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.
