Woeful Liverpool Dumped out of FA Cup by Reading
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Reds season all but over in January as all hopes of a trophy rest on the Europa League.
Liverpool crashed out of the FA Cup 3rd round replay at Anfield last night. They lost 2-1 after extra time against Reading, a team sitting in 21st place in the Championship table.
Going into the game, Rafa Benitez and his players knew the only two realistic chances of a trophy from a traumatic season so far were the FA Cup and the forthcoming Europa League. The manager had made this competition a big priority.
There was also positive news leading up to match when Liverpool completed a deal for Atletico Madrid winger Maxi Rodriguez on a free transfer. He was presented to the home fans on the pitch before kick-off and watched his new team mates for the cup tie. He could not have walked away impressed!
Liverpool started slowly and were very laboured in their attacks. Fernando Torres had to withdraw after half an hour through injury, replaced by David Ngog. The home side scored on the stroke of half time when Steven Gerrard crossed into the six yard box and Reading defender Ryan Bertrand deflected it into his own goal.
At the start of second half Gerrard did not come back out after picking up a recurrence of his hamstring injury. The best chance of the second half fell to Reading as winger Jobi McAnuff ran from just past the half way line and evaded challenges before placing the ball wide.
However, in injury time after the 90 minutes, Reading got an equaliser to take the game into extra-time. A desperate long ball broke kindly to Shane Long who was caught on the back of the leg by Yossi Benayoun in the box. Referee Phil Dowd awarded a penalty which was easily dispatched by Gylfi Sigurdsson from the spot.
Reading scored the winning goal in the 100th minute in extra time as Brynjar Gunnarsson nutmegged with neat skill and whipped in a great cross for Shane Long to divert into the Liverpool net. Reading, who defended efficiently throughout held on to pile more misery on Liverpool’s disastrous season and more pressure on Rafa Benitez.
Liverpool’s players were very poor and have to take a lot of the responsibility along with the manager. Not one of them performed anywhere near their level of what their loyal fans expect. The coming week will determine weather the fans and the club’s owners patience has expired with Benitez.
