The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 385 Liverpool Official: Manager Rodgers Sacked
After the whistle blew.

The melody of "You'll Never Walk Alone" flowed from the stadium stands, like a warm current spreading through every corner.

In the KOP stands, white-haired old Bill held his scarf above his head and hummed along to the melody; next to him, 16-year-old Liam, his face flushed, roared out the lyrics, his voice filled with youthful passion.
Almost everyone was singing along, as if they were venting their frustration from last week's loss to Newcastle through the song.

The red scarves on the stands stretched out one after another, like undulating waves.

When the song ends.

The KOP stands erupted first!

"Red Army! Red Army!"

The shouts were so loud that the stands trembled slightly.

Old Bill wrapped his scarf around his wrist and pounded on the railing in front of him; Liam jumped up and shouted along with the people around him until his voice was hoarse.

Liverpool players have already pushed into the opponent's half.

When Henderson first touched the ball, applause and cheers from the stands surged onto the field.

When he passed the ball to Gaio on the right wing, Gaio dribbled past the first defender, and the cheers from the crowd rose even higher. Someone held up a sign that read "Gaio, you will be a Liverpool legend" and waved it vigorously in the stands.

When Gaião passed the ball back to Gerrard, the scoreboard had just ticked to 5 minutes, the cheers at Anfield were still going on, and the red scarves were still waving, just like every matchday for the past few decades.

As long as the whistle blows, this place will always be Liverpool's strongest support.

Gayle was looking for an opportunity, but West Bromwich Albion's tactical arrangements today were clearly very targeted.

It's still about defense and counter-attack.

In particular, Gaio's defense along the way was very tight.

Whenever he has the ball, he will face at least two defenders double-teaming him.

Courtside.

West Bromwich Albion's head coach, Clark, kept urging his players to focus on defense after a period of recent matches.

Premier League managers have all seen Liverpool's weaknesses.

Clark naturally wanted to take at least one point from Anfield.

West Bromwich Albion, nicknamed the "Love Baskets," were the biggest dark horse in the Premier League last season, and their final 8th place finish was a pleasant surprise.

West Bromwich Albion had a stellar season last year, with Clark leading the team to a 4-1 record in November and being named Coach of the Month.

The most exciting match was a 2-1 home victory against Chelsea, which indirectly led to the dismissal of Chelsea manager Di Matteo. West Bromwich Albion achieved their first four-game winning streak in the Premier League era, and at one point ranked as high as 3rd in the Premier League.

West Bromwich Albion remained in 6th place in the Premier League until Christmas, and even saw a glimmer of hope for qualifying for the Champions League.

Unfortunately, they lacked stamina and ultimately finished 8th, missing out on the European competition.

But the 5-5 draw against Manchester United in the final match, which ruined Ferguson's farewell game, was enough to make people take notice.

However, for the Bass, whose squad depth is not particularly strong, focusing on domestic competitions is a blessing in disguise. Naturally, they want to aim for European qualification in the new season.

Therefore,
If West Bromwich Albion can get points against a direct competitor like Liverpool, that would be a pretty good result.

at this time,

Martin Tyler, the commentator for the Premier League match, couldn't help but say, "Let's talk about the current standings first, as this is crucial to understanding the importance of this match."

Liverpool are currently third in the table, but two points behind league leaders Arsenal, while Chelsea have overtaken them thanks to last week's victory.

What's even more intriguing is that they are only two points ahead of seventh-placed Everton.

In other words, if they win this game, they can stay close to the title contenders and even have a chance to catch up with Arsenal.

But if they lose, they could very well fall out of the top four and into the battle for European qualification.

It's important to understand that the management changes and managerial rumors Liverpool have experienced in the past few weeks have already put the team under considerable public scrutiny. Given their current points situation, they cannot afford to make any mistakes.

Looking at today's opponent, West Bromwich Albion, they are definitely one of the most unforgettable opponents in the Premier League.

With European competitions no longer a distraction this season, West Bromwich Albion are focusing on domestic competitions, with qualifying for European competitions being their clear goal.

For Clark, getting points, or even winning, at Anfield today would be of great significance.

Moreover, we can see that Liverpool has not done well in many aspects in recent rounds of the Premier League, such as the stability of midfield passing under high pressure, gaps in wing defense, and various mistakes in the back line. These have become the focus of the opponents' attacks.

Clark had clearly done his homework. At the start of the game, West Brom's two full-backs rarely pushed forward, and the midfielders also dropped back to their own half to assist in the defense. It was obvious that they wanted to hold onto the draw first and then look for opportunities to counter-attack.

Liverpool's players have now started pressing high up the pitch, and when Gaio received the ball on the right wing, two West Brom defenders immediately surrounded him.

For Liverpool, whether they can break through such a tight defense and find their attacking rhythm as soon as possible is not only related to the result of this game, but also to whether they can get out of the shadow of recent public opinion and regain their footing.

After all, a two-point difference in the highly competitive Premier League can completely reshape the standings with just one game.

In the 8th minute of the match, Liverpool launched an attack down the right flank, with Gaião receiving a pass from Glen Johnson near the sideline.

I felt the pressure coming from behind as soon as I touched the ball.

West Bromwich Albion's left winger Sessegnon clung to him like a plaster, his arm lightly resting on Gaio's waist, giving him no room to turn. Meanwhile, left-back Ridgewell on the other side quickly moved towards the flank, and the two formed a double-team, blocking Gaio's path in front of him.

Gaio, however, remained calm.

He flicked the ball back with his left foot, then suddenly shifted his shoulder to the right, as if to break through along the sideline. Sessegnon instinctively stretched out his leg to intercept, but Gaio took advantage of this moment of weight shift to flick the ball inward with his right foot, while simultaneously using his left shoulder to block Sessegnon's impact, squeezing out a sliver of space between the two defenders.

Ridgewell hurriedly stretched out his foot to hook the ball, but Gaio was half a step ahead and poked the ball forward, staggering as he did so.

But he quickly regained his balance and managed to keep the ball under his feet.

After finally getting the ball to the edge of the penalty area, Gaio spotted Henderson making a run down the middle, in a good position.

He immediately sent the ball over with a low, diagonal pass.

Henderson received the ball but didn't adjust his position; he looked up and immediately tried to find Suarez in the penalty area.

Suarez was using West Bromwich Albion center-back McCauley's body to gain position, but Henderson's passing route was too straight. McCauley anticipated this intention and suddenly took a step forward, stretching out his leg to intercept the ball!
After intercepting the ball, McAuley did not hesitate at all, turned around and sent a long ball back to Liverpool's half.

The football arced through the air and landed precisely at the near post.

The 34-year-old Anelka met the ball with a gentle chest slide, his movements showing no signs of age, but rather composure.

Before Sakho could get back into position, he passed the ball diagonally to Anichebi, who was making a run down the left flank.

When Anichebi received the ball, Sakho chased after him from the side and behind.

He reached out to grab his jersey, but Anichebi quickly shook him off.

The Nigerian striker lowered his head and took increasingly longer strides, and although Sakho tried his best to catch up, he was always half a body length behind.

Rodgers played with three center-backs in this match.

Kolo Touré, Agger, Sakho.

However, at this moment, only Sakho was closest to Anichebi.

When even Sakho couldn't catch up.

There was nothing anyone else could do.

Once near the edge of the penalty area, Anichebi adjusted his footing, swung his right foot, and unleashed a powerful shot at the ball!
The football flew like a cannonball straight towards the right corner of the goal. Mignolet, who rushed out, leaped forward and almost touched the ball with his fingertips, but he missed by a hair's breadth.

The hearts of all the fans in the stadium skipped a beat.

Just as the ball was about to go into the net, it hit the outside of the right goalpost with a thud, bounced towards the sideline, and finally rolled out of bounds.

Sakho stopped chasing and gasped for breath. Mignolet got up from the grass, wiped the sweat from his forehead, both still looking somewhat shaken.

Anichebi seemed somewhat incredulous.

He covered his head and knelt down on the ground.

His teammates and head coach Clark all held their heads in regret.

If they can score this ball, it will be very important for their game today!

What a pity!

However, Clark quickly recovered and gave Anichebi a thumbs up.

He even yelled at the defenders, "Keep it up!"

In this attack, Anelka, who served as the link between the two players, was focused on by the camera and given a close-up.

He is 34 years old.

In today's football world, he's considered to be at the age where he should be retiring.

He went from Paris Saint-Germain to Arsenal, then to Real Madrid, back to Paris Saint-Germain, and then went on to play for Liverpool, Manchester City, Fenerbahce, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, Shanghai Shenhua, and Juventus.

Until this summer, he was granted a free transfer by West Bromwich Albion.

It can be said that he has a wealth of experience.

He even encountered wage arrears in China; reportedly, his first month's salary was paid in 10 installments.

Just outrageous.

This play still shows that he has the ability to play as a center.

It's just that my physical functions aren't as good as they used to be.

But Liverpool fans these days have no time to think about the career of this former Liverpool veteran.

The gasps from the Boot Room tavern had barely subsided when Anichebi's powerful shot grazed the outside of the goalpost and bounced out of bounds on the television screen.

Ted slammed his fist on the table. "Was Henderson out of his mind when he made that pass? Gaio almost had his leg pulled off to get the ball, and he just leisurely passed it to Suarez without even checking the opponent's defensive midfielder's position. Isn't that just giving away a counter-attack? Is that how you pass the ball?"

Others echoed this sentiment.

"It's not just Henderson! What was Agger doing just now? Anelka is 34 years old, he controlled the ball, turned, and passed it, and he just stood there watching? If Carragher were here in the past, he would have intercepted the ball and thrown it back to midfield!"

"This defense is as fragile as paper! Their high pressing failed, and their recovery is as slow as a stroll. If they keep playing like this, the goalposts will save them once, but not twice!"

Ted slammed his hand on the table in anger again.

Someone else said, "Didn't you guys see that? It's not a problem with any single player! When Gaio broke through on the right wing just now, no one in midfield came to support him immediately. They all stood still. Sturridge on the left didn't track back either. West Brom could have easily broken through the midfield as soon as they got the ball. That's a tactical flaw! If Rodgers keeps playing like this, even if the goalposts help, they'll concede a goal sooner or later!"

Ted shook his head. "Back when our defense was like Carragher and Hyypia, we never let the opposing strikers get the ball and run around so easily."
Sakho was running behind Anichebi today, not even daring to engage in physical confrontations. Is this the kind of center-back Liverpool plays?
Rodgers' three-man defense is truly outrageous; there's just too much space!

Just as the fans in the Boot Room were cursing, the TV screen showed another West Bromwich Albion counterattack!
The ball eventually reached Anecar's feet.

After adjusting himself at the edge of the penalty area, he simply took the shot himself.

The football flew into the stands.

Wow!

A gasp of surprise erupted inside the tavern!

Commentator Martin Tyler's voice echoed through the Boot Room pub: "My God, once again! Liverpool's attack was just thwarted on the left flank, and West Brom's simple cross has already breached the midfield gap. This is the third time in ten minutes!"
Liverpool's three-center-back system should have strengthened their defensive coverage, but instead it became West Brom's weak point.

The wing-backs pushed too far forward and couldn't keep up with the defensive recovery. Anelka is 34 years old, yet he still has such ample space to adjust in front of the penalty area. This isn't a problem with the players; it's a major tactical positioning error!
Look, Rodgers wanted to use a three-man defense to tighten up the middle, but West Bromwich Albion is exploiting the gaps on both flanks. Just now, when Gaio broke down the right, Henderson had to track back to cover, leaving the midfield without a passing option. As soon as the ball is lost, it's immediately played behind the defense. Now the left flank is open again, leaving Anichebi with too much space in the middle!

Gaio saw this scene from the right wing.

There was also a sense of helplessness.

We can't keep sending him to blow up the enemy's dense defenses every time, can we?
This is too inefficient.

At that moment, he suddenly understood why some players might dislike a particular coach.

Because football tactics are really important!
The match is still ongoing.

Sturridge and Suarez were both trying to constantly switch positions and stretch the opponent's defense.

However, the results were unsatisfactory.

but,

Liverpool, at least at home, maintained possession throughout the game.

They didn't allow West Brom to continue their counter-attacks.

They managed to save face to some extent.

But fans certainly cannot accept such a scene.

In the stands.

Some more extreme fans have already started booing.

This is not for the opponent.

It's for myself!
Rogers naturally noticed this.

He could even see precisely from the stands the sign that read, "Brendan Rogers, you're out of class tomorrow!"

Rogers could only pretend he didn't see it.

These are all setbacks that one must experience on the road to becoming a great head coach.

He has to withstand that kind of pressure!

Like Sir Alex Ferguson, even after retirement, some media outlets still reported that he would return to coach the Australian national team.

This news comes from Sky Sports, which claims that Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired this summer, could return to football and coach Australia, leading the team to next year's World Cup in Brazil.

At the national team level, Ferguson led Scotland to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, but Scotland failed to advance from the group stage.

just,

Rogers is very confident in himself, but some people are not confident in him.

In the stands at Anfield.

Dunn, Abdullah, and the newly appointed Staveley, among others, all looked rather grim.

Eboudula saw Liverpool's attack fail once again.

He turned to Dunn and said, "This is not the Liverpool I want to see."

Dunn nodded with a stern face.

"I, and all Saudis who love watching football, want to see passionate football, a constant stream of attacks, and players who dare to charge forward and make mistakes, not like this, where passing the ball requires a three-second hesitation and the attack relies on one person to break through!" Abdullah said.

Dunn sighed. "Rogers' tactics do have some problems, but..."

“No buts.” Abdullah interrupted him, his gaze sweeping across the field. “We spent a fortune to buy the club, not to give some people a training ground, but to see victory, to see football that makes fans stand up and cheer!”
Saudi fans want to see Liverpool dominate like they did during the Shankly era, not rely on one player's talent to keep the team going like they are now. No matter how good Gaio is, can he win every game single-handedly? We need to support him!

Saying,

Abdullah's tone softened slightly, "I'll say it again: right now, no one on the team except Gaio is indispensable. Don't waste everyone's time over a small breach of contract fee."

Dunn nodded again. "Okay, I understand what to do. I'll communicate with the coaching staff."

Abdullah raised his hand to interrupt him, "If we keep playing like this, the gap between us and the top of the table will only widen. What I need isn't communication, it's change, do you understand?"

Whether it's tactics or something else, we must help this team rediscover their attacking passion and find the Liverpool we know and love!

Dunn sighed inwardly, "Brendan, this was your last chance to prove yourself, and you messed it up."

Dunn's expression remained calm.

But I had already made up my mind.

The Saudis have no shortage of money, but what they probably lack most is patience.

They need to see results.

If Rogers can't deliver the desired results, then he should take the money and leave.

Rodgers' current contract with Liverpool is only £300 million a year.

For Saudi Arabia, it's nothing.

The boos at Anfield hadn't completely subsided.

The fans gasped in surprise again!

Just as West Bromwich Albion's clearance ball landed in the middle of the penalty area, Gaio suddenly cut in from the right wing and, before Sessegnon could reach out to defend, chested the ball down firmly in front of him.

This time, West Brom's defense positioned itself incredibly quickly. Ridgewell immediately moved in from the side and behind, and the two formed a pincer attack, leaving Gaio no space to turn around.

Sessegnon leaned against Gaio and stretched out his leg to try and steal the ball.

Gaio pulled the ball behind him first, while simultaneously twisting his body sharply to the left to avoid Sessegnon, allowing Ridgewell to seize the opportunity to intercept the ball.

As if he had anticipated this, Gaio suddenly twisted his ankle inward, and the ball instantly slipped through the gap between the two players. He then used the momentum of his turn to dart past Sessegnon on the right. The whole sequence of movements was incredibly fast!

It was Gaio's one-two run that drew gasps of surprise from the Anfield stands.

The next moment, Gaio had already dribbled the ball towards the edge of the penalty area.

West Bromwich Albion center-back Macaulay immediately abandoned Suarez and slid laterally to block the shooting angle. His positioning was flawless, almost completely shutting down all near-post routes.

Instead of slowing down, Gaio suddenly pushed the ball to the outside the moment he stepped into the penalty area, leaning his body to the right as if he was going to shoot into the far corner.

McCauley instinctively stretched out his leg to block the far corner, but Gaio took advantage of the opening, shifted his ankle again, and pulled the ball back in front of him. At the same time, he straightened his body and, in the instant before McCauley regained his balance, gently flicked the ball with the toe of his right foot.

Gaio is still choosing to dribble past his opponent!

They charged straight into the penalty area!

Wow!

At this moment, the Anfield fans couldn't sit still anymore. All the previous gloom was thrown away, and their attention was completely focused on Gaio.

now.

Macaulay clearly hadn't expected Gaio to continue dribbling past him at this point.

However, he dared not make any big moves inside the penalty area, and could only quickly move his body closer, trying to squeeze Gaio.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Myhill has also come out to try to block Gaio's space.

but,

The next second, Gaio suddenly flicked the ball slightly!
The football, with a slight curve, flew just below Myhill's knee! It went through his legs!

Then stick to the inside of the left post of the goal.

It went through the net!

Swish!
The ball went in!
After Gaio took a shot, he collided with Michael, and both of them fell to the ground.

at the same time,

A deafening roar erupted from the Anfield stands, like the Mersey River crashing against its banks at high tide, making the stadium seats tremble slightly!
"Geo!"

"Geo!!"

The KOPP stands were the first to erupt in cheers.

Fans wrapped in red scarves jumped up from their seats, some cupping their hands to their mouths and shouting with veins bulging, while others tossed their scarves into the air, letting the red flutter like a flag amidst the cheers.

In the front row, there was a little boy wearing a Gay jersey with the number 10. His father lifted him high above his head, his little hands waving until they were red. His babyish voice saying "Gay" was clear amidst the shouts of thousands of people.

Old Bill leaned on the railing of the stands, his cloudy eyes gleaming. Unlike the young men who jumped and shouted, he simply pounded on the railing repeatedly, muttering, "Good lad, good lad!"

He didn't even notice his knuckles turning red from clapping; all the frustration he had been holding onto during West Brom's counter-attack dissipated with that roar.

The sporadic boos that had rang out during West Brom's counter-attacks were quickly drowned out by cheers, replaced by a unified chant of "Gao! Gao!"

Tens of thousands of voices twisted together and floated down from the stands, landing behind Gaio, who had just gotten up from the ground, as if wrapping him in a layer of red armor!

Gaio's pace wasn't fast, but it carried a reckless momentum, like the wind that had just broken free of its restraints. He passed over the still frustrated Michael, and through his teammates who came up to hug him, stopping directly in front of the advertising board below the stands.

There were no complicated gestures, nor any screaming or venting.

He simply raised his arms slowly, elbows slightly bent, palms naturally open, as if to gather all the cheers of Anfield into his arms.

The sleeves of the red jersey were blown up by the wind.

He slightly raised his chin, his eyes shining as if they contained the sun!

An air of self-righteous arrogance!
That's the unbridled spirit of a young genius, no need to deliberately conceal their brilliance, no need to worry about posture—that's how a goal celebration should be!

Spread your arms wide, let the cheers envelop you, and let everyone see this youthful spirit that says, "I can do it!"
At this moment, Gaio had only one thought in his mind—

Now, I should stand here, open my arms, and receive the cheers that are rightfully mine!
At this moment, his teammates rushed over to celebrate with him.

"My God! The cheers at Anfield are practically lifting the roof off! This isn't football, it's poetry written with Gaio's feet! This is art from France!"

Martin Tyler's voice trembled with disbelief, and he even forgot to switch to a calm tone of tactical analysis. "Sessegnon was tight enough, Ridgewell's double-team was quick enough, and McCauley's blocking was flawless! West Brom's defenders didn't make a single mistake, but Gaio just managed to find opportunities out of the impossible!"
Look at how fast that man controlled the ball with his chest and turned, his ankle slid inwards as he did so.
This isn't muscle memory that can be developed on the training field; it's a genius reaction ingrained in your very bones!

He knew Sessegnon would stretch his leg and that Ridgewell would cover, so every move he made was half a beat faster than the defenders. That half beat is the insurmountable gap between top talents and ordinary players!

Don't forget what Liverpool's form was before that goal!
The attack was fragmented, the defense was leaky, and there were sporadic boos from the stands, but Gaio kicked away all the gloom and anxiety with a single chip shot!

He still dared to dribble past his opponent inside the penalty area!

Any other player in that position would either pass or take a hasty shot, but he just wouldn't!
He didn't want to score a goal; he wanted to show everyone what a prodigy is in this extreme way!
This is Gaio!
That's how a moment of genius can turn into an unsolvable problem!
Macaulay didn't dare to make a move, and even Michael's attack was useless!

Gaião turned the penalty area into his own stage, even his through balls were elegant, as if West Brom's defense was just a backdrop under his feet!

This goal meant far more to Liverpool than the score itself. It was a reassurance, a morale booster, and a spark that rekindled Anfield's belief that we could win!
What Gaio did today wasn't just a fleeting moment of brilliance; it was carrying the team forward with actions that no one else would even dare to imagine, when the team needed someone to step up the most!

This is the value of a top striker; this is the legendary moment that Anfield witnessed today for Gaio!

Inside the Boot Room Tavern.

Martin Tyler's words were no longer audible.

The entire tavern was filled with cheers!

Shouts!
At this moment, Gaio was their god!
This scene took place in a place where countless Liverpool fans had gathered.

Gaio's shot allowed them to temporarily forget the unpleasantness of the game.

In the stands at Anfield.

After celebrating, Abdullah looked at Dunn, who was also all smiles, and said, "Look at this, can you bear to see players like this carrying such a heavy burden?"

Dunn shook his head as a matter of course.

Abdullah continued, "What we need to do, what we can do, is to lighten Gaio's burden! Now that I've said that, I hope you will demonstrate your abilities; I believe you can live up to your resume."

"Of course!"

Courtside.

Rodgers was also incredibly excited by Gaio's goal.

Hugs teaching assistant Colin Clark.

This Clark is not the Clark that is not far away.

After calming down, Rodgers immediately told his players to strengthen their defense.

And pullbacks should be made appropriately.

He didn't want to keep pressing forward and didn't want to give West Brom a chance to counterattack.

Suarez instinctively turned to look at Rodgers, his brow furrowing slightly.

He met Gaio's gaze as Gaio ran toward the sideline, both of them looking at each other with a hint of doubt in their eyes.

Why the sudden decision to withdraw?
drop!
The game continues.

Gaio took two steps back, and Sessegnon, who was originally sticking close behind him, also retreated. The space on the wing suddenly opened up, but he didn't receive the forward pass. Instead, he saw Gerrard pass the ball back to Sakho.

The pace of the game seemed to be slowed down.

The cheers from the stands gradually subsided. Some fans in the Kop stand held up scarves and shouted for an attack, but when they saw the team passing the ball back again and again, their voices were swallowed back.

West Bromwich Albion also did not expect Liverpool to retreat so suddenly.

Anelka received the ball in the attacking third and was about to turn and dribble into the penalty area when he looked up and saw that Sakho and Agger had already closed in, with Gerrard covering from behind. The counter-attack that could have been launched was suddenly compressed into his own half.

He tried to pass the ball to Anichebi on the wing, but he couldn't get past the defense either.

The scene on the field began to repeat itself: Liverpool passed the ball around, back, and then around again. West Bromwich Albion tightened their defense, occasionally winning the ball but having no space to advance. It was as if there was an invisible wall between the two sides, which neither side could break through.

Gai stood on the right wing for a while, and his possession of the ball gradually decreased.

Once, he tried to move forward, but after taking only two steps, he saw Rogers waving at him from the sidelines, signaling him to stay put, so he had to pull back.

When Suarez dropped back to midfield to receive the ball, he couldn't get a turn and had to pass it to Henderson. He couldn't help but purse his lips, and when he glanced at the coaching bench, his eyes were full of barely suppressed doubt.

The fourth official raised his sign indicating two minutes of added time, but the game remained completely undisturbed.

Henderson passed the ball to Gerrard, who then passed it back to Sakho. Sakho glanced at the time and simply kicked the ball to goalkeeper Mignolet.

Mignolet controlled the ball, stood in the penalty area for three seconds, and only when he saw Anichebi coming up to press him did he slowly take the goal kick.

West Brom's players didn't press much, they just ran a couple of steps after the ball, as if they had accepted the stalemate.

drop! !

Finally, the referee blew the whistle to end the first half.

Anfield's reaction was somewhat subtle.

There was no roar of a goal, nor boos of a loss, only scattered applause mixed with a few quiet whispers.

Gaio walked back to the player tunnel with his head down. As he passed Rodgers, the coach patted him on the shoulder: "Well done, but you need to stay focused in the second half."

He nodded but didn't say anything; he simply walked towards the locker room.

The players dispersed.

The fans in the stands gradually left.

The wind blew in,

The wind swept across the Anfield lawn, gently carrying the dullness of the first half into the upcoming second half.

Martin Tyler's voice, delivered through the broadcast camera, carried a somewhat frank sentiment: "Honestly, apart from Gaio's goal that could be written into the Player of the Month list, the rest of the first half felt more like a tug-of-war between two slower teams than a home game at Anfield."

Let's first look at Rogers' more controversial adjustments.

Less than three minutes after Gaião scored, he moved Henderson back to a position almost like a double defensive midfielder, and Sakho and Agger also moved back at least three meters compared to the start of the game.

This was a perplexing decision: when West Bromwich Albion conceded the goal, their defense was clearly still in disarray, with Sessegnon and Ridgewell being a beat too slow to cover. Instead of pressing forward, Liverpool retreated, giving their opponents a chance to breathe again.

Throughout the first half, aside from Gaião's goal through the legs after dribbling past two defenders, almost everything else consisted of passing the ball back and forth in midfield.

Gaio tried to push forward on the right wing, but he couldn't get a pass forward. He could only watch as Sessegnon retreated with him, and the space on the wing was wasted.

but!
Liverpool fans shouldn't think West Brom has no chance. Clark's team is good at counter-attacking, and Rodgers' dropping back just gave them that opportunity.

It's worth noting that the Bahns were able to draw with Manchester United and beat Chelsea last season precisely because of their efficient counter-attacking style. Rodgers' deliberate slowing down of the game undoubtedly gave them the rhythm they needed most.

Finally, Taylor's gaze fell back on Rodgers, who was heading towards the players' tunnel, and his tone became more worried: "A 1-0 score looks secure, but for Liverpool playing at home, this kind of first-half performance is far from enough."

Anfield fans want to see Gaio's sustained attacks and Suarez's disruptive play in the attacking third, not the lateral passing between the defenders.

I understand Rodgers' desire for stability, given Liverpool's recent poor form and need for a win.

In the Premier League, especially against teams like West Bromwich Albion that are adept at exploiting weaknesses, sometimes being steady is synonymous with being conservative.

If the second half continues at this pace, and West Brom capitalizes on a single counter-attack opportunity, the course of the game could be completely altered.

at the same time.

As the doors to the Liverpool dressing room closed, the echoes from the stands outside still lingered.

But inside, the atmosphere was somewhat heavy.

Rogers said a few words.

No one expressed dissatisfaction, and no one voiced opposition.

But the unspoken doubts, the wandering attention, and the resentment hidden in the eyes, like a thin mist, enveloped the entire locker room.

until,

When the assistant coach called out, "It's time to go on the court," the players stood up and headed towards the tunnel.

Gaio and Gerald got together.

Gaio asked Gerrard, "Can we win this game?"

Gerald nodded seriously, "Of course."

Gaio then asked, "And what about the next game?"

Gerrard fell silent.

Gaio sighed and said nothing more.

Heading towards the stadium.

The moment he took his first step, cheers from Anfield surged forth like the rising tide of the Mersey River.

The sound, enveloped in a red heatwave, drilled into my chest through my eardrums, causing my heart to race. The pent-up frustration I had just endured in the locker room was instantly swept away by this surge of heat.

The cheers were mixed with shouts of "Gaio!" and the tune of "You'll Never Walk Alone," subtle yet scalding, coursing through my veins and into every part of my body.

He looked up at the stadium at the end of the tunnel, even though it was a cloudy day.

But the natural light falling on the lawn made the greenery exceptionally bright, and the red scarves fluttering in the stands rose and fell like ocean waves.

Only a stadium enveloped in cheers like this, only a scene that makes his blood boil, is worthy of making him feel that all his strength has a purpose, is the Anfield he knows and that can ignite his passion.

drop!
A whistle blew.

The second half has begun!
Fans thought that Liverpool's attack would improve after the midfield adjustments.

however,
In the second half, Anfield felt as if it were shrouded in an airtight net, so dull that it was hard to breathe.

Liverpool played somewhat conservatively.

The number of forward passes has decreased, while lateral and back passes have increased.

Even Suarez started to get impatient. One of his long-range shots from outside the penalty area went wildly wide, and his kicking of the turf revealed his helplessness at the lack of attacking power.

West Bromwich Albion wasn't in a hurry; they simply pushed their defense forward slowly. Anelka strolled around the attacking third, occasionally receiving the ball but only taking a couple of steps laterally, without deliberately looking for counter-attack opportunities. He was like a thorn stuck in Liverpool's defense.

In the 73rd minute, Rodgers' substitution elicited the first sporadic boos at Anfield.

Gerrard bent down and took off the captain's armband. He glanced at Rodgers on the coaching bench, said nothing, and simply patted Kanté on the shoulder as he came on as a substitute.

He turned and walked to the bench.

Rodgers wants to replace Gerrard, who is weaker defensively, with Kanter, who has a better coverage ability.

Liverpool's defense was indeed stronger after Kante came on.

The midfield has enough physicality!
Time ticked by, approaching 80 minutes, and the pace of the game felt like a sluggish grind.

West Bromwich Albion finally got a good chance!

In the 87th minute, Anichebi broke through on the right wing, and Kolo Touré, in a moment of desperation, stretched out his leg to tackle the ball, blocking it out of bounds.

The referee pointed to the corner area.

This was West Bromwich Albion's first corner kick of the match.

West Bromwich Albion's winger stood at the corner flag, glanced at his teammates in the penalty area, took a run-up, and sent the ball towards the near post.

The ball spun as it flew toward the penalty area, and Anelka suddenly appeared from behind Sakho!

Sakho had been staring at McCauley in front of him, but by the time he turned around, it was too late. He reached out to pull Anelka's jersey, but only touched the corner of the jersey.

The 34-year-old Anelka didn't jump very high, but he kept his body straight, his forehead precisely brushing against the ball, grazing the inside of the right post of the goal, and slipping into the net.

Mignolet reacted quickly, diving towards the ball and even touching its edge with his fingertips, but he couldn't change its trajectory!

"Shh!"

The ball went in!
West Bromwich Albion have scored!

1-1!

Anfield seemed to have been muted.

West Bromwich Albion players rushed towards Anelka like madmen, pinning him to the ground in celebration. Anelka lay on the grass, raised his hand to pat the green beneath him, his face showing not much ecstasy, but rather a sense of calm that he had finally waited for.

Since it was his former employer, he didn't celebrate.

courtside,

Rogers stood frozen in place.

He watched the West Bromwich Albion players celebrate, then glanced at the Liverpool players on the field with their heads down. His lips moved, but he didn't utter a word.

In the stands, Abdullah got up and left without saying a word.

Dunn saw the expression on his face as he left.

Then I made a phone call.

I made a few arrangements.

The Liverpool players were very unhappy.

They played a very frustrating game.

Suarez kicked the advertising board next to him hard, making a dull thud.

Even Gaio.

I never expected a team to collapse so quickly.

There is only one minute of stoppage time.

After all, the pace of the second half was very slow, so no time was wasted.

Liverpool had no answer.

drop!
When the whistle blew, the game was over!

Liverpool have drawn again!

In 9 league matches, apart from the strong start of the season, when Gaio scored a last-minute goal and led to a winning streak, the team has not performed well.

Their current record is five wins, three draws, and one loss.

18 points.

Just as Rogers was thinking about what to do in the next game.

The teaching assistant walked over with the phone in hand.

He looked solemn.

"David's phone call."

Rogers took it and was about to speak when he heard Dunn's words.

He was no longer in the mood to speak.

He simply replied, "Okay."

Post-match press conference.

While reporters were still waiting for Rogers, they were informed that today's press conference was canceled.

The reporters were puzzled.

A bombshell announcement hit them like a ton of bricks!
Liverpool have officially released the news.

Rogers is fired!
(End of this chapter)