FA Cup - Aston Villa: Post Match

[npinn001]

As a disclaimer, I'm not advocating a Benitez return.

Perhaps Rodgers tinkered too much too soon yesterday? If you look at the formations we played and the number of positions a handful of players had to play, it's no great surprise we couldn't get any momentum.

Benitez had so much faith that his formation and tactics would come good, he hardly deviated from it mid-game. Sure, he set up differently for certain opponents, but he was adamant it was right from minute one and bar the odd defensive tweak, he was rigid.

Yesterday, we had Gerrard played as a attacking midfielder and a defensive midfielder; Henderson played central midfield and right wing back; Can played centre back, right back, central midfield and wide right. In a game where we needed to grab the game by the scruff of the neck, the players were too busy adapting to their new roles. It was in no way a seamless change.

I think the players have to take responsibility for their lack of desire, but equally Rodgers needs to stop being so reactive and stand by his decisions.

Thing is, playing under Rodgers must be baffling (I agree with what you are saying BTW)

Players who play well get dropped for no reason, then others get picked in odd positions ahead of first choice players for that position. They must all be thinking they are going to get hooked and are probably sh1t scared of him. Thats the problem for me, I think he goes for a 'fear me' approach with the players so they do what he wants, but if you are always looking over your shoulder you never play as well as you can do.

[Tee]

Thing is, playing under Rodgers must be baffling (I agree with what you are saying BTW)

Players who play well get dropped for no reason, then others get picked in odd positions ahead of first choice players for that position. They must all be thinking they are going to get hooked and are probably sh1t scared of him. Thats the problem for me, I think he goes for a 'fear me' approach with the players so they do what he wants, but if you are always looking over your shoulder you never play as well as you can do.

TBH mate you could easily be talking about Rafa there.

I think we need something very different from both Rafa and Rodgers.

[npinn001]

TBH mate you could easily be talking about Rafa there.

I think we need something very different from both Rafa and Rodgers.

Couldn't agree more. Neither are the answer, I just don't know what is!

[cream]

Couldn't agree more. Neither are the answer, I just don't know what is!

Now we really are ****ed!

[npinn001]

Now we really are ****ed!

I was waiting for someone to say that ha ha. What I should have said is...I just don't think anyone knows what is...including FSG.

[Marvel]

Klopp could be an option, but his football is different to what were used to seeing.

[Nicey]

Klopp could be an option, but his football is different to what were used to seeing.

Is it really ?I understand he plays a high pressing counter attacking style of play ... seems reminiscent of Rafa a little bit of Bdog .....


Happy to carry on with Bdog ... but if Klopp became available ... I think actually him as a person would suit Liverpool ... hes passionate ... hes a winner and he one of the people .... sounds like a LFC manager to me

[Maxiedge]

That was painful to watch. That, the ManU and Arsenal game were just very unpleasant viewing. I would put them in my top 10 worst Liverpool games. It's quite alot of **** to take in a short space of time.

[Pablo]

That was painful to watch. That, the ManU and Arsenal game were just very unpleasant viewing. I would put them in my top 10 worst Liverpool games. It's quite alot of **** to take in a short space of time.

It's been **** of late hasn't it?

I guess if we finish 5th though, that realistically, that's par for us.

Could we really have expected to finish any higher than that?

I think last year we massively overachieved in coming runners-up.

[Yozza]

It's been **** of late hasn't it?

I guess if we finish 5th though, that realistically, that's par for us.

Could we really have expected to finish any higher than that?

I think last year we massively overachieved in coming runners-up.

in his own words....

"Look at Tottenham. If you spend more than £100 million, you expect to be challenging for the league."

New attacking signings Mario Balotelli, Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic - who arrived in a summer which saw Liverpool spend in excess of £100m - have not lived up to expectations while the Reds' defence is even worse with just two clean sheets in 18 league and cup games.

Rodgers has spent a princely £215.2m on new players since the summer of 2012 but has had only two confirmed hits: Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho, both signed in the January transfer window in 2013.

[Carras_Shin_Pads]

Really no passion, its pretty difficult to get behind the manager when it seems the players don't want to either!

All over the pitch were players with their heads done, poor passing and then no drive to get the ball back after their shockingly misguided pass goes to an opposition player.

[Maxiedge]

It's been **** of late hasn't it?

I guess if we finish 5th though, that realistically, that's par for us.

Could we really have expected to finish any higher than that?

I think last year we massively overachieved in coming runners-up.

We just don't look threatening in attack and look like we'll concede everytime they attack. It's a horrible combination. Torturous.

My heart was racing throughout that game but there just didn't seem to be any intent or intensity from us. I just felt completely out of sync with what I was viewing.

There is such a lack of game intelligence without Lucas in the side, it's devastating. If we had him fit all season, I think we would have come 4th,. Without him, 6th or 7th is about right. So yeah, I guess I'll take 5th now.

[Yozza]

Aston Villa 2 Liverpool 1: What the papers say after the Reds fall short at Wembley

Brendan Rodgers comes under fire for his tactics, Steven Gerrard's dream finale is ruined and Villa are praised for their performance

The Daily Mirror's David Maddock believes that Liverpool's recruitment policy was exposed at Wembley.

He writes: "Such was the extent of Liverpool's failure here at Wembley, it is hard to know quite where to start in analysing why.

"Perhaps though, it is at the bottom...of the team sheet. Look at the substitutes’ bench the Reds fielded in an FA Cup semi final, and you could reasonably argue that not one of the seven will be at Anfield next season.

"That goes some way to explaining a performance that bordered on the inept, and a tactical incompetence that suggested there is less intelligence and flexibility within his squad than manager Brendan Rodgers clearly believes.

"They have some injuries, and the absence of both Daniel Sturridge and Mamadou Sakho were keenly felt against Villa, but it still seems criminal you can go into a game with seven players in the match day squad who have no future at the club."

Ian Ladyman , at the Daily Mail , believes Steven Gerrard's time at the top has come to and end - but blames Rodgers for Liverpool's defeat.

He writes: "Gerrard’s time at Liverpool will now end in anti-climax. The chances are that he will say his farewells via a series of short cameos, many of them as a substitute.

"By the time the FA Cup final rolls around next month his thoughts will already have turned to a new life in California.

"His manager Brendan Rodgers said after his team’s defeat that Gerrard had been excellent. Sadly, that isn’t true.

"Gerrard was poor throughout, unable to shift the momentum of a Liverpool performance that will rank as one of the great disappointments of the club’s recent years.

"If Rodgers had hoped for a display from Gerrard that would fit the rather romantic narrative of him returning to Wembley on his birthday then he was disappointed.

"Gerrard’s efforts fitted not the occasion but instead a Liverpool team showing that was low on energy, wit or strategy.

"For the latter, of course, Rodgers himself must take the blame."

Paul Joyce, of the Daily Express, says Liverpool's performance was "like a car crash".

He writes: "Sherwood walked down the touchline at the final whistle, shaking his fists at those Villa supporters savouring a first appearance in the final since 2000, while Brendan Rodgers could only wince at an afternoon which resembled a car crash. As Liverpool tried in vain to rectify their squalid inadequacies, only goalkeeper Simon Mignolet finished in the position in which he started to confirm the impression they had been an unsightly mess throughout.

"There were lurches in system from 3-4-2-1 to 4-3-3 after 23 minutes and then 4-1-4-1, and also in personnel – Mario Balotelli was introduced for Lazar Markovic at half-time. Yet it made not an iota of difference.

"Rodgers, the only Liverpool manager since Phil Taylor in the 1950s not to win a trophy in his first three seasons, will not enjoy the scrutiny which follows. Not with Jurgen Klopp, who was owner John W Henry’s first pick in 2012 only to rule himself out of the running, suddenly available."

The Daily Star's David Woods says that Gerrard lost out in the midfield battle to Villa's Fabian Delph.

He writes: "It was Delph who dominated midfield yesterday, along with the twinkle-toed Irish lad Jack Grealish, who is just 19.

"Grealish and Delph combined to set up Christian Benteke's equaliser after Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring - and the youngster picked out his skipper for the winner.

"It just did not happen for Gerrard. A shot in the second half was so high it would not have gone in if the goal had been twice as tall.

"When Delph fouled Coutinho just outside the box the stage seemed to be set for Gerrard to snatch a dramatic equaliser in the 79th minute.

"But his free-kick was so weak and poor, Shay Given had only to take half a step to his left to collect.

"Four minutes later Kieran Richardson was in the right place to clear his header off the line."

Andy Hunter, in The Guardian, says Liverpool simply froze on the big stage and criticises Rodgers' tactics.

He writes: "Villa may have edged away from danger in the Premier League since Sherwood breezed into Villa Park in February but they were relegated to a sideshow in the build-up to this FA Cup semi-final by the focus on Gerrard’s so-called date with destiny on 30 May. A Wembley showpiece on the occasion of the Liverpool captain’s 35th birthday, bidding adieu to a glittering career with another piece of silverware; it seemed pre-ordained.

"Instead, Liverpool froze, Rodgers was tactically outwitted by the Villa manager and Fabian Delph plus Jack Grealish were the outstanding midfielders on display. Sherwood’s side drove into the final against Arsenal with a confident, energetic and stylish performance, a perfectly executed gameplan and the club’s first FA Cup win over Liverpool since the semi-final of 1897. Ron Vlaar shone amid a disrupted defence and Christian Benteke continued his prolific form with a ninth goal in his last seven outings. Delph’s winner early in the second half was deserved on an individual and collective basis.

"By contrast, Liverpool were subdued and anonymous until stirring late on when Gerrard had a header cleared off the line by Kieran Richardson and substitute Mario Balotelli had a goal disallowed for an incorrect offside decision. Rodgers was submerged in a tactical mess of his own making, ripping up his starting formation after only 25 minutes, changing his forward line at half-time and ending the game with almost every outfield Liverpool player in a different position to where they started."

In The Independent, Samuel Stevens says Liverpool have taken a clear step backwards since last season's heroic title challenge.

He writes: "While some may describe Villa's Wembley success as a 'shock' there was nothing surprising about the manner which Liverpool allowed them to play right through their backline for Fabian Delph's winner.

"As the Reds have demonstrated over recent months, they are more than capable of mounting the sort of upsurge in form which could one day see them finally crowned as Premier League champions.

"But, by very definition, an ‘upsurge’ suggests they always have some catching up to do. Unless Manchester City continue to implode, unlikely after their victory West Ham, Champions League football will evade them once more. Another step backwards."

In the Birmingham Mail, Gregg Evans called Villa "fearless and fired-up", and hails their courageous display.

He writes: "Fearless and fired-up Aston Villa are in the FA Cup Final after beating Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley.

"For far too many years the claret and blues have failed to turn up at the national stadium but today they made amends with a classy and, at times, courageous display.

"Tim Sherwood’s men went behind when Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring on 30 minutes but Christian Benteke maintained his hot streak to level soon after.

"Captain Fabian Delph got the winning goal after the break and man-of-the-match Jack Grealish celebrated as if they lifted the trophy there and then.

"Wild scenes followed in the claret and blue section when the final whistle was blown.

"Tim Sherwood jumped with joy, Villa’s stars dropped to the floor in disbelief and Liverpool watched on in agony."

And finally, our Liverpool reporter James Pearce says Liverpool bottled it on the big stage once again.

He writes: "This was no hard luck story, just the latest infuriating example of Liverpool bottling it on the big stage.

"The mental fragility which has prevented them from winning silverware under Rodgers previously came to the fore once again.

"There was honour in defeat when they fell short in a thrilling Premier League title race last term and again when were narrowly beaten by Chelsea in the League Cup semi-finals earlier this season. Not this time."

[Yozza]

Why Liverpool FC fans at Wembley deserved better than what their side gave

"There will be embarrassed Liverpudlians tonight. Angry Liverpudlians. Liverpudlians looking for answers, looking for scapegoats. They'll have plenty to choose from."

The fans crammed into Wembley's East stand knew. They knew it was over. They knew their side had blown it.

Dejan Lovren had just let fly with the most speculative of speculative efforts. Thirty-five yards out, a rolling ball. Men in the box, seconds on the clock. The Croatian's effort summed up Liverpool's afternoon. Needless to say, it landed among the Reds fans.

Seconds later, Michael Oliver's whistle put them out of their misery. And boy was it miserable.

The M6 is a rather joyless place at the best of times. By Sunday night, it will have felt positively morose. North of Birmingham, at least.

Wembley is no place for losers, and no place for performances like the one Liverpool turned in here. Abject doesn't even begin to cover it.

A day which had begun with such promise, such hope, ended in despair for Kopites. 'Anfield South' they used to call Wembley, but this was to be no happy homecoming.

The supporters didn't hang around to watch Aston Villa's wild celebrations, and who could blame them? Plenty didn't even stay to give their own yellow-clad players their gratitude. Again, who could blame them?

They'd done their bit, but their team, their heroes, let them down under the spotlight. You don't get clapped for that, sorry.

Make no mistake, Liverpool supporters have been spoilt down the years. Spoilt by success, by memorable afternoons, memorable nights, unforgettable moments, unforgettable games.

They won't forget this one in a hurry either. It'll take a few pints to wash this one out of their minds. Given the runaround at Wembley by Aston Villa. And Tim Sherwood's Aston Villa, at that.

There will be embarrassed Liverpudlians tonight. Angry Liverpudlians. Liverpudlians looking for answers, looking for scapegoats. They'll have plenty to choose from.

Let's not sugar coat this; they deserve better than what their team gave them here. They deserved a performance of energy, of hunger, of belief, a performance befitting the reputations and salaries of their players (and manager). They deserved the kind of performance Villa gave their supporters.

These are people who are passionate about Liverpool, people who give up their time, money, energy and emotions to follow their club across the country, across the continent, across the world. They have a right to be upset and angry tonight. They have a right to wonder what the hell they have just witnessed.

They have a right to ask questions of the players, questions of the manager, questions of the club. They have a right to pull apart this performance until it can't be pulled any more. They even have a right to wonder whether things have to change, to say things they don't mean, to argue among themselves long into the night. Like it or not, it's what supporters do.

In the meantime, their players and management must find a way to lift them. Brendan Rodgers says there is “an obligation” to keep on fighting through their final six league fixtures, but it is hard to escape the feeling that Liverpool's season is all but over. And how painful is that?

The fans have pulled this club through enough difficult moments, but they are broken hearted today. It will take a while to get over this. They deserved more. They deserved better.

[Yozza]

Aston Villa 2 Liverpool FC 1: Big games continue to pass the Reds by and four other things learned on day of Wembley disappointment

WHAT WE LEARNED: The five big talking points following Liverpool FC's defeat in the FA Cup semi-final

Too many full-backs mean none at all...

Liverpool need to get an improved contract under Jon Flanagan's nose pretty rapidly.

This is a club which invested £12million in a new Spanish full-back fresh from winning the Europa League in the summer and brought another hopeful on a two-year loan from Atletico Madrid.

They still have a former England right-back (on the bench until 77 minutes in today) but for all Liverpool's full-back 'options' they seem to have none. Johnson deemed too much of a risk defensively, Manquillo unstarted since January, unplayed since February.

Moreno is the closest – and should be at that price – but hands up (or behind your back) who really fancies him as a defensive player, even given his superb challenge on Christian Benteke when Villa mounted a three-on-one breakaway on Mignolet's goal. And for all his ability to get forward, one dreadful cross first half here after a lovely Joe Allen through ball pretty much summed it up.

They were left with a man bought as a central midfielder and lacking in genuine pace to guard their right side and it was no surprise when Villa's crucial equaliser came from space where perhaps Emre Can should have been. A £20m man – Lazar Markovic – had already been sent upfield after his brief stint at wing-back left him looking utterly lost.

Where have all these fast starts gone...

You remember those? When Liverpool were blowing teams away within 20 minutes with lightning starts which the opposition simply couldn't deal with?

Breathless pace, imagination, Blitzkreig football.

It is now Brendan Rodgers' men who are showing the capacity to start slow and we all know how difficult it is to turn those beginnings around. Liverpool barely had the ball for the first five minutes and showed no real conviction to go and get it thereafter.

Where was the pressing game and energy so beloved of their manager? Liverpool were leggy, ponderous and confused. Villa sharp, energetic and bright.

Does the big Wembley pitch make a pressing game more difficult? It didn't seem to stop Cleverley, Westwood and Delph, hardly the Premier League's most acclaimed midfield three.

Jordan Henderson and Joe Allen have all-too-often struggled to set any form of dominance in the middle of the pitch and it was only for 10 minutes after the switch to a back four in the first half that the team really hit their stride.

Can seemed intent on showing some leadership – a good sign for the future perhaps – but there was precious little elsewhere.

Big games continue to pass this team by....

There was a time early in the key Manchester United league fixture at Anfield last month when Liverpool seemed like a team none of us could recognise.

Arsenal at the Emirates was only slightly better - despite the even worse result - but the strangers were back here at Wembley.

Why are this team so lacking in drive and apparent passion? It has to be there, we've seen it before but the capacity for them to freeze on the really big occasion is now at worrying levels.

We know they are young – often averaging around 24 this year – but youth does not have to be a handicap. Jack Grealish, Villa's young 19-year-old whose great grandfather won the FA Cup with them, was one of the game's outstanding players.

Liverpool's own had moments of course, a lovely finish from Coutinho after an exquisitely-timed Sterling ball which gave them a barely-deserved lead on the half hour mark.

But we saw little more from either, Sterling's horrible leaning back effort in injury time when some quality was desperately required rather summed up his last few weeks - all unnecessary highs.

Markovic was hauled off at half-time again, just as he had been against Arsenal and Southampton - the Serbian remains utterly devoted to hiding his talents under an ever more frustrating bushel.

In truth, a 38-year-old goalkeeper in Shay Given was barely tested throughout the 90 minutes – there can be few more damning indictments than that, regardless of the absence of Daniel Sturridge.

Brendan Rodgers will need to regroup quickly, for himself and the team....

It's not just about losing a semi-final, but the manner of the defeat which will have the Brendan Rodgers' knockers out in force here.

Go down on your sword, yes. Go down with a whimper barely audible outside the confines of the stadium, no.

The Ulsterman is a manager who has built his reputation on positivity, an 'outstanding' is never far away when a 'good' would suffice after all.

But he has now had three years at Liverpool without a trophy and every target set for this year seems highly likely to have been missed.

A Champions League campaign which ended at the first opportunity - despite a fairly enviable group.

A Champions League place for next year looking highly unlikely, especially given Manchester City's ill-timed return to form against West Ham.

No trophy.

It is the latter which will perhaps worry most, for he is now the first Liverpool manager since Phil Taylor in the 1950s to fail to deliver one in his first three years.

But knee-jerk reactions would be wrong. Two semi-finals have been reached and the Capital One campaign ended in glorious defeat, a stark contrast to that delivered here admittedly.

He must still have much credit in the bank after that stunning campaign last season which provided some of the best football many had ever seen in their match-going years.

The resignation of Jurgen Klopp at Dortmund has some yearning for a change but surely Rodgers has done enough to suggest he can regroup next season and come again.

Benteke would be a good summer target for Liverpool...

Perhaps this would be the best thing to come out of this particular low – though the best moment to sign him has gone of course. Christian Benteke was a shadow of himself – a pretty big shadow at that – earlier this season and a decent January bid from the Reds for the Belgian frontman might just have paid dividends.

Whatever Tim Sherwood has done to inspire the 24-year-old striker, the results are there for all to see. Nine goals in his last seven says it all.

His equaliser here had no great mystery to it but he spent the entire afternoon making things difficult for Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren.

There was one moment when the Slovakian decided to wait for a ball to bounce with Benteke closing in – there was an audible gasp from the crowd as you simply don't wait for a tidal wave to arrive, even one dressed in claret and blue.

With Suarez gone and Sturridge all too often absent, this Liverpool team has just about managed to find a way to score some goals but a top quality striker is badly needed this summer. Today at Wembley we saw one.