Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool chairman Tom Werner backs Roy Hodgson... but tells him to improve
John W Henry has branded Liverpool's results this season 'unacceptable' - hours after Roy Hodgson read the riot act to his inconsistent squad. [LNB]Hodgson was furious at the manner of Liverpool's 3-1 defeat by Newcastle on Saturday and pulled no punches when he discussed the capitulation with his players at the club's Melwood training base on Monday. [LNB]Liverpool's away form during 2010 has been abysmal. They have won just two of their 18 Barclays Premier League away fixtures, and Hodgson was bewildered by the way his team folded at St James' Park, having looked so slick six days earlier when dismissing Aston Villa 3-0 at Anfield. [LNB] Time to go? Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has struggled during his brief Anfield tenure [LNB]But Hodgson was not the only unhappy one on Merseyside day, as Liverpool's new owners found out when they took part in a 90-minute livephone-in on the club's official television station, along with commercial director Ian Ayre. [LNB]The subject of the manager's future dominated the grilling that fans gave owner Henry and chairman Tom Werner and, although Werner insisted New England Sports Ventures (now Fenway Sports Group) 'believe' in Hodgson, Henry was more forthright. [LNB]'There is no doubt about it that this season and the last half of last season was unacceptable for Liverpool,' he said. [LNB] Get it sorted: Liverpool owner John W Henry is demanding improvement from Roy Hodgson's side[LNB]'Over the last two years there have been some short-term decisions that have really hurt the club. It's up to us to help turn the tide and move on. We have to be patient.' [LNB]Hodgson will be given time. Four of Liverpool's next six league gamesare at Anfield and a good run over Christmas would probably put them into new year. [LNB]'We feel like we just got here,' said Werner, referring to their October takeover. [LNB]Backing: Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has told Hodgson results must improve[LNB]'Roy got here shortly before us. You can see that nobody - least of all Roy - is happy. We all know we have to perform better, especially onthe road. [LNB]'But then I heard that under Rafa Benitez we won only one in 2010 on the road. We believe in what Roy is doing and we certainly feel like theperformance has to improve. He would be the first to agree with that.' [LNB]Whether Hodgson will receive hefty financial backing when the transfer window opens next month is open to debate, as Henry was guardedon what Liverpool's plans are for squad investment. [LNB]'We are actively looking at it,' he said. [LNB]'We don't quite know what the position is going to be in January. This is our first transfer window. It is something we have been studyingday and night. We are trying to understand it.' [LNB]Liverpool face FC Utrecht in the Europa League on Wednesday night butwith nothing riding on that game - they have already won Group K - the focus is on Saturday's Anfield date with Hodgson's former club Fulham. [LNB]He is satisfied his views have been taken on board by the players butaware there can be no repeat of the poor form that has previously put them in the relegation zone and undermined their confidence. [LNB] Knockout blow: Liverpool's latest defeat came at Newcastle on Saturday [LNB]'We had quite a long get-together,' said Hodgson, who will make wholesale changes to his team for Utrecht's visit. [LNB]'Everyone agreed with me that it was a performance below our best. Wecannot afford those performances. [LNB]'We had a few right at the start of the season which put us on the back foot. We then had a couple that got us on to the front foot and we cannot afford to take any steps backwards.' [LNB] Celtic winning race to sign Shechter despite interest from England Who needs Carlos? Five strikers who can fill Manchester City captain's bootsAlan Pardew: Newcastle players made life easy for me against LiverpoolJekyll and Hyde Liverpool frustrate Hodgson after Newcastle setbackLIVERPOOL FC
