Despite a hard working 1-0 win over Stoke at Anfield, is the Northern Irishman really the favourite for the sack still? Earlier in the week the Liverpool boss admitted he was after a stuttering four months of the season which sees the club sitting in mid-table in the Premier League and facing elimination in the group stages in the Champions League if they don’t win at home on match day 6 against Basel & then surely the board would have to look at Rodgers’ position & potentially relieve him of his duties.
However despite a run of three league defeats before the home win over The Potters, Liverpool are now just five points off Champions League qualification, a run can easily climb anyone up the ladder, Newcastle being a great example recently with their manager being under huge scrutiny, The Reds are also still in the Capital One Cup, facing high flying Championship side Bournemouth in a few weeks & if they do win their remaining game in Europe’s elite competition, they’ll be playing knock-out football come February and a favourable draw is what they will be hoping for.
Despite all the hope, the Anfield club were title chasers until the very last game of the season & no doubt the loss of Suarez to Barcelona & injury to Sturridge has effected the team, there is no doubt so far Rodgers’ signings haven’t gelled as of yet, with the club having spent a net loss of £33m, buying £116m of players & receiving £83m for outgoing members of the squad. Many believe Liverpool won’t be fighting for the title as they’re too far behind Chelsea but instead competing for a top four spot, a possible run in the FA Cup & winning the Capital One Cup is still a real prospect for the club & anything can happen in the knock-out stages in the Champions League last 16 if they get three points against Basel, this is the crucial game for Rodgers, make or break.
Will any of the new signings start clicking & push the club back in to the right direction?
Rickie Lambert (Southampton, £4m)
Adam Lallana (Southampton, £25m)
Emre Can (Bayer Leverkusen, £9.75m)
Lazar Markovic (Benfica £19.8m)
Dejan Lovren (Southampton, £20m)
Divock Origi (Lille, £10m, then back to Lille for a season loan)
Javier Manquillo (Atletico Madrid, season loan)
Alberto Moreno (Sevilla, £12m)
Mario Ballotelli (Milan, £16m)
Source: DSG
