Date: 12th January 2015 at 9:08pm
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Whilst Brendan Rodgers maintains the backing of the majority of Liverpool fans, the area in which he has let himself down is in the transfer market.

Although summer signings the likes of Adam Lallana, Emre Can and Lazar Markovic have been showing signs of steady improvement of late, a lot of the players he has brought in have been questionable to say the least.

But personally, my biggest gripe with the Liverpool boss is to do with the players he has allowed to leave the club during his tenure.

Whilst he may not have had much of a choice in the Luis Suarez to Barcelona situation, Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger and even Andy Carroll are all departures I have not been able to get my head around.

Replacing Reina with Simon Mignolet, Agger with Dejan Lovren and ultimately Carroll with Iago Aspas and Rickie Lambert – is just ridiculous business.

And with Steven Gerrard set to become the next big name to depart Anfield at the end of the season, it is absolutely critical for me that Rodgers resists the advances of Inter Milan, and keeps Lucas Leiva at the club this winter.

Gerrard, Lucas, the injured Glen Johnson and Martin Skrtel are now the only players left from the era prior to the Fenway Sports takeover – a fact that illustrates just how busy the American owners have been since their takeover in 2010.

Whilst the Brazilian may be the least high profile of those four, he has shown this season he remains absolutley vital to Liverpool.

After early season starts against Southampton and West Ham (he was substituted on both occasions), it looked for all the world as though Lucas was surplus to requirements at Anfield.

He was restricted to Capital One Cup appearances, and was impressive in the 2-1 win over Swansea at Anfield in October. He was also outstanding in the 1-0 defeat at Real Madrid a week later, a game in which Rodgers was heavily criticised for fielding a weakened team.

Yet he was back on the bench for the defeats that followed against Chelsea and Crystal Palace, a fact that suggested Lucas was to be cruelly cast to the Anfield scrap-heap.

Yet he was back in the side for the 2-2 draw against Ludogorets, a match in which Rodgers claimed ‘was the start of our season.’

Since then, Lucas has only been left out of the side for the game against Manchester United at Old Trafford – the only game that Liverpool have lost in their last 13.

That fact underlines just how important and under-valued his performances have been for the Reds this season.

A closer look at the stats reveal how Liverpool’s record with Lucas in the side is in fact far more impressive than that without.

In the 17 matches Lucas has started this season, Liverpool have won ten, drawn five and lost two.

In the 14 matches without him from the start, Liverpool have won four (in which two of those he appeared as a substitute), drawn two and lost eight.

Are these statistics a coincidence? Doesn’t seem like it.

Lucas was outstanding at Sunderland on Saturday, and was typically overlooked for man of the match as the attacking talents stole the headlines.

That has been very much the story of his Liverpool career.

Yes, injury has robbed him of that yard of pace, and he is not the player he was in 2010 and 2011 – when he was at the peak of his powers.

He offers very little going forward, but his tactical intelligence, his leadership and comittment and the fact he is so well respected by his teammates on and off the pitch make him a key part of his Liverpool side.

The way in which he screamed at Mario Balotelli for losing possession casually in a dangerous position during the recent cup win at Wimbledon was a further reminder of the passion he has for the club – as well as pointing out he is one of the few players in this Liverpool squad capable of delivering a rollicking when required.

Brendan Rodgers has slowly started to get things back on track, and whilst many may point to the introduction of the 3-4-3 formation he has deployed – it is no coincidence the Reds are in fact unbeaten since Lucas was restored to the side on the night in Ludogorets when Rodgers claimed Liverpool’s season needed to properly start.

A couple of bad results – a cup exit or a Premier League defeat to widen the gap in the race for fourth – and Rodgers could well find himself under pressure again.

Stats rarely lie, and Liverpool’s record with and without Lucas this season indicates the 28-year-old should be considered one of the very first names on the teamsheet.

Whilst Inter Milan have registered an interest, it is crucial Rodgers and the club resist any offers. Anything else could well be managerial suicide for the Liverpool boss at a time when things are so finely balanced.

 

3 responses to “Why Rodgers would be committing mangerial suicide with this January sale”

  1. Geoff Price says:

    No matter how much I dislike this useless manager my team comes first and always have done. I know I have been repeating myself over and over again for weeks, but this Rodgers guy makes me sick. He struts his arrogance round as if he some kind of master technician. The one thing I will say in his favour, he maybe smooth talking to his employers who are very naive when it comes to football knowledge But for me he is only an apprentice learning his trade, and what I will never understand….why at LFC.

    Last season was exceptional held together by the brilliance of Suarez and sick note Studrigge, so what did the master technician do with the millions at his disposal…..just bloody wasted on ordinary players. With 51 goals leaked last season, one of the priorities was to tighten up our leaky defence and bring a replacement for Suarez, he did neither. I think Rodgers likes small players with with no drive or passion, not that there is anything wrong in that providing you have one or two to balance the team out bou only if they have quality. Really could go on and on about all this, but only trying to make a point about how many supporters feel about his lack of managerial skills.

    We probably have one of the poorest goalkeepers in the EPL, what does he do he let,s Renia go for next to nothing, not mention Danny Agger and now the skillful untried Suso. So this is man manegment at the highest level, you really are a mere novice in football terms. Whenever I pass the great Bill Shankly stature, I whisper don’t worry Bill he won’t be around forever.

    The last thing I will leave you with is the one and only Stevie G, I personally believe that you where instrumental in Gerrards decision in leaving Liverpool at the end of season. How I wish it was you and not Stevie, if this was the case I will not forget or forgive you, that’s why in many supporters minds you are the IMPOSTER.

    • John Smith says:

      You must be a deluded Chelski or Utd scum. The defence was recognised as an area of improvement, and new players brought in. Agreed performances have not been good enough, but back the team. Knee jerk reactions get us nowhere. Who could of foreseen Sturridge’s injuries ? Remember, FFP is something which must be considered as well. Football management in the real world is vastly different to your pc.

  2. Geoff Price says:

    John you are entitled to your opion like everyone else. As far as being deluded that’s another thing, Never thought for one moment about that, disappointed yes, angry every time he opens his mouth..yes listening to his constant excuses and the embarrsissing comments. I really believe he thinks he is so knowledgeable about the way we need too play his tic tac football. Personally I have supported LFC for more than fifty five years and will continue to do so until my last breath. Like many other supporters I care so much, and right now I’m hurting big time at what is going on at our club.

    If it was possible I would like too meet you sometime, I’m sure we could have a really good discussion about football and our diffiering opinions.. In the meantime we will keep supporting the great LFC. …..YNWA