Brendan Rodgers lamented Liverpool’s “poor” defending after the Reds crashed to a 1-0 Champions League defeat against Basel, to fall behind the Swiss side in their group standings.
Liverpool manager Rodgers felt his side played well enough to get something from the game but let themselves down by failing to deal with Basel’s set pieces.
“We defended very, very poorly on the corner and it’s not the first time so it’s very, very disappointing we couldn’t get something from the game and the game was decided by a poor defensive corner,” he told Sky Sports.
“I think it (set-piece defending) is something we continue to talk about and look at and analyse but you have to do it on the field and the key to defending is your first contact with the ball and we continually don’t do that enough.”
Mario Balotelli often cut an isolated figure up front in the sole striker role but despite failing to find the net for the fourth game running, Rodgers thought the £16 million summer signing played well.
“He worked hard, (but) needs to do more,” Rodgers said of the Italy striker. “He will be judged on what he creates and what he scores and he didn’t score. The boy is trying, he is working hard.”