article_snippet.sent: Early in the build-up to Aston Villa’s winning goal on Sunday, Steven Gerrard's challenged for successive headers in the centre circle and lost both.
article_snippet.sent: That doesn’t mean Steven Gerrard's was at fault for what happened in the subsequent 20 seconds but it was illustrative nevertheless of a long, sapping afternoon for Liverpool and their fading captain.
article_snippet.sent: ’s efforts fitted not the occasion but instead a Liverpool team showing that was low on energy, wit or strategy.
article_snippet.sent: Without a trophy for the third season running and unlikely to qualify for the Champions League, this is a campaign that must now be labelled a failure.
article_snippet.sent: The Irishman can be a clever coach but on Sunday The Irishman didn’t appear so.
article_snippet.sent: The Irishman looked a little muddled, unable to turn a game that only ever looked as though it may go
article_snippet.sent: but equally It is a system that rarely appears to suit Liverpool.
article_snippet.sent: It’ s a problem that has shown It before in key games – namely against Chelsea at the end of last season and at home to Manchester United last month.
article_snippet.sent: That can happen and us’ve come up short in a few games.
article_snippet.sent: Belatedly there was some pressure but Liverpool lacked conviction.
article_snippet.sent: There was no cavalry charge and Gerrard’s late free-kick – his one chance to make an impression – was as limp as it was by then rather predictable.