Komentar dari John Barnes

John Barnes: Brendan Rodgers Needs Patience In A Transition Season For Liverpool

“I would be willing to rely on Rodgers to make whatever decisions he feels he has to.. If Liverpool were to finish eighth and go out early of the FA Cup for example, I feel the development of the club in the long-term would outweigh that.. Rodgers can see that, he can see the development of his players better than anyone else and when it is best appropriate to put them in to the first team, and for the development next year and in the coming years.. He should be given this season to take whatever decisions he feels need to be taken..”

Under Kenny Dalglish’s reign as Liverpool manager, there was a different outlook on the club. Money was infamously squandered on Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Andy Carroll, and while there does remain some hope for the latter two, the club’s penchant for overspending was a step in the wrong direction, Barnes believes.

“If you look at what has happened in the past in terms of the money they have spent, and the players they have signed, it hasn’t gone to plan.. The club felt at the time maybe it would have given them immediate success, which is not always the case.. Whereas now the fans will recognize that the club haven’t spend that much money, but are instead giving those promising youngsters a chance.. And everyone likes to see youngsters breaking through at their club, and are therefore willing to give you a bit more time..”

Rodgers himself has insisted that his side must develop an element of consistency to their game, something which the club have been bereft of at times this season. A humiliating 3-1 defeat at home to Aston Villa left Rodgers with questions answer, before a scintillating 4-0 win over Fulham allayed some of those concerns. A loss to Stoke at the Britannia Stadium then followed, before two consecutive wins over QPR and Sunderland restored Liverpool’s on-again-off-again resurgence.

“On occasions such as the Stoke and the Villa games fans felt concerned, but on the other hand there is the performances against Fulham were the plan has flourished.. But you have to expect that consistency with such a young side.. But fans have seen what can happen in those games [against Fulham and QPR] and once that consistency is developed, it will be happy days..”

(alex)