Brendan Rodgers Reveals Liverpool Sack Fears, Explains Transfer Policy

Brendan Rodgers has admitted he needed to make "radical" changes at Liverpool to stop himself from receiving the sack earlier this season.

Before Christmas, the Reds struggled to replicate the fast-paced attacking football of last season. They were haunted by the spectre of Luis Suarez and struggling to implement a number of new signings, one of which was Mario Balotelli. Rodgers explained, per David Maddock of the Mirror:

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It wasn't working. We had a huge challenge, probably the biggest I have had as a coach or manager. We had no identity and everyone could see it. We just weren’t the team I had built over a couple of years, certainly created the identity with the way we played.

I knew I had to do something radical because I had seen enough of the players to know we were not going to be able to shape up and work and play as we had done for the previous couple of years with what we had got.

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Rodgers continued, calling himself "an innovative coach" and saying, "I needed to find a way to make us play better. Yes. I certainly wasn't going to roll over and die. I will always fight for my life." The manager's story made the back page of Wednesday's Daily Mirror, per Nick Sutton of BBC Radio 4:

He noted the Nov. 23 loss to Crystal Palace as the moment he feared for his future, saying he knew the poor results "could not go on," per Maddock. Rodgers suggested his previous sacking at Reading made him realise he wouldn't have long to change things around, saying, "It doesn't matter how much support you have in the boardroom, you have to get results and you have to win."

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The Northern Irishman did manage to dramatically improve Liverpool's fortunes, however. He deployed a 3-4-3 formation at Manchester United in December, a match the Merseyside club lost 3-0, but created 19 attempts on goal, per WhoScored.com. Rodgers dropped Balotelli, pushed Raheem Sterling into a central striker's role and upped the importance of playmakers such as Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho while maintaining the balance of the team in midfield.

Since the United loss, Liverpool have gone 20 games unbeaten in all competitions (inside 90 minutes), per WhoScored.com. Only the extra-time Capital One Cup loss to Chelsea and penalty defeat in the Europa League to Besiktas have blotted their record in nearly three months of football, with a run of 11 unbeaten Premier League matches pushing them to within two points of fourth.

Football presenter Alison Bender tweeted an interesting tidbit:

Squawka highlighted how the side's attempts to make the Champions League are taking shape:

Coutinho's recent heroics—scoring a stunning opener in the win over Southampton and memorable winner against Manchester City—are a product of the new formation. Liverpool play a more transitional 3-4-2-1 these days, with creative players finding space and influencing the game with short, sharp passes to speedy forwards.

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The Brazilian possesses the intelligence to find space in seemingly packed areas, while players such as Lazar Markovic and Emre Can have dramatically improved since the formation switch took place.

Few managers would have tested Can at centre-back, but although the youngster is still getting to grips with tracking opponents, he has proven himself extremely capable. His ball-playing presence provides Liverpool with confidence and the ability to step out of defence.

Liverpool find signings via the club's transfer committee, a system which doesn't always suggest Rodgers has the greatest say. He recently addressed this style and, indeed, how it is working, as reported by James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo:

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The strategy was always going to take that bit of time and unfortunately now players get judged immediately. If you come in, even at £20 million, £30 million, £40 million, whatever it is, it can still be difficult.

We just needed to give them time, we needed them to find their feet in terms of how they were asked to play, and now the dynamics of all the players are starting to show.

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B/R UK's Ryan Bailey and Sam Tighe recently discussed a possible Liverpool "dream team" for next season, something Rodgers can aspire to:

The club seemingly face a simple task when Burnley rock up at Anfield on Wednesday. Sean Dyche's men are embroiled in a relegation battle and have won just one of 13 away games this season, per Burnley" target="_blank">WhoScored.com. A confident Liverpool side have the capacity to rip them apart, perhaps placing further pressure on United as the Old Trafford outfit face Newcastle at St. James' Park.

Rodgers has proven himself a risk-taker this season. He's also reaffirmed an excellent tactical astuteness and the ability to get the best out of players. Liverpool's prospects certainly appear brighter with him in charge, but the manager's comments highlight how quickly things can change. He knows his side can't afford to give up any further points this season, and indeed, they must qualify for the Champions League.