Boss on City, 3-4-3 and the turning point
Brendan Rodgers was a guest on talkSPORT's breakfast show on Monday morning during which he discussed a wide range of topics, including Liverpool's pulsating victory over Manchester City and how the 3-4-3 formation was developed. Here's what he said…
On the win over City...
The performance level has been really good over the last couple of months and yesterday was very pleasing. To win in that style and put that much energy and mentality into the game - also physically - was incredible, especially after our late return from Turkey. The team is very clear on how it's working and is playing at a real good level.
On the season's turning point at Crystal Palace in November...
It was a real defining moment in our season. Fair play to Neil [Warnock] and Crystal Palace, they were excellent on the day. I needed to come away from that and really look at the team because we were certainly nowhere near the level we'd been at for the previous 18 months. It was a turning point.
On the perceived 'physical mismatch' against City...
We like to press the game really hard and aggressively, and I like a technical game. If you looked at the teams yesterday, there was nearly a physical mismatch with the likes of Coutinho, Joe Allen, Lallana, Moreno and young Markovic - all of those players against a real physical team. The boys have adapted really, really well to how we want to work and I am very fortunate with the real honesty within the group we have. Because they're young players, they're really willing and keen to learn - but they still have to believe in the way of working.
On the support of the Liverpool fans...
It's a privilege every time we play there. It's a real intimidating atmosphere. They know their football, the Liverpool supporters, but they're very, very passionate. They've been very, very supportive. I've been given a great time here by the supporters because they knew what we were trying to restore at the club. Yesterday was an amazing atmosphere and they really helped push us through and get the result.
On the switch to the 3-4-3 formation...
It was something I'd looked at in the beginning of the season because I felt I needed to change something in the run where it wasn't going so well. We played it away at Newcastle, believe it or not, but nobody really picked up on it, and I'd played it in the cup competitions. Because there was very little training time with the Champions League games, where we were playing, recovering and then playing again, I couldn't work on it on the training field. We would work on some elements of the system, but the way I was trying to find out [about it] was actually in games. We played it away against Newcastle, and actually played quite well but lost the game 1-0. That gave us something to think about and I learned in that game that I'd played Raheem Sterling in one of the wide roles and it didn't suit him. I had to go away and think about how I put him into the system and make it work for him. It's all come together quite well because we've been able to work on it more, the players carry it out well and they believe it in.
On the 11-game unbeaten run in the Barclays Premier League...
Last season, we won 12 out of our last 14 games - we drew one and lost one - so that showed me the players have a real stomach for a fight, but they also performed well. It was really fluent in that period. We're enjoying now how we want to play and come the end of this week, with 10 games to go, we'll be preparing for one game a week. That will give us more time to work on the field.
On how his sides traditionally get stronger in the second half of seasons...
We looked to prepare the players and periodise it throughout the season so when they come to the second part of the season, which is the business end, we're ready in every facet of the game, particularly psychologically. That's something we take pride in, but you still need the players to have belief in what they're doing and how they're working. The players here at Liverpool - and at Swansea during my time there - are brilliant at that. We've just got to keep focused and keep enjoying our football. We really concentrate on performing and we believe if we perform well, the results will come.
On the prospect of winning the FA Cup in Steven Gerrard's final Liverpool game...
That's the story everyone is trying to follow, but they're forgetting there are some very good teams and very good managers we've got to beat to arrive there. The script is there, but you've got to win games. A couple of years ago it was really difficult for Blackburn, but Gary [Bowyer] has gone in there as a young manager and done fantastically. He's got some very good players, so we respect the game at the weekend will be tough again.