Wenger: Keep faith Rodgers

03 September 2012 04:34
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has urged Liverpool's owners not to lose faith in Brendan Rodgers.

The Gunners' 2-0 win at Anfield on Sunday condemned the Reds to their worst start since the 1962-63 season. Rodgers' team head into the international break in the relegation zone and, after a disastrous final two days of the transfer window when they allowed Andy Carroll to join West Ham before failing to secure the anticipated replacement, major questions are suddenly being asked of the Merseysiders' new boss. "I faced this last year in the same period," said Wenger, who 12 months ago was licking his wounds after an 8-2 hammering by Manchester United.

"He (Rodgers) has just arrived at this club. Of course the expectations are very high but you just want to tell people to keep confident and stand behind the man. "When he comes to a big club it is important that he feels that people trust him. I am sure he will turn it round."

Rodgers' problem is that he does not have that many options to turn it around with. The former Swansea chief claimed he only has a squad of 19 players, which led to an admission that he may look at the likes of Didier Drogba and Michael Owen to bolster his squad. That may not sit easily with owner John Henry, who balked at splashing out big money on Clint Dempsey on Friday because he had little resale value.

"I can't say no. Any player I believe can improve the squad, I will look at," Rodgers said. "We have a very small group. We had 19 training yesterday. It is something that would have to be discussed." After watching goals from Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski defeat his team, and knowing he had no orthodox striker on the bench, Rodgers admitted Carroll would have remained at Liverpool had he known what was going to happen.

"No," Rodgers said when asked whether he would have let Carroll leave, then "very" when quizzed about how confident he was of getting in a replacement. "There is no doubt the finances here had to be changed," he added. "That was the reality. "We have lost nine players and brought in three. From a business side we have done well. What we have to do in the future is look after the football side. "But I am not here to cry. Whatever has happened, I wouldn't change it for the world. I am very proud to manage this club. I have made it my life."

Source: team_talk