Kopping it: Rodgers is being criticised by Liverpool fans and former Reds alike
Brendan Rodgers has been on the receiving end of more knee-jerk
reactions than a doctor’s reflex hammer after Liverpool’s Champions
League exit.
Disappointingly, people who have previously managed or played for the Kop club have jumped on the bandwagon when a little perspective would have been more helpful.
I’m
not going to sugar-coat the Reds’ campaign in Europe - they have not
been good enough, five points (and only five goals) in six matches tells
its own story - but in the real world, most people expected Real Madrid
to top the group and Ludogorets (a team who did not even exist 15 years ago) to collect the wooden spoon, so they were always in a straight fight for second with Basel.
And
there is no shame to be edged out of the group by Basel - a club who
beat Chelsea home and away last season, knocked Manchester United out of
the Champions League in 2012 and turfed Tottenham out of the Europa
League 20 months ago.
Also, let’s remember where Liverpool were as recently as 2011. They were flirting with relegation when Kenny Dalglish took over from Roy Hodgson. Liverpool 1-1 Basel in pictures:
VIEW GALLERY
Next, when Dalglish handed over to Rodgers two years ago, Liverpool had just finished 17 points off fourth place. They were miles from qualifying for the Champions League.
Within
two seasons, Rodgers had taken them to within a heartbeat of winning
the title and into the Champions League for the first time in five
years. It was a massive over-achievement.
Nobody at Anfield, least
of all Rodgers himself, is kidding themselves that results and
performances this season have fallen way short of the required standard.
Without
strikers Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, the goals have dried up –
especially at home – and to get back in the Champions League they are
going to have to finish above Manchester United or Arsenal.
That is still achievable, especially once Sturridge returns from injury.
So,
no matter how badly every Kopite wants to beat their bitter rivals, it
is essential that Rodgers is not judged on the outcome of this weekend’s
game against Man United.
He must be judged at the end of the season.
Liverpool win and loss record in all competitions 2014/15
Wins
8
Defeats
9
All games with a result at 90 minutes
If Liverpool finish seventh or eighth - back to the square
one position they were in when Rodgers arrived from Swansea - then
nobody will be more fiercely critical or analytical of his performance
than the manager himself.
But if they put a run together in the
second half of the Premier League campaign and qualify for Europe again,
is that such a bad deal?
I believe the owners are rock-solid
behind Rodgers. They have not forgotten the fantastic football he
delivered on the way to being acclaimed Manager of the Year by his
peers.
It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon after a disappointing European night at Anfield.
But let’s see where Liverpool finish this season before the doctor exercises his reflex hammer again.
No comments:
Post a Comment