Jamie Carragher has admitted he was sceptic of Brendan Rodgers' methods when he first arrived at Liverpool.
The Northern Irishman arrived from Swansea in 2012, having impressed with his dynamic, positive style of play. His appointment was somewhat a risk given his lack of top level management experience but in his second season he nearly led the club to their first Premier League title since 1990.
A single defeat, and a Steven Gerrard slip, meant Liverpool finished second by two points.
But despite the fantastic effort produced by Liverpool in that second season, Carragher originally had his doubts over Rodgers' style of play.
Asked if he was a sceptic on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, Carragher replied: "Yes. When he first came in. I remember having a conversation with Brendan and he spoke about his plans and how he wanted to play.
"And what I felt we wouldn't be able to do at Liverpool was play badly and win. When that works it works perfectly but I always thought sometimes you can have a bad day and when you're losing balls around the edge of the box you're going to be in big trouble.
"That was probably the case at times for Liverpool. There's no doubt the defensive record of Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool, it was like you can never win if you're conceding 50 goals a season."
But despite Carraghers' worries Rodgers' methods soon began to pay off. And the former Liverpool defender compared his instructions to those of Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola.
"And the thing I always thought we never really associated too much was all about possession," Carragher continued. "At Liverpool he was very big on pressing. You look at Liverpool now under Jurgen Klopp, you think of pressing and energy. Brendan was big on that as well. Obviously Pep Guardiola is as well.
"Look at the season Liverpool did really well and their reaction when they lose the ball. Luis Suarez is after the ball, now Joe Allen presses, it comes in, look at the reaction of Glen Johnson - straightaway.
"When Liverpool were going for the title in that season, when we see Liverpool at their best under Jurgen Klopp, this is what we were seeing - fast, energetic, devastating counter attacks as well. Pressing the front, keeping the ball.
"You remember those front three - Sterling, Sturridge, Suarez. It was absolutely dynamic at that time. No one could cope with Liverpool for three or four months towards the end of that season. The fast starts and devastating counter attack.
"Loses the league by one game. Unfortunate. One of those things."
