2) Trusting Emre Can on the right of defence (and signing him for £10m in the first place)…
Emre Can is naturally a defensive midfielder, and at his previous club Bayer Leverkusen, he was occasionally used as a left wing-back. He’s never previously played on the right of a back three – but on Boxing Day against Burnley, Rodgers stuck him in that exact position in place of Kolo Toure.
He breezed through the 45, and has played the full 90 in each of the 12 games since – looking about as composed, powerful and intelligent as you could ever expect from a 21-year-old ‘defender’. Liverpool fans have naturally become increasingly excited by Can’s prospects, especially having viewed the ease in which he’s stepped up into a box-to-box midfield role during some matches.
Of all the summer signings, Can right now looks the best. And at £10m, he looks a serious, serious bargain, too.
