Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has apologised to fans for the club’s Carling Cup penalty shootout defeat to Northampton, admitting he and the players had to accept responsibility for the defeat.
Hodgson fielded an understrength side against the League Two side but still included first-team regulars like Daniel Agger, David Ngog, Ryan Babel and Lucas Leiva.
“I don’t think we came anywhere near what I hoped to see apart from in the last 15 minutes of extra-time when we made a superb effort after going 2-1 down,” he said.
“When it goes to penalties and you are at home and in front of the Kop your hope is that at least the players will have the composure and confidence to win the penalty shoot-out but we didn’t. All I can do is congratulate Northampton and apologise to everyone; the fans came expecting to see us win and I expected us to win but it wasn’t to be.
“These players have to accept responsibility. I accept responsibility for changing a lot of players in the team, I did it because I honestly thought the players I put on the field were good enough to win the game and they weren’t. The obvious conclusion to that was I shouldn’t have changed that many players but we should have been strong enough to get a result.
“We must all take our responsibility. I am just bitterly disappointed that the team I had so much faith in did not repay that faith this evening with the exception of one or two performances.”
Under Hodgson Liverpool have endured a disappointing start to the domestic campaign, his side having registered just one victory in five Premier League games and are 16th in the Premier League table.
“We wanted to do well in the Carling Cup and we haven’t done,” Hodgson said. “We were given a kind draw against a team three leagues below us, were expected to win and when you don’t you can expect to be criticised from the top downwards.
“It is a major setback for the club. The Carling Cup is a competition we are capable of doing well in and we were playing lower league opponents. Whatever happens, if it doesn’t result in a victory it is a very negative thing and a setback for the club, one of many we are facing at the moment.”
