ISPORT.ua together with the project partner, Carlsberg, continues the series on the history of the Reds.

Liverpool has always been famous for beautiful attacking football before the arrival of Jurgen Klopp. However, the era of Rafa Benitez a little weaned of the fans at Anfield from beautiful football. The Spaniard gave the result in the form of a fairytale triumph in the UEFA Champions League in 2005 and the principle has been successful in competitions, so he could be forgiven for not always striking game. But the period 2010-2012, when the team was managed by Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish, and even many fans of “red” I would like to forget.

But at Anfield there was one who could breathe life into the team. His name is Brendan Rodgers. When severoirlandtsev replaced at the helm of “king Kenny”, the fans are not particularly welcomed this move of the management. Before Rogers headed such clubs as Watford, reading and Swansea. The first question – well, he is better than Hodgson, which came after Benitez and fled after only six months? However, the analytical Department has carefully studied Brendan’s and found the pros in his invitation.

The bosses didn’t stop the opinion of the fans who were expecting invitations top coach to return the team to its former glory. What attracted severoirlandtsev? Perhaps that is the kind of game that showed Swansea when Rodgers and made an impression on the user. Brendan considered a game of Barcelona when Guardiola benchmark. “I love to monitor the progress of matches and I want my destiny was in my hands. The team that possesses the ball better than the opponent, has a 79% chance to win,” – said the expert.

Perhaps, many thought Rogers would be an “egghead”, but severoirlandtsev stuffed a lot of cones in Swansea. “Swans” when it was able to rise in class, but in the elite ceiling for a mentor has become the 11th place. In recognition of the coach, he studied not only Guardiola, but Mourinho. Moreover, with regards to the Portuguese he spoke indirectly. It is the Portuguese invited the Rogers to the post of Academy coach Chelsea in 2004. The coaches have worked at Stamford bridge until 2007, after which the “Special” went to inter, and Rogers started his own coaching career.

In the first season of Brendan at Anfield immediately struck by the contrast between him and the recently departed Kenny Dalgleish. The Scotsman was an idol Liverpool, but his method is already outdated and looked naive. Kenny relied on young players from the team and a fairly closed game. Rogers also immediately changed accents, giving “air” of such artists as Luis Suarez, Raheem sterling and even Stewart Downing. And the acquisition of Coutinho and Sturridge in the first winter at Anfield helped severoirlandtsev to collect the required clip in the attack.

And yet in his debut season, Rodgers a lot of things changed, but the result remains the same – the 7th place in the Premier League and relegation in the 1/16 finals from LE Zenith. Liverpool fans only sarcastically reiterated already bored of the phrase “Anything, next season is ours”.

However, it is the season of 2013/2014 was a shock for the team. For the first year Rogers has really cleaned up the structure, getting rid of these “useless” characters like Andy Carroll, Charlie Adam, Craig Bellamy, Alberto Aquilani, Maxi Rodriguez and Joe Cole. Well, buying the above mentioned Coutinho and Sturridge only strengthened the position Liverpool found. This course was very necessary and to retain Luis Suarez in the team. The Uruguayan joined the team for half a year before Rogers and clearly hoped to fight for trophies in the Premier League and to participate in the Champions League. It is not surprising that under the leadership of Dalglish and Luis could not fully disclosed, although it remained the main scorer of the team.

In the second season under Rodgers, Liverpool were part of a powerful Quartet ahead (sterling, Coutinho, Suarez, Sturridge) have already played a bunch in the center of the field in the person of captain Gerrard and his heir, the young Henderson, but also strengthened the back line in the face of Mamadou Sakho and Simon Mignolet. The Belgian was bought from Sunderland to replace Pepe Reina in the first season had is still at a good level (it is then Simon starts to screw up). But the Frenchman was called up to replace the legendary Jamie Carragher, who retired.

Already in the autumn of Liverpool began to talk, as contenders for the title. Liverpool started the season with three minimal victories (including over the DOJ) and in each game three points the team Rodgers brought the goal of Sturridge. All in all, by November, Liverpool have lost just once and surely kept in the cohort leaders along with Manchester city and Chelsea. Well, for Christmas, red and even came in first place.

In England there is a belief that the team-leader at the time Boxing Day needs to win the championship. This does not always happen, but the British were inclined to believe in destiny. So when the Reds got to first place right before Christmas, the anticipation of the championship, “red” became even stronger. Fans immediately believed in Rogers and considered him a Messiah for the team. Besides, severoirlandtsev showed its flexibility and the ability to vary the composition. Liverpool played a great start of the season without the injured Suarez, and when at the beginning of winter took off Sturridge, then Luis, and turned on my max. In addition, some time due to damage there was no Gerrard, but Lucas Leiva and even Joe Allen could be the time to “close the hole”.

Although it was on Boxing Day Liverpool lost to Manchester city and were forced to follow the “citizens” until the beginning of April. Although the shape of the team was really incredible. Since the beginning of January to end of April, Liverpool have not lost a single game in the Premier League (14 wins and 2 draws). And, as Liverpool did? 5:3 with Runoff, 6:3 Cardiff 5:1 from Arsenal, 3:0 on “old Trafford”, 4:3 Swansea 4:0 with Tottenham… For their games like to see how each week even third-party fan! Have fierily almost everything, even Martin Skrtel, who eventually scored already 7 goals in the championship. Not to mention Sturridge with Suarez and Coutinho, sterling and Gerrard, who tore opponents.

Well, the match on April 13 at Anfield against man city, and even made everyone believe in the imminent fall of the curse. By the time of the game Liverpool went toe-to-toe with the bulls, however, significantly inferior to them on goal difference. The team once again gave the usual games of Liverpool Thriller. In the first half, the hosts went ahead thanks to goals from Sterling and Skrtel, but after the break, were blown away. City restored the status quo and was even close to the comeback win. But in the end decided the time for 12 minutes before the whistle. In a normal situation inside the penalty area Kompany missed the ball, allowing Coutinho to immediately break through on goal HART. The blow was accurate and in the end decided the outcome of the match. Four rounds to go, Liverpool took the lead, ahead of Manchester United three points…

“There are still four important games. Perhaps this is the biggest application for the title of all that we have done so far. This match lasted an incredibly long time. It’s the longest 90 minutes I’ve ever had. We now have four matches. Each of them is like a final. It was said that the game against city – the main, but I disagree. Now nothing is more important than the match against Norwich. We haven’t won anything yet”, – these are the words Steven Gerrard had spoken in the circle with partners after victory over a direct competitor.

The match against Norwich Liverpool won (3:2), therefore, the key became home match with Chelsea. Liverpool staged a draw with wards Mourinho, because in the last rounds the team was not expecting the most difficult battle with crystal Palace and Newcastle. It would seem that is this unstoppable team will “gray” the team Mourinho put the bandwagon? However, true one of the most hated of curses commands: “If something can prevent Liverpool winning the Premier League, it hurt”.

The “Reds” were given virtually no chance of Chelsea and confidently dominated the match. Until the third offset to the first half minute, which, it seems, broke the hearts of fans and dispelled the power of Liverpool in the wind for a long time… I Think not worth the extra time to describe how the team captain and icon “Enfield” Steven Gerrard in a simple situation slipped and gifted the ball to Demba BA. The Senegalese turned this chance into a goal, allowing Chelsea to sit even deeper on the defensive and fight back. Mourinho and his team handled it, finishing off the hosts ‘ second goal in stoppage time.

Maybe, in that moment all the magic of Rodgers, “Enfield”, Gerrard and all that was connected with that team, vanished in an instant. Manchester city is not without problems, but still beat Everton in a parallel match and drew level with Liverpool. However, goal difference allowed the bulls to feel comfortable (+59 vs. +50). In the penultimate match of the season Liverpool tried to fill crystal Palace “full bag” after the three goals in 55 minutes, but in the end received only a comeback from team Tony Pulis. Final 3:3 together with confident wins man city in the last two rounds finally left the team in second place.

That season was not only the year Suarez, who repeated the record for goals scored in a season (31). The Liverpool was built by Rogers and it’s his faith in his ideals, the desire to learn and lack of fear to experiment has allowed Liverpool to make such a leap. Yes, no one expected to see “red” in the title race before the start. The harder it was to fall in the end. Fall all fans of the team, along with Stevie…

Perhaps it was the almost the only ideal time for Rodgers to bring the title to Anfield. Then Manchester city under Pellegrini did not look very powerful, and Mourinho has not yet set Chelsea under him after his second coming at Stamford bridge. And Manchester United left sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes failed to keep the team at the same level. In the future, as Liverpool only fell, and Brendan showed mostly negative sides of coaching excellence.

As, for example, his inability to engage the transfer case. The arrival of Coutinho and Sturridge will remain almost the only successful purchases of severoirlandtsev. But the purchase of Fabio Borini, Iago of ASPAs, Luis Alberto, Lazar Markovic, rickie Lambert, Alberto Moreno, Nathaniel Klein, Dani Ings, Christian Benteke was unsuccessful. Oh Yes, there was still a strange move for Mario Balotelli, who is well does not fit into this team. Meanwhile, Liverpool kept Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling and Daniel Agger.

Perhaps Klopp in the end, and thanked Brendan for the acquisition of some players (Lovren, can, Origi, Firmino, Milner). However, the success of these players were exceptional and a credit to Klopp. Meanwhile, Liverpool Rogers expected sank in the new season, finishing in 6th place in the Premier League and is not coming from the group of the Champions League with real Madrid, Basel and Ludogorets. Especially remember the moment when Rogers decided to put the reserve team for the away match with the “Blancos” as the weekend it was waiting for the field battle with Chelsea. Say, Liverpool and so little Shine on “Santiago Bernabeu”, but the struggle for TOP 4 is very important… In the end the Reds lost both games to the best four and got.

New shame for the team was the game of the last round, which was the last for Steven Gerrard shirt Liverpool. “Red” managed to concede six goals from a modest Stoke city and only at the end of the match “potters” allowed the captain of the guests to say goodbye to the team on a positive note… it Was surprising that Rogers remained at his post in the summer, however, a terrible start to the new season still made the leaders of the “red” to say goodbye with a specialist.

Probably get Rodgers in the summer, the General impression of his career at Anfield would have stayed more positive. However, Liverpool fans tend to remember only the positive moments. So it was about Rafa benítez, who ended his career in Liverpool disgusting results and game. So it was with Rogers. Brendan has prepared the team to the League title when it is no one waiting. He gave Liverpool the required emotions and expectations, and also revived a passion for football, which left the Anfield club for the period of 2007 to 2013.

It seems that fate eventually decided to give something back to the Rogers. Severoirlandtsev rebooted seltice career in which he has won two championship. This allowed him to attract the attention of Leicester, whom he again surprised the whole of England. Hardly anyone was ready to see “Fox” in third place this season. Brendan has not changed his philosophy, because his team as the Liverpool, bet on ball possession and universalism players. Although the transfers of Leicester questions also remain. Tielemans came on “king Power stadium” before Rogers and ayoze Perez, Daniel Pratt and James Justin were not yet indispensable elements of the team.

However, Brendan’s got all srostaetsya again, as in the season 2013/2014 Liverpool. About it again say, how about the mentor who is capable of the miraculous. Drop Gerrard or comeback of crystal Palace in the penultimate round – obviously not the fault of the coach. And indeed it is difficult to say if there were someone else’s fault. Apparently, the phrase about the title and Liverpool, mentioned above, is indeed something true and mystical. Especially given the events of the season…

Anatoly Derek ISPORT.ua.

According to the materials:

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