The Liverpool Verdict

Martin O'Neill has admitted he is disappointed with todays result and has admitted confidence is low after the thumping.

Speaking on the official site after the rout by Liverpool, O'Neill said his biggest task now would be attempting to keep the players heads up.

A cynic would say, picking a left back at left back, and right back at right back. But I'm not a cynic so I won't. Cough.

'We were poor and there's no getting away from it, Liverpool are playing very well at the moment. They are a very fine side.

'I don't think they would have needed any help from us but we certainly helped them.

'We certainly contributed to our own downfall with some of the goals that we conceded in the game. But we are better than what we have shown.

'We are in a lull at the moment. The players are a bit down in terms of confidence and that can go from game to game or minute to minute.

'It's up to us to try and come out of this and the only way to do that is by winning a game.'

Helped them how exactly, a formation that has proven time and time again to not play to our strengths; by giving the waiter the opportunity to thoroughly exploit NRC who is not, never has been, and never will be a right back; after the ridiculous sending off of Friedel making the change that then means Milly is a right back?

At what point were we going to win this game when Brad got his marching orders? Why take off one of the back four? Surely a striker makes more sense, afterall regardless of how much NRC is not a right back, at least he has a little bit of experience there, why the hell take him off and move Milly back????

I give up.

Liverpool are in a fine vain of form at the moment but.....oh sod it.

For all the faults that have been pointed out at length when it comes to tactics, subs, and formations, there were plenty of schoolboy errors from the squad, even Brad Friedel has called our defending 'criminal' tonight, and he's not far wrong.

We all knew we should've gone 451/433, this was how we won games. It plays to our strengths, we pack midfield, and we were able to either counter attack out of trouble or battle out of trouble because the defence wasn't so exposed.

442 just doesn't work for us, and whilst no doubt we most likely given Liverpools form have lost today. 5-0 is a joke, it's embarrassing and it's an insult to the fans who turned up and continued singing for the entire match today.

I could go on, but quite frankly I can't be bothered. We shouldn't expect anything from the next match either, and then of course we've got Everton.

If we don't finish 4th this season, whilst we can still see the improvements and even a 5th/6th place finish would still be a success, consolidation and a growth to the club overall, if we don't get 4th then we'll have thrown a great chance away by sticking with tactics that don't work, and continuing to play players who need a break and are out form. We knew our luck, and flukey 1-0 wins wouldn't last forever, yet nothing was done about it.

And as we threw the UEFA Cup to prioritise the league, I do not expect the club to hype the UEFA Cup next season, or the Europa or whatever it's latest ridiculous rebrand is, because that would be an insult of the highest proportions.

If that is our success from this season, O'Neill BETTER take it seriously next time round.

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