A look at why Liverpool MUST stick with manager Brendan Rodgers for next season despite Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Aston Villa confirming a trophyless season and with a top four spot in doubt…
SEE ALSO:
11 players who may have earned moves to bigger clubs, including Liverpool & Man United target Christian Benteke
Seven Premier League managers at risk of the sack, including Liverpool & Man City bosses
Why it’s right that Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard doesn’t get last FA Cup final
1) Luis Suarez factor
It really is worth re-iterating that few managers in the world could have coped with losing a world class striker like Luis Suarez – 31 goals and 12 assists in the Premier League in 2013/14 – on top of the unbelievable disappointment that followd Liverpool narrowly missing out on winning the Premier League title last season. The Uruguayan was huge for the Reds last term and was not at all adequately replaced with underwhelming additions Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert.
Get Liverpool goal videos with our FREE Football app!
2) Steven Gerrard factor
Brendan Rodgers had had one really big difficult job on his hands this season, and that has been how to manage Steven Gerrard’s decline and exit from the club. The 34-year-old has been far from at his best and seems to be leaving at just the right time, though his status as a club legend makes it hard for Rodgers to freeze him out completely, which will no doubt have led to a great deal of inner conflict. When the former England skipper is gone, one feels the club will be far more settled and Rodgers can start to truly build a new team for the future.
3) Record with youngsters
His signings have not been great, but actually Rodgers has done a great job in promoting some of the club’s youngsters and has developed young signings well. Raheem Sterling and Jordan Ibe are among his most recent successes, while Jon Flanagan also looked superb last season before getting injured. Elsewhere, Emre Can and Lazar Markovic might not be the finished article yet but look like good finds by the Reds boss, who will surely aid their development even further.
4) Injuries this season
As well as losing Suarez, Liverpool have also lost Daniel Sturridge for huge chunks of this campaign. Put the two together and it’s like losing the best strikeforce in the world in one go with no replacements. Better signings may be needed upfront, but there’s no telling how far Liverpool could have gone this year with a fully fit Sturridge throughout the campaign. Adam Lallana is another who has impressed only in fits and busts due to niggling knocks over the course of the season.
5) Tactical methods
With Liverpool’s season in tatters back in December, it must be said that Rodgers deserves huge credit for changing his formation to a 3-4-3 and getting the best out of many of the team’s under-performers. This tactical change shows how versatile the Northern Irishman can be with his methods, with the defending improving tremendously since then and with a marked improvement from the likes of Emre Can, Jordan Henderson, Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling in that time.
6) No one better available
Liverpool fans may dream of someone like Pep Guardiola, but that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, despite all the talk of Jurgen Klopp amid his imminent exit from Borussia Dortmund, it’s questionable as to how much of an upgrade the German tactician would be, given the similar issues he’s suffered in his final few seasons with the club. Rodgers is a top class manager who is still relatively inexperienced and looks worth sticking with, with no one else around who looks like they could do a better job.