Liverpool Echo: Dalglish: Reds must learn to win ugly

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

Kenny Dalglish will ask his disappointed Liverpool FC players to get ugly in a bid to turn possession into points between now and the end of the season.

Liverpool dominated a remarkable Anfield afternoon, yet saw Arsenal stretch the distance between the Reds and fourth place to 10 points.

And after seeing his side squander a succession of chances - including yet another penalty - Dalglish declared: "The performance was outstanding, the result is the disappointing thing.

"I think maybe that might be the next education for us - to be ugly and win.

"I think we're competitive alright. The stats you've mentioned there (21 efforts against the woodwork this season and six missed penalties) tells you we're pretty attack minded, we can go forward, we can create chances, we can get penalties - maybe now the next bit is to be ugly and get a winning goal."

Liverpool were streets ahead of Arsenal in terms of performance, but finished on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline after two pieces of inspirational finishing from Robin van Persie, his 24th and 25th Premier League goals of the season.

"If you want to gauge the performance on points, then you'd be disappointed. If you want to gauge it on performance I think they were fantastic," added Dalglish.

"There's always some scepticism about the reaction to having won a trophy the week before, but I think they showed you how they reacted and responded.

"They were fantastic and I think that's the best way to answer any doubts about that. But as I say, to come away without three points is disappointing.

"We're disappointed because of the unbelievable performance we put in.

"Even van Persie getting two, we could have allowed them two - the amount of play we had and the opportunities we had - and still have won. But we never."

Steven Gerrard missed the match as a result of the tight hamstring sustained on England duty, while Glen Johnson also missed out, but Dalglish explained that neither problems were giving him cause for concern.

"Steven won't be long," he said. "Glen Johnson was out as a precaution and Daniel Agger's out with his rib. I think Daniel will be the one who's out longest of the three lads.

"The result is the only disappointing thing there. The reaction to the victory they had last week, the performance, I think they were outstanding.

"I think if we can get a wee bit of luck, and everyone needs a bit of luck, then it could be so much different.

"I don't think they were trying to hide behind anything, because they don't have to. That level of performance was outstanding."

Source: Liverpool Echo

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.