Rodgers: “My time here has been enjoyable and I hope it continues to be that”

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits he is never complacent enough to think his job is safe but insists he is driven on by the “positive fear” it might not be.

The Northern Irishman has found himself under increased scrutiny this week after a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Norwich was followed by them scraping past League Two Carlisle on penalties at Anfield in the Capital One Cup.

He has also had to deal with claims – denied by the club – three-time Champions League winner Carlo Ancelotti had been approached about the possibility of taking over his job.

Speculation also surrounds Jurgen Klopp. But Rodgers came out fighting in his press conference ahead of the visit of Aston Villa, which has taken on increased significance in the light of recent results.

Asked about his thoughts on whether his job was under threat he said: “I’ve never complacent enough to think that it’s never been.

“That’s what drives a manager on – that fear, positive fear.

“But it doesn’t frighten me. I’ve got an inherent belief in what I do but I don’t shy away from the fact that you need to get results and be performing well to try and stay and work.

“I don’t think it (the pressure) goes away unless you’re winning games but I know that we’ve created that expectancy because of how we’ve worked.

“How do I block it out? It’s very simple. I hope to be a football manager for another 20-odd years and I suspect that those 20 won’t be at Liverpool, but whilst I’m here I want to fight for the players and the club.”

Owners Fenway Sports Group stood by Rodgers in the summer despite a dreadful end to the campaign which culminated in 6-1 defeat at Stoke on the final day of the season.

Despite taking just five points from their last six matches, plus enduring a dismal FA Cup semi-final exit to a struggling Villa side, the Americans backed their manager, albeit it with some tweaks.

After what was described as a “robust” annual end-of-season review Rodgers kept his job but was forced to accept changes to the coaching staff which saw assistant manager and close friend Colin Pascoe and first-team coach and former player Mike Marsh leave in a shake-up which brought in England Under-19s boss Sean O’Driscoll and ex-Reds midfielder Gary McAllister.

FSG also supported Rodgers in the transfer window with an outlay of £80million, much of which was recouped from the sale of Raheem Sterling to Manchester City for £49million.

The Americans have been more patient than some owners may have been but Rodgers knows that could change at any minute.

“I have regular contact with the owners and the relationship has always been strong,” he added.

“Whatever happens here, whether I’m here for one day, one month, one year, whatever, I’ll always have a huge respect for the owners here and the people that work here.

“I walked in here three years ago as a 39-year-old manager at one of the greatest football clubs in the world and I’m a better manager now for that.

“My time here has been enjoyable and I hope it continues to be that. I hope to be here for a long time.”

As if speculation about his job was not enough, injuries have given Rodgers something else to worry about. Striker Christian Benteke (hamstring) and defender Dejan Lovren (ligament injury) are likely to be sidelined for a while and forward Roberto Firmino will have a scan to ascertain whether he has fractured a bone in his back after coming off against Carlisle.

“Benteke will probably be out for a little bit of time,” said Rodgers. “Young Firmino landed awkwardly and may have cracked a bone in his back and Dejan Lovren will be out for a few weeks with a ligament injury.”

Midfielder Jordan Henderson is already out for up to eight weeks after having an operation to fix a broken bone in his foot.

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KOP Preview: Sturridge key for Liverpool to hit 200 goal milestone vs. Villa

The Kop magazine’s Chris McLoughlin previews Aston Villa’s trip to Anfield on Saturday, hoping to see a Sturridge-Ings partnership hit a milestone for LFC.

There’s a stat in Saturday’s This Is Anfield matchday programme that says Liverpool need to score just two more goals at home to Aston Villa to have clocked up 200 against them in total at Anfield in the league. On current form it’s not so much of a case of which Reds player will get that 200th goal, but in which year it’ll come. 2017 looks like a decent bet. Assuming Villa stay up.

The Reds have now only scored twice in two of the last 21 matches they have played. Not since Steven Gerrard‘s 87th minute winner against QPR last May has such a miraculous feat occurred and the time before was a 2-0 win against Newcastle in which Raheem Sterling and Joe Allen scored. No offence to Allen, but I’d say that Gerrard and Sterling are about as likely to score against Villa on Saturday as he is.

Even more depressingly, Liverpool have only managed to score three goals in one match in the whole of 2015 and even that was in bizarre, unthinkable, surreal circumstances. Mario Balotelli scored an 83rd minute winner in a Premier League game against Tottenham. Whether Super Mario will one day tell the grandkids that he scored as many Premier League goals in a red shirt as Abel Xavier, Salif Diao, Sebastian Coates, Nuri Sahin and Andrea Dossena is unclear, but at least it was an actual winner.

Does anyone know where the next one is coming from?

For me, it’s no co-incidence that the lack of goals, particularly at Anfield, has coincided with Danny Sturridge’s absence from the Liverpool side. Sturridge has made eight appearances at Anfield in 2015. He’s scored in four of them. And that’s with only completing 90 minutes three times and probably not being fully fit at all. Which remains a major, ongoing problem.

Brendan Rodgers‘ decision to start Sturridge against Norwich last weekend was perceived by a lot of people as a desperate measure by a desperate man in need of a win. Perhaps there was an element of that given the length of time Sturridge had been out, but then if you had a striker back in full training who had netted 35 goals in 55 Premier League games and you were under increasing pressure to keep your job then wouldn’t you have started him as well?

Despite the grim 1-1 result – John Ruddy got a slice of revenge for all those Luis Suarez goals – Liverpool’s overall performance was better. I’m not for one minute saying the Reds were an eight-man passing move away from emulating Brazil in 1970, but the display was an improvement on the drivel served up against West Ham and the Mancs. Which, admittedly, wasn’t hard, but Sturridge being on the pitch was a key reason for that.

His movement opens up space for others. His willingness to run in behind a back four gives Philippe Coutinho someone to play a through ball to. When he’s at his sharpest, the lad can finish. And, hopefully crucially for Saturday’s Villa game, Sturridge has proven in the past that it doesn’t take him long to start scoring again when he’s has returned from injury.

January 2013, after two months out with a thigh/hip problem, he scored on his return as a substitute in a routine 5-3 win at Stoke and followed it up by netting seven goals in his next six consecutive games. His first start and goal at Anfield in that run, incidentally, was at home to Aston Villa. Last season, after five months out, he was again on target in his comeback match as a sub against West Ham before sticking another in the onion bag down at Selhurst Park in the FA Cup on his second start.

So, after going a whole 63 minutes without scoring (or getting injured) against Norwich on Sunday, I’m expecting Sturridge to get back to what he does best – score goals – sooner rather than later, which is why I hope Rodgers starts him again when our Anfield bogey club turn up on Merseyside.

The argument of whether you should start a player who has been missing through injury for so long or ease him in from the bench is one for the sports science boffins to stick on a Power Point presentation, but I’ve always been of the view that you put your best team out on the pitch, try to get a game won early and then review how a recently returned player is faring fitness wise in the second half.

With Christian Benteke missing the opportunity to put one over on his former club – the motivation to do such a thing and how Liverpool work on set-pieces in training (honestly, they do) is discussed by Reds coach Gary McAllister in the This is Anfield matchday programme – due to a tight hamstring, there’s even more reason for Sturridge to start and I’d like to see Danny Ings up there alongside him.

Two goals in two games. An infectious work rate that allows Liverpool to press from the front. And the Kop already dusting off the old Harry Kewell ‘Daddy Cool’ chant to sing Ings’ (which are anagrams of each other) name is proof that we do have an in-form striker in the ranks.

Put the two of them up top together and who knows? Liverpool might even score twice in the same game and get to that 200 goal milestone after all.

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The This Is Anfield matchday programme is available at the ground, from official Liverpool FC club shops or to order from http://ift.tt/1ErA0iV.

Subscribers can currently save £12, the equivalent of three issues free, while a £6 double-deal to get the programme and Official LFC Magazine is available from Anfield on matchdays and club stores.

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Brendan Rodgers: Danny Ings will “develop into a top-class striker”

After seeing his summer signing score two goals in his last two appearances, Brendan Rodgers has praised Danny Ings‘ contribution at Liverpool.

Speaking ahead of the Reds’ latest Premier League clash, at home to Aston Villa, Rodgers praised Ings’ work since moving to the club from Burnley this summer.

The manager told reporters that Ings will “develop into a top-class striker.”

“I’ve been really happy with his contribution,” he said.

“He’s a very positive young guy that comes in everyday to learn, always analysing his game.

“I think what he’s done every time he’s played is grabbed the opportunity.

“He wants to get goals and I think over the next few years he’s going to develop into a top-class striker.”

Ings has scored against both Norwich City and Carlisle United, and is likely to start against Tim Sherwood’s Villa on Saturday.

This could see him renew the strong relationship that looked to be developing with fellow striker Daniel Sturridge against the Canaries, with Ings’ work rate and movement complementing the 26-year-old’s dynamic style of play.

Ings’ starting berth comes following injury to £32.5 million striker Christian Benteke, who Rodgers admitted will “probably out for a bit of time.”

Benteke is joined by Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino, Dejan Lovren and Jon Flanagan in the treatment room.

This heaps pressure on Ings as starting centre-forward but, speaking prior to Rodgers’ praise, the 23-year-old said he is comfortable with this.

“I think pressure is maybe a strong word,” he told the Liverpool Echo.

“I don’t see it as pressure, I see it as an opportunity.

“My whole career I’ve been waiting for opportunities at every level, so it is appreciated that I am getting chances to play as a striker and to be part of the team.

“In the summer I knew this was the club I wanted to join – the sheer size of the club, the fanbase, the players who are here, the press off the ball, the runs in behind, the creative players behind me, I think it suits my style of play and my mentality.

“The expectation is a lot greater at a club like Liverpool than where I have come from, but I find that a real positive.

“I use it as a fuel to motivate myself to do well.

This mentality has seen Ings on his way to become a cult hero at Anfield, and the former AFC Bournemouth striker could well become a key player for the Reds.

Continue to score important goals, and Ings could prove to be a better signing than Benteke.

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Brendan Rodgers discusses Liverpool future: “I want to be here for a long period”

Brendan Rodgers has quashed speculation that he is to be sacked as Liverpool manager, saying “I want to be here for a long period.”

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa, Rodgers was posed with inevitable questions surrounding his future as manager at Liverpool.

But, remaining strong in his position, the Northern Irishman batted away speculation of an imminent departure.

However, interestingly, he said “whether I am here for one day more, one month, one year, I will always have huge respect for the owners here.”

Both Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti have been linked with the manager’s role at Liverpool in the past week, with the Reds’ League Cup penalty shootout victory over Carlisle United heaping pressure on Rodgers, who said “you take that as part and parcel of the game.”

“I have regular contact with owners and the relationship has always been strong,” he said.

“Whatever happens here, whether I am here for one day more, one month, one year, I will always have huge respect for the owners here, and what I will do is do my very best with the payers that we have.

“I know you need to get the results, and I enjoy the pressure of that.

“The aim will be to look to improve – one win and you’re back among the top four!”

However, while Rodgers’ outlook remains positive, he did address the pressure on him as a manager of a big club.

“What drives a manager on is that fear – a positive fear,” he continued.

“It’s something that doesn’t frighten me, I’ve got an inherent belief in what I do.

“I think I’ve shown in my time here, we’ve nearly gone on to great things. My belief and confidence is there, and always has been.

“I don’t shy away from the fact you need to get results, and perform well, in order to stay in work.”

Continuing to assess his situation, Rodgers embarked on a hopeful projection of his future on Merseyside, saying “I want to be here for a long period.”

“It’s the experiences that make you better,” he claimed.

“To manage a club at this level with the focus and the scrutiny everyday: it has been absolutely fantastic – I’ve loved every minute of it.

“I tend to not read so much and see so much and that allows me to have a clear focus on there players.

“My time here has been really enjoyable, and I hope it continues to be that!

“I hope to be here for a long period, but I can only do my best to prepare the team.”

Rodgers also gave a message to the club’s baying supporters, saying: “Keep faith with the team – it’s not about me. The most important thing is the club’s success.”

Liverpool take on Villa at Anfield on Saturday afternoon with Rodgers in desperate need of not only a result, but a strong performance to boot.

With the Reds struggling for form and confidence of late, this clash could prove pivotal for the 42-year-old.

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View from Villa: Talking Benteke, Sherwood, Rodgers and more

Ahead of Aston Villa’s visit to Anfield on Saturday (3pm kick off BST), we get the view from the away end to discuss Christian Benteke, Villa’s Anfield record, Brendan Rodgers, and more.

We speak to Rory Skehan of 7500toholte.

Q. Villa are without a win since the opening day, that being at new boys Bournemouth – is your form as bad as that suggests, or is the fact your only losing games by narrow margins more indicative?

It’s really a little bit of both. Tim Sherwood has repeatedly said that we’ve deserved more than the four points we have, which is true – but at the end of the day, points are what matters, and we’ve continually thrown them away.

We’ve had some good spells of play, but can never seem to put a full 90 minutes together. We show signs of being a really good side, but both Sherwood and the players haven’t quite fully developed the consistency needed to start pushing up the table.

Q. Christian Benteke – your thoughts first on his departure, and then on whether you see him fitting in at Liverpool?

Losing Benteke was obviously a huge loss to Villa – he was crucial to keeping us in the league the past couple of years. That said, I think the majority of Villa fans understood his desire to play at a higher level, and we don’t blame him at all for moving on. He deserves to be playing in Europe, not fighting relegation.

It is a bit frustrating to see how he’s being used at Liverpool, however.

At Villa, he was our best player on the pitch, and we played to his strengths, getting balls in the box at every opportunity. Liverpool and Rodgers aren’t as keen to put in crosses. Regardless of style, he’s going to score goals – he’s too talented not to.

Q. You’ve not lost at Anfield since 2010 – a worry stat for Brendan Rodgers – do you fancy your chances again on Saturday?

I’d say we have a decent chance to come out with at least a point, if not all three. We haven’t been in great form, but a midweek win over Birmingham City may have changed the momentum in our favor a bit.

Liverpool will also be missing Lovren, Henderson, and Benteke (three pretty big blows in my opinion), are coming off 120 minutes and a close call against a League 2 side, and are under a lot of pressure.

I won’t go as far as predicting a win, but I think it’s a good thing to be playing Liverpool now, during this uneasy spell, instead of later, when they get things figured out.

Q. What’s your thoughts on Tactics Tim?

It’s complicated. He was fantastic for us at the end of last season, keeping us up and taking us to Wembley, providing Villa with some much needed excitement after the disastrous Paul Lambert era. He was also put in a difficult position this summer, having to basically rebuild the squad after losing Benteke and Delph, our two most influential players.

This season, however, he’s proven that tactically, he really struggles. He’s made a number of head-scratching substitutions in games, which have directly cost us at the very least 4 or 5 points. He’s been under a bit of pressure lately, but he’ll be given time to sort things out, and a result on Saturday would go a long way in easing that pressure.

Q. And your thoughts on Liverpool, from an outsiders perspective?

Recent struggles aside, I have no doubt they’ll turn it around eventually. Whether Rodgers is there when it happens or not…well, I’ll get to that in a second. Kind of like Benteke, the squad is too talented not to start getting results.

Q. And what about Rodgers? Do you think he’s the subject of what John Motson bizarrely claims is some sort of conspiracy?!

I’ve never been a big fan of Rodgers. The talent has always been there, the results simply haven’t followed. There never seems to be a plan B when things aren’t working. His title-challenging side with Suarez was incredibly fun to watch, but since then, it’s all seemed to go downhill really.

This is an outsider’s opinion, but I don’t see him managing Liverpool at the start of next season.

Q. What’s your aims for the rest of the season for Villa?

At this point, really to just steady the ship and climb away from another relegation battle. We’d all love to push on towards the top-half, but a safe, comfortable finish is the number one priority this season.

Q. Finally, predicted finish for both sides please…

15th for Villa, 7th for Liverpool

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Dejan Lovren expected to miss two months with ankle ligament injury

Dejan Lovren is expected to miss two months of action with suspected ankle ligament damage suffered in the closing stages of Wednesday’s game against Carlisle.

The Croatian centre-back landed awkwardly on his right foot minutes before full-time in extra-time, being stretchered off and receiving oxygen as he left the pitch.

The 26-year-old will undergo a scan to reveal the full extent of the injury and news should be confirmed on Friday, possibly at Brendan Rodgers‘ pre-match press conference in the morning.

Gary McAllister had said post-match that “He landed awkwardly but fingers crossed I don’t think it’s as bad as it looked.”

Lovren joins Jordan Henderson and Christian Benteke on the sidelines. Lovren and Henderson both played almost every minute of pre-season for Liverpool.

Lovren was Rodgers’ first-choice centre-back until Mamadou Sakho usurped him with a man-of-the-match performance on his first appearance against Bordeaux last week. The Frenchman should now get an extended run in the side alongside Martin Skrtel.

The Reds’ other injury suffered vs. Carlisle was Roberto Firmino but the Brazilian is not expected to miss any action.

TACTICAL ANALYSIS: How and why Liverpool failed to break down Carlisle’s well-drilled defence

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Why wait until Liverpool hit rock bottom to sack Brendan Rodgers?

The time has come for Brendan Rodgers to be sacked as Liverpool manager. Why FSG are delaying the inevitable makes no sense at all.

If there were still a few remaining loyal fans who felt Rodgers was the man to take the Reds forward, Wednesday’s shambolic League Cup win over Carlisle was surely the final straw.

Liverpool had to settle for a penalty shootout triumph against their League Two opponents, and Anfield almost felt embarrassed to celebrate the victory at the end.

When home supporters boo their own team off at half-time, full-time and at the end of extra-time, you know it’s been a pretty grim evening.

Whether it be the endless long shots, lack of fight (the impressive Danny Ings aside) or worrying absence of an identity, it really was dire.

Rodgers has come as far as he can at Anfield following three-and-a-bit years of ups and downs on Merseyside, and he looks like a broken man. His team is certainly broken.

Changes needed immediately

FSG surely know deep down that the 42-year-old’s time is up too, so why are they delaying the inevitable? There are no positives whatsoever in keeping Rodgers now. Nothing can be gained by waiting until Christmas.

It just feels as though the Liverpool owners are waiting for one more inexcusable defeat before getting rid of the Ulsterman. What is the point?

Perhaps that will come against Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday, or maybe in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park a week on Sunday.

Either way, there is going to be a horrible loss eventually, and the vitriol that will be sent in Rodgers’ direction will be helpful to nobody.

The danger of persisting with him is that Liverpool could be out of the top-four race soon if they are not careful, and the new manager coming in will immediately have an impossible job on his hands.

That and we’d be a less attractive proposition to a new manager if the task of reaching the top four is almost out of reach. Do it now and the new manager knows he has most of the season to turn things around.

Man United and Arsenal are already beginning to show signs of pulling away from the Reds as their form becomes more consistent, while Chelsea will turns things around as the season progresses.

Another season of rebuilding is simply not good enough, and Liverpool need to be in a position where they are still very much fighting on all fronts when the inevitable managerial change is made.

We find ourselves in exactly the same position we were in in late 2010, when the supporters were calling for Roy Hodgson’s head. As explained to, FSG kept sticking by Hodgson until Liverpool were in truly dire straits, before caving in months later than they should have done.

How has Rodgers lasted this long?

There have arguably been three separate occasions already this season when Rodgers could not have been surprised about losing his job.

The 3-0 home defeat to West Ham was a disgrace, and while some supported the manager and felt it was a one-off bad day at the office, the shambolic display at Old Trafford a fortnight later should have spelled the end.

Relatively insipid draws against Bordeaux and Norwich have followed, before the Carlisle debacle reached a whole new level of embarrassment for the club.

Considering how ruthless football is these days, it really is remarkable that Rodgers is still the Liverpool manager.

The 6-1 humiliation against Stoke City saw plenty lose faith, especially after the home defeat to Crystal Palace and FA Cup semi-final loss to Aston Villa, but he clung on by the skin of his teeth.

While some felt it was fair that Rodgers survived the summer and proved himself in 2015/16, it is now abundantly clear that he has run his course.

Time Up

Supporters will always have differing opinions of Rodgers when he does eventually leave but it is important to stress that it has been far from all bad. He has been far superior to Hodgson overall.

The Northern Irishman got Liverpool playing some of their most exciting attacking football of the last 20 years at times, and that is NOT purely because of Luis Suarez.

His tactics have been innovative and attack-minded at times, and the way he has improved youngsters like Raheem Sterling, Jon Flanagan and Jordan Rossiter should be applauded.

His time is most certainly up, however, with a new man in the Anfield hot-seat very much called for. The spark has gone.

FSG cannot afford to make the same mistakes they did with Hodgson, and must relieve Rodgers of his duty before things get even worse than they currently are.

Subscribe to Henry’s increasingly popular new podcast ‘Koppage Time’ (@KoppageTime) on iTunes or listen on Podomatic.

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Jurgen Klopp issues come and get me message to Liverpool?

As speculation continues to grow over Brendan Rodgers‘ future at Liverpool, reports on Thursday suggest Jurgen Klopp would cut short his sabbatical to take over at Anfield.

According to reports, Klopp is willing to end his year-long sabbatical early in order to work in the Premier League.

Sky Sports claim Klopp’s intention to take a year-long sabbatical may have shifted and the chance to take over at Anfield – were Rodgers to be sacked – might be too good to turn down.

The 48-year-old has been top of Liverpool fans’ wish-list when it comes to potential replacements for the under-fire Rodgers, with his playing style and personality clearly appealing to many.

Klopp enjoyed a wonderful spell with Borussia Dortmund during a superb seven-year reign, winning two Bundesliga titles and reaching the 2013 Champions League Final, among other successes.

The news is sure to excite many Reds supporters, who continue to round on Rodgers after yet another uninspiring performance on Wednesday evening.

Liverpool could only beat League Two side Carlisle United on penalties in the League Cup, with resounding boos echoing around Anfield at full-time.

It is certainly easy to see Klopp in charge at Anfield, but whether there is enough substance to the rumours may become clearer in the next few days.

Many respected journalists have claimed FSG have no intention of approaching Klopp, with a report last weekend suggesting FSG had been warned off the German.

Liverpool yesterday moved to deny reports they had approached Carlo Ancelotti with reports suggesting the club had contacted him to gauge his interest in taking over at Anfield.

Speculation increases, but who is to say FSG won’t stick with the Ulsterman for now?

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