Brendan Rodgers' Leicester hopes and why he is still a modern coach

[LC/FC]

The major problem and difference with Puel, that hasn't been taken into consideration is that, he was a horrible man manager that alienated and pushed out our senior players that want nothing more than to give their all for the club.

From falling out with Vardy and not even talking to Kingy, it created a negative spirit within the team that we've spent years building up to be positive.

 

There have been those, me included, that thought he'd be good as a Director of Football or Academy. Bringing in the likes of Maddison, Chilwell and Choudhury have been fantastic to our transition. But such a transition needs to be gradual with so many players that we've had since promotion hitting the twilight of their careers and the newer ones having to learn about the ethic of the first team. Brendan understands that there needs to be a blend of youth and experience, up until youth becomes experience. Pearson knew that too.

 

I don't know if, for Brendan, being a small fish in a big pond then going to a small pond to be a big fish and now returning to the bigger pond, is there growth from his Swansea and Liverpool days. He's won a few trophies with Celtic, hopefully that has bred into him a bit of a winning mentality. As much as he talks about being able to be tactically flexible, he needs to be more positive with it. 2 DM against Wolves was set up wrong, IMO and he was too slow in rectifying it, subs should have been made earlier or at least at half time. 

 

But he's been someone to make player shine if given a chance, Michu and Saurez are 2 that definitely come to mind. And now he has a plethora of potential talent to try and improve. But the Premier League has once again changed with the money, as well as us proving to everyone in the world, that anything is possible. Whether he can adapt to this age, where we're doing buys and sales numbering in the hundreds of millions. But all the other teams are being sensible and not needing to just sell off to assets just to be able to reinvest. Us selling Maguire for a World record fee and being priced 40m for his potential replacements.

These are the new challenges. 

[NaijaFox]

5 hours ago, ThaiFox said:

Yes, Puel has gone. And we've replaced him with an almost identically tactical manager, although he comes over much better in interviews.

 

But if you thought that performance v Wolves was anything better than the 'gruel' served up from Puel, I suggest you watch the match again!

 

In the after match interviews I've seen with Rodgers, he mainly talked about being so happy with VAR. I bet he was, because it got him off the hook.

No, we haven’t. 

 

We have seen enough games under BR, going back to last season, to consider the performance against Wolves as an exception rather than the norm. I recall how happy and enthusiastic all of us were after our away performance against Southampton under Puel, but sadly that turn out to be the exception under Claude rather than the norm. Thus, it’s not a personal grudge against any one manager but rather what’s ultimately good for City, regardless of whom is on the sidelines. Puel was granted enough rope and time here by most (admittedly not all) fans, and we will (or should) accord the same to BR. Nonetheless, be rest assured that if the performances and results under BR are subpar, he would also receive the same treatment from fans as Puel’s.

 

Meanwhile, some of you are welcome to remain PRISONERS of the past or to see it as a platform to build on and MOVE ON! 

Edited 16 August 2019 by NaijaFox

[ThaiFox]

On 16/08/2019 at 18:05, NaijaFox said:

No, we haven’t. 

 

We have seen enough games under BR, going back to last season, to consider the performance against Wolves as an exception rather than the norm. I recall how happy and enthusiastic all of us were after our away performance against Southampton under Puel, but sadly that turn out to be the exception under Claude rather than the norm. Thus, it’s not a personal grudge against any one manager but rather what’s ultimately good for City, regardless of whom is on the sidelines. Puel was granted enough rope and time here by most (admittedly not all) fans, and we will (or should) accord the same to BR. Nonetheless, be rest assured that if the performances and results under BR are subpar, he would also receive the same treatment from fans as Puel’s.

 

Meanwhile, some of you are welcome to remain PRISONERS of the past or to see it as a platform to build on and MOVE ON! 

I am not a prisoner of the past. I was just pointing out that BR's tactics and playing style are very similar to those of CP. Therefore what was the point of sacking Puel, wasting a lot of money on ending Puel's contract and paying Celtic £6 million compensation?

 

No-one can tell me that performance v Wolves (or several other matches) were any better than anything we witnessed under Puel. Several of the games under BR have so far shown very little difference in tactics or performance, with plenty of slow possession. So I can't agree the performances under BR have shown any vast improvement, more like the usual circumstances of players reacting to a new manager, especially the senior players (who seem to rule the club anyway) and who feared Puel was fast fazing them out.

 

I will agree that Rodgers is far better with the media. However, that part of the job doesn't bother me at all, as the media are so full of the supposed 'top 6' they don't give a rats ass about us. Their questions are so moronic anyway, as Pearson showed when replying was to their often childish questions. They fully got what they deserved with him.

 

I really wish Rodgers well, just as I have supported every City manager in the 55 years I've supported the club. I hate changing managers and I want stability for our club.

[LinekersLugs]

Managers earn there corn at half time 

 

Rodgers will be paid plenty of corn 

[robbie]

I  love it

[daverollo]

On 18/08/2019 at 12:26, ThaiFox said:

I am not a prisoner of the past. I was just pointing out that BR's tactics and playing style are very similar to those of CP. Therefore what was the point of sacking Puel, wasting a lot of money on ending Puel's contract and paying Celtic £6 million compensation?

 

No-one can tell me that performance v Wolves (or several other matches) were any better than anything we witnessed under Puel. Several of the games under BR have so far shown very little difference in tactics or performance, with plenty of slow possession. So I can't agree the performances under BR have shown any vast improvement, more like the usual circumstances of players reacting to a new manager, especially the senior players (who seem to rule the club anyway) and who feared Puel was fast fazing them out.

 

I will agree that Rodgers is far better with the media. However, that part of the job doesn't bother me at all, as the media are so full of the supposed 'top 6' they don't give a rats ass about us. Their questions are so moronic anyway, as Pearson showed when replying was to their often childish questions. They fully got what they deserved with him.

 

I really wish Rodgers well, just as I have supported every City manager in the 55 years I've supported the club. I hate changing managers and I want stability for our club.

Whilst I agree that what Puel appeared to be doing in terms of playing style is similar to Rodgers he was always destined to fail,  For 95% of jobs across the world (made up number) the key to success is good communication.  If you struggle to articulate your ideas and get players on board with the master plan then it will end in tears.  I was an advocate of keeping Puel as you could see the slow improvements being made.  More technically gifted players, possession based game etc. But reading the interview with Andy King and the fact that Puel barely spoke to him during his 18 months in charge in my mind was disgraceful.  That's just one small snapshot of how Puel will have been operating behind the scenes, the owners will have been privy to far more and I fully respect and support their decision to replace him and spend their money on what they believe is a significant upgrade.

 

In terms of how we have played in the two games this season.  Got to confess, I was disappointed when I saw the team sheet for the first game of the season against Wolves.  Most of the pre-season games were played with a 4231 and only a small number of minutes played with the 433.  Was really hoping that were'd come out of the blocks and have a real go at Wolves from the off and the formation/selection smacked of caution and Puel MK2.

 

Having said that I do wonder if Brendan's thinking was along the lines of

- We're playing two teams that finished above us last season, who are technically very good and do have will create a lot of chances.

- I have a brand new centre back pairing (including a player who is 23 and hasn't started back to back games in the PL yet) that have had limited game time together

- To build confidence/momentum by not losing first and see if the fire power is good enough to win coming second.

 

Without doubt we looked more threatening in the 2nd half V Wolves after Barnes came on.  Against Chelski, after the initial onslaught we finished the 1st half as the better team and the 2nd half we were far better when Maddison moved more centrally and we actually started winning the 50/50's and were first to the 2nd balls that needed winning.  Before you can play your football you have to do the dirty work and earn the  right to play.

 

With regard to the Chelski game, it was good to see Rodgers take responsibility for N'Diddi's cock up on the ball, but Souness (and I rarely agree with him) made a great observation. You have to do things differently during the first 15 minutes of a match, especially when away from home against a motivated side who will be in your face. Instead of trying to play out from the back (all the time) and put your centrebacks, GK and def mid under pressure, the GK should be encouraged to mix things up, don't be afraid to hit the ball diagonally over the top for Vardy to chase down.  Basically get the ball in the other half and take the initial sting out of the 15 minute onslaught. Don't be a slave to ALWAYS playing short passes from the GK.  Later in the match Kapser was good at chipping over the initial press and finding the full backs closer to the halfway line.  Its something that needs to be addressed, starting with what will be an in ya face motivated Sheffield on Saturday 

 

I would hope, as Rodgers see's the the central defensive partnership develop that he (and the team) will have the confidence to ditch the N'Diddi/Hamza extra defensive cover, restore Maddison and Tielmans next to each other (where they both were at their most effective last season) and take the game to the opposition.  Impose ourselves and not worry about what the opposition can do to us, but let them worry about what we can do to them 

 

COYB

[Out Foxed]

On 15/08/2019 at 08:55, An Sionnach said:

Winning is 98% , Entertainment 2%....It doesn't matter how , just win.....

wrong

[fuchsntf]

On 16/08/2019 at 13:06, henrik_62 said:

If you have followed Rodgers as a coach then you’d realise this has feck all to do with the SPFL. He was guilty of the same at Swansea and Liverpool as others have pointed out on this thread.

 

For what it’s worth he didn’t get away with said performances either, in fact he got some unwarranted criticism after such games as despite being in a poor league there is an unrealistic expectation up here that even a draw is a disaster and we should be winning every game 5-0 and the likes. 

I Really dont like foxestalk either,butt I will suffer and stand by it..... Even if the Pipes needs cleaning,more often....