Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish was disappointed with the Reds’ poor display against SC Braga in the Europa League last night. He told Liverpoolfc.tv:
“It was a very poor first-half performance from ourselves. We have no complaints whatsoever about the penalty. We picked it up a little bit in the second half and looked a bit more threatening, especially after Andy came on, and I think we were probably denied with a stone wall penalty ourselves. But to play the way we did in the first half and come away only one goal behind means we were very fortunate. Although they never created a great deal and we created most of our problems, when you play as badly as that you are fortunate to only lose 1-0.”
Kenny added:
“You don’t know if it’s a good or bad result until the second leg is over, so we will have to wait and see. There is no player in there (dressing room) pleased with their performance or the result, but until next Thursday we won’t be able to assess whether we have been fortunate or contributed to our own downfall (tonight).”
This week it is Liverpool midfielder Albert Aquilani’s former girlfriend Pamela Camassa!
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team for second leg;
REINA
JOHNSON CARRAGHER AGGER WILSON
MAXI RAUL LUCUS KUYT STERLING
CARROLL
Liverpool lacked the creativity and attacking threat last night with Meireles and Cole the only ones supporting Kuyt up front on his own. There was no need to play with three midfielders with no attacking abilities in Poulsen, Lucas and especially Spearing. Playing those three together also meant there was no space for a natural winger or wide man. Maxi or Pacheco should have played instead of the average Spearing and for some reason Jovanovic was missing from the squad. He would have provided a much greater threat out wide and would have given us a different dimension in attack. Also, injuries to Kelly, Agger and Aurelio meant Kenny didn’t really have much choice at the back and was forced to play Skrtel and Soto together at the back which meant no pace and no one to distribute the ball from the back. The second half introduction of Andy Carroll was pretty much the only positive from a poor game and I expect him to play a major role in the return leg at Anfield next week. Hopefully we have Agger back by next week which will give us more options at the back but the absence of Gerrard and Suarez means we will have to rely more on Meireles and Cole while Carroll must start if we are to keep our Europa League dreams alive. Liverpool really need to step up in the second leg. My team for the game would be:
Reina
Carra Skrtel Agger Johnson
Maxi Lucas Meireles Cole
Kuyt
Carroll
Subs:Gulacsi Soto Wilson Poulsen Jova Pacheco Ngog
With forwards like Carroll and Suarez the club needs to sign wingers like Albrighton for next season and move away from this 4-2-3-1 system, this might work in La Liga and Serie A but to win the league in England like United have proven since 1992 your main width needs to be provided by wingers.