Damn Yankees: Gillett and Hicks followed by Henry and Werner
It’s not been two months since Brendan Rodgers came on board and already fans are slating him for Liverpool’s worst start since 1968. Is he responsible for Martin Skrtel’s bone headed giveaway to City? Or Steven Gerrard’s ill advised pass? Or Pepe Reina failing to save a rather routine shot? You can’t legislate for stupidity. At some point the onus should be on the players which in a sport like football accounts for a majority of the results.
Liverpool has become a revolving door of managers with Rafa Benitez, Roy Hodgson, and Kenny Dalglish, following each other in a space of two years. It’s a hodge podge of styles; rotational style, English style, no style. In the case of Dalglish, the fall from grace has been nothing short of spectacular. Fans associating a history of success clamoured for his return but he’s now tied to the hip with the biggest bungle up in transfer history since Hong Kong went to China. The repercussions are being directly felt this season and led to some bizarre decisions most succinctly seen in the convolutions on transfer deadline.
Michael Laudrup’s Swansea are enjoying a successful start to their second year in the Premiership building on a template left by Rodgers. It took them a year to climb from the Championship to a position in the top league and the way they are playing it would appear relegation is the furthest removed from their mind. Does Rodgers have the personnel to implement that quick, short passing style and rapid interchanges that he favours? Joe Allen fits right in because of his time with the Swans. But the rest of the squad needs a primer. Steven Gerrard is an example of how old habits die hard forcing the issue with long passes.
Do Liverpool fans really think Michael Owen would be an improvement on Clint Dempsey? Wouldn’t he have been the ideal replacement for Andy Carroll, who by the way will have to find a new home if FSG is serious about recouping part of that £120m spent under Dalglish and Damien Comolli. Their hands are also tied from the debt which still remains from the previous ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
Carroll will not come back if Rodgers is serious about implementing his system but second guessing by fans this early does put him under tremendous pressure. For those who talk of a plan B, there needs to be a plan A, fully formed and visible to the eye, otherwise what you get is tactical sectarianism and pitch apocalypse. Patience, my friends.