Brendan Rodgers
Q: How did it get away from you in the end?
“The second half, with the injuries we picked up, we had to change the structure of the team. The first half we were excellent and looked a real threat. Coming to Anfield, and you score three goals, and we really should have had four or five, so we were a real threat in the game. Defensively you know you’re going to have to suffer at times because of the quality they have, but I thought in the second half, we threw everything at it. We blocked, intercepted, we defended, and it just looked like we were going to get through. To concede in the 94th minute with all the challenges that we had, I was so disappointed for the players because they put so much into the game.”
Q: Did you expect Liverpool changes and for them to come at you in the second half?
“Yeah, absolutely, especially with where we were at half-time. We were good for the lead and should have scored another goal at least. The quality and the depth of the squad that Jurgen will have, and the quality of players he can bring in, it can really push you. But I thought the players kept fighting. The goal we gave away, the equalising goal in the 94th minute, we’re actually in a really good position on the field and if we can see that through, then we go on and win the game.”
Q: What extra cost was there to you tonight? We saw Ricardo and Soyuncu go off, and was Vardy carrying an injury as well?
“We couldn’t take him off. Probably the last half-hour his hamstring felt a bit tight so he couldn’t really move. We had (Kelechi) Iheanacho and (Jannik) Vestergaard who have only been back training a day but we had to put them into the game. The players showed great spirit. You think of Marc Albrighton having to play at right-back, Wilf Ndidi a midfield player at centre-half, the guys have taken Liverpool to the death, which shows you the mentality and courage that they played with. In terms of injuries, I’m just going to have to see how we go over the next couple of days.”
Q: What would you say to Luke Thomas? At 20 years of age, you saw how crestfallen he was at the end of the shoot-out.
“I said to him afterwards that he was brilliant during the game. He’s developing so well. It’s another great experience for him. The atmosphere was great as it always is at Anfield. It was a really good game. It was unfortunate for him to miss the penalty, but in the game he was exceptional. He’s a tough boy and he will move on.”
Q: Did you feel you invited pressure on your side with the changes?
“No, we had a right winger as a right-back, we had a midfield player at the back, and then the strength of Jannik is totally different to the strength of Cags. He (Soyuncu) is quick and can cover the ground. Jannik’s qualities are different. It was going to be a challenge when we lost Cags, and with Jannik only back for one day, to go into a back four, which was already not what we would want, that was difficult for us. It’s a moment in the game, it’s 3-2, Liverpool are pushing, we’d fought them off heroically. We just didn’t quite have it at the end. The goal we conceded, we were in a great position. But unfortunately, Wilf, who was outstanding, he just mistimed his jump. Back four or back five, we were always going to be under pressure at 3-2 at Anfield, and we just couldn’t see it through.”
Q: Did you see the challenge on Ricardo? It seems like one you won’t have been happy with.
“It was a poor challenge. I thought the referee was poor all night, I’ve got to say. You know me, I never normally comment on the referees, but there were bookings that should have been shown in the first half. We had one where Madders was away and if he’s away he makes the pass and we’re through into the dangerous position that we were in throughout the first half. It’s Jordan who was clever and took a foul and should have taken a yellow card, and then in the second half he was given a yellow card. I thought the referee was poor all evening to be honest.”
Q: You set up with a 4-4-2 diamond. Was that to get Vardy and Daka’s pace up top?
“Yeah, it was exactly that. We had no wingers either, with Harvey out and with Ademola just back for his first day’s training, so it was finding the structure that fit the players we had available and that we felt could give Liverpool a problem. The two boys with Madders in behind, it worked really well for us. Liverpool were very good on the attack but if you can play through that pressure and it gives you space, with two quick strikers, we exploited that really well I felt.”
Q: Would you endorse going back to five substitutes given the strain on the players?
“Tonight it helped to be able to do that. If that was something we could do, it would definitely help the players, because they are the most important. You see the fatigue element that is setting in with players, especially teams that have been playing in Europe. And the likes of ourselves, we don’t have that luxury of having that really deep squad of players. We had to play lots of players out of position. If we could go to five subs, I would certainly advocate that.”
