Brendan Rodgers: Liverpool FC don't need a defensive coach

Not even the world’s greatest legal minds could make a case for Liverpool’s defence at present.

The fallout from the Reds’ Champions League hiding at the hands of Real Madrid may have been dominated by a misfiring striker who foolishly embarked on some half-time shirt swapping.

But Brendan Rodgers knows that his side’s current problems run much deeper than Mario Balotelli. Asked about the dangers of the Italian frontman being made a scapegoat for the club’s underwhelming form, he quipped: “Was he playing centre-half?”

There was no shame in losing to Carlo Ancelotti’s star-studded line up but it was the manner in which defeat was inflicted which was so tough for supporters to stomach.

Aside from Cristiano Ronaldo’s stunning opener, Liverpool weren’t carved apart by Real’s attacking brilliance. Instead the Spaniards simply cashed in on the Reds’ glaring defensive frailties as Karim Benzema twice punished some woeful marking.

It’s a habit Liverpool seem unable to kick. Last season problems at the back were largely papered over by the club’s array of firepower. But with Luis Suarez gone and Daniel Sturridge on the treatment table, the goals have dried up and there is no hiding place for their porous rearguard.

In a dozen games in all competitions so far this season Simon Mignolet has been beaten on 18 occasions. His solitary clean sheet came in the win at White Hart Lane back in August.

The personnel in front of the Belgian may change but the mistakes just keep on happening. Rodgers has demanded they get back to basics.

“This has been the frustration throughout the season,” Rodgers told the ECHO.

“A large number of the goals we’ve conceded have been soft. There hasn’t been a corner with a clever move that has beaten us.

“It’s been a simple ball into the box and we haven’t defended it through either the first contact or by letting people come across us.

“The second and third goals against Real were disappointing. That’s seven, arguably eight, goals we’ve conceded from dead balls so far.

“We need to be more competitive and more aggressive in those situations. They are scrappy goals we’re giving away and you can’t do that at this level.”

Some fans have touted the idea of Rodgers bolstering his staff with the appointment of a defensive coach but the Northern Irishman insists that isn’t necessary.

The manager says all Liverpool need is time on the training ground to put things right. However, there are currently precious few opportunities to get that work done.

Tomorrow’s Premier League clash with Hull City at Anfield is the third of seven games in the space of just 21 days. Not since August have Liverpool had a full week to prepare for a match.

“It’s not a case of needing to bring in another coach, a defensive coach or anything like that,” Rodgers said.

“I wouldn’t go down that route. The bottom line is our team is based on balance and at times it’s been poor. There is a collective responsibility to defend better and that’s what we have to do.

“Our problem and the issue we have which we need to find the solution for is our lack of coaching time. Take this week, we played Wednesday night, the players physically recover on Thursday, and that leaves us with only a short period of time on the training field before we’ve got the game on Saturday.

“Over the last 18 months we have seen the developments of this team given coaching time. It’s really not rocket science.

“The introduction of all our new players and having limited coaching time has caused us issues. We need to be better.”

Dejan Lovren, a £20million signing from Southampton this summer, was supposed to be Jamie Carragher’s successor and the leader Liverpool’s backline so desperately needed.

However, the Croatian has endured a baptism of fire with an alarming lack of communication and understanding between him and centre-back partner Martin Skrtel.

In total Rodgers has spent around £66million on defensive reinforcements since his arrival at Anfield. Last year’s swoop for Mignolet (£9m), Mamadou Sakho (£18m), Tiago Ilori (£7m), Kolo Toure (free) and Aly Cissokho (loan) was followed this summer by deals for Lovren, Alberto Moreno (£12m) and Javier Manquillo (loan).

None of them have firmly established themselves at Anfield and doubts about Mignolet’s long-term future remain - despite the club calling off their pursuit of free agent Victor Valdes.

France international Sakho, who has been out of favour, is on the comeback trail after a thigh problem but won’t be considered for the visit of Hull.

Rodgers has told his defenders they need to accept the stick which has come their way and focus their minds on answering the critics with improved performances.

“There is no point focusing on any one individual,” Rodgers added.

“We win and lose as a team. It’s a collective effort we need in order to succeed.

“If there is any blame, we all understand as managers and players the nature of it. Whether it’s deserved or undeserved, you don’t like criticism but you have to accept it.

“When you’re winning games, you get the praise for it. When you lose games, you won’t like the reaction so much.

“We need to reinforce the key principles and on the field we need to show that competitive spirit. Great competitors don’t get done so easily in those defensive situations.”

 

“The second and third goals against Real were disappointing. That’s seven, arguably eight, goals we’ve conceded from dead balls so far."


actually david brent its 12................. get it sorted.

your "fast players can layabout on thrusday but EVERYONE else should be doing nothing but practicing corners.. should be pulling dragging climbing all over keeper etc etc... training should allow stuff no ref would... ge ton with it stop making excuses


Take this week, we played Wednesday night, the players physically recover on Thursday, and that leaves us with only a short period of time on the training field before we’ve got the game on Saturday.

the maths says 1.5 goals conceded per game and 1.0 of that is set piece crap

 

"The manager says all Liverpool need is time on the training ground to put things right."

wtf, we had the same issues last season, how long do you need on the ruddy training ground!

 

Least he recognises there is a problem.

The “Was he playing centre-half?” remark won't boost the CBs confidence but then, if they don't know they need to be performing better then they shouldn't be footballers!

I had a bit of a smile at this bit: “Take this week, we played Wednesday night, the players physically recover on Thursday, and that leaves us with only a short period of time on the training field before we’ve got the game on Saturday.”

Didn't Brod moan about Woy only giving players one day off

 

One thing I've noticed this year is we are brining everyone back for corners. Now might seem strange but we'd be better off leaving 1 or 2 like sterling coutinho/Allen further up the field. Not only does this mean they need to keep more players back to defend so less people for the corner taker to aim for, might mean a couple of bigger players stay back and also fees up space for mig to potentially come and claim.

It also means we'd be a threat of the ball breaks free. You saw Chelsea goal where it was cleared and withing 30 seconds they'd scored. Or our 3rd against QPR where sterling won the free ball after the header and broke.

The small players aren't going to win a header so stuck them upfront and hope that it attracts the taller defenders back with them.

 

Also means they are less likely to get in each others way.

 

I agree that it is a collective problem and that the whole team need to defend but it's down to the coaching staff to get players to understand where they need to be and when.

 

Absolutely no mention of the midfield when talking about our defensive lapses at set-pieces although he does say...

...but thats a bit of a cop out.

 

That was just the fast players, I seem to recall, and they're not really the issue here.

I agree that the "needs time on the training ground" statement sounds daft as we've had the same issue for a long time. However, there may be some truth in it as there are a number of new players this time around.
I just hope it isn't just personal pride that makes him resistant to the idea of a defensive coach, because I think we could really do with one, and I don't see how more expertise can be anything but a good thing.

 

He seems to believe going backt o basics is the right approach so maybe he doesn't want to bring anyone else in and risk 'too many chefs spoiling the broth'

 

Exactly. We were pants at defending them last year and we had 6 days between matches then. What's the excuse?

Seems like it was short sighted to keep working on what we were doing best last year and attacking teams when're defending set prices would have helped more in the long run.

 

Others have dealt with the "we had a whole week last year" which means all the players still playing from last year should be already drilled in their roles at set pieces if not in everything.

That's the very problem though Brendan, there is NO discipline. I've watched the sky pairing point out the issues time and again post match. It's not whether Zonal or Man Marking or a mix is used, it's that during one corner you can clearly see individual players abandoning their assigned role for another.....and achieving nothing in no man's land.

Surely it's about bollocking those players in front of the video and group and saying "you were assigned a man or a zone and you abandoned them"

Your job as nearest FB is to block the cross: you're not doing it.

You're job as DM/CM is to track late runners on your side of the pitch: you're not doing it.

Your Job as LAM is to support your FB so he's not overlapped: you're not doing it.

You're job as GK is to come out for crosses: you're not doing it.

Your job as CB is to push the line up, not retreat it back: you're not doing it.

Anyone not wanting to do as they are told? Get out!

How much harder is it for the coaching staff if an armchair plactic with a pause function on my tv can spot who and what is going wrong, to point it out to individual players????? And once pointed out, if they are too thick or cowardly to learn, they get sold.......

I've called for a defensive coach before but I'm not sure it matters. It needs a head coach willing to show there's long term consequences for not following instruction. I think the only thing happening at the club at the minute is everyone saying "we must do better" but thinking "that doesn't mean me". I've seen it in underperforming sides myself.....everyone secretly thinking it's the other guys fault....

Of course this is all based on the idea that BR is keeping it simple and hasn't complicated it to such and extent the dear old footballers are scratching their heads only hearing in homer Simpson fashion "blah blah blah blah blah...."

 

dirty frank for coach

sort that ****e out

 

Pffft...that's my point lol. We're in trouble if I know the answer to the problem but our coaching staff either don't or are not willing to be hard enough to break a few eggs.....

 

Welcome to Champions League football Brendan - if you want to be at the top level, you have to contend with less days of training and managing your resources accordingly.

 

I think fixing the defense could be as simple as one or two small changes. But realizing what those changes need to be and making then can be easier said than done.

I do feel leadership and communication are still an issue.

Maybe the idea of Gerrard dropping back and the full backs attacking to create a back 3 is just a bit to complicated for our players. Are they a back 4, back 3 or back 5? This idea is good for playing the ball out but is it pushing our CB's slightly outside their comfort zones.

 

Nope sorry i looked at each goal.. mos tof the issue is not gerrard nor DMs. thats about our ability to have possession and play... when we give set piece way were are conceding on average a goal a game from them.

fix the set piece. its nothing to do with gerrard its to do with stupid stupid sloppy mistakes, second balls not ebing dealt with and insane actions. fix the set piece and we will improve.

 

I'm sure that BR hangs off our every word on these pages, but just in case he's had a momentary lapse I think you should put all of your previous post in a letter and send it to him.
Can't do any harm.

 

But do those free kicks not come from us giving away or not keeping possession. Or players being in the wron place and having to make tackles from wrong angles.

Much too simple to say as they come from free kicks it's not the DNS fault. Obviously not all his but can't say without studying more in depth that he played no part.

 

His stubbornness will be the undoing of him. I hope he realises it soon.