Anfield angst growing

Having branded his old club a “laughing stock” in midweek, Saturday can’t have been a comfortable experience for John Aldridge — but neither will it have made him reconsider his opinion of Liverpool.

The former Ireland international became the first former player to break ranks and give an honest assessment of how dreadful this current Liverpool side is and while he should be praised for his honesty, he is only stating the very obvious.

In his own meandering way, Kenny Dalglish hinted at a conspiracy against Liverpool after refereeing decisions cost Liverpool one, and maybe even two, penalties.

The hosts also hit the woodwork three times — it’s now 35 occasions this season, and Shay Given played well but the excuses miss the point.

Liverpool were facing a team whose only victories in 2012 were against Bristol Rovers, Wolves and Fulham and a little poor luck was enough to stop them winning.

There were similar arguments after the defeat by Wigan and the draws against Norwich, Swansea, Blackburn and Stoke and they were just as irrelevant.

A team with Champions League aspirations should be able to face an organised team with an in-form goalkeeper and find a way through and the pattern of frustrating home performances has simply gone on too long to be anything other than Liverpool’s reality.

That Given joined the likes of John Ruddy and Joe Hart in having a decent day in front of the Kop does not explain why Liverpool are as close to the relegation zone (15 points) as they are to fourth place.

It said plenty that Daniel Agger, who had been absent since the Carling Cup final win with a rib problem, came off the bench to replace the dreadful Jose Enrique in the closing stages and was arguably his team’s best performer.

The issue is clouded by the ‘King Kenny’ factor and continuing cup success, with an FA Cup semi-final against Everton to look forward to at the weekend, having already ended a six-year trophy drought with a Carling Cup win. Fans can debate whether it is enough but, like it or not, this is a club that is sliding away from being a genuine competitor and few who watch this team on a regular basis would put money on this squad, under Dalglish, finishing in the top four next year.

As always, the front six were Liverpool’s problem. Jonjo Shelvey and Henderson did not give the home team any platform, meaning Steven Gerrard, playing off Luis Suarez, was starved of ball while Dirk Kuyt and, in particular, Stewart Downing were ineffective on the flanks.

After Chris Herd clipped in a neat finish, from a Barry Bannan pull-back after Alexander Doni flapped at Stephen Warnock’s cross, to put Villa ahead after nine minutes, it took Liverpool until almost until the interval to generate real pressure.

Suarez had a penalty shout after being clipped by Alan Hutton and Kuyt blazed over from two yards. After the restart Suarez headed onto the post before Given slapped the ball away.

Suarez eventually pulled Liverpool level after Agger headed a Gerrard cross onto the bar but despite spending what felt like an age camped in the Villa half, they could only manage the one goal.

“We aren’t playing well. We just aren’t working in the right way. We are trying and doing all we can but hopefully it can turn soon,” Agger said.

“It’s difficult to talk about what you deserve in football. We didn’t score a winner. Maybe that’s because we aren’t good enough or we didn’t get the right chances.”

For how much longer?