I don't doubt that GKMacca has been told that Rodgers was unhappy with the enforced sackings of Pascoe and Marsh. He probably was.
That in itself, is not inconsistent with him readily securing a reprieve for himself by agreeing to, among other terms, the sackings. I suspect those other terms included some concession by FSG that he would be allowed some say in picking the replacements, leading to O'Driscoll's appointment. After all, no point foisting someone who couldn't work with him, on him.
I'm not upset about the departure of Pascoe and Marsh; it's the manner in which he gave up Pascoe and Marsh that does. Beyond the lack of solidarity with his own team, the deeper concern is that he genuinely believes that it was Pascoe and Marsh holding him back.
There are the obvious counter arguments, such as that the replacements indicate some awareness on his part that he requires more guidance to correct his failings from last season. But if so, why not cast the net further for someone with genuine experience challenging for titles?
As to the second and third paragraphs, well, I never intended for them to be taken apart, but I get the distinct impression that he turns too readily to recruitment as the answer to failures on the pitch, perhaps even to the exclusion of all else, hence, the shambolic defence we've seen since his first season.
FSG haven't been adverse to looking up staff or indeed players that fit their own system, they picked Rodgers with that in mind, they implemented a committee to replicate an overhead decision maker, they know what they wanted. While I'm sure it does suit Rodgers to bring in this assistant, after all he's talked him up in the past, I don't think that he's has thrown his staff under the bus.
At the very least it was suggested that FSG were going to force big changes prior to the meeting, so an overhaul of sorts was already being hinted at, most of us predicted that a likely scenario would be that Rodgers stayed but his staff went, we all talked up a defensive coach, so did the press - FSG aren't stupid on that note, they've listened to the fans and took advice from local journo's too, to gather outside opinion as well as supporters views on various topics. It's how (rightly or misguidedly) they've sought clarity of the club, it's traditions and what the people want. Remember, that's why they brought in Dalglish, because it was the shouts from the terraces and the speculation in the media that drove the idea.
As for turning to recruitment to rectify failures, show me a manager who doesn't. Doesn't Harry Redknapp always buy a big centre forward? Didn't Rafa always play with a tight back four? Identifying the right player is a different subject, but saying that he tries to rectify failures by buying is like saying we should accept a mentality of putting squares into round holes. Neither of those managers particularly shifted on their blueprint to accommodate players. You pretty much defeated your own argument by then pointing out our "shambolic defense", he's the first manager in over a decade who's tried to make our defense and defensive play more expansive and he was left with a defense on it's last legs.
You can't say he hasn't tried to address it, he bought Sakho in 2013, he bought Lovren in 2014 and he's just bought a right back. He's not ignoring the issue, as you've suggested. Tweaking the system is right, I agree, but saying he hasn't tried to rectify it is bollocks, he's bought players for the back line because he had to, even if he hasn't quite got the balance right. Agger was fucked and we had no one else, Enrique is finished, so is Glen Johnson, so the "buying for buying sakes" accusation towards the defense doesn't really wash, it's pretty much the only area of the team where A) he hasn't bought to cover his own fuckups and B) he hasn't had the luxury of having a settled group of players already in place who he could rely upon in the longterm. He had to buy his way out of that one, considering 3/4's of it was already clearly past it's sell by date.