Brendan Rodgers says Liverpool are still a young squad that need to adapt
The back to back defeats endured against Manchester United and at Arsenal on Saturday have checked Liverpool’s momentum in the chase for a Champions League spot and raised questions as to whether they possess the attitude and mindset to thrive when they pressure is on.
The FA Cup quarter-final replay at Blackburn on Wednesday now looms large as a reference point in the club’s campaign, but Rodgers does not believe a lack of bottle is behind his side’s regression in the chase for a top four spot.
“We have a lot of young players still adapting and learning unfortunately,” said the Liverpool manager.
“It’s not a mental barrier. It’s something we need to keep working as a team. It’s a very difficult challenge when you look at the four above us.
“After the game I gave an answer that was logical but it is not a mindset or an attitude. It was purely mathematics.
Brendan Rodgers: Liverpool unlikely to finish in top four
Winning a trophy would be a step forward for us. It is something we want to do as a group
Brendan Rodgers
“We would have to win our seven games. We want to win every game we play in, that’s always the objective. And now we want the second semi final of the season.
“Winning a trophy would be a step forward for us. It is something we want to do as a group.
“Blackburn have some excellent players but we will go there after the weekend disappointment determined to get a result.
“It’s important to have that game quickly after losing. The group is committed to winning this trophy but Blackburn will be tough for us.”
Liverpool played backwards [AMBIENT]
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Rodgers, meanwhile, has played down he held a crisis meeting with his players following back-to-back defeats. He said the Liverpool squad assembles after all fixtures, win or lose, to assess performances. In addition, Steven Gerrard and Mamadou Sakho were absent.
“We have lots of meetings in term of analysing things. It was no different to a host of meetings,” said Rodgers.
“Those are the same meetings which allowed us to recover from bad start. So the last meeting was nothing – just analysing the performance and where we’re at and what the objectives are - there are seven games to go and an FA Cup quarter-final. It is just unfortunate something else was made of it.
“I have a great bunch of players who work tirelessly and give me everything. We might be short in certain elements but in terms of commitment and work ethic, that’s been pretty clear since I have been here.”
