From tactical genius to managerial flop

BRENDAN Rodgers is a man running out of time, luck and excuses. The under-fire Liverpool manager won't publicly admit it, but he probably can't wait until this damaging season comes to an end a month from now.

The Northern Irishman, who took up the post at Anfield in 2012, has failed to hit any of the targets his bosses - the owners of the American Fenway Sports Group - gave him at the start of the season.

He has already made history for all the wrong reasons. When this season is over, he will be the first Liverpool manager to fail to win a trophy in his first three years in charge since the 1950s.

The Reds exited both of England's domestic cup competitions, the FA Cup and the League Cup, at the semi-final stage.

Rodgers also watched helplessly from the touchline as his team crashed out of the lucrative Champions League at the group stage.

Liverpool were then placed in the second-tier Europa League, but even then, were eliminated by their first opponent, Besiktas of Turkey, over two legs.

Over in the English Premier League (EPL), the Reds have slumped to fifth in the table through a series of disappointing defeats, and now lie seven points behind fourth-placed Manchester City and a massive 19 below runaway leaders Chelsea.

That sort of report card is telling. At any other top club in England, or across Europe for that matter, the manager would be anxiously waiting for the pink slip from his employers.

Call it delusional if you like, but the 42-year-old Rodgers prefers to see things differently. The former Swansea boss, who nearly took Liverpool to the coveted EPL title last year, is quite sure he won't be given the sack any time soon.

Earlier this week, he insisted that he remained the best man for the job, in a thinly-veiled response to recent speculation that former Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp could be in line to succeed him in the hot seat.

"I don't think there's anyone better (to manage Liverpool). Three months ago, I was a tactical genius so I never get too carried away. I have a strong relationship with the owners," said Rodgers on Thursday.

"When you are at a club like Liverpool, there will be lots of names mentioned. It goes with being at a big club. We lost a couple of games, some important games, and now you're not so good. But that is football, that's what will happen, people will speculate."

It was precisely in the big games that Liverpool's lack of depth was brutally exposed. The Reds have simply not delivered the goods when it mattered the most.

Their bitter rivals Manchester United went to Anfield last month and dominated the match from start to finish, winning 2-1 after Liverpool club captain Steven Gerrard was sent off less than a minute after entering the field as a second-half substitute.

Back in December, Liverpool had to beat Swiss club Basel to book a spot in the Champions League knockout round but could only manage a timid 1-1 draw.

Last weekend, the Reds faced Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-finals knowing that the final at Wembley Stadium would be played on May 30, which will also be Gerrard's 35th birthday.

There was to be no such fairytale farewell gift, however, as Aston Villa, the underdogs on that day, produced a stunning upset, coming back from a goal down to dump Liverpool out of the cup.

Rodgers could well be given another year to prove his worth, but that is likely to be as long as he will get unless there is a dramatic turnaround in fortunes.

Even though the club spent heavily last summer to bring in many new players, the vast majority of Rodgers' expensive signings have turned out to be flops, especially the maverick striker Mario Balotelli who has notched just four goals in 20 appearances since joining the Reds for £16 million (S$32.3 million).

Liverpool look set to splash the cash once again in the coming months, but whether the world's top players are willing to get on a plane to Merseyside is a different question altogether.

Of course, it's not all doom and gloom yet. Liverpool have six EPL games left this season to try and secure a top-four spot and qualification for next year's Champions League.

After Saturday's visit to West Bromwich Albion, Liverpool have to play Hull City, Queens Park Rangers, Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Stoke City.

With 18 big points still up for grabs, Rodgers will fancy his chances of making up some lost ground. His managerial acumen and tactical policy have come under close scrutiny in the last few weeks, and he needs to produce a flourish in this final month of the season to keep his growing legions of critics quiet.