Were Brendan Rodger's Decisons Correct? Only Time Will Tell.

Given how poor and superb a season Liverpool and Real Madrid are resectivelty having, few were suprised to see Los Blancos sweep the Reds aside by halftime at Anfield two weeks ago. Liverpool stood absolutely no chance in a match that saw them slip to yet another disappointing result. Even despite the fact that Real Madrid took their foot off of the gas for the majority of the second half, Liverpool, as fruitless as they have been all season in the attacking third, were still unable to break down a well organized defense. The visitors were good value for their victory, likewise the hosts for their loss.

Fast forward two weeks, and although the scoreline may not suggest it, the Reds were again, completely dominated by a side that is proving themselves to be the best team on the planet. Liverpool managed only four shots throughout the ninety minutes compared to Read Madrid, who enjoyed enjoyed a host of them.

Neither the outcome, nor the run of play was of too much surprise. What was surprising, if not controversial however, was Brendan Rodger's squad selection. The former-Swansea manager left out several of the Reds' key players from the starting eleven, and opted instead to choose a line-up that, for the most part was made up of a second string XI. There were many conflicting views on his decision.

 Some viewed Rodger's decision as disrespectful to both the Liverpool fans as well as the club itself. They feel that a match of two European giants should be fought to win, and Rodger's lineup did little to suggest that he had such a plan. Instead of throwing his best at the current European champions, he instead choose to field a second string XI and in doing so, made it clear that he was prioritizing the Reds's upcoming fixture against Chelsea.

People of course have the right to be disappointed in his decision especially given the magnitude of a match consisting of teams who have altogether won fifteen European titles. They may say that every match should be fought to win, especially one against the European champions. In this case however, they must understand that Rodger's decision was one which he felt was best due to both Liverpool's challenging schedule and poor performances.

Some may slam him for essentially throwing in the towel before the match had started, but the decision to do so was not absurd. Regardless of who he had played, there was always going to be one clear winner. It is unrealistic to expect any manager to suddenly turn a dismal run of form domestically into an extraordinary result against the best side in the world. Although Liverpool returned without a point, it is crucial that they did so while preserving his best players for a more winnable, and possibly more significance fixture against Chelsea.

Given Liverpool's form, a schedule consisting of back to back fixtures against the best team in Europe and England, respectively, is far from ideal. His decision to prioritize the more winnable, and possibly significant match over the other is therefore wise in this case. A victory against the Blues could provide a much needed spark within this Liverpool side. Rodgers rested his best in a match that his side had little chance of winning in order to utilize them for a match from which his side have more of a chance and a need of claiming three points.

Such a schedule undoubtedly puts Rodgers in a tight spot. Had he played his best eleven at the Bernabeu, and fell to defeat (as due to their current form and morale, they almost certainly would have), the Reds would clashed with Chelsea a worn out and exhausted side.  Their chances are limited to begin with. They would hardly be able to stand a chance had their best players been exhausted from playing ninety minutes against the world's best team only a few days prior. By playing his best team in Madrid, Brendan Rodgers would be in essence sacrificing his side's chances of winning a far more significant fixture for a match that regardless of his selection, he would have inevitably lost. His decision is therefore not only reasonable, but wise.

Although Brendan Rodger's decision may have been acceptable, the same cannot be said of Liverpool's performance, which was neither acceptable, nor excusable. Although Rodgers was looking to the weekend's match, it is still his duty and that of the players to provide a challenge to their opponents, which in this case, they did not. Their passion as well as confidence appears to have completely vanished. The scoreline may have suggested a marginal difference between the two sides. The run of play suggested no such thing.

Liverpool were outclassed against a far superior side, who dominated them throughout the ninety minutes. The fact that Madrid were able to do so despite being far from their best, sums up how poorly Liverpool have performed in that particular fixture as well as the whole season. Only after the introduction of Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard were the Reds able to assert their presence on to the match. Even then they were unable to create a clear opening.

From a midfield and attacking perspective, Liverpool were undoubtedly poor. The same cannot be said, however, from a defensive standpoint. The Reds were far better defensively than they were against the same side two weeks ago. Although the European champions dominated the match, they had trouble breaking down Liverpool's defense. Simon Mignolet was outstanding throughout all ninety minutes as he made an abundance of saves to deny the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and James Rodriguez. Meanwhile Kolo Toure produced what was arguably one of his best performances in a Red shirt and did well to keep Ronaldo under control.

Few would doubted that Madrid would see Liverpool off. Even had Brendan Rodgers fielded his best eleven, it is unlikely that the outcome would have changed.  In fact, had he done so, he would put his sides chances of claiming a victory over the weekend in jeopardy. A victory against Chelsea would undoubtedly provide Liverpool with a much needed boost in confidence and morale. Sooner or later, they will be punished for such a poor start to the season, and therefore must quickly improve both their results as well as performances. Should Rodger's side drop yet even more points over the weekend, many will begin to seriously question his ability to lead Liverpool forward, especially after his selection in Madrid. A win on the other hand, would ease the increasing pressure that he is currently under. Time will tell whether or not his decision will pay off.