Predictably the Liverpool loving media are blaming the dippers` latest defeat on England, and Sturridge`s injury.
Can't they just leave Hodgson in peace! Not content with disgracefully hounding him out of the gates of Klanfield, they now stalk him with other imagined injustices! Unbelievable!
Rodgers seemed to get derailed by the three problems of facing a style of football that he struggles with, missing his star striker through injury and trying to plan for the Champions League. Having to deal with Villa's parked bus without Suarez, Sturridge or the departed Suarez was too much for him and he seemed to run out of ideas. Everything seemed to come straight through their massed ranks in the middle and there was very little attempt to go wide and get in behind them. Suited their rather immobile defence down to the ground. The last time that Rodgers managed in Europe he had trouble dealing with it. Liverpool's league form suffered, as they struggled through a seemingly simple qualifier against Hearts and an easy group, before being knocked out by Anzhi. He had a free run at the league last season, as Liverpool weren't in any European competition and they only played 5 domestic cup games. That allowed him to continuously pick the best team available and meant that the side often faced teams who'd had less rest. He'll need to up his game this time out to repeat last year's impressive league placing. Might have tried to integrate too many new players too quickly, too. Should've learned from Villas-Boas, as that was one area where we came unstuck in the last campaign. Rodgers assured us that they were different though, didn't he?
Talking about Saints, if Koeman doesn't win "Manager of the Month" for this opening month of fixtures, there is no justice in the world. How many of us saw that coming? They lose half their first team and their manager, and field a team made up of reservists and academy players, and after the first 4 games they are sitting above £ity, Arsenal, 'Pool, United, and the mighty Spurs! Most people would have predicted that they were favourites for the fall, this season, but they're currently doing a good impression of not being too concerned about that!
