Boss: Defensive lapses cost us

Last updated : 09 November 2008 By Wba-mad Editor

Albion boss Tony Mowbray claims he was pleased with his team yesterday after making a good account of themselves at Anfield; but was left disappointed at the 3-0 scoreline. The Baggies were again punished for 'sloppy' spells of defending in the first-half where 30-minutes of good work were undone by goals from Robbie Keane in the 34th and 43th minute all but ended the tie.

The Baggies rallied in the second period and were unlucky to finish on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline when Reds defender, Alvaro Arbeloa's, secured all three points for the Premiership leaders in the third minute of injury time.

Despite picking up only one point from the last four premiership games, Mowbray set out his side to try and attack the Reds at fortress Anfield and was pleased with his team's performance.

"We came to try and be positive and ask some questions of Liverpool," the Baggies boss said after the game.

"You can come away to these top-four teams, set up defensively and never get out of your half.

"With the players we've got, the best way is to come and have a go and play our own game rather than ask attack-minded players to defend all game.

"We were a bit sloppy for ten minutes in the first-half, got a bit deep and paid the price.

"But for long spells I thought we were okay and gave a good account of ourselves.

Mowbray continued: "I'm sure the experience of coming to these places will help the team.

"We had to come here and be positive and I think, if we stay in the division this year, we'll come back next year even stronger with better players and be positive like that to try and win these matches.

"It's good to come here and keep the ball off Liverpool at times and try to get into attacking areas to have a go.

"I think in the first hour at Old Trafford we were very good and there were times when Manchester United struggled to get the ball off us.

"We didn't threaten United's goal as much as we did here.

"If Borja Valero had made a decent contact when he got slid through, it might have been interesting to go one up.

"But it's hard to break these sides down because they've got world class players all over the pitch."