60 second pundit
“Rodgers must build his system around Gerrard”
Brendan Rodgers charmed English football with a beautiful passing game and a clearly defined system with Swansea last season, but will he be able to successfully replicate his popular philosophy with Liverpool? Having been stung by a shocking 3-0 defeat at West Brom last weekend, it’s clear that the Reds are a work in progress, and the Daily Mirror’s John Cross believes that rather than turning the Reds into Swansea Mark II, the new Anfield gaffer would be wiser to play a formation that suits his influential skipper Steven Gerrard.
“I think Gerrard is such a good player that you make the system work for him,” says John. “We all loved watching Brendan Rodgers and the wonderful job he did at Swansea, but it was such a set pattern and you wonder: where does Gerrard fit into that?
“Sometimes it’s not about the system, it’s about the players, and I think Rodgers has to find the balance between the two, because Gerrard offers so much going forward, leading and anchoring the team. I just think he has to make it work for Steven Gerrard, as well as finding that philosophy and moving forward with it.”
Watch the full video discussion by clicking on the play button in the image above.
Related articles:
Order a copy of the Life’s a Pitch anthology
Kelly Welles: Carroll’s Liverpool failure may haunt him forever
Video: “No-one at Liverpool has got the knives out for Rodgers”
Mike Calvin: Hansen’s comments only add to the task facing Rodgers
Video: Allen, Henríquez and Kightly: Hit or miss?
Follow Life’s A Pitch on Twitter @BTLifesapitch
Watch Liverpol live on BT Vision:
Liverpool v Man City, 3.30pm, 26 August, Sky Sports 1
Liverpool v Arsenal, 1pm, 2 September, Sky Sports 1
Don’t have BT Vision? Find out how to get it

















Comments
Please leave your comments using the box below. Learn more
BT is not responsible for any external content or links uploaded by users of the site. Nor does the presence of information or links about other parties' products or services confer any form of endorsement of another party's products or services by BT. Please show respect to other users and avoid bad language when posting