Liverpool again showed their schizophrenic side at Bramall Lane on Wednesday night. After being totally in control, United were let back into the game and the Reds were overrun so much in the second half they should consider themselves lucky the deficit is just one goal. But once more Houllier refused to acknowledge where we went wrong, turning instead to his very thick excuses file to pull out another gem.
This was our first visit to Bramall Lane since 1993-4 and although the ground looks nice, it is very much a cosmetic job. The concourses are easily congested, grey and dirty and the seats in the upper tier of the stand wooden like in Liverpool's Main Stand.
They like to think they are a big club but aren't, as the average crowds of 16,000 despite pushing for promotion show. If further proof were needed, it is that they are cashing in on this cup run as much as
possible, charging £4 for a programme.
Amazingly, Houllier started the game with the same line up that began at Maine Road. I believe this is the first time in two seasons that he has not rotated at least one player. It was a huge boost for Neil Mellor to be trusted with a starting place in such an important game, whilst Michael Owen was on the bench.
However, their was no place in the 16 for Milan Baros, who now seems to be paying a heavy price for his missed sitter and poor defending of a free kick at Newcastle.
Liverpool won the toss and opted to kick towards their own fans in the first half, an unusual move. The Reds end wasn't full with a few hundred seats unoccupied. But considering anyone who didn't go to Villa in the last round wasn't allowed to buy a ticket till Monday perhaps that's not surprising.
There is also the fact that many Reds are still too upset to return to Sheffield or have no wish to risk their lives at any event managed by South Yorkshire Police.
Liverpool started the game brightly, with Diouf and Mellor both forcing Kenny in the United goal to save in the first six minutes. Mellor then missed a great chance in the twelfth minute when he shot wide form inside the six yard box after being set up by Diouf.
The game really was there for the taking in the first half hour with Hyypia heading narrowly over the bar and Diouf having a goal ruled out for offside. At the other end, United were reduced to long range
efforts that were easily cleared or went way off target.
In the 34th minute the pressure paid off. Danny Murphy's free kick was flicked on by Hyypia and Mellor stooped low to head home from a tight angle. The goal brought about bedlam amongst the away fans who sensed it was the first of many for a future Liverpool star. Mellor himself ran off in an attempt at a crazy celebration but was soon engulfed by all the other players.
In the second half, as so often before, Liverpool sat back and invited United to attack. Stuart McCall, who'd been around a while when he scored against us in the 1989 FA Cup Final was the first to come close, firing an effort just wide.
The Reds defence did initially soak up the pressure quite well but it was frustrating that we weren't taking the game by the scruff of the neck as we did in the first half. Diao went close and Diouf had another goal ruled out for offside but these were from counter attacking moves rather than sustained bouts of pressure.
Houllier's motives had been made clear in the 57th minute when Heskey came on for Smicer to play on the left, with the emphasis being clearly
on defence.
There was a welcome substitution in the 70th minute when Michael Owen came on, but it meant that Mellor was again taken off, meaning he hasn't yet completed a full 90 minutes for the club. Later on Houllier would say it was encouraging that Mellor got his first goal for the club, but even more so that Owen and Heskey are back. Few would disagree about Owen, but Heskey!
It looks like its back to the Deva for Mellor. In the final quarter of the game United began to attack more relentlessly with Wayne Allison missing two golden opportunities. First Kirkland saved with his
legs from point blank range and then he lobbed over the bar from about six yards, with the Reds keeper again doing well to narrow the angle.
There was one contentious moment when Brown went in feet first in a one on one with Kirkland, which left our keeper down injured for a few minutes. Their player was lucky to get away with a yellow card.
With fourteen minutes left, Liverpool's defence finally caved in when Michael Tonge was given space to fire in from just inside the corner of the box. The goal led to music over the loudspeakers on a par with Middlesbrough and a ridiculous dance routine that all the fans joined in. There was also the inevitable pitch invasion by a couple of them.
Liverpool still went for the win though, with the unlikely name of Traore being closest to getting on the scoresheet when he drove a shot wide across the goal.
Then our world collapsed five minutes later after the defence failed to clear a corner and Tonge drove home from the edge of the box. There was just about time for Murphy to have a shot well saved and United to go close with a shot just wide, before the referee blew for full time.
Once again the Reds succumbed to late goals. This has become a cancer this season and something has to be done over the fitness levels and way we approach games. United's side contained Wayne Allison who is 34 and Stuart McCall who is 38, but they overran us at the end.
It has become quite apparent too that the impregnable defence of two years ago is no longer watertight. We can no longer sit on a lead, but don't utilise the attacking qualities we have to kill games off.
Afterwards Houllier was very downbeat, but embarrassed himself by claiming that United were a dirty side. Admittedly they were physical and Brown should have been sent off for his challenge on Kirkland, but they were hardly kicking lumps out of us all game. The yellow card count was actually 4-3 in Liverpool's favour.
It's another pathetic attempt by Houllier to divert from the real
problems we are facing and in an interview on the official site this morning (Thursday) he blamed the pitch. I love Houllier for all he has done for the club and still believe he is the best man for the job, but he has to remove those blinkers fast.
Last time we won the Worthington Cup we were in a similar situation at this stage. The difference between now and then is that Palace were fighting relegation and United are going for promotion. We were also full of confidence then, but I can't see where we are going to find three goals from for the second leg, as it's inevitable we will let one in. At least Rick Parry is happy though, it'll be a guaranteed sell out in two weeks time!
