Rodgers was speaking after a section of fans booed the side off after Friday’s 1-1 draw with Millwall which kept the Swans in third place although moved them to the same level of points.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to tell the supporters what to do, but I was standing midway through the second-half and I wrote down the word patience,\u201d Rodgers told Wales on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is what will be required both on and off the field this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe supporters have been magnificent for us but we all entered the game with expectations of being able to move up into second. For that not to happen with the way the game went was frustrating.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the message between now and the end of the season is for us all to be patient.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to maintain our style and our identity. If we lose that we will not be effective, so the team has to be patient and continue to pass the ball.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the big attractions of me coming here was that the supporters understand that. But I could also understand their frustrations because we were so disappointing.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I will never be anything but honest when it comes to games like that.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, it is important for the future to remain patient, both as a team and in the stands.<\/p>\n
\u201cAcross the game we were nowhere near our usual levels and defensively we were in total contrast to how we have been this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal we conceded was like watching an under-sevens goal that you see on a Sunday morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was like jam-jar football with so many people around the ball and we still couldn\u2019t defend it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the end, we were very thankful for our goalkeeper, who made a couple of wonderful saves.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew what to expect from them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were well-organised, pressed and made it difficult for us. But we weren\u2019t good enough with the ball.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe didn\u2019t control the game; our identity as a team is to control and dominate possession and, although stats show me might have shaded it, it wasn\u2019t good enough for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur positioning wasn\u2019t good and with and without the ball we weren\u2019t set up to play.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we\u2019re thankful it\u2019s a point because we didn\u2019t deserve much else from that performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd when there were expectancy levels about going into the top two, it wasn\u2019t good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n