Kenny: We'll bounce back
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KENNY DALGLISH put the boot in on his Euro flops - after Kaka put the elbow in on new £35million man Andy Carroll.
Liverpool boss Dalglish made no effort to hide his disgust as his side crashed to defeat with a shocking display which drew just one save from Braga's keeper.
Dalglish, who insisted he did not see Kaka clash with Carroll, rapped: "The first half was poor.
"At 1-0 we're still in it but if we play like that at Anfield we have no chance. The way we started the first 35 minutes was terrible.
"At that stage they never put us under any real pressure but they scored with a penalty with the player going nowhere.
'FORTUNATE' ... Kenny Dalglish"We were very fortunate to come away just one goal behind after that first-half display.
"We created most of our own problems. You don't know if it's a good or bad result until the second leg is over. There's nobody in the dressing room pleased with their performance or pleased with the result."
Braga's winner came from an 18th-minute spot-kick by Brazilian Alan after Soto Kyrgiakos upended Mossoro.
Dalglish had no gripe with the penalty and insisted he did not see the late challenge on Carroll from Kaka which floored the giant Geordie.
It did look suspiciously like an elbow, yet Dalglish said: "I'm going to do my interpretation of Arsene Wenger, I honestly never saw it.
"I saw the pair collide but I didn't see which part hit Andy."
The appearance of Carroll off the bench for the last 35 minutes was the only bright spot on a nightmare evening for Liverpool - and Dalglish knew it.
He added: "We played better once Andy came on and he is a good option for us.
"We have to give him as many minutes as we can to make sure we are making our contribution to get him fit. That was a bit longer than he got against United on Sunday."
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liverpool will win the return leg.
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ya home ground they will win
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that's the Liverpool we know.......................
whenever they beat a top team......................sure lose to mickey-mouse team in next game !
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This kind of match can also lose on purpose I don't know for what.
Other teams would have beaten Braga so should not see why Liverpool wouldn't.
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Originally posted by Asromanista2001:
that's the Liverpool we know.......................
whenever they beat a top team......................sure lose to mickey-mouse team in next game !
standard one la, never change.
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ok la.. not bad liao.
considering arsenal lost 2-0 there, celtic lost 3-0 there as well.
liverpool to win at home.
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Liverpool 0 Braga 0 (agg 0-1): Andy Carroll endures frustrating first start as King Kenny's men crash out
DALGLISH told his Liverpool flops they face a big battle to claim a Euro spot next season
Better together: Carroll and Dirk Kuyt enjoyed limited success on their first full appearance together
They came expecting to see another one of those dramatic European nights for which Anfield is famed, but left frustrated and deflated by the cold, harsh truth.
Liverpool were supposed to sweep SC Braga aside, show their abject performance in the first leg to be all wrong and march smoothly into the Europa League’s last eight to give Kenny Dalglish the latest happy chapter of his return.
How different reality proved. Liverpool’s history is littered with dramatic European comebacks but not once did they threaten to uphold the tradition. In the most feeble circumstances imaginable, theScot saw his dream of taking his club to Dublin vanish on St Patrick’s Day.
‘Over two legs a penalty is all that separated the teams and that was about right,’ said Dalglish. ‘They were very well organised. We knew responsibility was on us. Maybe if Andy Carroll scores in the first half, it would have been different.’
Dalglish said in the build-up to this game that Liverpool is a club ‘synonymous’ with European football but when they will play it again remains to be seen.It is highly unlikely they will qualify through the Barclays Premier League, making this failure all the more costly.
‘There will be disappointment if we are not in Europe,’ added Dalglish, whose side are currently sixth but six points behind Tottenham, having played a game more. ‘But we can still make it if we win enough games and we will only get there by winning matches.’
Not even Carroll’s presence could galvanise Liverpool. The £35million striker — wearing No 29 instead of his usual No 9 shirt because of UEFA red tape — made his first start but did not have the fitness to back up his enthusiasm.
Yet, Carroll was one of Liverpool’s better performers. His knockdown after eight minutes created a shooting opportunity for Joe Cole but his shot was parried by Braga keeper Artur and Carroll saw his follow-up diverted for a corner. Startlingly, this was the closest they came.
‘He stayed on longer than we hoped,’ said Dalglish. ‘Necessity meant that he stayed on when we were looking for a goal. He has tremendous assets but we have got to learn how to get the best out of him. He was unfortunate not to score a goal but we were pleased with him.’
As was the case in the first leg, Carroll’s muscular presence unsettled Braga’s defenders, so much so that he had claims to be awarded a penalty midway through the first half when Vadinho and Paulao bundled him over. But the Italian match officials were unmoved.
Usually Liverpool build up a head of steam and are roared inexorably forward by the Kop but, after that incident, both team and crowd lost their way and anxieties became more apparent as Braga stood firm.
That Liverpool were lacking in wit to break Braga down, however, should not have come as a surprise. Goals have been exceptionally hard to come by in this competition.
Down on his luck: Andy Carroll's first start for Liverpool didn't exactly go according to plan
Tribute: Before the game players from both sides lined up for a minute of silence for the people of Japan
Since sweeping Steaua Bucharest aside 4-1 in September, Liverpool have played eight Europa League games and only scored five goals, three of which came in an inspired 14-minute spell from Steven Gerrard against Napoli on November 4.
This was not the romantic story many had envisaged unfolding, not least Liverpool’s principal owner John W Henry, who had flown in for the game and sat in close proximity to England manager Fabio Capello in the directors’ box.
Carroll’s enthusiasm got the better of him early in the second half when he collided with Alberto Rodriguez.
Sensing a chance to exacerbate the situation, Braga’s defenders swarmed around referee Gianluca Rocchi and demanded he take action. He did, showing Carroll a yellow card for his rather crude challenge, but he also booked Braga’s Paulao for becoming embroiled in the row.
It was that type of game. Scruffy, lacking rhythm and cohesion, it was difficult to see how Liverpool were going to pose a threat and even on the bench Dalglish had few options to reinvigorate a side that, once again, showed itself to be a pale shadow of former glories.
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Kenny: We'll bounce back
NOUGHT TO BRAG ABOUT ... Dalglish saw shot-shy Reds exit after a 0-0 drawKENNY DALGLISH has told his Liverpool flops they face a big battle to claim a Euro spot next season.
They blew their bid for cup glory at Anfield and may need a top-five place to book a Europa League return.
Dalglish said: "We know we are going to have to get as much as we can from every game we play in, it's as simple as that."
The Kop trail fifth-placed Spurs by six points and Harry Redknapp's team also have a game in hand.
Boss Dalglish said: "It will be disappointing if we are not in Europe but then you only get there if you win games - and it's up to us to win those games."
Striker Andy Carroll, making his first start after his £35million move in January, came closest to forcing extra time.
Dalglish added: "He was a wee bit unfortunate not to score a goal.
"Considering it's his first start he can be pleased how he played. He has tremendous assets."