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A manager is often only as good as his players. A Liverpool team played to great acclaim a season ago. Luis Suarez was a top-three player in the world, alongside an in-form Daniel Sturridge (who managed to stay healthy), and an up-and-coming prodigy Raheem Sterling that made for the most daunting attack in all of Great Britain. It was enough for Champions League qualification. It was enough for Brendan Rodgers to win Manager of the Year. It wasnt quite enough for a long-waited Premier League title. But it was a start of something. What that something turns out to be remains to be seen. The expectation was Liverpool was a team on the rise. Shortcomings were ignored. Perhaps passionate Liverpool support forgot how hard it was to balance a domestic and Champions League campaign. Perhaps it was overlooked by all just how difficult it is to maintain top form and place, year after year, in the most balanced and competitive football league in the world. Perhaps it was understated how important Suarez was to the overall team success. And perhaps we all conveniently ignored the evident weakness of Steven Gerrard as an everyday player as Father Time continues to slow the inspiration captain. Liverpool does not have a win in the month of November, not even a draw. The Anfield club sits 12th in the table on 14 points through 12 matches. The form has been erratic and the play all over the place. They hardly look the impressive outfit of a season ago. The system is off and the players largely look clueless. To say these are trying times for Rodgers is to put it mildly. As Rodgers tries to sort out his squad, find a proper formation to please this unit, and find a way to rid the damning mistakes that keep plaguing this group, calls for his job have crept into the conversation. Manager-facing-the-sack is a side-storyline that all too often grabs ahold of the main narrative and becomes all encompassing in the everyday life at a club. Every match becomes a must-win for the manager. Collars are tightened. Every decision and performance is run through with a fine-toothed comb. Its hardly fair on Rodgers. From the penthouse to the doghouse in four months hardly makes sense. Exceptional performance brings heightened expectations. Sturridge and Suarez combined for 52 goals last season. SAS were the main catalysts for success. Yet soccer types like yours truly praised superior team movement on and off the ball, tactical flexibility and formational depth set by the manager, and emerging young talent as reason for belief superior results would continue. While those assessments arent entirely off base, they are trumped by flash points; the big moments that inevitably decide a match. Finishing. Defensive intervention. Big saves. Central midfield dominance. And referee decisions. These count. These matter. These defining moments have ended poorly for Liverpool this season. SAS would simply outscore Liverpools mistakes. Teams would be forced to play differently against Liverpool, fully understanding taking risk wasnt in the cards or they would be punished by the strike duo. Liverpool would take advantage of superior possession numbers as teams sat back to guard against SAS. That simply isnt the case anymore. Rickie Lamberts goal was the first by a striker not named Sturridge this season. And Sturridge only scored once before falling into his old ways as an injury-plagued, maddeningly frustrating enigma. Rodgers isnt managing any differently. But the way we look at him has changed. If anything, Rodgers can be blamed for spending big money on the wrong players to replace Suarez. Liverpool spent ￡113 million this summer in attempt to fill the hole left by Suarez and strengthen the squad. His signings have left much to be desired. Three Southampton players, young and unproven, and a wild card in Mario Balotelli should never have been deemed good enough for Liverpool to take the next step. Quality was replaced with quantity. Failing to find value in the market for a team with financial pressures without a new, modern stadium is a massive issue. And Rodgers eye for talent in the market should be questioned as the list of bad signings continues to grow. If you spend more than ￡100million, you expect to be challenging for the league. Rodgers flippant remark last season about Tottenhams struggles a season ago may come back to haunt him. Spurs had all kinds of problems replacing Gareth Bale. Spending, according to Rodgers, should have been enough. Now he finds himself in a similar predicament. Andre Villas-Boas lost his job at Spurs for failure to launch. Its incredible to think Rodgers may be facing the same. That comment may turn out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Rodgers shouldnt be fired. But with sky-high expectations and a lack of patience in modern day football, Rodgers has set himself up for the worst. Bad signings, controversial decision-making and poor form does nothing for job security. United in the Top Four It should have been predictable no matter who van Gaal sent out for an injury-depleted Manchester United, they would fare well against fragile Arsenal. A 2-1 win at the Emirates had more to do with Arsenals failures than anything United showed during the cagey victory. Recent years havent been kind on the Arsenal-United rivalry. Its been entirely one-sided, with United posting an impressive 11-2-3 record in all competitions since the beginning of the 2008-09 season. Arsenals inability to push back is a massive concern in North London, as is Arsenals porous record against top teams in recent seasons. The vintage performances of a decade ago between these two teams are no more. The competitive, no-love-lost engagement is seldom evident. Even worse, the quality of play has dramatically declined. Arsenal and United both have top players. Its undeniable. But the standard of play has dropped as team form has dipped. The sheer inability to finish and lack of quality in the final third continues to plague Arsenal. The Gunners should have been up at least two through the first 15 minutes if Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck had any kind of nose for goal. Likewise, poor defending also remains an Achilles heel. The forced reliance to play the average Nacho Monreal and centre-back speaks to the lack of reinforcements at Arsene Wengers disposal. There are clear and present holes across the park, notable in the defensive midfield position where average players are expected to perform extraordinarily. Its naive of Wenger to think his squad is anywhere near complete. Instead, decent ball movement with little cutting edge is what goes for good football at Arsenal these days. Its an absolute drop in the acceptable standard at the club. United is not free of criticism, despite victory. The current injury crisis demands players to play out of position or beyond their experience/level. Forty injuries and 31 different players contributing speaks volumes about the overall team approach. Its fair to question however how many in this United squad are of genuine United quality? A club like Manchester United is used to the best and can afford top talent others cannot dream of. Yet many who are playing significant roles fit the bill as good, not great players. It all starts in the midfield, where balance has not been achieved and remains a position that has lacked a true top player for years on end. United are left with the likes Marouane Fellaini, who as a good friend explains plays the role of disruptive midfielder - he disrupts the play of all 21 other players when on the field. The overall quality of the match between two Premier League giants was poor. It was scrappy, mistake-ridden, and hardly eye-pleasing for the casual. Top football is expected and demanded from teams like these. Its an overall poor reflection of the Premier League when the so-called best play such substandard football. Through it all, somehow, some way, United sits in fourth in the table. United incredibly ended the game with three 19-year-olds on the field, and it would have been four if Luke Shaw had not gone off injured. The team is far from a finished product and there remains imbalance across the park. Yet, the players, young and old, continue to show remarkable composure. Amidst mistakes, there is confidence in the process. Its an intangible you cannot quantify. Although these are trying times at a moment of change, the stature of the club has not changed. The approach bodes well for the future of this group. The quality of play is what need come next. Wenger Out? The Wenger Out campaign again gains in number and volume. Arsenal is not a title contender, rendered again to the battle for the top four. What else is new? Thats the crux of it all, and Wenger mindlessly continues to play into the madness of the masses. He is his own worst enemy, teasing fans with moronic comments like Arsenal could have had Lionel Messi, while the likes of Welbeck, Arteta, and Flamini are being rolled out as key players week after week. Its comical stuff from the manager and a club that refuses to spend to their capacity. Criticism from shareholder Alisher Usmanov hits home. The billionaire is not wrong; Arsenal need better players across the pitch. Yet Wenger remains defiant, loyal to his model that perennially fails to reach the summit of the Premier League. This is the worst start to the season for Arsenal since 82-83. But all is not lost. Yet. They are ahead of Everton, Liverpool and Spurs in the standings and only two points behind Manchester United. They are on pace to advance from the group stage in the Champions League and Arsenal is coming off an FA Cup victory. The argument of new vision and leadership at Arsenal is well taken. Wengers due date may have come and gone. Eighteen years at one club will do that. New ideas are welcome, and frankly needed at the Emirates. But now, in the middle of the season, is no time to make such a move. Wenger cannot and should not be sacked. The three-time Premier League winner deserves to go out on amicable terms. He has earned the trust of the club and its fans to see out this season. He is the best man for it. Any change should happen in the off-season. It would be apropos for Wenger to go out after another top four finish. @WheelerTSN gareth.wheeler@bellmedia.ca Discount Nike Flex . Former two-time Olympic gold medallist Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle tested positive for the stimulant methylhexanamine in both her "A" and "B" samples, the German Olympic Committee said. Nike Flex Cheapest Price . A night later, he was back to help lead a rout of the Detroit Pistons. John Wall had 20 points and 11 assists, and Beal scored 10 of his 15 points during the second quarter as Washington pulled away for a 106-82 victory on Saturday. http://www.nikeflexcheap.com/ . Or maybe he already did. Clark hit his first homer, Wily Peralta pitched into the seventh inning, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Miami Marlins 4-1 Wednesday night. Cheap Nike Flex Shoes . Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone dismissed Tuesdays massive anti-government protest in Manama as "a lot of kids having a go at the police." "I dont think its anything serious at all," Ecclestone was quoted as saying in The Guardian newspaper on Wednesday. Nike Flex Shoes Sale . His apology came before a pregame ceremony in which the team honoured its 2004 team that won Bostons first World Series championship since 1918. "I realize that I behaved bad in Boston," Ramirez said. NEW YORK -- Once the rain stopped, the hits came for the New York Mets. Jeremy Hefner and the Mets handed Patrick Corbin his first loss, breaking away from the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-1 on a drizzly Tuesday night and sending the NL West leaders to their season-worst fifth straight defeat. Josh Satin hit an RBI double that put the Mets ahead 2-1 in a seven-run seventh inning that lasted about 2 hours, albeit with a rain delay of 1 hour, 41 minutes in the middle. "I know we havent scored a lot of runs here in this ballpark, so seven was pretty good," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Just took an hour and a half to finally get them." When Arizona retook the field, there was another halt -- the grounds crew hadnt redrawn the batters boxes or put a rosin bag on the mound. Corbin (9-1) was pulled and the Mets poured it on against the bullpen. Anthony Recker, who began the day batting .157 and then homered, hit an RBI single off Brad Ziegler when play resumed. "We had a lot of momentum going" before the delay, Recker said. "I was really excited about that at-bat. When they decided to put the tarp on, I was a little bummed out." No problem, he got the burst going again. Omar Quintanilla hit a two-run single and Eric Young Jr. lined a two-run double as the Mets quickly made it 8-1. "The inning got away from us," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. Hefner (3-6) won while the Diamondbacks continued a most curious streak -- their starting pitchers are 0-11 in 24 games since June 5. Arizona fell to 1-7 on its road trip after two straight losses to begin this four-game visit to Citi Field. "Were not really clicking on anything right now," Corbin said. The Mets, meanwhile, posted their most lopsided victory at Citi Field since opening day and won consecutive home games for the first time since late May. Hefner allowed four hits, struck out six and walked two in seven innings. It was his sixth start in a row permitting two or fewer earned runs. "If I give a quality outing, go deep into games, Ive done my job," Hefner said. "If we score runs, then Ill get a win. If we dont, then I might get a no--decision or whatever.dddddddddddd Just as long as the team wins, Im happy." Martin Prado homered off Hefner in the seventh, tying it at 1. Prado was the only hitter on the Arizona roster who had previously faced Hefner. Corbin was trying to become the first lefty starter in the majors to begin a season 10-0 since Ron Guidry opened 13-0 for the New York Yankees in 1978. The 23-year-old Corbin left with the bases loaded and no outs when play was delayed. All three runners scored, and he was charged with a season-high five runs. He was denied in a sixth try for his 10th win of the season. Satin doubled home David Wright and extended his hitting streak to eight games, and is batting .390 (16 for 41) this season. Satin has been playing first base since Ike Davis was demoted to the minors, and his lively bat has impressed Collins. NOTES: This was the first time in franchise history the Mets beat a starting pitcher who began a game at 9-0 or better. ... Quintanilla drove in three runs ... Arizona OF Gerardo Parra was out of the lineup, a night after jarring himself trying to make a diving catch on the warning track. Parras arm was bandaged and he had scrapes on his face. Gibson said Parra had been due for a day off. ... Heath Bell was set to close for the Diamondbacks. J.J. Putz, who blew a save chance Monday night in his first try since going on the DL in May, will work in middle relief for now, Gibson said. ... Young started at 2B in place of Daniel Murphy. Collins said Murphy was worn down and "stinkin out of gas." Murphy pinch-hit in the seventh and stayed in. ... Wright has taken a lead of nearly 850,000 over the Giants Pablo Sandoval in fan voting to start at 3B for the NL in the All-Star game at Citi Field. ... Mike Piazza has been added to the roster for the All-Star celebrity softball game at Citi Field on July 14. Comedian Chris Rock, actor Kevin James and singer Ashanti also will take part. ... Hefner struck out in both of his at-bats. He is 0 for 23 -- the most at-bats of any player in the majors this year without a hit. ... Mets reliever LaTroy Hawkins pitched his 907th game, moving past Cy Young for 22nd place all-time. ' ' '