Season 2012-2013

[Ed]

Your hatred of Brendan Rodgers, the manager of Liverpool Football Club, is far far greater than your love for this very club.

I best find another forum. Best of all to you.

The club has a tradition of success founded upon
plain-speaking, hard work and common sense.
It's not modernity the riles us, in our heyday we
were always ahead of the curve, it's the perception
that the gaffer has morphed into a middle manager.
Where have you bean 

[Tes]

Your hatred of Brendan Rodgers, the manager of Liverpool Football Club, is far far greater than your love for this very club.

I best find another forum. Best of all to you.

Try TLW (The Liverpool Way). Jim sometimes posts on there.

You'll enjoy it.  A real forum. We're mere pretenders, rank amateurs. The rodgering Brendan gets on there puts us to shame.

Or RAWK, only make sure you learn your lines and what you're supposed to post otherwise those nasty mods will swoop.

Or try TIA - This Is Anfield. It's like trying to learn Latin when you've just been woken up suddenly from a deep sleep. They are a rather bizarre but ultimately harmless collection on there.

Just seen it on RAWK, that the next 200 new forumites that sign up get a signed copy of that picture Brendan has in his house, and if you're number 201 - 500, you get a I (heart) Brendan badge as a consolation.

See you soon my little boomerang. 

[the dude abides]

and not forgetting the bootroom.

I used to post in there for years.  A cliche of about 10 people, who have their own private forum, invisible to the rest of the members.  Funny actually, there were maybe about 15 members, and ten of those were admins, able to see and chat in the invisible part of the site.

the rest of us minions had to make do with posting in the main forum.

But there are lots of sites out there, Martin, for you to take your prayer books too.

[Ed]

Great opportunity vs. the Hammers to close in on
Everton should they not do the business at WHL.

[Tes]

Great opportunity vs. the Hammers to close in on
Everton should they not do the business at WHL.

So it's your fault Ed. 0-0 against the mighty 'ammers and Everton up 2-1 away at Spurs.

I can't believe the media are still talking about 'blows' to our 'top four hopes'. Still, it's an easy stick for the Southern press to beat the club with again.

[Tes]

It looks like we'll end the season with a few more points, a few goals scored and more goals conceded, adding up to the sum of a single position improvement.
In the wider picture of the season, there'll be no trophy, no finals and no European football of any description next season.

The style of play may be more pleasing on the eye, going forward at least, but defensively any attacking gains seem to been been nearly negated so our nett position is a very slight increase in the league, but a massively disappointing set of cup displays.

Top four and CL football 'feels' like it's as far away as anytime since we were last in it.

Any progress made isn't actually translating itself into tangible improvements, ie real movement up the league, a real challenge to the end for EL or CL place(s).

[the dude abides]

The style of play may be more pleasing on the eye, going forward at least, but defensively any attacking gains seem to been been nearly negated so our nett position is a very slight increase in the league

Any progress made isn't actually translating itself into tangible improvements, ie real movement up the league, a real challenge to the end for EL or CL place(s).

yes, apart from an ability to score more and be pleasing on the eye there pretty-much has been no improvement - despite all the money that has been spent (a helluva lot relative to what other clubs around us have spent - wba, everton, swansea etc)

sadly, our absentee yankee owners will believe the BS from BR, and he'll be still in the dugout, come August time.   The bloke does not know the first thing about balance.  A poor man's Keegan.  All that we are without now, is Titus Bramble.  Hey, there's an idea for our new centre half! 

[Tes]

West Ham showed today with a properly organised defensive side to your game you can keep teams at bay even with the likes of Luis in the opposition's attack..

It would be interesting to look at all the games we conceded two or more in a see if we'd conceded one less, how many differences to the result that would be.

Straight off the top of my head, with the actual points in brackets - 3 points away to Everton (1 point), 3 points away to Arsenal (1), 3 points away to Man City (1), 1 point away to the Mancs (0), 1 point at Home to the Mancs (0), 3 points at home to Man City (1),  1 point Spurs away (0).

So that's 11 points simply by conceding 1 less goal when we conceded 2 or more.

It shows where the major problem is and has been all season and that's the biggest disappointment that we've not even seen a very gradual improvement after the first 10 games (a bit of bedding in allowance, which is still more than a quarter of the season).

Through to the next round of the EL.

[the dude abides]

yes, like we have said many times, against a half-organised side, Rodgers flounders.

it's no coincidence that he tends to always come off second best against teams in the top half of the table.  And for smart managers in the lower reaches, they can also embarrass him.

west ham at home, should be an easy three points.  Heck, the bubble blowers haven;t even as much as scored at Anfield, since something like 2006.

Were there any boos today I wonder at the end?     I have to wonder, if we are jumping the gun, in presuming that Rodgers job is safe come May time.  I imagine that the yanks will fall for Brent's BS and know no better.  But they have put a lot of money into the club and they may well want to see progress.

[Ed]

Were there any boos today I wonder at the end?     I have to wonder, if we are jumping the gun, in presuming that Rodgers job is safe come May time.  I imagine that the yanks will fall for Brent's BS and know no better.  But they have put a lot of money into the club and they may well want to see progress.

Come on Dude the truth is we couldn't afford to sack him even
if the owners were of a mind to. If the Rodgers experiment shows signs
of failing, my presumption is that the appointment of a DoF would be their
first move, but again such talk is premature before the end of the
season at the very least.

Just need to see how the remaining games (is it 6?) pan out. The new
narrative is crystal clear i.e. we had a poor start to the campaign, but
since Christmas blah, blah (unfortunately seasons are 38 games of football)

I was surprised (not by Rodgers reluctance to commit to any specific goal
with regard to our finishing position other than high as possible) but by
his mentioning of next season's pre-season during the week. Should we
not be solely focused on this season etc.

Anyway, there's an interesting run of games coming up after Reading i.e.
Chelsea at home, Newcastle away and Everton at home.

I think that any objective review of the season would take into consideration
the depth of our squad, but there's still plenty to be gleaned about the performance
of the gaffer (and todays game is a perfect example) once the season's over
for anyone looking to move beyond simplistic, optimistic assessments.

[barticus]

Wow, so Martin and Edward waved the white flag in the end. Not surprising because they were batting on a dodgy wicket in the first place...
Once plan a fails, there's no plan b with rodgers. This season has been a complete balls up of the highest order. Suarez, Coutinho and Sterling being the only real highlights.
We can't fall into the trap of allowing Rodgers to continue, just because others have been dismissed for the last 3  seasons. If the guy is no good, then no matter what he does will mean further danger for our club. It was right to sack Hodgson, it was right to sack Kenny (pity kenny didn't play like he did for that promising half season he had after hodgson) but he did get us two 2 cup finals. What has Rodgers given us? Pretty football at times but nothing even remotely close to winning anything of worth. When the going got tough in the cup competitions and the league, we were instantly found out.
The yanks have stumped up the cash so they can't be blamed for that. We need a better run club from chairman and scouts etc and i'm stunned that smart businessmen can't put that into place. Arrogance perhaps but in the long run, it's going to hurt their investment. 
Apart from Coutinho (and perhaps Sturridge - handy bench player at best), Rodgers has wasted our money. I don't want him anywhere near this summers money because in the long run, that will cost us far more than sacking him and his underlings off.

[the dude abides]

Come on Dude the truth is we couldn't afford to sack him even
if the owners were of a mind to. If the Rodgers experiment shows signs
of failing, my presumption is that the appointment of a DoF would be their
first move, but again such talk is premature before the end of the
season at the very least.

I was surprised (not by Rodgers reluctance to commit to any specific goal
with regard to our finishing position other than high as possible) but by
his mentioning of next season's pre-season during the week. Should we
not be solely focused on this season etc.

Anyway, there's an interesting run of games coming up after Reading i.e.
Chelsea at home, Newcastle away and Everton at home.

I'm with Bart on this, Ed.  I do not think the club can afford not to sack Rodgers.

Look at it this way, Brent is proposing a new 5 year contract for Gerrard.   That is madness.  Use THAT money (130 grand a week, to sack Rodgers and his entourage).  I would imagine 7 million quid (roughly Gerrard's wages for one season) should come close to ending the Rodgers regime.

And look at the risk of allowing him more money to spend.  He has spent a fortune so far, and with what results.  Allen has been a disaster (for anyone with footballing intelligence).  I am not yet convinced about Sturridge.  The man that has saved Rodger's bacon has been Suarez.  And he was not a Rodger's signing.

Despite playing pretty offensive football, we have not progressed as a club.  Indeed, I;d argue, we have fallen further back.

I would love Benitez, or else Ancellotti.  Both are the right age and pedigree.  But City should have sacked Mancini last summer.  This summer, I could easily see them swooping for Benitez.  My nightmare has been United going for Benitez.  They would give him the resources and the time, to enact another long Ferguson era.  But, I think City would be wise to swoop for him.  Our bozos will ignore Rafa again. 

Ancellotti, if he were to leave PSG, would be a helluva signing.  And he has said in the past, that he regards the Liverpool fans as the best fans in football.

Let's end the nightmare this summer, and bring in proven class, to move the club forward. 

Rodgers may be talking up the close season, new transfers and the new season.  But he;d be advised to mind the remaining 6 games.  I do not see his position as fully guaranteed just yet.

[the dude abides]

The yanks have stumped up the cash so they can't be blamed for that. We need a better run club from chairman and scouts etc and i'm stunned that smart businessmen can't put that into place. Arrogance perhaps but in the long run, it's going to hurt their investment. 

it would not surprise me to see the yanks sell up, Bart. 

I get the impression (and I might be wrong), that their heart is not in it.

[Tes]

it would not surprise me to see the yanks sell up, Bart. 

I get the impression (and I might be wrong), that their heart is not in it.

Two points about departures raised here and whilst the case is there the worry is the same on both points - would the replacements be better or worse?

If the manager is sacked we still have the same people, who appointed him in the first place, appointing his replacement.

If they leave, then who buys us? Another bunch of Toxics/Glazers, a billionaire requiring a past time, or would we actually land on our feet and get the owner that has the true desire to see us as winners, who has the knowledge or is prepared to appoint those who do and understands that the match going fan can not bankroll the club, but should be a relatively small percentage of our income. We have a huge fanbase and the cost of the club shouldn't fall disproportionately on a mere 45,000, 55,000, 60,000 fans.

[the dude abides]

If they leave, then who buys us? Another bunch of Toxics/Glazers, a billionaire requiring a past time, or would we actually land on our feet and get the owner that has the true desire to see us as winners, who has the knowledge or is prepared to appoint those who do and understands that the match going fan can not bankroll the club, but should be a relatively small percentage of our income. We have a huge fanbase and the cost of the club shouldn't fall disproportionately on a mere 45,000, 55,000, 60,000 fans.

I think one needs to examine why anybody would want to own a club.

are some of these billionaires, that pile loads of cash into buying and running a club, laundering money.

is it a vanity project.

or is it with an eye on the possible major capital gains on the sale of a club.

or, is it done, with an eye on some future massive revenue streams to materialise (e.g. are premiership highlights and goals gonna be shown on some major new revenue stream, like mobile phones.

or, and this is my best guess, is the purchase of a club, all a marketing exercise to help the rest of your product range.  Look, for example at the Emirates buying naming rights for Arsenal's new ground.  Tha has to be a very successful and smart move.

the reason I am asking these questions, is that smart business people must know that there is no annual profits to be had from running a typical club.  So it has to be some other motive.

So any new owner, who most likely will come from asia or the middle east, has to be buying the club for the right reasons.  And not too many top business people are prone to buying loss-making entities.