Taking the role of a manager of a Premier Club as huge Liverpool is something that comes with its own set of hindrances. The supporters of the club expect the manager to take the team to new heights and to give them more chances to cheer for the team. However, Brendan Rodgers has not been able to do any of these in his stint as the Kop manager.
He has failed to taste the success of any kind from the time he was in charge and the fans have grown agitated. The cries for his sacking have become louder and louder; while the results of Rodgers are not too bad, but he is facing the heat. On the back of reports that the club has approached ex-Chelsea manager Carlos Ancelotti for the job, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of sacking the Nothern Irishmen.
PROS:
Fenway Sports Group, the owners of the Liverpool franchise have shown a lot of patience with the 42-year-old manager. He has been given many chances and in the last transfer market, he was given the chance to spend big. However, just 6 games into the season, the manager has already looked to play personnel out of position and has not been able to stick with a constant starting XI.
For a manager who is known for his tactical flexibility, Rodgers has far too many times taken too many chances with the squads and formations. Apart from a few places in the starting XI, Rodgers has not really stuck to a particular player in a particular position thus not giving enough chances to his squad. The best example is the case of Lazar Markovic.
At a young age, the Serbian Winger cost Liverpool 20 million in the previous transfer market. He was handed just 16 starts in more than 50 matches that the club played last season. He only showed glimpses of what he can do and was not given enough time before being loaned out to Fernabache this summer.
It is hard to understand the way the manager works but having the right personnel for the right game is very important. Rodgers played Ings and Benteke up front at the Old Trafford. But Ings along with Firmino played almost as a second line of defense which left Benteke stranded up front. These are things that have made the fans turn against the manager that gave the club a memorable 2013-14 season.
In short, Rodgers has been given enough time with the club and has also been given a lot of freedom to stamp his authority over the squad. Yet he has failed to capture the form that will keep the Kop faithful on the edge of their seats. He may well have to give way to a manager who can have the club compete for trophies at the highest level than competing for the top 4 spot.
CONS:
As said earlier, Brendan Rodgers had the Liverpool team play one of the most exciting football on the planet in the 2013-14 season where he fell just short of the domestic title. After the season, Rodgers lost Luiz Suarez to Barcelona and Daniel Sturridge to injury, both of whom scored a combined tally of 51 goals in that season.
After a dismal last season failing to capture that form, Rodgers also lost Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard. These players were the epitome of what was happening in the 2013-14 season and suddenly the whole team lacked a bit of confidence. Any manager will need a lot of time to get his squad to adjust to losing 4 important starting XI players.
Though Sturridge is back, Liverpool still lacks the charisma needed up front to out-score teams. This coupled with their defensive frailties have often led them down. Rodgers to an extent solved the problem at the back using a 3 man defense and a wing back system. But once teams figured a way out, it was rendered useless and once again, the shortcomings of the team were exposed.
This kind of tactical shift is a trait many managers have and Liverpool will miss it if they let them go. Another thing that Rodgers has implemented in his spell with the club has been the emphasis on using youngsters and giving them chances. The average age of the best Liverpool Xi is not more than 25 and this shows that Rodgers is planning for the future. FSG came into light with their strategy to plan for a long-term and Rodgers fits the bill perfectly. He has had to work with a transfer committee which made his job difficult.
Rodgers has shown promise every time the fans doubted him. But with the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Carlos Ancelotti waiting for a call, their mid-week Cup tie against Carlile United may well be his last game if Liverpool does not manage to win. However, sticking with him even in tough times at least till the festive season in December might just be the best thing to do for the owners of the club.