Crystal Palace 3–0 Liverpool: League Cup Anger and Regret
Cup run cut short at Anfield
“We’ve been dumped out of the Carabao Cup… we’ve been demolished in this match today.” The verdict landed hard and fast from Lewsi Aspinall. As Crystal Palace “came to Anfield… and beat us again”, the Liverpool support were told without euphemism: “Rightfully so because we were woeful.” There were no softeners, no sugar-coating for a competition the speaker repeatedly called vital: “It’s a trophy… we’ve won it more times than anyone… it’s in our bone marrow.”
Amid the gloom, he separated players from plan. “I’m not putting this down to the players… there were a few good performances.” He named them: “Calvin Ramsey… was brilliant. Endo had a decent game at points. Gomez looked really good defensively.” Yet the glow was brief. “All it’s cost us is our run in the Carabao Cup… another piece of silverware that we could have brought back to Anfield.”
Team selection under fire
The night, in his eyes, pivoted on choices. “There are so many different things… that we’ve got completely wrong tonight — or more specifically Arne Slot got wrong tonight.” Selection framed the fury: “You’re playing Calvin Ramsey… you’re playing Morrison… I’m fine with rotation, but the big issue I’ve got is the bench.”
What was missing? “I don’t want any of the first-teamers on that bench… I would rather have them on the bench and not need them… than not have the option at all.” Even symbolism mattered: “At least make an account of saying, ‘Look, we’re taking this competition seriously like we did last year.’” Instead, the message felt like surrender: “We’ll scrap the Carabao Cup because we’ve got the Premier League… we’re doing absolutely awful in the Premier League at the moment.”
Patterns of play and a static edge
The analysis did not stop at names. It ran through rhythm and repetition. “Ball gets passed around the back line. All the attackers go stationary. No one’s trying to run in behind.” Possession proved sterile: “We kept possession… 59%… but we didn’t do anything with it.” The contrast with Palace was stark: “As soon as they ventured forwards… they just looked dangerous on every single attack.”
He pointed to rare sparks. “The only player who was trying to was Federico Kza… he was busting a lung out there today.” The frustration was systemic: “When plan A is not working, there is no plan B.” The consequence was inescapable: “That was as easy a game as they’re going to get… did we manage a shot on target? I don’t think we did.”
Stakes rising after Palace
The League Cup exit, he argued, deepens the strain. “Saturday is monumental for us… it cannot be overstated how important that result is. We have to win.” The run of form frames the anxiety: “We’ve lost five of six… on course to be six of seven… now it is.”
He returned to respect for the competition itself. “It’s a tournament which we have a rich history in… the League Cup is our competition.” That’s why the choice jarred: “This was not the game to gamble… fans have travelled a long distance… to see an under-21s team get beat by Crystal Palace with minimal fight.”
And the essence of the complaint? It never wavered: “Morale is low… we needed to get confidence back… we had to win tonight.”
