[Archived] Henning Berg - Rovers Manager

[thenodrog]

Berg has a huge problem.

He prefers 1 up front which doesn't suit Rhodes.

Sees Rochina as potentially, a great talent.

Also likes Simon whose best role is similar to Rochina.

Best will be fit come Jan. and might help get the best out of Rhodes.

How do you put that jigsaw together ?

Indeed and a point I've already made mercerman here..... http://www.brfcs.com...80#entry1336837

Truth is that Berg has inherited an unbalanced squad. Best could be the key cos once we have the option of a proper centre forward who can play back to goal and hold the ball up as well as physically compete with the centre half then many options will open up for Berg. The duties of playing off him with the host of similar players on the books can then be accomodated in either 4-4-2, 3-5-2* or 4-5-1 formation depending on the opposition..... or the state of whichever game in the last 30mins.

*btw I'm not sure that our defenders are good or fast or alert enough to go 3 at the back like Souness did when he built the entire team around the creativity of Eyal Berkovitz.

[Amo]

if Rhodes wants any future in the game (especially in the top-flight) then he's gotta learn to lead the line.

[thenodrog]

if Rhodes wants any future in the game (especially in the top-flight) then he's gotta learn to lead the line.

Bit unfair that. From what I have seen (admittedly only two matches) he can lead the line as long as there are intelligent play and balls down the channels or around the back for him to work off. What he cannot do well is compete aireally for long high balls with 6' 4" 14 stone centre halves. Rem our experience with Kevin Davies? We expected him to do stuff that Shearer did and almost screwed up his entire career. Allardyce saw his potential for physically dominating centre halves and bringing his teammates into the game, set Bolton up to play to that strength and got the best out of him. imo another player as good as Kevin Davies is exactly what Rhodes needs alongside him.

[scotty_beam_me_up]

Bit unfair that. From what I have seen (admittedly only two matches) he can lead the line as long as there are intelligent play and balls down the channels or around the back for him to work off. What he cannot do well is compete aireally for long high balls with 6' 4" 14 stone centre halves. Rem our experience with Kevin Davies? We expected him to do stuff that Shearer did and almost screwed up his entire career. Allardyce saw his potential for physically dominating centre halves and bringing his teammates into the game, set Bolton up to play to that strength and got the best out of him. imo another player as good as Kevin Davies is exactly what Rhodes needs alongside him.

It is slightly unfair but most teams in the top flight play with one up top and two wingers. Even players at the end of their careers like Defore have had to reinvent themselves as the goal poacher role is becoming a thing of the past. These things do go in cycles so it may be in ten years teams go back to playing with two up but for the moment it seems teams want players to fit the 4-2-3-1 formation. Rhodes will have to change slightly but I do agree playing balls in to him around his throat do him no favours. Yesterday though I felt we were playing fantastic football and in a few weeks someone will be on the end of a bit of a thrashing. The Simon back heel looked a bit out of place but the more people play together the more things like that will come off and with that Rhodes will score more and more.

[USABlue]

Clearly, any half decent new manager would give the place a lift and help generate renewed optimism.

Berg would not have been my choice, however, like all reasonable supporters, I am only too happy to give the guy a fair crack of the whip.

Where I become guarded, is when supporters get overly excited with what they have seen in just two matches (Hudders & Brum) and two matches that have yielded just two points.

No disputing, there do appear to have been some big steps made with the team from the Kean days but we all, unfortunately, will not forget just how bad those Kean days were, so there does need to be a sense of perspective.

Throughout life, business and sport, I have seen too many false dawns. I sincerely hope that this does not prove to be one of them.

I will look how things are towards the end of December when Berg will have completed 12 games in charge and if things are looking good, I will renew the season tickets that I relinquished this season, that is, of course, if half season tickets are available.

Maybe it's just me but you seem to be quite negative towards him, not exactly a fair crack of the whip.

[Kelbo]

Clearly, any half decent new manager would give the place a lift and help generate renewed optimism.

Berg would not have been my choice, however, like all reasonable supporters, I am only too happy to give the guy a fair crack of the whip.

Where I become guarded, is when supporters get overly excited with what they have seen in just two matches (Hudders & Brum) and two matches that have yielded just two points.

No disputing, there do appear to have been some big steps made with the team from the Kean days but we all, unfortunately, will not forget just how bad those Kean days were, so there does need to be a sense of perspective.

Throughout life, business and sport, I have seen too many false dawns. I sincerely hope that this does not prove to be one of them.

I will look how things are towards the end of December when Berg will have completed 12 games in charge and if things are looking good, I will renew the season tickets that I relinquished this season, that is, of course, if half season tickets are available.

MM, I normally agree with your posts, however, I do think, whilst obviously points are most important, we begin to play as a team with variation and flair, indeed, but for a couple of pieces of great defending and bad luck, we could have easily won by two or three goals. To change the way a side plays, does take a little time, you implement bits each week until you get to where you want to be, Berg has introduced Henley and Rochina, looks like he has Simon on the radar and Nunez will have given him a bit to think about, thats one huge change to the team and there can be no question, the last two performances showed we are a capable and good footballing team, both should have been won but the guys hardly had two weeks in the job and if the improvement continues, we will be fine, however, I have to agree that by Christmas time, we must be getting some wins or the confidence and belief of the players will disappear but I can tell you, thge odd player apart, the sqaud are happy with the way things are going and much more comfortable with the style of play!!

[gumboots]

Clearly, any half decent new manager would give the place a lift and help generate renewed optimism.

Berg would not have been my choice, however, like all reasonable supporters, I am only too happy to give the guy a fair crack of the whip.

Where I become guarded, is when supporters get overly excited with what they have seen in just two matches (Hudders & Brum) and two matches that have yielded just two points.

Nobody is over excited. We're just pleased with how different it looks as I'm sure you would be if you were there to see it. There'll be down times too but if you don't hate the manager it helps you to cope with those. get yourself to Ewood and see how it feels. the wolves game was awful and you'd have expected it to feel great having seen the back of kean. Yesterday really felt like a new beginning

[Mercer]

Maybe it's just me but you seem to be quite negative towards him, not exactly a fair crack of the whip.

Don't think I've been negative.

Clearly, more points would have been welcome as good vibes and better football alone do not get you promotion!

Holloway has inherited a team that's flying at Palace but surely comparison with Dyche, McCarthy and Freedman would not be unreasonable given that they have inherited clubs with big problems and that were much further down the table than Rovers. Berg's 2 points compares unfavourably to 6 for Dyche and McCarthy and 5 for wee Dougie. Those are measurable facts.

[gumboots]

the problems at those clubs may be big but they are as nothing compared to Rovers problems where trust at all levels had been eroded. Nobody knew who was conspiring with whom and against whom. Nobody knew who to believe and nobody was actually doing anything for the good of the club. If your chief problem is a poor league position and managed financial worries in the background then you don't have to do a lot to change things a lot. If your problem is that your club has been torn apart from top to bottom over a period of 2 years then you have to rebuild everything. Berg probably doesn't even know if the tea lady is a spy for Agnew, or Shaw or Shebby or nobody. He's having to reorganise his team whilst watching his back since backstabbing has been the order of the day for so long at Ewood that they are probably still up to it even though Kean's gone. You are more likely to pick up points consistently if you are playing well than if you are playing badly so although a honeymoon bounce would have been nice i still think that getting the play right will benefit us more in the longer run than a few lucky wins with no real change in play. Although I'd love the wins too of course

[Exiled in Toronto]

Holloway has inherited a team that's flying at Palace but surely comparison with Dyche, McCarthy and Freedman would not be unreasonable given that they have inherited clubs with big problems and that were much further down the table than Rovers. Berg's 2 points compares unfavourably to 6 for Dyche and McCarthy and 5 for wee Dougie. Those are measurable facts.

Results in the first 3 matches are also irrelevant facts in judging the capabilities of one manager against another. Or perhaps Man U screwed up by not canning Fergie after he led them to 19th in his first few months.

[Majiball]

Are we saying Berg is the new Ferguson?

De ja vu?

[RevidgeBlue]

Don't think I've been negative.

Clearly, more points would have been welcome as good vibes and better football alone do not get you promotion!

Holloway has inherited a team that's flying at Palace but surely comparison with Dyche, McCarthy and Freedman would not be unreasonable given that they have inherited clubs with big problems and that were much further down the table than Rovers. Berg's 2 points compares unfavourably to 6 for Dyche and McCarthy and 5 for wee Dougie. Those are measurable facts.

It's not a fair comparison at all in my view. Sometimes you play well in games and don't get what you deserve. That was the case yesterday and seemingly at Huddersfield. If results don't pick up over the next half dozen games then you might have a point but your sample cross section of matches is far too small to support your point.

[Tom]

if Rhodes wants any future in the game (especially in the top-flight) then he's gotta learn to lead the line.

I've been critical of his all round play since be joined but normally when I say something he scores

It sounds a funny criticism but apart from his goals he doesn't offer enough for me and has to add a bit more to his game if he wants to make it at the top, being such a fantastic finisher means he is half way there though

[John]

Any word on back room staff changes or appointing a fitness coach?

[Tom]

Sundays LFC Team - Reina Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique Gerrard Allen Sahin Suso Suarez Sterling.

Reina is having a late fitness test which he is expected to pass. Same guy that give me the line up for the Europa League match which was spot on (See my previous posts).

Does not make a difference whether the line up is leaked or not.

Liverpool: Jones, Johnson, Enrique, Agger, Carragher, Wisdom, Allen, Gerrard, Sahin, Suarez, Sterling.

Nope

[chaddyrovers]

I've been critical of his all round play since be joined but normally when I say something he scores

It sounds a funny criticism but apart from his goals he doesn't offer enough for me and has to add a bit more to his game if he wants to make it at the top, being such a fantastic finisher means he is half way there though

Rhodes work rate good, and his movement was good yesterday. He is only 22 years and still will keep learning the game. He is still 6 years of his peak yet.

Any word on back room staff changes or appointing a fitness coach?

Maybe something will happen this week with us having no game midweek.

Liverpool: Jones, Johnson, Enrique, Agger, Carragher, Wisdom, Allen, Gerrard, Sahin, Suarez, Sterling.

Nope

look like Blue and white rover was massively wrong with Liverpool playing 5-3-2 and not their normal 4-3-3 formation.

[Tom]

Reina did fail a fitness test but the other changes don't seem forced

[Stuart]

Liverpool: Jones, Johnson, Enrique, Agger, Carragher, Wisdom, Allen, Gerrard, Sahin, Suarez, Sterling.

Nope

Great way to make the point.

[92er]

Clearly, any half decent new manager would give the place a lift and help generate renewed optimism.

Berg would not have been my choice, however, like all reasonable supporters, I am only too happy to give the guy a fair crack of the whip.

Where I become guarded, is when supporters get overly excited with what they have seen in just two matches (Hudders & Brum) and two matches that have yielded just two points.

No disputing, there do appear to have been some big steps made with the team from the Kean days but we all, unfortunately, will not forget just how bad those Kean days were, so there does need to be a sense of perspective.

Throughout life, business and sport, I have seen too many false dawns. I sincerely hope that this does not prove to be one of them.

I will look how things are towards the end of December when Berg will have completed 12 games in charge and if things are looking good, I will renew the season tickets that I relinquished this season, that is, of course, if half season tickets are available.

It was announced at the match yesterday that 1/2 season tickets will be coming on sale "soon".

I'll be buying one.

[Tom]

Great way to make the point.

Me or blue and white?

I'm being petty bringing it up if I'm honest but I was just reminded of it when I saw the team

[Kelbo]

Bit of a nasty lad, but for me Suarez is the stand out player in the prem this year, keeping Liverpool afloat almost single handedly!

it is off topic but shows how a non target man can lead the line alone and therefore can link to the Berg thread by the comments on Rhodes!!

[DanLad]

look like Blue and white rover was massively wrong with Liverpool playing 5-3-2 and not their normal 4-3-3 formation.

It says on Yahoo that Liverpool are playing 3-5-2? (Comment at 2 minutes)

http://uk.eurosport....ool-515455.html

[K-Hod]

Unless I've missed something (highly likely), why is this now the Liverpool team selection thread?....

[Stuart]

Me or blue and white?

I'm being petty bringing it up if I'm honest but I was just reminded of it when I saw the team

You. And you were right to make the point.

[Mercer]

WHAM presently sixth in the PL.

Sam gets them promoted at the first time of asking and looks like establishing them as a force.

Wonder what Venky's think ?