Correct. Which is why BR shouldn't have favourites, but he does. If the team needs Sakho in for example [and I'm not saying it does] then Sakho should be in, a strop shouldn't be stopping the manager playing the best players for a particular game. Frank - I disagree that the players being phased out aren't part of the culture. If you snapped them in half they'd say Liverpool. Agger, Reina, Kuyt sweated blood for Liverpool, the fact they don't have a lot of medals isn't for the want of effort on their part, it was the team overall that wasn't good enough. Add players like Alonso, Mascherano and Suarez to the list, how many medals did they win, you can't possibly say that group of players didn't have a winning mentality.
Gez called it a while ago that we needed to phase the old guard out - Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Lucas. I would still argue a case for Agger and we've gotten rid of Reina. But the rest simply have to go. They should be starting for a team that is looking to finish in top 4 and beyond, same applies to Gerrard. Rodgers has his favourites and I mentioned it on the match day thread that if he does not drop Gerrard against Hull, then he will never drop him and he hasn't got the balls. Skrtel, Johnson, Lucas have f*ck all with Liverpool so I don't class them as winners - they were fixtures in the team from 09/10 season when our decline began and I don't think it's a coincidence.
Such a shame he never recaptured his form after his injury. Before his injury he was absolutey vital to our team. He's had one hell of a journey with Liverpool. Being the whipping boy when he came, to training so hard and getting to the top of his game and becoming a fans favourite, to now. The boy done very good overall and should be remembered as a real hard working team player. I'll always have massive respect for him.
I think a lot of you are losing site of one thing and that's the culture of the club. Players come and players go, systems change and the nature of the game (speed against true skill, etc) changes. However the club exists within an environment and the heroes of the club have to exemplify the spirit of that environment. Liverpool FC are still a major global club but we have always had within our ranks local boys who have typified the Scoucers. We are losing that and it's hurting us. Why do you think that Everton are so frantic about the future of Berkley? On this point I have to agree with Tobes. When he is on the pitch, the whole attitude of the crowd and the team is lifted. Whereas when we now see Gerrard on the pitch we can only think of yesterday. We have lost Carra and Gerrard. Great players in their own right. We have lost our adopted Scouser in Agger (as we did with Molby). Now the best we can do is look towards Flannigan and he has to have time to develop into a great player. We have always wanted our cake and to eat it. Scouse players have to both typify the heart of the club and be great in their own right - an almost impossible task. Now I know that few of us would argue that Liverpool have to develop and not live in the past. We do need to develop young players. Since Shanks dragged us out of the 50s and into his present day we have developed our sides. We have never been a club that bought off-the-peg stars successfully. Even Kenny was a risk when we got him from Celtic - could he make the transition - he did and then some!!! However, apart from when he opened his mouth, Kenny typified Liverpool and all things Scouse. It's more than being a player. Both Liverpool and Everton have to accept that they exist in a local unique environment. Yes we want to be Kings of Europe again but first we have to become long term champions in our domestic league and we are far from being that at present. If Rodgers is truly about shaping a new side to make history with then great. He will have to clear out players and bring in new. But if he thinks that he can do that without local heros then he truly does not understand the culture of Liverpool FC or the spirit of the city. Now you can rip the shreds out of what I've posted if you want. I can't prove any of it in trophies or financial success but I do know from my business experience that when an organisation loses touch with the culture it exists in then it will fail.
You're spot on there Dave. I have said it a few times on here, and funny that most of our great scouse heroes have been boyhood blues, it simply doesn't matter. What does matter, as you rightly say, is our unique environment, embracing and cherishing it and having a steady line of local lads coming through is the ideal. I didn't like Kelly going for that very reason and I know with him it's about injuries and not necessarily being a good fit for the team, although that's debatable too. For a football mad city like Liverpool which excels at school football not to have local lads in the team is a shame.
Great points on Shanks and Sir Bob. My signature suggests I completely agree. The likes of Johnson and Mario wouldn't stand a chance with either of those in charge!
Dave theres nothing bad in what you say. I'd make only 2 points 1. I agree on that local ethic building more than city have. BUT I would say that a good starting point is coaching and that's what carraghers decision to f off to sky disappointed me greatly. Contrast to barca where now they are on their 4th manger from within. Gaurdiola came up via reserve team.... We need at least a high quality coaching set up where these guys get thier pro licences properly and develop from within. 2. LFC in the past (under shankley) let the team age and were too lyoal (accroding to what i read) to ceratin players and it cost lfc a period of not winning under shankly. He then had to rebuild. I feel honestly gerrard aint good enough and carrgaher was way off stadnard too. chelsea eased out lampard and have terry on rolling 1 year deal... at lfc both would have 2/3 year deals and look woeful. We need to get to that state. Paisley said let the age on someone else's pitch.
Losing Lucas would be a huge mistake for Rodgers to let happen. We're already light in midfield with Can still settling and eventually, Gerrard will deteriorate to a literal walking pace if he keeps up this rate of games. No Lucas leaves us with no options in the middle, particularly if we get some injuries which are inevitable. We already lack in the midfield with no power or a commanding midfielder as it is!
