With Jurgen Klopp linked with Arsenal and Liverpool, Matt Stanger and Adam Bate present the cases for and against the Borussia Dortmund boss.
So here we are again. It's late November, Arsenal are in crisis and that sound you can hear is Hewlett-Packard furiously printing 'Wenger Out' on A4 sheet after A4 sheet.
This is what football reduces us to: middle-aged men spending their short winter evenings carefully conveying their frustration in glorious Comic Sans. No, you can't finish your school project, Thierry. Daddy's got some very important work to do.
It does seem that Arsenal are crawling towards a crossroads at which point Arsene Wenger may very politely be begged to move upstairs, or leave, or just stop making the same exasperating mistakes year after year. Eventually the time will come when Ivan Gazidis must pluck up the courage to grab a quick word. Surely it has to.
Arsenal have been a living fossil for the past decade, perfectly captured by the last week which brought a soul-crushingly predictable defeat to United and news of Abou Diaby's inclusion in the Champions League squad ahead of Olivier Giroud.
Forget the prognosis of the striker's ankle injury, presuming that Diaby is going to be fitter than any other human at any given time is the sort of show of faith that landed the club in this mess. It's admirable that Wenger affords that level of trust, but it's also death by a thousand cuts.
Despite Alisher Usmanov's tasty comments on Monday, Arsenal are likely to stick with the man they handed a new three-year contract back in the summer when he was sowing seeds of sadness by failing to address the defensive shortage and lack of steel in midfield.
But there is a tempting alternative to persisting with Wenger which appears to be considered with all the solemnity of the nuclear option at the Emirates.
One of the greatest things about the game is its tendency to throw up 'sliding doors' moments. On Wednesday, Arsenal and Klopp will meet at the Emirates.
Perhaps they'll brush hands, perhaps Klopp will get all giggly and say something Arsenal finds adorable. Who knows? But there has been no better opportunity for the two to get romantically entwined.
On the previous occasions Klopp has managed against Arsenal, his commitment to Dortmund has been unyielding.
But then Bayern scorched the earth, Dortmund stopped winning, relegation became an unexpected yet suddenly very real possibility and Klopp said this: "I think it (England) is the only country where I should work, because it's the only country I know the language a little bit, and I need the language for my work. If somebody will call me, then we will talk about it."
That's right, he actually said it. For once it isn't conjecture or something conjured up by superbrilliantfootierumours.net (who also do a great trade in Vines and amusing tweets you've already read on Twitter); Jürgen Klopp genuinely said those words, issuing a pretty unequivocal come-and-get-me plea to the Premier League.
Of course, Arsenal may have concerns over Dortmund's current Bundesliga form, but it would be deliberately obtuse to ignore Klopp's success over the past six seasons.
Despite Bayern dwarfing Dortmund's spending power, Klopp has led the club to two Bundesliga crowns, the DFB-Pokal, two DFL Supercups and the Champions League final. And all this was achieved with a brand of enthralling flowing football that used to be Arsenal's hallmark.
With Liverpool also thought to be monitoring his situation, this may be Arsenal's only chance to capture theoretically the ideal replacement for Wenger.
This isn't United following Sir Alex Ferguson with David Moyes; Klopp possesses the power of personality to walk into the Emirates as Wenger did Highbury in 1996, embrace the club's culture, and yet be strong enough to impose his own ideas. Ideas that have been successful elsewhere at the highest level.
In truth, this should no longer be the big decision that has been billed. Gazidis ought to be tempted to throw a net over Klopp on Wednesday night and get him to dot the Us there and then.
If Arsenal lose again, it will be difficult to stem the tide of anti-Wenger sentiment. Change is needed and, after making himself available, Klopp is the man to bring it.
With Liverpool making their worst start in 22 years and Arsenal fans having to go back another decade to find a more miserable opening to their campaign, Jurgen Klopp's arrival on English soil is beautifully timed for everyone but Brendan and Arsene.
A flash of a grin and that roaring laugh will likely see a swooning English media fall for the charismatic German all over again.
His Borussia Dortmund side visit the Emirates as the top dogs in Group D and one of only three teams - alongside Real Madrid and Bayern Munich - with a 100 per cent record in qualifying. Fresh in the mind too is the 2-0 win that Dortmund conjured up in their previous meeting when they played with the sort of verve and panache that's become a mere memory in north London.
But there's a small problem with the notion of Klopp as panacea for the problems facing Arsenal and Liverpool. Notably that Dortmund's crisis is every bit as troubling as the ones threatening to engulf those colleagues in England that some would have him replace. Twelve games into the Bundesliga campaign and Dortmund are in the bottom three with just 11 points.
Ten games into the season and the German media was abuzz with the shocking statistic that this was the club's worst start in 48 years - alarming given that BVB have actually been relegated in that period.
More pertinently, they have already lost as many games - seven - as in any of the four previous seasons under Klopp. "It's anything but good, what has happened," said the man himself.
Dortmund started badly with a home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen and it's got worse from there. Klopp insists he's in control of the situation, but after calling a home defeat to Hamburg at the start of October "rock bottom" and going so far as to suggest he'd already identified the solution, Dortmund promptly went and lost the next three league games.
A manager can only get away with that talk - attempting to draw a line in the sand - once or twice before the blip becomes a malaise and people begin to doubt he has the answers.
Dortmund have long been better when hitting teams on the counter-attack, but chances to do so are now limited in the Bundesliga as their rivals know what to expect.
Klopp's focus is on imposing his team's will on the other side through a pressing game that relies on players able to work harder than their opponents.
But there are those now questioning whether Klopp has a Plan B - an ironic criticism given the long-held belief that Wenger pays too little attention to the tactics of the men in the other dressing room.
Rodgers too has been accused of being found out, creating a picture of the Premier League that suggests the would-be-philosophers are languishing while that arch-pragmatist Jose Mourinho is left chuckling from his lofty position at the top of the table at the golden prison his rivals have constructed for themselves.
Klopp was long seen as the alchemist able to bend those prison bars to his will, not only replacing star players such as Nuri Sahin and Shinji Kagawa but even able to bring them back to the Westfalenstadion with nothing to show for their travels but a fistful of dollars and a host of recriminations.
But just as Rodgers has found the departure of Luis Suarez a bitter blow, the exit of Robert Lewandowksi might be one too many for Klopp to deal with. Ilkay Gundogan is reportedly doing interviews revealing his plans to leave, while only an unfortunate injury is likely to keep Marco Reus in the Ruhr beyond 2015.
This is not an attempt to besmirch the reputation of a coach who has achieved marvellous things - those accomplishments will not be erased whatever happens next at Dortmund.
But it is a reminder to fans of Arsenal and Liverpool that any hope there is a coach out there ready to transform their fortunes with a smile and a quip might not be as straightforward as a Champions League group stage table can make it look.
Watch Arsenal v Borussia Dortmund on Sky Sports 1 HD this Wednesday from 7.30pm
With Jurgen Klopp linked with Arsenal and Liverpool, Matt Stanger and Adam Bate present the cases for and against the Borussia Dortmund boss.
So here we are again. It's late November, Arsenal are in crisis and that sound you can hear is Hewlett-Packard furiously printing 'Wenger Out' on A4 sheet after A4 sheet.
This is what football reduces us to: middle-aged men spending their short winter evenings carefully conveying their frustration in glorious Comic Sans. No, you can't finish your school project, Thierry. Daddy's got some very important work to do.
It does seem that Arsenal are crawling towards a crossroads at which point Arsene Wenger may very politely be begged to move upstairs, or leave, or just stop making the same exasperating mistakes year after year. Eventually the time will come when Ivan Gazidis must pluck up the courage to grab a quick word. Surely it has to.
Arsenal have been a living fossil for the past decade, perfectly captured by the last week which brought a soul-crushingly predictable defeat to United and news of Abou Diaby's inclusion in the Champions League squad ahead of Olivier Giroud.
Forget the prognosis of the striker's ankle injury, presuming that Diaby is going to be fitter than any other human at any given time is the sort of show of faith that landed the club in this mess. It's admirable that Wenger affords that level of trust, but it's also death by a thousand cuts.
Despite Alisher Usmanov's tasty comments on Monday, Arsenal are likely to stick with the man they handed a new three-year contract back in the summer when he was sowing seeds of sadness by failing to address the defensive shortage and lack of steel in midfield.
But there is a tempting alternative to persisting with Wenger which appears to be considered with all the solemnity of the nuclear option at the Emirates.
One of the greatest things about the game is its tendency to throw up 'sliding doors' moments. On Wednesday, Arsenal and Klopp will meet at the Emirates.
Perhaps they'll brush hands, perhaps Klopp will get all giggly and say something Arsenal finds adorable. Who knows? But there has been no better opportunity for the two to get romantically entwined.
On the previous occasions Klopp has managed against Arsenal, his commitment to Dortmund has been unyielding.
But then Bayern scorched the earth, Dortmund stopped winning, relegation became an unexpected yet suddenly very real possibility and Klopp said this: "I think it (England) is the only country where I should work, because it's the only country I know the language a little bit, and I need the language for my work. If somebody will call me, then we will talk about it."
That's right, he actually said it. For once it isn't conjecture or something conjured up by superbrilliantfootierumours.net (who also do a great trade in Vines and amusing tweets you've already read on Twitter); Jürgen Klopp genuinely said those words, issuing a pretty unequivocal come-and-get-me plea to the Premier League.
Of course, Arsenal may have concerns over Dortmund's current Bundesliga form, but it would be deliberately obtuse to ignore Klopp's success over the past six seasons.
Despite Bayern dwarfing Dortmund's spending power, Klopp has led the club to two Bundesliga crowns, the DFB-Pokal, two DFL Supercups and the Champions League final. And all this was achieved with a brand of enthralling flowing football that used to be Arsenal's hallmark.
With Liverpool also thought to be monitoring his situation, this may be Arsenal's only chance to capture theoretically the ideal replacement for Wenger.
This isn't United following Sir Alex Ferguson with David Moyes; Klopp possesses the power of personality to walk into the Emirates as Wenger did Highbury in 1996, embrace the club's culture, and yet be strong enough to impose his own ideas. Ideas that have been successful elsewhere at the highest level.
In truth, this should no longer be the big decision that has been billed. Gazidis ought to be tempted to throw a net over Klopp on Wednesday night and get him to dot the Us there and then.
If Arsenal lose again, it will be difficult to stem the tide of anti-Wenger sentiment. Change is needed and, after making himself available, Klopp is the man to bring it.
With Liverpool making their worst start in 22 years and Arsenal fans having to go back another decade to find a more miserable opening to their campaign, Jurgen Klopp's arrival on English soil is beautifully timed for everyone but Brendan and Arsene.
A flash of a grin and that roaring laugh will likely see a swooning English media fall for the charismatic German all over again.
His Borussia Dortmund side visit the Emirates as the top dogs in Group D and one of only three teams - alongside Real Madrid and Bayern Munich - with a 100 per cent record in qualifying. Fresh in the mind too is the 2-0 win that Dortmund conjured up in their previous meeting when they played with the sort of verve and panache that's become a mere memory in north London.
But there's a small problem with the notion of Klopp as panacea for the problems facing Arsenal and Liverpool. Notably that Dortmund's crisis is every bit as troubling as the ones threatening to engulf those colleagues in England that some would have him replace. Twelve games into the Bundesliga campaign and Dortmund are in the bottom three with just 11 points.
Ten games into the season and the German media was abuzz with the shocking statistic that this was the club's worst start in 48 years - alarming given that BVB have actually been relegated in that period.
More pertinently, they have already lost as many games - seven - as in any of the four previous seasons under Klopp. "It's anything but good, what has happened," said the man himself.
Dortmund started badly with a home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen and it's got worse from there. Klopp insists he's in control of the situation, but after calling a home defeat to Hamburg at the start of October "rock bottom" and going so far as to suggest he'd already identified the solution, Dortmund promptly went and lost the next three league games.
A manager can only get away with that talk - attempting to draw a line in the sand - once or twice before the blip becomes a malaise and people begin to doubt he has the answers.
Dortmund have long been better when hitting teams on the counter-attack, but chances to do so are now limited in the Bundesliga as their rivals know what to expect.
Klopp's focus is on imposing his team's will on the other side through a pressing game that relies on players able to work harder than their opponents.
But there are those now questioning whether Klopp has a Plan B - an ironic criticism given the long-held belief that Wenger pays too little attention to the tactics of the men in the other dressing room.
Rodgers too has been accused of being found out, creating a picture of the Premier League that suggests the would-be-philosophers are languishing while that arch-pragmatist Jose Mourinho is left chuckling from his lofty position at the top of the table at the golden prison his rivals have constructed for themselves.
Klopp was long seen as the alchemist able to bend those prison bars to his will, not only replacing star players such as Nuri Sahin and Shinji Kagawa but even able to bring them back to the Westfalenstadion with nothing to show for their travels but a fistful of dollars and a host of recriminations.
But just as Rodgers has found the departure of Luis Suarez a bitter blow, the exit of Robert Lewandowksi might be one too many for Klopp to deal with. Ilkay Gundogan is reportedly doing interviews revealing his plans to leave, while only an unfortunate injury is likely to keep Marco Reus in the Ruhr beyond 2015.
This is not an attempt to besmirch the reputation of a coach who has achieved marvellous things - those accomplishments will not be erased whatever happens next at Dortmund.
But it is a reminder to fans of Arsenal and Liverpool that any hope there is a coach out there ready to transform their fortunes with a smile and a quip might not be as straightforward as a Champions League group stage table can make it look.
Watch Arsenal v Borussia Dortmund on Sky Sports 1 HD this Wednesday from 7.30pm
Stars from Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and Man City join shock inclusion Wayne Rooney as WhoScored name their best Premier League team of 2014.
The opener at Manchester City may well have proved fruitless by the final whistle but Wilfried Bony's early strike took his total for the calendar year to a league-leading 17, one clear of Sergio Aguero, who failed to register for the opposing side.
It got us thinking about which players have really shone since the turn of the year, with WhoScored.com bringing us their top-rated Premier League XI over the course of the last 11 months. To qualify, players must have made at least ten appearances at the tail end of last season and more than five at the start of this, rendering the likes of Luis Suarez, Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa, Alexis Sanchez and Daniel Sturridge ineligible.
WhoScored's Premier League Team of 2014 (4-4-2): Mannone; Ivanovic, Davies, Dawson, Baines; Sterling, Matic, Jedinak, Hazard; Aguero, Rooney
Vito Mannone (Sunderland)He may have been partly at fault for a frankly embarrassing defensive showing against the likes of Southampton and Arsenal this season but the gaffes Vito Mannone made in those matches were all the more baffling given his previous performances for the Black Cats. The 26-year-old was voted Sunderland's player of the season in his debut campaign for the club and for good reason, with no goalkeeper having made more saves in the calendar year (122).
Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)Not exactly your typical slight full-back, Branislav Ivanovic's development into undoubtedly one of the Premier League's finest has been intriguing. The intimidating Serbian is now a key component to Chelsea's attack and has adapted his game so much so that it's arguably the defensive side of his armoury that is now weaker than his attacking threat. Nevertheless, Ivanovic has averaged an impressive two tackles per game to accompany 1.1 key passes per match and four league goals in 2014.
Curtis Davies (Hull)The Hull captain had a near dream debut campaign for the Tigers, performing admirably in the league before scoring a goal that so nearly helped the side to an FA Cup final upset against Arsenal. Davies' rating in the calendar year of 7.47 is the best of any Premier League defender in that time and comes having produced the second most clearances (311) and won the third most aerial duels (147) in 2014.
Michael Dawson (Hull)Taking his place alongside new teammate Davies, Michael Dawson has made a superb start to life at the KC and in the most recent meeting with former club Spurs he showed the Londoners that they may well have been wrong to let him go. His league rating of 7.43 over 20 appearances this year has been aided by impressive figures including 2.5 interceptions and 4.9 aerial duels won per game.
Leighton Baines (Everton)When talking about defenders that are most crucial to their side's general play it's hard to look beyond Leighton Baines and the left-back has continued to provide a genuine threat in the final third for Everton this season, and indeed this year. No player has registered more PL assists in 2014 than the England full-back (10), with a total of 62 chances created ranking seventh in the Premier League, but well clear of any other defender.
Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)The Liverpool wonderkid may have been unable to continue his blistering form from the end of last season, and indeed start of this of late but having featured in every single league game for the Reds in this calendar year (31) it's understandable. Nevertheless the winger has been a real menace wherever he has played in that time, scoring nine times and registering six assists, with only one player completing more dribbles (94).
Nemanja Matic (Chelsea)It's easy to forget that Nemanja Matic only re-signed for Chelsea at the start of this year, such has been his seamless integration into the Blues line-up, becoming a crucial member of Jose Mourinho's regular starting XI. The Serb hit the ground running for the capital club and continues to dominate matches with his physicality and assured presence on the ball, with only one player having made more tackles in 2014 (97).
Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace)The man to effectively out-tackle Matic this year partners him in a robust midfield pairing, with Palace captain Mile Jedinak also having made the step into Premier League football in impressive fashion. The Australian has produced both the most tackles (114) and the most interceptions (116) since the turn of the year, as well as ranking amongst the top ten for aerial duels won, with 112. A rating of 7.58 from WhoScored.com is fully merited.
Eden Hazard (Chelsea)The best player in the Premier League in 2014 according to WhoScored.com's ratings is Eden Hazard, with a score of 7.91. The Belgian flyer has been at the top of his game for some time now and has proved to be a nightmare for opposing defences all year, ranking first in the English top flight for both successful dribbles (127) - a full 33 more than any other player - and key passes (70).
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)An unsurprising inclusion in the XI having struck 16 league goals from just 20 appearances in 2014, Sergio Aguero is Hazard's closest rival in WhoScored's ratings (7.65). The Argentine's goal tally comes having mustered the fourth most shots this year (88) but the most on target despite his limited playing time (43), with his unerring accuracy having helped City regain the Premier League title last season.
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)Some may be surprised that Wayne Rooney pips 2014's top scorer Wilfried Bony to the best XI but it's worth considering that the United skipper's tally of 12 - five fewer than the Ivorian - has come from nine fewer appearances this year (22), leaving the two with a near identical strike rate. Considering that the England man has played from a far deeper position, his goal threat is impressive and has been supplemented by 1.4 key passes per game to Bony's 0.9.
Who do you feel belongs in the best Premier League team of the calendar year? Let us know in the comments below.
Martin Laurence - follow him on Twitter.
All statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com , where you can find yet more stats, including live in-game data and unique player and team ratings.
Stars from Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and Man City join shock inclusion Wayne Rooney as WhoScored name their best Premier League team of 2014.
The opener at Manchester City may well have proved fruitless by the final whistle but Wilfried Bony's early strike took his total for the calendar year to a league-leading 17, one clear of Sergio Aguero, who failed to register for the opposing side.
It got us thinking about which players have really shone since the turn of the year, with WhoScored.com bringing us their top-rated Premier League XI over the course of the last 11 months. To qualify, players must have made at least ten appearances at the tail end of last season and more than five at the start of this, rendering the likes of Luis Suarez, Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa, Alexis Sanchez and Daniel Sturridge ineligible.
WhoScored's Premier League Team of 2014 (4-4-2): Mannone; Ivanovic, Davies, Dawson, Baines; Sterling, Matic, Jedinak, Hazard; Aguero, Rooney
Vito Mannone (Sunderland)He may have been partly at fault for a frankly embarrassing defensive showing against the likes of Southampton and Arsenal this season but the gaffes Vito Mannone made in those matches were all the more baffling given his previous performances for the Black Cats. The 26-year-old was voted Sunderland's player of the season in his debut campaign for the club and for good reason, with no goalkeeper having made more saves in the calendar year (122).
Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)Not exactly your typical slight full-back, Branislav Ivanovic's development into undoubtedly one of the Premier League's finest has been intriguing. The intimidating Serbian is now a key component to Chelsea's attack and has adapted his game so much so that it's arguably the defensive side of his armoury that is now weaker than his attacking threat. Nevertheless, Ivanovic has averaged an impressive two tackles per game to accompany 1.1 key passes per match and four league goals in 2014.
Curtis Davies (Hull)The Hull captain had a near dream debut campaign for the Tigers, performing admirably in the league before scoring a goal that so nearly helped the side to an FA Cup final upset against Arsenal. Davies' rating in the calendar year of 7.47 is the best of any Premier League defender in that time and comes having produced the second most clearances (311) and won the third most aerial duels (147) in 2014.
Michael Dawson (Hull)Taking his place alongside new teammate Davies, Michael Dawson has made a superb start to life at the KC and in the most recent meeting with former club Spurs he showed the Londoners that they may well have been wrong to let him go. His league rating of 7.43 over 20 appearances this year has been aided by impressive figures including 2.5 interceptions and 4.9 aerial duels won per game.
Leighton Baines (Everton)When talking about defenders that are most crucial to their side's general play it's hard to look beyond Leighton Baines and the left-back has continued to provide a genuine threat in the final third for Everton this season, and indeed this year. No player has registered more PL assists in 2014 than the England full-back (10), with a total of 62 chances created ranking seventh in the Premier League, but well clear of any other defender.
Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)The Liverpool wonderkid may have been unable to continue his blistering form from the end of last season, and indeed start of this of late but having featured in every single league game for the Reds in this calendar year (31) it's understandable. Nevertheless the winger has been a real menace wherever he has played in that time, scoring nine times and registering six assists, with only one player completing more dribbles (94).
Nemanja Matic (Chelsea)It's easy to forget that Nemanja Matic only re-signed for Chelsea at the start of this year, such has been his seamless integration into the Blues line-up, becoming a crucial member of Jose Mourinho's regular starting XI. The Serb hit the ground running for the capital club and continues to dominate matches with his physicality and assured presence on the ball, with only one player having made more tackles in 2014 (97).
Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace)The man to effectively out-tackle Matic this year partners him in a robust midfield pairing, with Palace captain Mile Jedinak also having made the step into Premier League football in impressive fashion. The Australian has produced both the most tackles (114) and the most interceptions (116) since the turn of the year, as well as ranking amongst the top ten for aerial duels won, with 112. A rating of 7.58 from WhoScored.com is fully merited.
Eden Hazard (Chelsea)The best player in the Premier League in 2014 according to WhoScored.com's ratings is Eden Hazard, with a score of 7.91. The Belgian flyer has been at the top of his game for some time now and has proved to be a nightmare for opposing defences all year, ranking first in the English top flight for both successful dribbles (127) - a full 33 more than any other player - and key passes (70).
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)An unsurprising inclusion in the XI having struck 16 league goals from just 20 appearances in 2014, Sergio Aguero is Hazard's closest rival in WhoScored's ratings (7.65). The Argentine's goal tally comes having mustered the fourth most shots this year (88) but the most on target despite his limited playing time (43), with his unerring accuracy having helped City regain the Premier League title last season.
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)Some may be surprised that Wayne Rooney pips 2014's top scorer Wilfried Bony to the best XI but it's worth considering that the United skipper's tally of 12 - five fewer than the Ivorian - has come from nine fewer appearances this year (22), leaving the two with a near identical strike rate. Considering that the England man has played from a far deeper position, his goal threat is impressive and has been supplemented by 1.4 key passes per game to Bony's 0.9.
Who do you feel belongs in the best Premier League team of the calendar year? Let us know in the comments below.
Martin Laurence - follow him on Twitter.
All statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com , where you can find yet more stats, including live in-game data and unique player and team ratings.
Liverpool travel to Bulgaria for their fifth game of a disappointing Champions League campaign to date. Brendan Rodgers is likely to make changes to his side for the fixture. Ben Twelves discusses some of the options available.
Rodgers’ Liverpool have the chance to move on swiftly from the weekend’s dreadful result and performance when they travel to Sofia to take on Ludogorets Razgrad in a crunch clash as the Reds look to hang on to their Champions League status.
A win is needed to keep any realistic qualification aspirations alive, though a defeat wouldn’t necessarily see Liverpool exit the competition either. However a fifth straight loss for the first time in over 60 years would certainly make qualification extremely improbable in the final group stage match, as well as failing to stop the desperate run of form.
In a season of low points, Rodgers’ side reached arguably their lowest ebb to date on Sunday afternoon following the woeful defeat, and surely from this position the only way the team can move is forwards.
It was a truly hideous display in London with the fixture producing the same old problems and yet again the same players underperforming. It’s becoming tedious viewing, and Rodgers must act before he pays the price for the poor performances and results with his job.
It is the Liverpool manager’s failure to address the recurring issues that has helped place the team in this messy situation and one thing for sure is that it can no longer be tolerated, meaning failure to make changes to his team now would signify a simple display of ignorance.
Any sign of persistence with those letting the team down and lack of change in approach could be enough to raise serious question marks over his Anfield future, and starting on Wednesday, Rodgers must show he recognises the issues by altering his team.
The Team
In theory, Wednesday’s team selection should be the easiest of the season for Rodgers such was the abysmal performance level of most of his side on Sunday.
The Liverpool manager must drop all of Dejan Lovren, Martin Skrtel, Glen Johnson and Steven Gerrard as their performance levels continue to fall at alarming rates, and the four of them should be replaced in the starting XI as best as alternative options allow.
Good news is that Mamadou Sakho has returned to training but as the game has to come too early for the Frenchman to be inclued, only Kolo Toure is a genuine option to come in at centre back and therefore one of Lovren or Skrtel looks set to keep their place. However, there’s an easy decision for the Liverpool boss as Johnson should be replaced at left back by Alberto Moreno.
In midfield, Gerrard ideally has to make way, and Emre Can is available to come in to the side as well as Jordan Henderson who is now back after illness kept him out of Sunday’s encounter, and Rodgers has little excuse to persist with the captain with a case for both players to come in to the starting team.
Raheem Sterling looks to be affected by the pressure of the team’s poor form and the lack of attacking threat alongside him, but with the game being of such importance, Liverpool need their match-winners on the pitch. A goal on only his second start should see Rickie Lambert continue up front in the absence of Daniel Sturridge and Mario Balotelli who will miss the trip through injury.
The Line Up – Toure and Lucas Start
Reports suggest that Toure and Lucas Leiva are set to make a welcome and deserved return to the team, and in the diamond formation that saw Liverpool at least head in level at half time against Crystal Palace – this is how Liverpool should look for the clash:
Alternatively, Rodgers could play a more creative team as his side realistically need to win the game and that could see The Reds line up like this:
However, Lucas’ inclusion is likely to see Gerrard moved into a more advanced role, and with this in mind, I expect Rodgers to pick his team as something like this tomorrow night:
Even though defeat on Wednesday night wouldn’t necessarily see Liverpool eliminated from the prestigious competition, Brendan Rodgers and his struggling team must begin to make life easier for themselves to prevent the current mess of a situation becoming any worse.
It will be a tough fixture in a hostile atmosphere for The Reds, but both management and players have to stand up, take responsibility and be counted to work together to turn fortunes around – starting with avoiding an embarrassing and record equalling defeat in Sofia.
.
Liverpool travel to Bulgaria for their fifth game of a disappointing Champions League campaign to date. Brendan Rodgers is likely to make changes to his side for the fixture. Ben Twelves discusses some of the options available.
Rodgers’ Liverpool have the chance to move on swiftly from the weekend’s dreadful result and performance when they travel to Sofia to take on Ludogorets Razgrad in a crunch clash as the Reds look to hang on to their Champions League status.
A win is needed to keep any realistic qualification aspirations alive, though a defeat wouldn’t necessarily see Liverpool exit the competition either. However a fifth straight loss for the first time in over 60 years would certainly make qualification extremely improbable in the final group stage match, as well as failing to stop the desperate run of form.
In a season of low points, Rodgers’ side reached arguably their lowest ebb to date on Sunday afternoon following the woeful defeat, and surely from this position the only way the team can move is forwards.
It was a truly hideous display in London with the fixture producing the same old problems and yet again the same players underperforming. It’s becoming tedious viewing, and Rodgers must act before he pays the price for the poor performances and results with his job.
It is the Liverpool manager’s failure to address the recurring issues that has helped place the team in this messy situation and one thing for sure is that it can no longer be tolerated, meaning failure to make changes to his team now would signify a simple display of ignorance.
Any sign of persistence with those letting the team down and lack of change in approach could be enough to raise serious question marks over his Anfield future, and starting on Wednesday, Rodgers must show he recognises the issues by altering his team.
The Team
In theory, Wednesday’s team selection should be the easiest of the season for Rodgers such was the abysmal performance level of most of his side on Sunday.
The Liverpool manager must drop all of Dejan Lovren, Martin Skrtel, Glen Johnson and Steven Gerrard as their performance levels continue to fall at alarming rates, and the four of them should be replaced in the starting XI as best as alternative options allow.
Good news is that Mamadou Sakho has returned to training but as the game has to come too early for the Frenchman to be inclued, only Kolo Toure is a genuine option to come in at centre back and therefore one of Lovren or Skrtel looks set to keep their place. However, there’s an easy decision for the Liverpool boss as Johnson should be replaced at left back by Alberto Moreno.
In midfield, Gerrard ideally has to make way, and Emre Can is available to come in to the side as well as Jordan Henderson who is now back after illness kept him out of Sunday’s encounter, and Rodgers has little excuse to persist with the captain with a case for both players to come in to the starting team.
Raheem Sterling looks to be affected by the pressure of the team’s poor form and the lack of attacking threat alongside him, but with the game being of such importance, Liverpool need their match-winners on the pitch. A goal on only his second start should see Rickie Lambert continue up front in the absence of Daniel Sturridge and Mario Balotelli who will miss the trip through injury.
The Line Up – Toure and Lucas Start
Reports suggest that Toure and Lucas Leiva are set to make a welcome and deserved return to the team, and in the diamond formation that saw Liverpool at least head in level at half time against Crystal Palace – this is how Liverpool should look for the clash:
Alternatively, Rodgers could play a more creative team as his side realistically need to win the game and that could see The Reds line up like this:
However, Lucas’ inclusion is likely to see Gerrard moved into a more advanced role, and with this in mind, I expect Rodgers to pick his team as something like this tomorrow night:
Even though defeat on Wednesday night wouldn’t necessarily see Liverpool eliminated from the prestigious competition, Brendan Rodgers and his struggling team must begin to make life easier for themselves to prevent the current mess of a situation becoming any worse.
It will be a tough fixture in a hostile atmosphere for The Reds, but both management and players have to stand up, take responsibility and be counted to work together to turn fortunes around – starting with avoiding an embarrassing and record equalling defeat in Sofia.
.
The debate around the captains’s role within the team has reached fever pitch post-Palace, with Rodgers claiming that Gerrard’s picked on merit, not sentiment. Brett Curtis urges the boss to change tact.
We need to talk about Steven Gerrard.
Plenty of Liverpool fans have been too quick to do so in recent years, blaming the captain when there have generally been bigger problems within the team.
Now those bigger problems are diminishing, it doesn’t mean those fans were right all along. Throughout the second half of last season, after Brendan Rodgers decided to permanently utilise him as the deepest midfielder, numerous Liverpool fans insisted Gerrard couldn’t play holding midfield.
Again, now he is struggling, it doesn’t mean those fans were right at the time.
It should be noted he did not begin either of the previous two seasons under Rodgers particularly well, before improving after Christmas, rightly making his eighth appearance (and first since the brilliant 2008-09 campaign) in the PFA Team of the Year last season.
Equally, however, he hasn’t looked as helplessly mediocre as this since injury dogged him between the deeply forgettable period of 2010-12.
The fateful slip which cost his side the title and the fateful header which saw his country exit the World Cup at the group stage, all within the space of a few months, have undoubtedly taken their toll.
It becomes even harder when, at a time when things are going very wrong for Liverpool, so much is still reliant on him, both tactically and emotionally.
But, at 34 years of age, why does that remain the case?
With his legs waning, why is he a regular 90 minute man, let alone a regular starter?
At Manchester United, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs were regularly rested in their mid-to-late thirties: from 2007, with both men approaching their 33rd birthdays, Scholes averaged just over 21 league games a season, and Giggs 24, with plenty of those from the bench.
Even Frank Lampard, a player who missed only five league games from 2001-07, was gradually eased out at Chelsea. Former Reds boss Rafael Benitez predictably took pelters for often resting him during his brief time in charge, yet the midfielder had an incredibly productive spell as a result.
Rest helped those players’ ageing legs. It helped other options, which were abundant, gain independence and confidence in the absence of a legend’s presence. And it helped the manager trust those options, too.
Options. Not something Liverpool have been blessed with throughout Gerrard’s career. But, after spending over £120 million in the summer to address that exact issue, that should no longer be the case; in Gerrard’s position, it isn’t.
In Lucas Leiva, he has an experienced deputy who showcased the defensive stability he can still provide in helping stifle the reigning Ballon d’Or winner at the Bernabeu.
There are also three all-rounders in Joe Allen, Jordan Henderson and Emre Can, all of whom are younger than Gerrard when he led Liverpool in Istanbul approaching a decade ago.
Philippe Coutinho, whose battling qualities and lack of goal-threat surely makes him more of a No. 8 than a No. 10, is also an option in a three-man midfield.
These players are no worse than the likes of Jon Obi Mikel and Darren Fletcher, reliable midfielders who could come in for Lampard or Scholes and largely do what was required of them.
Indeed, Lucas aside, they also have a higher ceiling.
But, currently, they are without a consistently defined role. Rodgers must let them find it. In a confident, free-flowing, multi-dimensional outfit, using Gerrard as the playmaking base of the side was a masterstroke.
In a nervous, stale, defensively gaping one, it borders on tactical suicide.
Gary Neville analysed on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football that Liverpool “look like a football team that’s carrying lead legs.”
Nobody epitomises that more than Gerrard right now. But, at his age, after the aforementioned footballing trauma he went through, and in the demanding role he is asked to play, is it any surprise?
Nonetheless, he must be judged equally. He would expect no different.
His defensive energy and efficiency, at times under-rated last season, has visibly dropped a level (with the exception of Everton at home). It was there for all to see as, against Crystal Palace on Sunday, he failed to make a tackle or an interception, or indeed provide sufficient protection against midfield runners for Crystal Palace’s first and second goals.
His touch, too, is an increasing issue, again evident when he clumsily bundled over the ball in the second half, leading to another dangerous counter-attack.
In truth, it always has been to an extent, whether as the deepest-lying midfielder, or the furthest forward one, because the heaviness and inconsistency of it makes him easier to shut down.
That happened in the 3-1 home defeat in the Champions League to Chelsea in 2009, which set the blueprint for a frustrating following season, both on a personal and collective level. Subsequently, he moved deeper in ensuing seasons, where he felt he could influence the side more positively.
The reversal occurred this season, with Gabriel Agbonlahor and Stewart Downing’s stifling jobs leading Rodgers to adhere to the cries to move him back into his old second-striker role against QPR.
Those demands were, and are, misguided, at least as a starter.
Precisely where he features isn’t as clear anymore, which is precisely why the midfield should no longer be built around him.
As Neville implored: rest him. Reintegrate him around Lucas, Can, Henderson, Allen, Coutinho, Lallana; whichever options Rodgers chooses to lean on.
Give them a chance to dictate where Gerrard, a fantastic option himself, plays (and play he will). Not vice versa.
.
The debate around the captains’s role within the team has reached fever pitch post-Palace, with Rodgers claiming that Gerrard’s picked on merit, not sentiment. Brett Curtis urges the boss to change tact.
We need to talk about Steven Gerrard.
Plenty of Liverpool fans have been too quick to do so in recent years, blaming the captain when there have generally been bigger problems within the team.
Now those bigger problems are diminishing, it doesn’t mean those fans were right all along. Throughout the second half of last season, after Brendan Rodgers decided to permanently utilise him as the deepest midfielder, numerous Liverpool fans insisted Gerrard couldn’t play holding midfield.
Again, now he is struggling, it doesn’t mean those fans were right at the time.
It should be noted he did not begin either of the previous two seasons under Rodgers particularly well, before improving after Christmas, rightly making his eighth appearance (and first since the brilliant 2008-09 campaign) in the PFA Team of the Year last season.
Equally, however, he hasn’t looked as helplessly mediocre as this since injury dogged him between the deeply forgettable period of 2010-12.
The fateful slip which cost his side the title and the fateful header which saw his country exit the World Cup at the group stage, all within the space of a few months, have undoubtedly taken their toll.
It becomes even harder when, at a time when things are going very wrong for Liverpool, so much is still reliant on him, both tactically and emotionally.
But, at 34 years of age, why does that remain the case?
With his legs waning, why is he a regular 90 minute man, let alone a regular starter?
At Manchester United, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs were regularly rested in their mid-to-late thirties: from 2007, with both men approaching their 33rd birthdays, Scholes averaged just over 21 league games a season, and Giggs 24, with plenty of those from the bench.
Even Frank Lampard, a player who missed only five league games from 2001-07, was gradually eased out at Chelsea. Former Reds boss Rafael Benitez predictably took pelters for often resting him during his brief time in charge, yet the midfielder had an incredibly productive spell as a result.
Rest helped those players’ ageing legs. It helped other options, which were abundant, gain independence and confidence in the absence of a legend’s presence. And it helped the manager trust those options, too.
Options. Not something Liverpool have been blessed with throughout Gerrard’s career. But, after spending over £120 million in the summer to address that exact issue, that should no longer be the case; in Gerrard’s position, it isn’t.
In Lucas Leiva, he has an experienced deputy who showcased the defensive stability he can still provide in helping stifle the reigning Ballon d’Or winner at the Bernabeu.
There are also three all-rounders in Joe Allen, Jordan Henderson and Emre Can, all of whom are younger than Gerrard when he led Liverpool in Istanbul approaching a decade ago.
Philippe Coutinho, whose battling qualities and lack of goal-threat surely makes him more of a No. 8 than a No. 10, is also an option in a three-man midfield.
These players are no worse than the likes of Jon Obi Mikel and Darren Fletcher, reliable midfielders who could come in for Lampard or Scholes and largely do what was required of them.
Indeed, Lucas aside, they also have a higher ceiling.
But, currently, they are without a consistently defined role. Rodgers must let them find it. In a confident, free-flowing, multi-dimensional outfit, using Gerrard as the playmaking base of the side was a masterstroke.
In a nervous, stale, defensively gaping one, it borders on tactical suicide.
Gary Neville analysed on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football that Liverpool “look like a football team that’s carrying lead legs.”
Nobody epitomises that more than Gerrard right now. But, at his age, after the aforementioned footballing trauma he went through, and in the demanding role he is asked to play, is it any surprise?
Nonetheless, he must be judged equally. He would expect no different.
His defensive energy and efficiency, at times under-rated last season, has visibly dropped a level (with the exception of Everton at home). It was there for all to see as, against Crystal Palace on Sunday, he failed to make a tackle or an interception, or indeed provide sufficient protection against midfield runners for Crystal Palace’s first and second goals.
His touch, too, is an increasing issue, again evident when he clumsily bundled over the ball in the second half, leading to another dangerous counter-attack.
In truth, it always has been to an extent, whether as the deepest-lying midfielder, or the furthest forward one, because the heaviness and inconsistency of it makes him easier to shut down.
That happened in the 3-1 home defeat in the Champions League to Chelsea in 2009, which set the blueprint for a frustrating following season, both on a personal and collective level. Subsequently, he moved deeper in ensuing seasons, where he felt he could influence the side more positively.
The reversal occurred this season, with Gabriel Agbonlahor and Stewart Downing’s stifling jobs leading Rodgers to adhere to the cries to move him back into his old second-striker role against QPR.
Those demands were, and are, misguided, at least as a starter.
Precisely where he features isn’t as clear anymore, which is precisely why the midfield should no longer be built around him.
As Neville implored: rest him. Reintegrate him around Lucas, Can, Henderson, Allen, Coutinho, Lallana; whichever options Rodgers chooses to lean on.
Give them a chance to dictate where Gerrard, a fantastic option himself, plays (and play he will). Not vice versa.
.
Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert insists the players have to stand up and be counted as manager Brendan Rodgers cannot shoulder all the blame for their dismal season so far.
In the aftermath of Sunday’s defeat at Crystal Palace – a fourth in succession – the Reds boss said he accepted his job is on the line if things do not turn around.
However, Lambert insisted the players owed it to their manager to start taking responsibility.
“Most of the players know what the gaffer said. It is full credit that Brendan said that but it was totally down to the players,” he said ahead of a crucial Champions League tie against Ludogorets in Bulgaria.
“They are desperate to get the game under way and try to rectify our performance at the weekend.
“First and foremost we are focusing on our performance. Win or lose we have to put in a performance of the standard of a Liverpool team.”
In the wake of the loss at Selhurst Park former defender Jamie Carragher criticised the side for a lack of mental and physical toughness.
“You look at the time and there are no men in the team. Sometimes you’ve got to grind results out,” Carragher told Sky Sports. “There’s no leadership on the pitch. Liverpool aren’t getting beat by quality – they’re getting bullied.”
“There wasn’t anyone in a Liverpool shirt who was good enough and it was wholly down to the players on the pitch.
“I do believe it is a lack of confidence at the minute but that will come back.
“We will get back up the league and performing to the way we know.
“It is not going ideally but it is up to the players on the pitch to ‘dog’ the performances out.
“Whatever the result in any game, we have to perform better than we did at the weekend.”
Lambert is expected to retain his place up front for the Champions League Group B game. Changes are expected from Sunday’s defeat at Crystal Palace with Alberto Moreno likely to come in at left-back.
Manager Brendan Rodgers has a decision to make over captain Steven Gerrard after admitting he cannot play three games in a week at the required level and fellow midfielder Jordan Henderson is back after illness.
Provisional squad: Mignolet, Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno, Gerrard, Can, Henderson, Allen, Sterling, Lambert, Lallana, Jones, Manquillo, Toure, Enrique, Lucas, Markovic, Coutinho, Borini.
PA
.
Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert insists the players have to stand up and be counted as manager Brendan Rodgers cannot shoulder all the blame for their dismal season so far.
In the aftermath of Sunday’s defeat at Crystal Palace – a fourth in succession – the Reds boss said he accepted his job is on the line if things do not turn around.
However, Lambert insisted the players owed it to their manager to start taking responsibility.
“Most of the players know what the gaffer said. It is full credit that Brendan said that but it was totally down to the players,” he said ahead of a crucial Champions League tie against Ludogorets in Bulgaria.
“They are desperate to get the game under way and try to rectify our performance at the weekend.
“First and foremost we are focusing on our performance. Win or lose we have to put in a performance of the standard of a Liverpool team.”
In the wake of the loss at Selhurst Park former defender Jamie Carragher criticised the side for a lack of mental and physical toughness.
“You look at the time and there are no men in the team. Sometimes you’ve got to grind results out,” Carragher told Sky Sports. “There’s no leadership on the pitch. Liverpool aren’t getting beat by quality – they’re getting bullied.”
“There wasn’t anyone in a Liverpool shirt who was good enough and it was wholly down to the players on the pitch.
“I do believe it is a lack of confidence at the minute but that will come back.
“We will get back up the league and performing to the way we know.
“It is not going ideally but it is up to the players on the pitch to ‘dog’ the performances out.
“Whatever the result in any game, we have to perform better than we did at the weekend.”
Lambert is expected to retain his place up front for the Champions League Group B game. Changes are expected from Sunday’s defeat at Crystal Palace with Alberto Moreno likely to come in at left-back.
Manager Brendan Rodgers has a decision to make over captain Steven Gerrard after admitting he cannot play three games in a week at the required level and fellow midfielder Jordan Henderson is back after illness.
Provisional squad: Mignolet, Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno, Gerrard, Can, Henderson, Allen, Sterling, Lambert, Lallana, Jones, Manquillo, Toure, Enrique, Lucas, Markovic, Coutinho, Borini.
PA
.
Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert insists the players have to stand up and be counted as boss Brendan Rodgers cannot take all the blame for their disappointing start to the season.
Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace - the Reds’ fourth in succession – increased the pressure on Rodgers and he accepted his job would be on the line if things do not turn around.
However, Lambert says the players owe it to their manager to start taking responsibility.
"Most of the players know what the gaffer said. It is full credit that Brendan said that but it was totally down to the players," he said ahead of Wednesday’s crucial Champions League tie against Ludogorets in Bulgaria.
"They are desperate to get the game under way and try to rectify our performance at the weekend.
"First and foremost we are focusing on our performance. Win or lose we have to put in a performance of the standard of a Liverpool team."
In the wake of the loss at Selhurst Park former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher criticised the side for a lack of mental and physical toughness and Lambert found it difficult to argue with the Sky Sports pundit.
"We lost the individual battles and it wasn't good enough," said Lambert, who is likely to start in Sofia in the absence of the injured Mario Balotelli, having finally got off the mark for his new club against Palace.
"There wasn't anyone in a Liverpool shirt who was good enough and it was wholly down to the players on the pitch.
"I do believe it is a lack of confidence at the minute but that will come back.
"We will get back up the league and performing to the way we know.
"It is not going ideally but it is up to the players on the pitch to 'dog' the performances out.
"Whatever the result in any game, we have to perform better than we did at the weekend."
Watch Ludogorets v Liverpool live on Sky Sports 5 at 7.45pm on Wednesday.
Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert insists the players have to stand up and be counted as boss Brendan Rodgers cannot take all the blame for their disappointing start to the season.
Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace - the Reds’ fourth in succession – increased the pressure on Rodgers and he accepted his job would be on the line if things do not turn around.
However, Lambert says the players owe it to their manager to start taking responsibility.
"Most of the players know what the gaffer said. It is full credit that Brendan said that but it was totally down to the players," he said ahead of Wednesday’s crucial Champions League tie against Ludogorets in Bulgaria.
"They are desperate to get the game under way and try to rectify our performance at the weekend.
"First and foremost we are focusing on our performance. Win or lose we have to put in a performance of the standard of a Liverpool team."
In the wake of the loss at Selhurst Park former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher criticised the side for a lack of mental and physical toughness and Lambert found it difficult to argue with the Sky Sports pundit.
"We lost the individual battles and it wasn't good enough," said Lambert, who is likely to start in Sofia in the absence of the injured Mario Balotelli, having finally got off the mark for his new club against Palace.
"There wasn't anyone in a Liverpool shirt who was good enough and it was wholly down to the players on the pitch.
"I do believe it is a lack of confidence at the minute but that will come back.
"We will get back up the league and performing to the way we know.
"It is not going ideally but it is up to the players on the pitch to 'dog' the performances out.
"Whatever the result in any game, we have to perform better than we did at the weekend."
Watch Ludogorets v Liverpool live on Sky Sports 5 at 7.45pm on Wednesday.
Brendan Rodgers discussed Steven Gerrard‘s role and Liverpool’s recent struggles at his pre-match press conference ahead of his side’s Champions League match against Ludogorets in Sofia on Wednesday night.
In Bulgaria the Liverpool boss is trying to arrest a four-match losing streak which has put his own position under scrutiny, with his side well off the pace domestically and in danger of not making the knockout stages in their first time back in the Champions League for five years.
For the time being the Northern Irishman has the backing of owners Fenway Sports Group, but if things go awry in Bulgaria and Basle happen to get a result at home to already-qualified Real Madrid, Liverpool could be out with a match still to play and then the pressure will really increase.
“I haven’t spoken to anyone (at FSG) as of yet. I’ve had a few messages but they have always been supportive of me,” Rodgers added.
“My focus is on getting Liverpool to win games and I know that is what will make them most happy.
“I always believe losing can be the making of you as a player and a manager in terms of how you learn from it and move on from it.
“When you don’t have so much coaching time on the field it is mostly psychological what you want to achieve.
“You never dwell too much on the past – anyone can make mistakes – but for us it is about being in the present and focusing on the next game.
“It is about getting confidence into players, talking with players, ensuring the environment at the training ground is still a happy place to be.
“My job as the leader of the team and the club is vital. We will always experience disappointment but no matter how you feel you are one of the pillars of the football club.
“The players are looking to you for that response and ability to motivate and that is very important in my role.”
Liverpool have lost their last three Champions League games – they have never lost four in succession in the same season and never been defeated in all three away games in a European group stage.
Goals have been a problem with the two they scored against Ludogorets on match day one back on September 16 their only efforts so far – and one of those was an added-time penalty winner from Gerrard.
PA
.
Brendan Rodgers discussed Steven Gerrard‘s role and Liverpool’s recent struggles at his pre-match press conference ahead of his side’s Champions League match against Ludogorets in Sofia on Wednesday night.
In Bulgaria the Liverpool boss is trying to arrest a four-match losing streak which has put his own position under scrutiny, with his side well off the pace domestically and in danger of not making the knockout stages in their first time back in the Champions League for five years.
For the time being the Northern Irishman has the backing of owners Fenway Sports Group, but if things go awry in Bulgaria and Basle happen to get a result at home to already-qualified Real Madrid, Liverpool could be out with a match still to play and then the pressure will really increase.
“I haven’t spoken to anyone (at FSG) as of yet. I’ve had a few messages but they have always been supportive of me,” Rodgers added.
“My focus is on getting Liverpool to win games and I know that is what will make them most happy.
“I always believe losing can be the making of you as a player and a manager in terms of how you learn from it and move on from it.
“When you don’t have so much coaching time on the field it is mostly psychological what you want to achieve.
“You never dwell too much on the past – anyone can make mistakes – but for us it is about being in the present and focusing on the next game.
“It is about getting confidence into players, talking with players, ensuring the environment at the training ground is still a happy place to be.
“My job as the leader of the team and the club is vital. We will always experience disappointment but no matter how you feel you are one of the pillars of the football club.
“The players are looking to you for that response and ability to motivate and that is very important in my role.”
Liverpool have lost their last three Champions League games – they have never lost four in succession in the same season and never been defeated in all three away games in a European group stage.
Goals have been a problem with the two they scored against Ludogorets on match day one back on September 16 their only efforts so far – and one of those was an added-time penalty winner from Gerrard.
PA
.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers accepts captain Steven Gerrard is no longer the driving force he was but insists it is wrong to write him off entirely.
And despite Gerrard’s former team-mate Jamie Carragher suggesting it was time for the 34-year-old to be released from the defensive role which he believes he is unsuitable for, Rodgers has no intention of doing so.
Gerrard’s performances have drawn much criticism this season but the Liverpool boss defended himself against accusations he has continued to select the ex-England midfielder on reputation alone.
“I judge Steven on merit. I think the spotlight he has been under is incredible. Everything for us is based around being a team,” said Rodgers.
“If people are expecting Steven Gerrard to be the type of player he was 10 years ago that is sadly not the case.
“He has slowly been adapting to a position I felt he could benefit the team but a player who was scoring 15 goals a season and making 13 or 14 assists…..he is not that type of player (any more).
“It is hugely unfair he is judged at that level. He is a wonderful player and I can quite safely say he is the best player I have worked with in terms of footballing mentality and the loyalty he has shown to this club is without question.
“I don’t deal so much in (being) sentimental. There is nothing sentimental in me picking Steven Gerrard.
“He can play three games in a week but he won’t be able to play it to the level he would like or I would like and it is my job to manage that.”
That last comment suggests Rodgers is prepared to rest his captain against Ludogorets in Sofia on Wednesday, which would be a second successive Champions League benching for the midfielder having come on for the final 20 minutes against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu last time out.
PA
Provisional squad: Mignolet, Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno, Gerrard, Can, Henderson, Allen, Sterling, Lambert, Lallana, Jones, Manquillo, Toure, Enrique, Lucas, Markovic, Coutinho, Borini.
.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers accepts captain Steven Gerrard is no longer the driving force he was but insists it is wrong to write him off entirely.
And despite Gerrard’s former team-mate Jamie Carragher suggesting it was time for the 34-year-old to be released from the defensive role which he believes he is unsuitable for, Rodgers has no intention of doing so.
Gerrard’s performances have drawn much criticism this season but the Liverpool boss defended himself against accusations he has continued to select the ex-England midfielder on reputation alone.
“I judge Steven on merit. I think the spotlight he has been under is incredible. Everything for us is based around being a team,” said Rodgers.
“If people are expecting Steven Gerrard to be the type of player he was 10 years ago that is sadly not the case.
“He has slowly been adapting to a position I felt he could benefit the team but a player who was scoring 15 goals a season and making 13 or 14 assists…..he is not that type of player (any more).
“It is hugely unfair he is judged at that level. He is a wonderful player and I can quite safely say he is the best player I have worked with in terms of footballing mentality and the loyalty he has shown to this club is without question.
“I don’t deal so much in (being) sentimental. There is nothing sentimental in me picking Steven Gerrard.
“He can play three games in a week but he won’t be able to play it to the level he would like or I would like and it is my job to manage that.”
That last comment suggests Rodgers is prepared to rest his captain against Ludogorets in Sofia on Wednesday, which would be a second successive Champions League benching for the midfielder having come on for the final 20 minutes against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu last time out.
PA
Provisional squad: Mignolet, Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno, Gerrard, Can, Henderson, Allen, Sterling, Lambert, Lallana, Jones, Manquillo, Toure, Enrique, Lucas, Markovic, Coutinho, Borini.
.
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Steven Gerrard‘s role in the Liverpool team is a hotly debated topic at present – with most supporters now beginning to see a huge problem with playing him every game as the side’s holding midfielder. Even Jamie Carragher has now said as much.
But, speaking at Liverpool’s pre-match press conference in Sofia on Tuesday evening – ahead of the Champions League tie with Ludogorets – Rickie Lambert has said that criticism of Gerrard is “shocking” given “what he has done for the club”.
“If he has a bad game it’s up to others to stand up,” claimed Lambert.
While it’s admirable that Lambert defends his captain – arguably Liverpool’s greatest ever player – but to suggest that any player should not be criticised for their performances now, based upon their performances in the past, shows exactly what the problem is.
Lambert’s comments were posted on twitter by reporters at the press conference and immediately responded to by supporters; most baffled by the absurd logic that a player’s past performances make them immune from criticism now.
Rodgers then went on to claim that he is not picking Gerrard based on sentiment:
That despite Gerrard playing 90 minutes of every single Premier League game this season, and despite the clear problems he is having at age 34 as teams tactically target and expose his weaknesses.
Gerrard played the full game at Palace on Sunday, with Emre Can instead replacing the far more effective Joe Allen in the second half.
Is criticism of Gerrard’s recent performances “shocking”? Should he be immune from criticism based on previous performances?
.
Steven Gerrard‘s role in the Liverpool team is a hotly debated topic at present – with most supporters now beginning to see a huge problem with playing him every game as the side’s holding midfielder. Even Jamie Carragher has now said as much.
But, speaking at Liverpool’s pre-match press conference in Sofia on Tuesday evening – ahead of the Champions League tie with Ludogorets – Rickie Lambert has said that criticism of Gerrard is “shocking” given “what he has done for the club”.
“If he has a bad game it’s up to others to stand up,” claimed Lambert.
While it’s admirable that Lambert defends his captain – arguably Liverpool’s greatest ever player – but to suggest that any player should not be criticised for their performances now, based upon their performances in the past, shows exactly what the problem is.
Lambert’s comments were posted on twitter by reporters at the press conference and immediately responded to by supporters; most baffled by the absurd logic that a player’s past performances make them immune from criticism now.
Rodgers then went on to claim that he is not picking Gerrard based on sentiment:
That despite Gerrard playing 90 minutes of every single Premier League game this season, and despite the clear problems he is having at age 34 as teams tactically target and expose his weaknesses.
Gerrard played the full game at Palace on Sunday, with Emre Can instead replacing the far more effective Joe Allen in the second half.
Is criticism of Gerrard’s recent performances “shocking”? Should he be immune from criticism based on previous performances?
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Ludogorets coach Georgi Dermendzhiev believes he has spotted physical and mental weakness in all Liverpool's matches this season.
Former Reds defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher suggested after Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace that Brendan Rodgers' side is lacking in leaders and is too easily bullied out of games.
And Dermendzhiev sees no reason to disagree with that assessment as he prepares his side to take on Liverpool in their penultimate Champions League Group B match in Sofia on Wednesday.
"I kind of agree with that opinion. It looks that way in every Liverpool game this season - and I have watched every one," he said.
"Liverpool have very high quality players and the only problems they have are in the minds of the players.
"I also know they have very good players and even if they are not in the right mindset they can still turn it around very easy.
"It is only a matter of time before they start to play good football again."
The Bulgarian minnows were only denied a draw in the reverse fixture at Anfield in September by Steven Gerrard's stoppage-time penalty which secured the Reds a 2-1 victory.
Dermendzhiev said that match had given them confidence for the rest of the campaign and they are not in awe of the five-time European champions, who arrive in Sofia looking to end a four-match losing streak in all competitions.
"We were unknown before the first game and now the situation is completely different," he added.
"Everyone knows what we can do and how we play and I think it will change the way Liverpool will play compared to the first game.
"I am pretty sure Mr Rodgers will play with all the best players he has got but I really hope we have a chance to win.
"The (Ludogorets) players have already played enough games in the Champions League so they won't be motivated in the wrong way but we will try to do our best.
"This game is one every player looks forward to against the big teams. We do respect them but we don't fear them."
Watch Ludogorets v Liverpool live on Sky Sports 5 at 7.45pm on Wednesday.
Ludogorets coach Georgi Dermendzhiev believes he has spotted physical and mental weakness in all Liverpool's matches this season.
Former Reds defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher suggested after Sunday's 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace that Brendan Rodgers' side is lacking in leaders and is too easily bullied out of games.
And Dermendzhiev sees no reason to disagree with that assessment as he prepares his side to take on Liverpool in their penultimate Champions League Group B match in Sofia on Wednesday.
"I kind of agree with that opinion. It looks that way in every Liverpool game this season - and I have watched every one," he said.
"Liverpool have very high quality players and the only problems they have are in the minds of the players.
"I also know they have very good players and even if they are not in the right mindset they can still turn it around very easy.
"It is only a matter of time before they start to play good football again."
The Bulgarian minnows were only denied a draw in the reverse fixture at Anfield in September by Steven Gerrard's stoppage-time penalty which secured the Reds a 2-1 victory.
Dermendzhiev said that match had given them confidence for the rest of the campaign and they are not in awe of the five-time European champions, who arrive in Sofia looking to end a four-match losing streak in all competitions.
"We were unknown before the first game and now the situation is completely different," he added.
"Everyone knows what we can do and how we play and I think it will change the way Liverpool will play compared to the first game.
"I am pretty sure Mr Rodgers will play with all the best players he has got but I really hope we have a chance to win.
"The (Ludogorets) players have already played enough games in the Champions League so they won't be motivated in the wrong way but we will try to do our best.
"This game is one every player looks forward to against the big teams. We do respect them but we don't fear them."
Watch Ludogorets v Liverpool live on Sky Sports 5 at 7.45pm on Wednesday.
Liverpool have received some positive news with the returns from injury of defender Mamadou Sakho and midfielder Suso.
The pair were spotted training at Melwood on Tuesday, before the rest of the squad flew out to Bulgaria ahead of the Champions League match with Ludogorets Razgrad on Wednesday night.
Sakho hasn’t featured for Brendan Rodgers‘ side since the League Cup match against Middlesbrough in September – he walked out of Anfield days after that before the Merseyside derby after being dropped for Dejan Lovren.
He then picked up an injury in training the following Monday, which was expected to only keep him out for a couple of weeks. Assistant boss Colin Pascoe then explained in October that he had picked up a similar injury on his return to training. Pascoe, speaking a month ago said then that Sakho would be out for another couple of weeks, which has turned into what will be over a month.
The Frenchman, 24, would be many fans’ choice to start ahead of Lovren in Liverpool’s defence.
Suso – who suffered a pelvic injury almost two months ago – has been linked with a move away to AC Milan while he’s been sidelined.
His last appearance was also against Middlesbrough, when he scored his first competitive goal for the club as a substitute.
Should Sakho or Suso be in the Reds’ side when they’re back fit? Let us know in the comments below.
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Liverpool have received some positive news with the returns from injury of defender Mamadou Sakho and midfielder Suso.
The pair were spotted training at Melwood on Tuesday, before the rest of the squad flew out to Bulgaria ahead of the Champions League match with Ludogorets Razgrad on Wednesday night.
Sakho hasn’t featured for Brendan Rodgers‘ side since the League Cup match against Middlesbrough in September – he walked out of Anfield days after that before the Merseyside derby after being dropped for Dejan Lovren.
He then picked up an injury in training the following Monday, which was expected to only keep him out for a couple of weeks. Assistant boss Colin Pascoe then explained in October that he had picked up a similar injury on his return to training. Pascoe, speaking a month ago said then that Sakho would be out for another couple of weeks, which has turned into what will be over a month.
The Frenchman, 24, would be many fans’ choice to start ahead of Lovren in Liverpool’s defence.
Suso – who suffered a pelvic injury almost two months ago – has been linked with a move away to AC Milan while he’s been sidelined.
His last appearance was also against Middlesbrough, when he scored his first competitive goal for the club as a substitute.
Should Sakho or Suso be in the Reds’ side when they’re back fit? Let us know in the comments below.
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