Rodgers 1-0 Monk

Most football managers seem to think their primary job is to motivate; usually by shouting at players and officials. A crazed, passionate disposition will please the fans.

Blame for defeats is apportioned anywhere, everywhere. Individual player mistakes are pointed out; refereeing errors too. Of course, this does nothing to improve things in the future. It’s reactive. This type of manager takes no regard of context: is how they’re setting their team up systematically the real source of their downfall?

  

Luckily for us, Brendan Rodgers doesn’t think like that.

The Reds reach the sanctuary of the dressing room at half-time last night, with Simon Mignolet to thank for somehow being level. The Belgium made a string of impressive saves, setting him on his way to his seventh clean sheet in Liverpool’s last nine league game – some achievement, for him and the rest of the team.

It would have been easy for our manager to use the 15 minute break to do as described earlier: shout at mistakes. But what good would that have done? Would it have rectified things? Certainly not. It would have sent our lads into their shells. And these Reds don’t belong in their shells.

Instead, Rodgers make a subtle, but concise, tactical change. The wing-backs are pushed higher, while centrally Liverpool match Swansea with a diamond, Allen and Lallana sandwiching Henderson and Coutinho. It’s still a 3-4-3, but a slight variation of it.

Fundamentally, it pushes Liverpool that extra ten yards up the pitch and gives us more control in the second 45.

The game is turned on its head, as the Reds now look the aggressors; we’re quicker to every loose ball and the Swans’ central quartet is suddenly nullified.

There can be no question, Brendan Rodgers’ half-time switch wins us that game. 

Liverpool have a proactive manager at the helm and you'd be silly to take that for granted.