Rafa Benitez insisted he will not change his defensive system – despite conceding three more goals from set plays last night.
All five of the goals shipped by the Reds this season have come from set pieces – including a free-kick, a corner and a penalty in last night’s home defeat by Aston Villa.
But the Reds boss insisted he does not need any more height in his back four, nor does he need to change his much debated system of zonal marking.
“We are a team that tries to play football and we have players with quality,” he rapped.
“If you have too many big lads it can become difficult. We try to play it on the ground, try to move the ball – and we had a lot of chances trying to play it this way.
“Eighty-six points (last season’s final Premier League total) prove that it is a good system. To concede only 10 goals last season from set pieces also proves it is a good system.
“Obviously we can always improve and we will try to improve.”
But the Reds boss did condemn his players for making “too many mistakes.”
It was Villa’s first win of the season, and ended Liverpool’s 31-match unbeaten league run dating back to December 2007.
Benitez said: “In the first 20 minutes we created plenty of chances and played well. Then we conceded the own goal and started to make more mistakes.
“We have lost and we know we have to improve. I felt we had a chance when Fernando Torres scored, but the penalty finished it. It was a clear penalty.
“We now know that we have to go to Bolton on Saturday and win. Everything could change if we do that, our confidence will improve.”
Benitez added: “We were not playing well, and we were up against a team who are excellent on the counter-attack.
“Their keeper (Brad Friedel) made some great saves, but when that happens we just have to make more chances.
“This squad is virtually the same as last season, so I believe it is good enough to mount a title challenge. But we must do more, we must win at Bolton.
“We will have to sit down and analyse every player now, and make sure we do the right things in our next match. But our senior players must take more responsibility.”
Villa boss Martin O’Neill said: “That was a terrific effort from my team. At 2-0 we were in reasonable command of the game, although you are never in command at Anfield.
“But when they scored we got a penalty straightaway, a clean penalty, and we were back with our two goal lead.
“That gave us confidence, discipline and shape to our team and we deserved to win.
“Brad Friedel was outstanding. He rolled back the years. He was fantastic against his old club to perform like that at Anfield.
“He will be delighted with himself, and rightly so, and we are delighted with him.”
“It was a fantastic performance from the whole side and we fully deserved the victory.”
Former Reds keeper Friedel admitted the 3-1 win tasted particularly sweet after they were hammered 5-0 at Anfield last season.
“It was the right time for us,” he said. “We’d been getting a few bullets in the press lately and didn’t have a good start. But to come here and win, no matter how we did it, was fantastic.
“It’s not revenge but it’s pleasing to put in a performance because last year we just didn’t turn up.”
All five of the goals shipped by the Reds this season have come from set pieces – including a free-kick, a corner and a penalty in last night’s home defeat by Aston Villa.
But the Reds boss insisted he does not need any more height in his back four, nor does he need to change his much debated system of zonal marking.
“We are a team that tries to play football and we have players with quality,” he rapped.
“If you have too many big lads it can become difficult. We try to play it on the ground, try to move the ball – and we had a lot of chances trying to play it this way.
“Eighty-six points (last season’s final Premier League total) prove that it is a good system. To concede only 10 goals last season from set pieces also proves it is a good system.
“Obviously we can always improve and we will try to improve.”
But the Reds boss did condemn his players for making “too many mistakes.”
It was Villa’s first win of the season, and ended Liverpool’s 31-match unbeaten league run dating back to December 2007.
Benitez said: “In the first 20 minutes we created plenty of chances and played well. Then we conceded the own goal and started to make more mistakes.
“We have lost and we know we have to improve. I felt we had a chance when Fernando Torres scored, but the penalty finished it. It was a clear penalty.
“We now know that we have to go to Bolton on Saturday and win. Everything could change if we do that, our confidence will improve.”
Benitez added: “We were not playing well, and we were up against a team who are excellent on the counter-attack.
“Their keeper (Brad Friedel) made some great saves, but when that happens we just have to make more chances.
“This squad is virtually the same as last season, so I believe it is good enough to mount a title challenge. But we must do more, we must win at Bolton.
“We will have to sit down and analyse every player now, and make sure we do the right things in our next match. But our senior players must take more responsibility.”
Villa boss Martin O’Neill said: “That was a terrific effort from my team. At 2-0 we were in reasonable command of the game, although you are never in command at Anfield.
“But when they scored we got a penalty straightaway, a clean penalty, and we were back with our two goal lead.
“That gave us confidence, discipline and shape to our team and we deserved to win.
“Brad Friedel was outstanding. He rolled back the years. He was fantastic against his old club to perform like that at Anfield.
“He will be delighted with himself, and rightly so, and we are delighted with him.”
“It was a fantastic performance from the whole side and we fully deserved the victory.”
Former Reds keeper Friedel admitted the 3-1 win tasted particularly sweet after they were hammered 5-0 at Anfield last season.
“It was the right time for us,” he said. “We’d been getting a few bullets in the press lately and didn’t have a good start. But to come here and win, no matter how we did it, was fantastic.
“It’s not revenge but it’s pleasing to put in a performance because last year we just didn’t turn up.”
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