Liverpool Falls Short Of Dream FA Cup Final
Liverpool will end the season trophy-less after a demoralizing defeat 2-1 to Aston Villa on Sunday in the FA Cup semifinal at Wembley.
Liverpool had their hopes on claiming their eighth FA Cup title on the birthday of captain Steven Gerrard. All hopes of a fairy tale send off for Gerrard were dashed after Fabian Delph’s second half strike proved enough to send the Villans through.
Liverpool took the after 30th minute goal from Brazilian and PFA Player Of The Year nominee Philipe Coutinho. However, Aston Villa hit back soon after with a well-worked team goal finished off by Christian Benteke.
Liverpool’s Mario Balotelli thought he equalized after slotting in a shot close to the end of the game. However, he was flagged offsides despite replays showing he was clearly onside.
Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers, blamed the defeat on nervous describing the performance as “disappointing.”
“We were very disappointing. I thought Aston Villa were much better than us today, and that’s the overriding feeling after the game. We didn’t play today — we looked very nervous for some reason. We’re a team that’s built on passing and playing it quickly, but we were very disappointing in that aspect and they were much better than us.”
12 – Liverpool have won 12 of 31 games (39%) when Steven Gerrard has started this season, compared to 13 of 21 (62%) when he hasn’t. Info.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 19, 2015
“Dealing with the occasion is something we need to improve at,” Rodgers added. “There have been other big games where we have dealt with that very well, but there are others where we haven’t.
“Now we have to strive for top-four Premier League finish — and it is an obligation of this wonderful club to fight until the finish.”
However, many Liverpool fans Liverpool believed that the Liverpool boss was out witted by Tim Sherwood.
As for #LFC, big questions to be asked. Have crumbled in last month. Doubts over Rodgers once more? Maybe. Summer buys weakened squad.
— Paul Grech (@paul_grech) April 19, 2015
Brendan Rodgers becomes 1st #LFC manager since Phil Taylor in 1950s not to lift a trophy in his first 3yrs in charge pic.twitter.com/adQRfpDOe1
— Ben Smith (@BenSmithBBC) April 19, 2015
Meanwhile, Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher criticized the team’s inexperience and had a sly dig at English winger Raheem Sterling after his disappointing performance.
Big games need big players to do big things. Not many of them at Lfc which make wages demands of some ridiculous & the recruitment worse.
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) April 19, 2015
Liverpool will now be solely focused on catching Manchester City before the season end to stand a chance of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season.
[Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images]
