Brendan Rodgers is finally flipping the Liverpool triangle

After a sticky start to life as Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers now appears to be proving his doubters wrong. Dave Martinez looks at his new-found tactical flexibility and ability to change his ways.

Do Liverpool now have a master tactician on their hands? (via telegraph.co.uk)

By Dave Martinez – @snez10

“The problem with Brendan Rodgers is that he has no plan-B. He should have kept Andy Carroll but he got rid of him because he didn’t fit into his rigid style of play and 4-3-3 formation that he never deviates from.”

Plenty of people in plenty of places have peddled the above notion all season long. At least they did, until Brendan Rodgers proved their words to be unfounded over the past month.

Liverpool’s season is up and running and as they now stand unbeaten in their last seven games, Brendan Rodgers is also showing the flexibility and fortitude that many people doubted he was capable of. Rodgers’ teams always play ‘nice’ football but when they’re up against it, can they shift a gear or move in a different direction to obtain results in another way? Glen Hoddle criticised Liverpool at half-time in their match against Chelsea recently for exactly this reason, and he was right. Liverpool had kept the ball well enough in the opening 45 minutes at Stamford Bridge but they weren’t threatening Chelsea and changes needed to be made. Fortunately, Liverpool’s manager, while being a strong believer in his philosophy, is now also displaying genuine signs of pragmatism and variation. 

At Chelsea, Liverpool were being outplayed after an hour but Rodgers made the bold move of switching to a 4-2-3-1 formation after starting the game 3-5-2. He introduced Suso, a teenager of little experience and pushed the much maligned Jose Enrique to a left-wing role that he has seldom played. It showed guts to gamble on players such as Enrique and Suso to salvage the match for the hitherto disappointing away side, but it paid off. Liverpool ended the game in the ascendency and could have had more than the point they rescued from their 1-1 draw.

Jose Enrique now looks inspired under Rodgers. (via goal.com)

Last weekend against Wigan, Rodgers again made substitutions that helped change the course of the game in the Reds’ favour. After just 35 minutes he withdrew Suso and brought on Jordan Henderson to ‘flip the triangle’ in Liverpool’s midfield. On the face of it, it wasn’t a popular decision, nor an easy one to make. Suso is well liked by the crowd at Anfield and was Liverpool’s most threatening player until he was withdrawn. He is also of a tender age and being substituted in the first half without an injury could have been embarrassing for him. His replacement isn’t so well appreciated by Liverpool fans and has started few meaningful games this season. Henderson is seen by many as an expensive flop (indeed, Rodgers’ reluctance to use the midfielder this season suggests he may well share this view) but Rodgers had made his decision and stuck with it. Popular or not, he altered Liverpool’s midfield and after an uninspiring first half that saw Wigan leave the field with a clean sheet in tact, Liverpool then romped to a comfortable 3-0 win with Jose Enrique again adding the dynamism that has been lacking on the wings this season.

This ability to alter a game and Liverpool’s system was a genuine concern that surrounded Rodgers when he took on the role as manager but already this season we’ve seen that while he has a very clear way he wants his team to play and a preferred system to use (4-3-3), Rodgers can chop and change with the best of them. Already this season Liverpool have played 4-3-3, 5-2-1-2, 3-5-2 and 4-2-3-1 as well as subtle variations of each formation listed. Rodgers has also tried to augment styles during games as evidenced by Henderson’s replacing of Suso and Enrique’s new deployment in an advanced role.

When questioned about his change in the Wigan game Rodgers wasn’t shy about explaining his decision. Some may think he lauded his game changing decision a little but perhaps the substitutions, the changes of system and the public explanations are an indication of a growing confidence. From the moment the Northern Irishman made significant changes to his side at Goodison Park when his young team were being overrun by a rampant Everton side, Rodgers has shown his flexibility and courage consistently and it is benefiting Liverpool on the pitch. It appears that he is growing into his role more every day and he seems at ease with is surroundings. Tactical flexibility was a potential negative against Brendan Rodgers when he took charge of Liverpool Football Club but, to borrow a phrase from the man himself, recent events seems to show that he has ‘flipped the triangle’ in that particular department. 

Does Brendan Rodgers now look like a Liverpool manager? Where can he lead the club? Tweet us @talkingbaws or comment below.

Sunday Blog – Is Joe Cole one of football’s biggest what-ifs?

Paul Boyle looks at a talent which never lived up to his potential as a youngster. Would his career have been any different had he made the decision to join Manchester United as a youngster? Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Could things have been different for Joe Cole? (via telegraph.co.uk)

By Paul Boyle – @PabloEscoboyle

Brendan Rodgers didn’t have to say much on Wednesday night for us all to know that Joe Cole’s unsuccessful days at Anfield are just about numbered.

Cole played 45 minutes as Liverpool, holders of the Capital One Cup, were dumped out of this year’s competition by Michael Laudrup’s Swansea. It was a rare run-out for Cole, but he made little to no impact and was substituted at half time. It’s doubtful that he’ll get a similar chance when Liverpool take on Newcastle today and calls from fans and pundits alike suggest that he should get back to Lille, where he spent last year on loan, if he can.

Joe Cole burst onto the scene before he burst onto the scene, so to speak. He was a youth football star and his name travelled up and down the country long before he made his first team debut at West Ham and he was reportedly approached by Manchester United for the sum of £10m when he was 16. But since breaking into that team under Harry Redknapp we have seen only fleeting glimpses of the promise of his youth. He has moved from West Ham through Chelsea to Liverpool, but has never been able to set the stadium alight as the scouts had predicted when he was a youngster.

But what if Joe Cole had joined Manchester United when he had the chance as a youngster? What could Alex Ferguson have done to mould Cole into the sort of team player that Rooney, Giggs, Beckham and Scholes all became under his influence and what could that have done for Cole’s career?

We could now be talking about a player at the top of his game as part of one of the greatest succession of teams in recent memory instead of a player too short-of-form to trouble the starting line-up for a weak Liverpool side. We’ll never know, but Cole is the sort of player that we want to succeed. Attacking, skilful, creative and, at heart, a showman, he is why the fans pay for their season books when on his game, but without a mentor to mould him his career has waned – had Rooney not met Ferguson would we be saying the same of him? Footballers don’t get the chance to make many mistakes in their careers and Cole must look back at his thinking, “what if…” as he plays out the last years of his career outside the top flight.

Football is full of what-ifs. What if Pele had been allowed to leave Brazil to play in Europe? Would that have cemented his position as the greatest of all time or given proof to the doubters that he only ever had a couple of good world cups and scored 1,000 goals in a league that would have given Kenny Miller a good chance of getting 50 a season? What are the biggest what-ifs in your mind? Tweet us @talkingbaws or comment below. Watch out for Jonny Boyle’s blog tomorrow.

Being Liverpool Episode 2: Crazy Rodgers and Spearing the bollock!

Channel 5′s Fox Sports created Being Liverpool documentary premièred to contrasting opinion last week, but Lenny Boyle (@Lenny_Boyle) loved it from the start. Here’s his interesting review of what happened this week with Rodgers and co.

Episode two of Being Liverpool is a window into Brendan Rodgers’ soul. At times he seems supportive and caring to the point of absurdity. When he tells Jonjo Shelvey, “You’ve got all the tools.” He presumably means from B&Q because he can’t be talking about football.

Or when he congratulates his team for getting a “Result” in a pre-season game. Well done on the “Result”. Seriously, congrats on the “Result”. Rodgers falls into a gunge tank of absurdity when you realise, wait a fuckin’ minute, it was a draw. We’re calling draws “Results” now?

When did we start doing that? Spare the player’s feelings. The word draw may have negative connotations for them. Bless. We must consider their self-esteem. From now on draws are “Results”

Football is a “Results” business.

For someone who sounds like he’s doing a permanent Liam Neeson impersonation, Rodgers isn’t adverse to dropping in the odd bit of management speak. That is until 17-year-old Raheem Sterling starts fucking with him. Sterling replies, “Steady” to one of Rodgers’ training ground instructions.

What? Wait a fuckin minute here. Did that wee prick say steady? Did he really just say steady?

And with that word Rodgers transforms from the fifth most annoying business wank on the Apprentice to one of those mad bastards they paint on the side of council houses in Norn Iron. He goes into full Neeson mode. Gone the impersonation. Full bore, unadulterated, ball swinging, whisky drinking, dead wife mourning, Rob Roy kilt wearing, son of a gun.

Rodgers gets all TAKEN up inside his arse hole.

“I don’t know who you are, Raheem Sterling. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you promise not to do it again, that’ll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don’t, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.”

Rodgers on a visit to a plush US strippers! (via motdgoals.com)

Jesus Christ Brendan mate take it easy.

Then Brendan takes out a glock and goes on a bloody rampage shooting fuck out of everybody. Blood gushes from burst arteries. Heads explode in a shower of gore. Players and coaching staff alike defecate in fear. Shite totally squirting from their shorts.

“You lousy son of a bitch!” Brendan screams as he empties his clip into the chest cavity of a cleaning lady. Her face aghast. Thick arterial blood, so dark it looks almost purple, oozing from a pulsing wound. She calls for Jesus (pronounced HAYZOOS) her grandson. It’s Jesus’ birthday. He eagerly awaits his grandmother in the one bedroom apartment they share. Paper party hat atop his head.

She is more than just a grandmother. She is raising Jesus after a freak vending machine accident killed his parents. Now the kid has no one and is destined to live under a bridge, selling his body for a few bucks and a hit of crystal meth.

I was quite shocked watching it. I didn’t think Being Liverpool would degenerate into ultra-violence. I’m not saying it was rubbish. I’d definitely watch it again.

The lesson here is don’t say steady to Brendan Rodgers’ or he’ll go on a bloody grandmother-killing rampage consigning innocent teens to lives as bridge-dwelling, anal sex monkeys. The guy has seen TAKEN too many times.

But the death of a Hispanic cleaning lady was not the most disturbing image episode two gave the world. No. And the next bit isn’t even made up.

This image: Jay Spearing, talking to camera, lying across a hotel double bed. I couldn’t focus on what he was saying. Something about football, presumably, or perhaps Liverpool Football Club.

No, I wasn’t taking it in.

Because Jay Spearing’s head is a bollock.

His bald head resembles nothing more than the male gonad. This is what balls do, according to Wikipedia, “The primary functions of the testes are to produce sperm (spermatogenesis) and to produce androgens, primarily testosterone.”

The primary function of Jay Spearing’s head is to produce sperm (spermatogenesis) and to produce androgens, primarily testosterone. Because his head is a bollock.

Bollockman, Bollockman,
Does whatever a Bollock can
Spins some spunk, any size,
Catches thieves just like flies
Look Out!
Here comes the Bollockman
 
Second verse:
Bollockman, Bollockman
Friendly neighborhood Bollockman
Wealth and fame
He’s ignored
Action is his reward.
Look Out!
Here comes a man whose head resembles a bollock

His head is perfectly round and squidgy like a bollock. The disturbing nature of the image was in no way diminished by Jay spread across the bed all floppy like some sort of scouse scrotum. It was minging.

It’s got to the point where we must consider, is Jay Spearing a unique life form? Evolved along parallel lines to our own? On behalf of Talking Baws, I demand a DNA test, the public deserves to know, is Jay Spearing a man? Or, is he a bollock? Or some sort of bollock/man hybrid?

Until this matter of national importance is resolved, I for one wouldn’t be comfortable with Jay Spearing near any of my women folk. Because his head is a bollock.

And a bunch of other stuff happened as well.

Has Brendan Rodgers been watching too much Taken? Are there any other players who have similarities to a human body part? You can tweet us @talkingbaws or comment below. Be sure to check out Lenny Boyle’s Being Liverpool stories next week.

Wednesday Blog – What next for Steven Gerrard?

In our Wednesday blog, Nicky Boyle takes a look at the predicament surrounding Liverpool and Steven Gerrard.

After watching Gerrard in the opening few matches, can he fit into Liverpool’s new style of football?

As I watched Liverpool take on Arsenal at the weekend it had me questioning where, in this new look Liverpool side, Steven Gerrard could fit in? For years Gerrard has been the top man as he led Liverpool to victory in the Champions League and success in the FA and League Cup. He has always been the talismanic figure at Anfield, carrying the team against the very best in the world. But, something has changed. The arrival of new manager Brendan Rodgers has signalled a change in the way football will be played at Anfield and the direct route favoured by other managers has been replaced by a more attractive passing style, in the hope of replicating something similar to Barcelona or Arsenal.

Now, Steven Gerrard has never been the greatest player when it comes to simple five yard passes. Instead, he is better accustomed to spraying forty or fifty yard passes across the field, to the toe of a winger in the opposite corner. His game has never been about quick one-two’s, akin to that of Iniesta or Xavi, he is more a player of speed, strength and passion. Sure, the Barcelona duo are not players who will bring the ball down 25 yards from goal and stick it in the top corner. Usually, they will look for a defence splitting pass or to simply keep the ball. Gerrard’s game has never been about the simple things, he takes responsibility, score goals, runs at opponents and inspires others. But, as I watched him against Arsenal, I struggle to see how he can replicate this form, especially as he gets older (33 next year). In Sunday’s game, if we compare Gerrard to the more understated Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, we can see how far behind he lags in terms of passing and pass completion. Arteta passed the ball a total of 92 times, of which 87 were successful (95%). Gerrard on the other hand passed the ball nearly half as much, 52 passes, and completed 42 (80%).

Arteta dominated the midfield against Liverpool on Sunday

People might argue that Arteta does not come close to influencing games as much as Gerrard, which is a fair point. But in a team like Liverpool, where the manager is trying to change the style, it is imperative that ball retention is better. Rodgers definitely prefers the footballers in the mould of Xavi or Iniesta, which is seen in the signings of Joe Allen and Nuri Sahin. These two players will keep the ball all day; simple but very effective football. Clichéd maybe, but if the other team do not have the ball then they cannot score, simple!

I am not for one minute criticising Steven Gerrard’s style. At his peak he was one of the best midfielders in world football, I am sure most would agree. But Liverpool, and football in general, is changing. There is a conversion to a more attractive style of football which I feel Gerrard is not really suited to. Many times at the weekend I watched as he gave the ball away attempting simple five yard passes or trying a quick one-two. Someone like Cazorla of Arsenal would have been ideal for Liverpool, a guy who can sit in the hole behind the strikers and pick teams off with quick and sharp passing. Even Xabi Alonso would be ideal; economical with the ball and plays it simple. Both would have complimented Allen and Sahin perfectly.

Gerrard is getting older and of course he will not go on forever. Yes, keep him around the squad, but do not make him the focal point of the side which was the norm in the past. Hopefully Rodgers will bring in more creative minded football players and turn Liverpool into the English equivalent of Barcelona…we can only hope!

Where do you see Gerrard fitting in? Is he a definite starter in the new system? Tweet @bbopshakur or comment below. Watch out for Antony Horan in tomorrow’s blog!

Wednesday Blog – What Rodgers Will Bring to Liverpool

Nicky Boyle (@bbopshakur) returns in his usual Wednesday blog to look at what Brendan Rodgers is going to bring to Liverpool. Is it more than the good coaching methods and football knowledge he is so often lauded for?

As I watched a short clip of Liverpool’s up and coming reality TV series  ‘Being Liverpool’ – which is due to be aired in Autumn by American broadcaster FOX – it had me thinking as to what it is Liverpool might be missing and how the club can go back to the days of old. With a new manager in place, someone who will certainly bring a new direction to the whole club, I often wonder how new managers will bring about this change and what they might do. Of course, good coaching methods and the knowledge of how to bring the best out of your players is paramount in order to be successful, but is this enough?

I have watched very closely the behaviour and character of Brendan Rodgers, in interviews and even in his first press conference, and he is someone I admire a lot. He understands what Liverpool mean to so many people – not saying Kenny Dalglish didn’t – but combines this with the ability of a modern thinker. The problem with Dalglish was the game had moved on since he was last in top-level management. He is quite rightly a legend at Anfield but, the job might just have been a bit too much for him considering how long he had spent out of the game. Rodgers is current, will bring a fresh philosophy to a club in dire need of a shake-up and has had a good grounding at Reading and Swansea. Whilst his modern philosophy is evident, he is also a preacher of the simple ingredients to a football team, ‘honesty and hard-work’.  Forget tactics and systems, Rodgers knows that the foundations to a good team are these two simple traits.

I attempted to insert the clip here, but it has been removed due to copyright infringements. In the short clip which will be shown in the documentary, we see Rodgers giving Raheem Sterling a telling-off for his attitude and for talking back to the manager. He does not lambast him, but talks calmly, articulately and always in control. This little clip gives us an insight into the strict Rodgers regime as he tries to bring a new brand of attacking football to Anfield. This small pep talk may have been the catalyst for Sterling getting his head down and working to his potential, leading to his outstanding performance for the first team against Manchester City. In such a short space of time he has already promoted a youngster to the squad and given him the belief to perform at that level.

This is a small part of the job but something that cannot be overlooked in making sure your players are motivated. If I was a manager I would certainly want my players motivated and eager to go out and play for me. Rodgers strikes me as the kind of guy that you want to run that extra yard for. It might sound very clichéd but it is definitely integral to the team and how they perform. Jose Mourinho enjoyed that kind of rapport with the Chelsea players and Martin O’Neil is another who manages to exert everything from the players. Joe Allen has already spoke out about how eager he has been to play for Rodgers and again pressed upon how much the players at Swansea were the same and wanted to do everything in their power to please him.

Going back to my earlier question about whether or not good coaching and simple man-management is key, then my answer would be yes, in this instance. To an extent there is only so much you can teach the top players. Up to a certain point it is all about extracting the best from players on a regular basis which, I think, Rodgers will be excellent at.

Has Brendan Rodgers already shown his quality at Liverpool? Are times at Anfield changing? Tweet your views @talkingbaws or comment below.

Tuesday Blog – Why Martin, Why?

Marc Eadie is here every Tuesday to give you his thoughts on the big talking points in football and this week he focuses on ‘that’ back pass which cost Liverpool 3 points against Manchester City at the weekend. Get involved in the discussion on twitter @talkingbaws.

There’s something us British people like about seeing other people mess up. Nobody really likes to admit it, but our culture has become one that loves seeing people in awkward situations; look no further than reality TV for the perfect example. Sunday’s Premier League clash between Liverpool and Manchester City also gave us such a moment. After giving his side the lead earlier in the match, Martin Skrtel, of Liverpool, inexplicably sold his goalkeeper short with a horrific back pass that allowed Carlos Tevez to equalise for City. Die hard Evertonians aside we all felt our heart sink and sat cringing for the few minutes after the calamitous error.

Why Martin, why?

That must have been the question on everyone’s lips. And indeed, why did he do it? Although under pressure from City players, there were other (and better) options than what he chose. The most obvious was surely ‘blootering’ it out the park or even trying to beat the players in front of him. The end result would still probably have been less damaging than his back pass as he’d have conceded possession 40 yards from his goal rather than 20. What was unbelievable about it was not that he chose to do it, but he didn’t even look before passing. Had he lifted his head for a fraction of a second he would have quickly changed his mind and his moment of madness may have never existed.

After Liverpool’s heavy defeat to West Brom the week previous, BBC pundit Alan Hansen questioned the tactic apparently used by the club of passing out of defence – akin to Barcelona. Against West Brom, Liverpool, struggled to adapt to it and made several mistakes in dangerous areas. It’s difficult to say if that’s what was going through Skrtel’s head against City but what you can say is pumping the ball up the park will never lead directly to conceding a goal; playing a risky back pass without looking can. The harsh truth is that this cost Liverpool two points as they were by far the better side against City. While his attempt to keep possession was admirable, his foolishness was far greater and, for me from a defender’s point of view, I stick by the motto ‘safety first’.

What would you prefer to see from your team? Safety first or possession football? Have you yourself ever committed a dreaded back pass on the pitch? You can tweet @Eadie84 or comment below. Watch out for Nicky Boyle’s blog tomorrow.

Thursday Blog – Battle of Britain Looms as Players Lose Will to Play!

Anton Horan returns in his Thursday Blog to discuss what’s significant to him in the football world. This week he looks at Hearts huge Europa League tie with Liverpool.

Rodgers is going without his key men tonight!

With another ‘Battle of Britain’ about to kick off in Scotland’s capital city it should be a time of great excitement among British football fans. Indeed, that is very much the case for many; however, for others, it’s simply a formality with Liverpool expected to swiftly dispose of any challenge from SPL club, Hearts.
Tonight’s match at Tynecastle is the first of two legs in the play-off round of this season’s UEFA Europa League competition. For Hearts, it’s a fairly unique opportunity to progress to the group stages of a major European competition. For Liverpool, it would appear to be something of a minor bonus should they progress.
Liverpool are clear favourites to advance; so much so that they have left Martin Skrtel, Glen Johnson, Luis Suarez and captain Steven Gerrard in Liverpool. But is this simply brazen confidence from new Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers or a damning indictment on one of the world’s most prestigious club competitions? Perhaps it could even be considered negligible foolishness on the part of the Northern Irishman. The answer, I imagine, lies somewhere between.
For Liverpool, it would appear that the home league tie with Manchester City on Sunday is of significantly greater importance than the match against Hearts. This is understandable given Liverpool’s poor start to the season; a 3-0 defeat at West Brom last weekend. A good result against the EPL Champions would be a wonderful fillip for the Anfield club. However, a poor result at Tynecastle will do more harm than good and the risk being taken by Rodgers in leaving behind four first team regulars is still just that; a risk. A raucous Tynecastle will feel slightly more confident of getting some kind of result from the game given the omission of these four key players. Tottenham came away from Tynecastle with a significant lead from a similar fixture last season, however, Harry Redknapp did play all his big name stars in that game; resting them in the return leg at White Hart Lane when the job was done. Rodgers, it seems, is doing things a little differently.
The deeper issue here, however, is the way in which managers and players have become more selective about the games in which they participate. I would have thought all four of those players left out tonight would love a run out at Tynecastle and, if they don’t, they should! I recall being alarmed at Thierry Henry’s comments some years ago whilst he was at Barcelona. He complained that playing on a Saturday/Sunday and then on a Tuesday/Wednesday put too much strain on a player and that there were too many midweek games to contend with in the professional calendar. It would appear to be a growing trend among professional footballers and, from a layman supporter’s view, would appear to be wholly unreasonable.
Is it the players or is it the managers? Who is making the decision not to include certain players? Is it the club doctors or physios? If a player has an injury I can understand their lack of involvement. If they are fit, I can’t.
Football is about being on that grass and kicking the ball around with your team-mates. It’s about helping your team to victory. It’s about the pitch. That’s where it all happens and tonight Steven Gerrard, Martin Skrtel, Glen Johnson and Luis Suarez will be nowhere near it.
Could Brendan Rodgers have made a mistake with his squad selection for this tie? Tweet @AntonH79 or give us your thoughts below. Watch out for Rob Boulton tomorrow in Friday Blog.

Loyalty is a Two-Way Street

As Daniel Agger tries desperately to keep himself at Anfield, the Liverpool fans must remember that loyalty is a two-way street

Daniel Agger doesn’t want to leave Liverpool Football Club. His manager doesn’t want him to leave Liverpool Football Club. His team mates don’t want him to leave Liverpool Football Club. And yet Fenway Sports Group’s stance that the player will be sold should an acceptable offer be made from the other end of the East Lancs Road is seemingly okay with some people.

From a purely business point of view, selling Agger for huge financial gain makes some sense. He’s 27 years old now, he’s missed a hell of a lot of games for Liverpool over the years with injuries and his market value is higher than it has ever been. Morally though, any Liverpool fan advocating the sale of Agger is skating on thin ice above the waters of hypocrisy.

Daniel Agger was outstanding at Euro 2012.

Forget for the moment that this is a world-class player in his prime who could be fundamental to Liverpool’s progress this season. Let’s look at the Agger case from a personal point of view. This is a man who has repeatedly stated his desire to stay at Liverpool, the club he loves. He recently got a tattoo of ‘Y.N.W.A’ on his knuckles as a reminder of what the club, its fans and his adopted city have come to mean to him. He is settled on Merseyside and has no desire to play for any other English club. He is essentially saying that he would rather stay at a club who have their work cut out to reach the Champions League over the next few seasons than move to Manchester City who are almost guaranteed to provide him with winners medals and a hell of a lot more money than Liverpool. He is exactly the type of throw back loyal servant that fans bemoan the rarity of these days, yet some people are fine with the notion of him leaving if the price is right. It is indicative of the way the game is these days.

John W. Henry has a lot to think about.

When Fernando Torres sought pastures new, Liverpool fans to a man were outraged. How could a player so beloved and seemingly in tune with the club turn his back on the Kop? Well, now they have their answer. It is not only players who lack loyalty these days, but the clubs and fans also. Agger’s latest interviews, while on international duty with Denmark, make for depressing reading. He is unequivocal in his assertion of wanting to stay in every answer, yet he has to repeatedly throw in the caveat that, should the club wish to sell him, his hands are effectively tied.

It is a sad situation and should serve as a reminder for fans to be realistic the next time their star players wish to move on. Why should players have any loyalty to clubs when they can be sold at the drop of a hat like cattle at market as soon as an offer is made that is deemed ‘too good to turn down’? Players with a fierce devotion and love for a particular club are all too few in numbers these days and should be cherished and held on to. Here’s hoping that Daniel Agger’s own loyalty is repaid by Liverpool and he’s wearing red and not blue in the coming season.

Are Liverpool right to be selling Daniel Agger when the defender states his desire to stay? Give Dave your view @snez10 or comment below.

Sterling Show Brings Cole Into Focus

 

He may be a talented former England international with considerable Premier League pedigree, but it looks like Joe Cole just isn’t a fit for Liverpool right now. Dave Martinez gives us his view.

Is Joe Cole’s time in a Liverpool shirt up?

Following Raheem Sterling’s fantastic goal for Liverpool in their friendly win over Bayer Leverkusen, Brendan Rodgers offered his thoughts:

“I like wingers to play with width, and by the time the ball got to Jose Enrique, he (Sterling) was in a great position. His movement off the ball was very impressive – he’s made a great run and the rest was that imagination and creativity that I love when he cut inside and scored with a wonderful finish. He’s shown over pre-season that from a young guy who just worries about himself, he now worries about the team and the responsibility within the team.”

While this may be taken at face value as a glowing endorsement of a talented youngster at Anfield, it was also a clear indication of why a vastly experienced, highly paid former England international must leave Liverpool as soon as possible. Step forward Joe Cole.

Sterling pre-season performance from young Raheem.

Rodgers’ assertions with regards to Sterling in his post match comments should have rang like a deafening alarm siren in the mind of Cole. Essentially, Rodgers outlined exactly what he wants from his wide forwards (realistically the only position Cole would be able to play in for Liverpool) and his description was in stark contrast to what Joe Cole of 2012 can offer.

Where Cole likes to come in off the flank and play centrally, Rodgers “likes wingers to play with width”. Where Cole comes alive with the ball at his feet as is, shall we say, economical in his off the ball movements, Rodgers requires perpetual motion. Where Cole is often indulgent and lacking in work rate (and crucially, fitness) Rodgers demands “responsibility within the team.”.

Cole celebrating at Lille.

There is little doubt that Cole still has something to offer in his career but there is less doubt still that he can no longer regularly function in the Premier League for a team with Champions League aspirations. Despite a mildly successful season playing on loan for Lille in the more ponderous Ligue 1 last term, no one at Anfield was licking their lips with anticipation at seeing Joe Cole reborn this summer. His pre-season outings we’re typical of his time at the club. He flitted in and out of games, looked tired, had the odd moment of technical brilliance and then got injured. He is simply too far gone to be considered anything more than a squad player for Liverpool these days.

Aside from the fact that his style of play is not suited to Rodgers’ ideal of how his forward players should operate while his team are in possession, the main problem with Cole is his inability to work when his team don’t have the ball. Since his arrival on Merseyside, the most common feature of his play hasn’t been his tricks, close control or passing. It has been his propensity to drop his hands to his knees and gasp for air whenever the ball goes out of play regardless of how old the game is. His lack of physical fitness is alarming and Rodgers charges his players to consistently pressure their opponents. It is just another example of how ill-suited Cole is to the new manager’s plans.

Brendan Rodgers knows what he wants.

In a summer when the far more productive talents of Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez have been released by Liverpool, it is surely just a matter of time until Cole follows them out of the Shankly Gates. The playmaker still offers the imagination and technical ability that he always has and, perhaps in the right side, could yet be an effective player. Indeed, it is not too hard to imagine him flourishing at a club with lower aspirations that Liverpool. While he remains at Anfield though, he is draining Liverpool’s coffers to the tune of over £100,00 per week (hello Mr. Purslow) but also losing precious time in what remains of his career. It is time for him and his club to accept that things just haven’t worked out the way they wanted and agree to write off their adventure together as a failure.

Joe Cole remains an exceptionally gifted footballer but unless he finds pastures new as soon as possible he will likely be warming the substitutes bench and find himself behind the likes of Raheem Sterling in the pecking order at Anfield. If that situation is allowed to come to fruition then he will not be able to demonstrate his considerable talents any more and that would be a shame for all of us who have taken great delight in his skills over the years. Most importantly though, for a man who loves his football as obviously as Cole does, it would be a shame for him.

Is Cole’s time up at Anfield? Where will he move? Give us your view on twitter @snez10 or comment below.

Should Rodgers Have Taken A Chance On Andy Carroll?

So if the BBC is to be believed, Andy Carroll is off to West Ham for a season-long loan, with the option to buy the striker for a reduced £17m at the end of the season. The forwards turbid spell at Liverpool up until now has been well documented, and for a number of reasons, attempting to send him to East London for a year would be the final nail in the coffin of his career on Merseyside. Alex Kohnert takes a look at the issue surrounding Carroll and why Brendan Rodgers taking a gamble on him might just have paid off.

‘Carroll does not fit in with Rodgers brand of football’

When Brendan Rodgers was appointed Liverpool manager, many people questioned whether or not Liverpool’s towering number nine could fit into his quick-passing style of play. Soon, rumours started circling that he was surplus to requirements, and was to be loaned out or even sold. Inevitably, his boyhood club Newcastle United got involved, and reportedly put in a few bids. Aston Villa’s Paul Lambert also voiced his interest in taking the ‘big man’ to the Midlands, but it is West Ham who are reported to be in pole position to take Andy Carroll, even if it’s just for a season.

Sending Carroll out on loan to West Ham of all teams would bulldoze the small, but ever-increasing amount of development he has achieved since moving to Anfield. Sam Allardyce and his teams play a very ‘distinctive’ (to put it politely) type of football, which is the antithesis to what Brendan Rodgers is trying to achieve with Liverpool. Carroll may well spend a year knocking down long balls and crashing in to people to make space for a nippier forward, without contributing telling passes or goals himself – thereby learning nothing about how to play in a new-look Liverpool. If this happens, and West Ham get relegated – the reported 17 million pound move will cease to exist, and he’ll return to Anfield as a blunt instrument of little use to Rodgers other than as a desperate backup to steal a point in the last ten minutes of games.

‘Rodgers should have a go at coaching Carroll – coach first, manager second’

Carroll showed at Newcastle that he does have the ability to work with the ball at his feet, even if he seems to have mislaid it in recent months. However, what many people seem to have overlooked is the fact that Brendan Rodgers is firstly a coach, and secondly a manager. From the beginning of his career he has done his best work on the training pitch, and the results have come across in how his teams go about their business in games. So Brendan Rodgers should have earned his pay-packet, and had a crack at coaching the boy. Give it a year at least, and see how Carroll can adapt when he is coached on how to work with the ball at his feet and slide it about on the deck, not through the air as Big Sam would have him do. The fans are firmly behind Carroll, and the groundswell of fan opinion is that now would be a mad time to sell the clubs priciest asset.

Another factor that hasn’t yet been discussed at length is that the speculation surrounding a move may be driving a wedge between Carroll and the hierarchy of the club, including Rodgers. Sources close to the striker have said that he is reluctant to move to anywhere in England, except perhaps his boyhood club – and that he point-blank does not want to be loaned. Liverpool can sort out all the details they like with West Ham, but if Carroll doesn’t want to go out on loan, he can scupper any potential move. However, by presenting a proposal to the player, it sells a very clear message that he is not wanted – and if he ends up staying on Merseyside, you would doubt he (or any player) would be motivated to work for an employer that told him he was no longer a valued employee.

At the end of last season and during the Euros, Carroll was really hitting form and it would be a crying shame to see him leave now he just as he seems to be reaching his potential. Moving to another team for a season and particularly West Ham would do more harm than good to his game, and potentially destroy his relationship with the decision-makers at the club. So Brendan, if you’re reading – give the boy a break, or he might just come back to haunt you in a few years.

Do you agree with Alex’s assessment of the Carroll situation? Should Liverpool have gave him more of a chance? Tweet @alexkohnert or comment below.

  • Advert

  • Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Talking Baws would appreciate it!

    Join 4,523 other followers

  • KICKNEWS

    KickNews.net - Football News & Transfers
  • Share this blog

    Facebook Twitter More...
  • Follow @Talkingbaws

  • TOP TALK

    LATEST PODCAST

    Check out our latest Talking Podcast

  • Top Posts & Pages

  • Facebook

  • Categories

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 4,523 other followers