the thing is... 7 of the 8 on the average list have been bought by rodgers... that the reality. we can be critical of good player like enrique but we simply have to stop saying we have a THIN squad but start seeing the fact that we are buying avergae players and aksing them to do the job of very good players squads not thin, we made mistakes. if we simply took in 100mil and spent it 10 average players it'd be awful. if we took in 100mil for suarez and stuck in 5 really good players we'd probably be closer to a sustainable challenge for 4th. in 2009 rafa had torres and gerrard, when he looked to his bench he ignored keane but his goals actually kept us in the fight, he had kuyt and benayuon on the pitch. he had babel. rodgers looks round and sees players a bit worse than that in aspas and alberto. The one thing rodgers can say is at least he's got flexibility with SAS
agree with those player assessments - I also rate a healthy and motivated Johnson, as well as Enrique. I rate Flanno but he must have the confidence for more runs forwards and overlaps with Sterling so that Sterling can take on his full back with more options to him. Regarding Allen, we didn't need him against Everton, did we? By bringing another CM in Allen and keeping 2 others (2 of Hendo/Gerrard/Lucas) means you either drop your number 10 (as we did in our defeats to Hull, Soton, and Arsenal), or Sterling (as we did in our Tynewear games) or Sturridge (as we did against West Ham, Spurs, City, Hull, Chelsea). It's tricky for Brendan. If he reinforces the centre with an extra man, he does so at the expense of one of his attacking options. I think we should try this only when we want to sit back, absorb pressure and counter. Still, not sure which to sacrifice in that scenario, but I'm leaning towards Sturridge As our plan A we must forge a better partnership in CM that combines more effectively with Coutinho at the apex of the triangle. For that IMO it is necessary that Hendo takes on more ball and tackle responsabilities, Gerrard sits no lower than Lucas, and Coutinho tracks back. Allen can sub for Hendo and Alberto for Coutinho.
To throw a different opinion in that I mentioned earlier, people keep sayin that this player or that player isn't good enough or isn't top 4 material or isn't going to improve us. Team mentality is more important as long as a player can do his job and has the correct attitude he's a better option than a more talented player with the wrong attitude, imo as this team improves the likes of Lucas, Agger, Allen, Flanno will be important and we shouldn't look to move them on Enrique is also in that bracket as when he plays he gives his all, of course to win things a Suarez always helps but I don't see huge holes in our team 1 or 2 players and bringing through youth is a better option for me with the financial constraints we have.
this is true but i would reply in saying no top 4 player is a top 4 player without attitude. thats why nani at his best was never top 4 for example. for me top 4 = very good player in all aspects thats also why i said get 5 top players and 20 good uns and you'll go far. not even citeh have 20 top 4 players
Yeah I can see both sides of this argument, I just hope that we buy 1 or 2 quality players this Summer othere than wholesale changes. I think we have to make sure that the likes of Flanno and Allen improve because like them or not we cannot afford to replace them all.
Totally agree with that , that's why we should focus on tactics and forging partnerships with what we have, and stop with the dejected wishes of 'what if we had better'. Southampton have impressed me most this year and illustrate this point best. They've forged a tough cocky possession driven team with nothing but youngsters and a confident gameplan.
I was about to say something similar. Man Utd have Rooney, Mata and RvP as their front trio compare to Suarez, Sturridge and Coutinho for us. I'd say their trio is better by name but our trio are better on the pitch. With all bias to one side, I know which I'd prefer!
No doubt that we can't do anything until the summer. These are merely my opinions on what needs to be done in the summer.
Bingo!! Grass isn't always greener on the other side.. With our "Dross" and poor "System" we've made it to Fourth, played some damn decent football, fair enough, we've had a the odd bad performance, but so have the other teams, with the so called better players and more money! Sorry, bad day a work but it nark's me off this constant having a go at our own team, you wear the Red (or half purple/half while/half back of the third kit.. sorry I digress..), you'll always get my support! Give BRod an opportunity to play his first XI week in week out and I'm sure we won't be upset with the way we play football or the results! #pickedthewrongweektogiveupcoffee