Kasper Schmeichel

It's the hun tactics, they leave our defender on the ball and our keeper and they close off the other players we have in our own half.

It kind of builds pressure on the defender on the ball and even keeper who end up having the ball too long and need to pass it among themselves until they take risks of trying to play a pass that isn't really on and then everyone gets unsettled, they've been doing it quite a while now.

 

Agree with this. Basically Rodgers tactics failed against a team who's main tactic was man marking and running at our players.

Did annoy me the 40 yard passes from midfield back to Schmichael. How can that be consistently our best option?

 

I used to be a goalkeeper too mate, and we always used every trick in the box to prevent a goal. Not coming off the six yard box was a big no no, especially if you knew it was yours all day long, and it also took the heat off your centre backs, who fully expect you to come out and take the ball or punch well clear to the sides of the pitch in those circumstances.

I'm not against having someone on the posts for double indemnity, in case you effed up.

 

He does, and it’s not a full excuse for him but it’s part of it. That ball wasn’t on, he was looking for it. It makes him uncertain it not being there, and the fact McGregor when he takes fhe ball usually has 1/2 midfielders following him and it doesn’t matter, the other passes out to full backs he does, they were easily marked, not wanting the pass because of that.

But he is an experienced as * pro, I would expect him to adapt to that situation quickly. And rather than that, he got rattled with it more than anything and was also just poor doing it. But that is the root cause for me. And it’s not an excuse for him, it’s poor from him and unexpected. He has played enough games at such a high level, he shouldn’t be caught out with that.

 

He's had a few brain farts in recent games. Nowhere near as major but noticeable.

I am getting (very faint) flashbacks to Gordon in goal under Rodgers the number of edgy situations our defence and keeper are getting themselves into.

We just aren't executing playing out from the back very well and need a bit more of Anges desire to be braver playing it forward. The constant over-obsession with safe and keeping possession is turning into a negative for our play. Too predictable and teams have sussed that.

 

He is much better at it than Gordon but I understand the comparison there. Gordon was too casual and would * up, because he thought he was good at it IMO and wasn’t, would take chances. Kaspar I think knows he is good at it, and is taking chances because he has been so good at it all year rather than earlier this season. Infact, not just early from maybe 5 games or so, taking chances.

Yesterday was him doing that without the easy options he usually has for the pass being on.

 

Exactly and the warning signs have been there. Which is definitely why it's not all on him.

Management and coaching staff need to take their share too. We are becoming badly drilled.

 

Badly drilled is the exact wording for how I’ve been trying to describe us! We have well drilled build up, movement and how we move the ball.

And they have learned where to stand to block our usual passing channels, and where to press us on the pitch, and where to allow time on the ball but defending where the ball would usually go.

And the thing is, Rodgers made a comment last week ‘they stole our game’. He’s aware of that. And he still had no Plan B for it happening. He just trusts us to stick to that, and overcome what they’re doing to counter our play. And that’s * management, as good as Rodgers is, his arrogance has always been his weak spot. And that’s what it is, he’s not willing to recognise that they have that sussed. He would be much better off, and be praised, if he adapted to that. And for me it’s only a small tweak in the shape for us to totally counter what they do.

 

Was far from a Rodgers fan last season, he was just too disengaged for me up until December. Things definitely improved after then. Atlanta game was a bit of a turning point for me as he adapted which was brilliant, along with some of the football we played in and around then which was excellent. Last few months been less so, Europes been very good but domestic games we have been lucky. I do get the impression he's lost focus again. It's all a bit lazy really. Not having a plan to counter what is basically kick and rush football yet again is pretty telling. Basically we appear to be heading back to horseshoe football similar to his 3rd season. Hope I'm wrong.