The RAF have a Latin motto “Per aspera ad astra” which translates to “through adversity to the stars”. It is a quote that Brendan Rodgers has admitted using, with his Liverpool squad as a motivational tool, and to help them achieve the required mental strength to win matches. It’s a quote, that presumably Rodgers has uttered to himself, numerous times during the last three weeks.
After league defeats, to West Ham at home and away to bitter rivals Manchester United, Rodgers is under immense pressure, his every decision scrutinised. He is top of the summit of the bookmakers’ sack race and every Liverpool supporter is asking the question: “Is he the right man to lead the team?”
He is, in part, a victim of his own success. The incredible 2013-14 season raised expectations. He guided a team that had finished seventh the season before, to second in the league. He came closer to winning the Premier League than any other Liverpool manager over the last 25 years.
We were simply mesmerising that season netting 101 league goals and playing with the beautiful philosophy that no matter how many goals our opponents scored, we would score more. Rodgers was crowned the LMA Manager of the Year.
That campaign set the standard that was expected; standards that since, Liverpool have failed to deliver. Rodgers has proved, nevertheless, that he is capable of moulding a team into genuine title challengers. Something which should not be overlooked.
Since, it is undeniable that the team have regressed but not all the blame can be assigned to Rodgers. Suarez who scored 33 goals in the 2013-14 season was sold to Barcelona and Sturridge who netted 28 times, has spent most of the last year in the physio room, rather than toying mercilessly with opposing defenders
At the end of last season, Steven Gerrard embarked for a fresh challenge in MLS, past his prime but still hugely influential for us. In recently published extracts from his autobiography, Gerrard conveys how he would text potential signings, trying to convince them to play alongside him in the Liverpool team.
Raheem Sterling and his agent concluded that a move to the Etihad would be beneficial and the inevitable transfer was concluded in July. Add into the mix, the retirement of another stalwart Jamie Carragher a couple of seasons earlier and it’s clear that immense talent has exited Anfield during Rodgers reign.
We simply don’t have the finances or the current stature in world football to replace these players with the same calibre. Rodgers realistically cannot be expected to produce a team consistently challenging for the title until this is resolved.
The detractors will argue with some justification that the players Rodgers has signed have not been of the requisite pedigree. Borini, Balotelli, Alberto, Aspas and Lambert, all players that failed to produce for the club. Others like Lovren, Mignolet, Lallana, Can and Moreno are still with a lot to prove.
The transfer business done before this season appears to be promising but the new recruits must be given time to settle. Firmino, in particular, is a young player who has not before sampled the rigorous of playing in the Premier League.
Either deliberately or by a twist of fate Liverpool began this campaign where the last one concluded, away to Stoke City, last year’s 6-1 humiliation still raw. Liverpool exacted revenge, thanks to an early contender for goal of the season from Philippe Coutinho.
Victory against Bournemouth at home, again by a single goal, was followed by the best performance of the season so far, a goalless draw away to Arsenal.
Admittedly while not playing aesthetically pleasing football we started the season in determined fashion, grinding out results with the defence looking solid. Lovern and Skrtel seemed to have forged a formidable centre-back partnership with Clyne and Gomez, who surprisingly was elevated straight into the first team, offering support in the full-back positions.
Those results created a cautious optimism amongst the supporters, an optimism that seems to have evaporated because of the last two league games. Yes, the team deserved to be criticised after those results, but to state that we are in crisis is sensationalist and inaccurate.
After the much-publicised meeting between Rodgers and Tom Werner in the summer, Rodgers obtained the mandate to continue his work. He must be given the season to see if his plans come to fruition and be judged then, not after the opening five league games of the season.
