Liverpool went out of the FA Cup on Tuesday night, after being defeated 2-1 at West Ham in the fourth replay. In truth the Reds were not terrible, so the winning goal in stoppage-time of extra-time by Angelo Ogbonna was a kick in the teeth for the team from Merseyside.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has blamed some ‘funny decisions’ from the officials for the defeat, but he must have to take a portion of the blame, because of the team he fielded in both games. Klopp decided to field a number of youngsters in both games.
The first game was understandable due to the fact that the Reds were injury hit at the time, but the Reds had a number of first team players return to training prior to the game. Yet Klopp decided to go with youngsters.
Maybe the former Dortmund boss remembered that the Hammers had won the two Premier League games against the Reds earlier this season, so thought the youngsters may have fared better than their senior colleagues against Slaven Bilic’s side.
Klopp has been credited with nurturing a number of youngster’s development at former-clubs Mainz and Dortmund. The German boss will give youngsters a chance in the first team, if he feels they are good enough.
He has done just that in the two recent FA Cup games against West Ham and in truth they have not let their boss down. However, the decision to field the team that Klopp selected was a ‘funny decision’ rather than any made by the match officials.
Liverpool may not have fared any better with their first choice line-up playing, but Klopp’s decision not to play some of his senior players must be questioned.