To be honest, ascribing individual fault to players today is like poking around in a dog turd with a pen.
Usual weaknesses we're all aware of on display, but along with that there were too many players coming back from injury and new to the club all thrown in there together with little shape or cohesion as a result, while the formation was also changed from the last game when we looked at our most convincing so far this season. It left us too much to do and from the first minute we were chasing a bus up a steep hill.
The pieces were assembled poorly, almost randomly, such that we never gave ourselves the best chance of taking something from the game because we rarely carried a goal threat or looked like getting in behind Villa today at all, while our defensive frailties were largely no more or less than their usual self. Bizarrely, despite their last two performances at ours, we in addition once again set up in a way which gave their midfield the freedom of Anfield in the first-half. As Stringvest said we played to our weaknesses, and the lone striker should probably only be used if necessity forces it until some of these new lads are established enough to carry a real goal threat from the various midfield/wide positions, as we're like a dog with a muzzle on when we use it at present.
Big Rodgers fan, but that one was on him first and foremost today, in my opinion. Bad day at the office, reminded me of the Southampton loss last season in that it just fizzled out and felt like a real waste of a defeat to have on our record. As much self-inflicted through poor performances from the manager and then players, in that order, as it was due to our opponents doing a neat and tidy, no-frills number on us.