Is Brendan Rodgers going to take us forward???

Jamie Redknapp on the Liverpool situation...


Liverpool have major issues to address and 2015/16 could be their toughest season in years, says Jamie Redknapp.

Liverpool are facing their “toughest season in many, many years” in 2015/16, says Jamie Redknapp.

The Reds ended a disappointing 2014/15 campaign with a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Stoke and with Raheem Sterling’s future uncertain, Daniel Sturridge’s injury problems ongoing and skipper Steven Gerrard on his way to the MLS, Redknapp believes boss Brendan Rodgers has a major task on his hands.

After challenging for the Premier League title last year, Liverpool ended this season in sixth, 25 points behind leaders Chelsea, meaning they miss out on Champions League football.

With just 52 goals to their name – compared with 101 in 2014/15 – Redknapp says the club must spend big in the transfer window but can’t see any easy solutions for Rodgers and filling the void left by Luis Suarez remains a major issue.
“It’s going to be a difficult summer,” he told Sky Sports’ end of season review show.

“Gerrard is leaving, you’re going to have the Raheem Sterling debacle, which is going to run and run and run, then what do you do with Mario Balotelli? Keep him or sell him?

“It’s going to be the toughest season for Liverpool in many, many years. There are so many players I feel aren’t good enough to play for Liverpool and maybe their future isn’t there, but how do you get them out of the door and then get the right players to come in?

“If you think Rodgers is the right man, do you trust him with another £100m? That’s a problem for him because the recruitment this year hasn’t really worked, the players they’ve bought in haven’t been of the top level of the players who have gone out.

“At the time I said I didn’t think they’d do what Tottenham did, but it’s very similar to when Spurs sold Gareth Bale. The players that came in weren’t at the top level.

“Sometimes you’re better off buying one superstar rather than seven or eight and hoping they’re all going to settle - because they haven’t for Liverpool. They haven’t been able to make up the difference between what Luis Suarez brought them.”

£100m of transfers needed
Redknapp believes Rodgers’ position at the club should be safe, given the performances of the team under his stewardship in 2014/15.

However, he says Rodgers must act on the Sterling issue – and then somehow find a way to bring top talent into the club, despite competition from other leading Premier League teams.

“I would keep Rodgers after the job he did last year, when they played some fantastic football,” he said. “But when you’re getting beaten 6-1 at the end of the season it doesn’t do you any good whatsoever.

“Are you going to trust him with another £100m? Because that’s what I genuinely feel it needs.

“The Raheem Sterling situation is a very difficult one. When you’ve got a 20 year old wanting £150,000 a week, allegedly, that’s so hard as a club. Do you give him that and then give yourself a real problem with the wage structure? Or do you try your best to go and get yourself £50m-£60m? The other problem with that is a large chunk has to go to QPR because they’ve got a sell-on.

“When Liverpool lost Suarez – and look what he’s done at Barcelona – what they’ve done hasn’t surprised me. Daniel Sturridge has started seven games this year and that’s unfortunate for the manager.

“They need a centre forward and they need to try to find somebody. The problem is, Chelsea are going to be in the market for a striker because they’ve lost Didier Drogba and Manchester United, if Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao leave, they’re going to be looking for a striker.

“Everybody’s in the market. Thierry Henry’s don’t come around very often! These players that can make a real difference in the Premier League are hard to find.”

 

Lol another 'pundit' blaming the recruitment.

Actually astonished at how Rodgers evades criticism for his team selections, tactics, lack of coaching, regressing players this season.

 

Tbf he was focusing on the past, he was talking about how we move forward. Signings are Brod's responsibility too (bar Mario of course )

 

He's merely stating the facts mate. Your squad has a fair number of players in it that are simply not good enough for where you want to be.

They need to go and others brought it, you're also going to lose your player of the season and your talisman captain (and top scorer) is also going. Stating that it's going to be the toughest season in years for you, next year, is stating the obvious.

He didn't exclude Rodgers from anything, he merely said he deserved another go because of last season.

 

The underlying message is that we have spent poorly, and he's not wrong.

But FSG have got it right with the committee and we have signed some talented players over the past 3 years who have a lot of potential, and on affordable deals. Rodgers was the one who f*cked it up by bringing in the Soton lads.

However, the recruitment was the least of our issues this year. Rodgers is the biggest single issue at this club - his reluctance to work cohesively with the committee, his reluctance to use said players, using the players in the wrong way, poor defensive coaching, no style or identity.

Rodgers symbolises his personal transfer targets - overrated and far better suited to mid table. There is a fine line between top 4 and mid table.

 

I'm not saying Redknapp is wrong - it just frustrates me that everyone is focused on recruitment when a large part of this season is down to the manager.

 

You seriously don't get it Jimmy. Your giving credit to the committee but then criticise Brod for the Saints players. You can't just pick and chose who gets the credit and stick for signings. If Brod as the final say (like we have been told) then he gets all credit and stick for EVERY signing.

 

Apply common sense and you'll know that Rodgers wanted those 3! A lot of reliable journos like Tony Evans and Paul Joyce have even said it!

You need to stop thinking that everything is black or white.

 

Yep. Somehow everyone has managed to ignore that fact. Recruitment in the summer and lack of in January were problems, obviously, and we should've done a lot better. But with someone more tactically astute and less stubborn than Rodgers at the helm, that squad is capable of top 4 at the least.

 

#racism

 

Look at the team Rafa had in 2005 which won the CL. He had no right to win that tournament. But it's a great example of being tactically disciplined, astute and getting the best out of his current resources.

Was listening to a podcast this morning and they talked about how Rafa used his bit part players brilliantly - players like Pongolle made big impacts e.g. the game against Olympiakos which changed the game. Le Tallec against Juventus. Even Biscan was able to boss a game or two.

Look at our bit par players and they look completely useless and offer nothing.

That is what world class man management is about. There were a lot of stories about how he was a poor man manager which is far from the truth. It's as if you have to be friends to players in order to be considered a man manager.

 

Lol - in all seriousness, the committee are responsible to some extent as well and they deserve some blame.

But for me, Rodgers is the issue.

 

I think you're over rating your current squad tbh.

Is it really better than 6th and 2 Semi finals????

Not sure it is like.

Should it be given the level of expenditure? Well that's a different question..................

 

Responsibility could fall with the committee, Brod or both, my point is you can't pick and chose when to blame or credit them depending on how YOU rate that particular signing.

 

Personally, I think this squad is very talented. Young, raw but talented.

Issue is that Rodgers took half a season to pick certain players ahead of under-performing ones, then used the new players in the wrong positions. Playing a different formation/style practically every week since we dropped the 3-4-3 and it's no wonder players are confused as to their roles.

The squad Rafa inherited wasn't great either - but the point I'm making is that the best managers are able to overachieve with resources. This is why I cannot stand when people say we have the 5th most expensive squad or 5th highest wage bill therefore 5th is par.

 

Exactly.

They're a collective, with Rodgers holding the ultimate power of veto.

Jimmy has insisted on labelling some as Rodgers signings and others as the 'committees', when the reality is that they would have all had to agree and sign off every player brought in.

Sure, he may have lobbied harder for some players over others, but it still doesn't alter the fact he didn't act unillaterally on any signing and neither did they. They all must share the blame for the pissing away of ten of £m's of capital.

 

The 2 players who were nailed to come in as starters were Lovren and Lallana - Lovren was to come in to improve the defence, and Lallana was Suarez's replacement. Both were Rodgers's picks. Both were brought into bring leadership and experience.

If anyone wants to disagree with me that both of these signings were big flops, then they're welcome to argue the case.

 

But that's the problem - he should never got the chance to lobby for certain players. That's the owners fault for giving him more power in the last window. But that doesn't excuse Rodgers's is poor eye for talent.

 

Is it?

I'm not sure I agree, I think you've got real promise with the likes of Can and Ibe, but beyond them I see little more than decent pro's, no real stars and no-one that I'd get excited about if I was a kopite.

 

Sanchez was Suarez's replacement, we didn't get him.

Brod's picks or not, the committee has to have agree and vice-versa for other signings. Is all in it together. Only one man as the final say though.