Monday, 3rd December, 2012
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has stressed that he is working to imprint an identity on the Reds, so that in world football they are known for playing a particular way.
Rodgers, who undertook an internship at Spanish giants Barcelona, believes in possession-based football and has often stated he wants his sides to "pass teams to death".
However, it has not all been plain sailing for the former Swansea manager at Anfield, with Liverpool struggling to find a cutting edge despite often having the better of the game against opponents.
As a result Rodgers’ side have scored less goals in the Premier League this season than even relegation strugglers Southampton, who they beat by a slender 1-0 margin on Saturday.
The Reds have scored 19 goals, while Southampton have notched 21.
Pressure is growing on Rodgers, slowly but surely, with the worry that Liverpool could finish this season in mid-table, despite boasting one of the highest wage bills in the Premier League.
But the Northern Irishman is sticking firm to his beliefs and has insisted that he has a plan.
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"The idea here is to build a team that has a method to it", he told his club’s official site.
"We are trying to build an identity here so that over the next couple of years people can come and look at Liverpool and say ‘this is how they play’.
"We pass the ball, we move the ball, we interchange, and we defend as one."
And the 39-year-old has reassured the club’s fans that they are not far off challenging for a top four spot and should expect to improve upon their current placing of eleventh quickly.
"We’re not far", Rodgers explained.
"It’s only seven points to the top four.
"And one thing is for sure; we are going to get better.
"We are on the move. It’s a steep climb for us, but we’re climbing steadily, and I would rather do that than be a flash in the pan where we drop off and are back to square one again.
"For us, it’s about getting a way of playing in place which will serve us well going forward. We’ve made changes throughout the club, in the academy structure this week. Rodolfo [Borrell], who has a way of thinking that is very similar to mine, has moved up and we’ve got Alex [Inglethorpe] in to coach the reserves.
"That will drip feed its way through the club, and we then have a vision that will serve us well in the future."
Rodgers will be hoping his side can take a step forward in Europe later this week, when they visit Italy to play Udinese in the Europa League.
Liverpool must win at the Stadio Friuli to be guaranteed a spot in the knockout round, otherwise they will be forced to rely on the result of Young Boys v Anzhi Makhachkala.
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