Has The Time Come For Liverpool And Rodgers To Go Their Separate Ways?
Liverpool haven’t had the best of seasons this term. They have fallen out of the ‘Top Four’ places in the league and Aston Villa have just knocked the ‘Reds’ out of the FA Cup at the semi-final stage.
Speculation has mounted regarding the future of their boss Brendan Rodgers. Is he the man to get Liverpool back into the Champions League and winning trophies again?
After the defeat by Villa at Wembley, Rodgers stated…
“We were nervous for some reason. Maybe when you want to win something so much, perhaps it plays on your mind,”
“Dealing with the occasion is something we need to improve at.”
Surely it is up to the manager and his backroom to make sure that these sort of mental issues don’t hinder your team.
Last season Man United also struggled to cope in the bigger games, David Moyes paid the biggest price by losing his job. Louis van Gaal has then walked in and won points in the majority of the games against his rivals, including two victories over Liverpool.
Unfortunately every time Rodgers seems to get it right at Anfield something is lurking around the corner that always trips his squad up.
Last season they were so close at securing their first ever Premier League title but a slip up at Crystal Palace and a literal slip up by captain Steven Gerrard against Chelsea put paid to that.
But second spot was still a fantastic achievement and a superb place to use as a spring board to greater things.
Yet they didn’t have time to build on that success as they lost by far in away their best player, Luiz Suarez in the summer.
They received £75m from Barcelona for Luis but that money wasn’t best spent. Strikers Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert haven’t really hit the ground running, between them they’ve scored just three league goals all season. Fabio Borini also still seems to steal a wage at Anfield, without providing much to justify the cash.
Last season, Daniel Sturridge was the man on hand to back up Suarez with his fair share of goals. But this season Sturridge has mainly sat on the sidelines suffering from almost constant injuries.
Two other big summer buys; Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren have also failed to make the impacts that were expected of them.
The Reds struggled at the start of the season as they dropped points in the league and failed in the Champions League.
But then they turned a corner in mid December and hit top form. That run so them go thirteen games unbeaten in the English Premier League. They climbed the table and looked on course to cementing a second season in the Top Four.
But then Van Gaal’s Man United came to Anfield. In that clash everything went to pot and Liverpool were out fought and lost 2-1. That was followed up by a 4-1 thumping at the Emirates at the hands of Arsenal.
Those results saw Liverpool fall behind in the Champions League race.
Last weekends fixture against Aston Villa was seen as a stepping stone to the final. Liverpool seemed to take their eye off the current game and looked too far into the future. They once again paid the price as Villa have found form under new boss Tim Sherwood and the Villains seemed to want it more.
Liverpool’s mixed season seems to sum up Brendan’s three seasons in charge. They’ve had plenty of highs but its always be laced with disappointing downs.
The recruitment of players seems very hit or miss, with another squad overhaul needed this summer. That new rebuild has to go well!
Raheem Sterling’s current contract predicament doesn’t look good for the club or the manager. With the clubs best young asset unwilling to commit his future to Liverpool, it sends out a message that not all is well at Melwood. Especially as its on the heels of Luiz Suarez’s exit.
In the summer heroic captain Stevie Gerrard will say his goodbyes and join LA Galaxy. That move may hamper the club as he was known worldwide as a great Liverpool player. But the departure could also be seen as the dawn of a new era and time for a new breed of player to step up and prove themselves at Liverpool Football Club.
Now the question is do the owners at Anfield stick or twist on the managerial front?
In Brendan Rodgers they know they have a man that can get Liverpool into the ‘Top Four’ as long as he has the right players.
But does he get the most from the players he has?
Or would say a Jurgen Klopp or a return of Rafa Benitez offer more for 2015/16?
Personally I think owner John W Henry, will back Rodgers for at least one more season. But if they cannot reach the league summit again or get a trophy next term, then I’d imagine it could be the chop for Rodgers.
Posted on April 21st, 2015 by scott
Filed under: Article
I think time should be up for Rodgers,did,not he buy borini, lambert and balatelli, he knew he was with out suarez, yet the two who replaced him are not good enough that’s not to mention lovren there’s only emre can that looks any good the other players that decent are home grown. They sacked king Kenny but who brought Suarez and Henderson in. Rodgers keeps making the same mistakes in big games its been a frustrating season.
Why another year of failure. Bite the bullet. New man now is not swayed by club icons or has vendettas against others. Another year another failure