Silver lining hides reality

Liverpool’s six-year wait for a trophy is over, and their laboured victory over Cardiff City summed up where they are at as a team.

They have a big problem in that their centre forward lacks the most basic instincts of a striker. Andy Carroll could have scored in the second half had he remembered he was actually out there playing in the game, but instead he stood at the edge of the box and gaped as Luis Suarez got the better of his marker and delivered a hopeful ball into the goalmouth.

This reaction will be familiar to Carroll-watchers who noticed how he froze and watched Brighton’s Lewis Dunk slowly juggle the ball into his own net in front of the Kop a couple of weeks ago.