Neil is joined in the tower by Gareth Roberts, John Gibbons and Tony Evans as they look back through at the Swansea debacle and look towards taking on Newcastle on Sunday.
Music this week from The Mono LP’s and The Crystal Horses.
Direct link to CITYTALK: A BROKEN MICORPHONE
What’s Tony Evans doing on what’s sopposed to be a “fans” talkshow. He should stick to his negative talking down the club on shoutsport.
The table doesn’t lie, no, but it is vague. We’ve only played a quarter of the games and therefore we should only put a quarter of the emphasis we would do at the end of the season into analysing our league position.
Can’t argue with Tony Evans at the moment. I’m giving Rodgers time tho.
Surprisingly simplistic and reactionary views from someone who writes about football for a living.
“I am suspicious of systems”. That’s potentially a classic, considering every manager uses one…
Anyway, a good listen, as always. Keep up the good work, guys.
I understand Tony’s frustration. He makes some good points but he is so negative you feel like he wants Rodgers to fail so he can be proved right. He totally oversimplifies how to assess progress. Obviously we want to be higher up the table but I think performances have been better than the table suggests and we small improvements will have a big impact.
What is missing from Brendan’s game is the element of surprise. If football was war, we’d be the easiest opponents of all. If you play chess, you love the opponent who always makes the same moves.
The only saving grace is Suarez, who probably doesn’t know what he’s going to do anyway. To be honest, we haven’t played any better football than we did last season, and if we’d had Lucas, Gerrard and Suarez most of the time we may have managed the mystical fourth. Certainly Charlie Adam looked good when Leiva was vacuuming up the mess all the time.
A bit of both yes and no, I think. I can understand what you mean about predictability, but I don’t necessarily agree with it. Just because there is a structure it doesn’t make it predictable, even though it perhaps is right now because we are still in the process of developing that structure. Ok, perhaps I do agree with you in a way…
About the comparison to last season though: Last season I felt we played with too much freedom; it was like watching eleven individuals at times, who didn’t know what to do and didn’t know what their teammate was going to do. We never developed rhythm in our attacking play, and I think it was because of a lack of a default way of playing, or structure if you will. That approach can work if you have the right players; players who know each other, are on the same wavelength and have got the tactical awareness to collectively read the development of a game. We didn’t have that last season, and I think that’s the reason why we never got going. Obviously just my guess, as I don’t know what Kenny taught the players in training.
Anyway, what I think I’m trying to say: I believe in developing a structure – a system – and then spice it up with individuals who are capable of pulling a few rabbits out now and then; stepping out of the structure at the correct moments, like Suarez often does – even though he sometimes seems to pull out two rabbits at once, without knowing it, and doesn’t know which one to chase.
Tony Evans’s suspicion that we fielded a young side against Swansea because FSG demanded it is reason enough to disqualify him from ever gracing TAW again. That’s the kind of black helicopter stuff I thought was reserved for Chelsea fans. But even more galling was the general lack of acceptance that our squad options are woefully limited and were before Rodgers even showed up. Furthermore, it seemed entirely forgotten that Swans played their best 11 against what were clearly our second best in a cup tie that EVERYONE has previously said is the smallest and most meaningless in all of football.
Yes, the larger picture is that we are clearly a side struggling with massive deficiencies, but the idea that Rodgers changes his philosophy to play “down” to those deficiencies is patently absurd. We saw what happened under KK when there wasn’t a clear standard set for the club and paid the price in bringing in exorbitantly over-priced players with no apparent overlapping or complimentary qualities. We saw what happened when aging but capable warhorses like Kuyt and Maxi were relegated to the bench to make room for players who, week after week, failed utterly to prove their worth. We saw a lack of cohesion and vision which led first to uneven and then relegation-worthy form.
A system and a manager with belief in it is EXACTLY what we need right now.
As for the “football gives no time” to such notions of philosophy, that’s true when clubs are in the throes of crippling debt, but that’s not us. Not even remotely. FSG have, despite their many mistakes, put our club on a financial footing it hasn’t enjoyed in decades. That affords us time to see how things play out. Me, I’d rather build something right than build it fast.
I have been several times this year and am currently cringing on my sofa watching us losing to Newcastle. We are toothless.. Tons of corners, possession,but all the incision of a blunt knife.The reality is that we are badly managed by a very average coach who should never have been appointed. The simple fact is that Rodgers has no pedigree and has become a legend in his own mind. His three envelopes were a management fiasco of the highest order and as for ‘ I have seen everything in football’ ( episode 5 of the horrific ‘Being Liverpool’)… He hasn’t seen or done anything of any note… Please enlighten me BR about your cup runs, cup wins, league titles et all… Yep, there hasn’t been any!!!
Mr Henry, Mr Werner, if you insist on staying,please cut your losses and get rid of this baffoon…. There must be a better option than this
Win, lose or draw… You are out of your depth Rodgers and maybe the Board to…
It’s not much fun being a Red anymore and I have been a fan for 40 years and not just from my armchair.
Hi mike
I agree with your sentiment’s to a point. We only have 11 points from 10 games which is just above relegation form. Yet right now the last thing we need is more instability. Yes Rodger may not be right for us but given our current squad we can’t really ask for much more. We’ve had four managers in four years. This from a club that values itself in iconic mangers. I’m as unhappy as you but the last thing we need now is to loose our heads or Rodgers.
Tony Evans is desperate to be proved right in his view that FSG are wrong for LFC. His points on the podcast were embarrassing. When he says this, that and the other is not good enough for LFC I think someone needs to remind him we’ve never won the Premier League. For a team of our stature that’s not good enough. We’ve got more chance of winning it by building with stronger foundations than constantly moaning or harking back to what we once were. The problem is it’s gonna take more than 10 games.
Please no more Tony Evans
Thanks
Tony Evans? Who’s next? Keys and Gray?
I have time and respect for Tony Evans particularly given the excellent work he has done on Hillsborough.
However his presence on TAW podcasts stands out like a sore thumb. He makes arguments like a child. They are not thought out at all. It’s not even about agreeing or disagreeing with him.
The thing I love about TAW is that there is thought put into the debates. I don’t always agree with everyone on the show but the debate is intelligent and lively.
When Tony E chimes in I feel like I’m listening to a caller on 606. Keep your standards up lads.
Spot on comment by Jonno re. Tony Evans – sounded just like a 606 caller! In fact the overall mood was hysterical – a Capital Cup defeat with a second string line up should not cause such wailing – get a grip guys.
I had to be amused about some of the comments on systems. Where a worry that Rodgers has a system he wants to follow is followed by people being convinced that another system will pay dividends. When things don’t work everyone casts around for something to change. Improvement will come on the back of work on the training ground and (I hope) the injection of more quality in to the squad in January, not by a sudden switch to 4-4-2.
Lucky there was was a broken microphone eh?
Get a grip fellas! You’ve got a great site here.Finger on the pulse.No need to go into the realms of fantasy.Every day talk by every day fans.
Keep it real!
Or go and write for The Daily Star!