How Oldham took down Liverpool in the FA cup

As most of you know there were shocks a plenty in the FA cup 4th round this past weekend with Aston Villa, QPR, Tottenham and Liverpool all going out to lower league opposition, perhaps the biggest shock was Premier league Norwich losing to Non League Luton.

Liverpool played in the last tie of the weekend at League one Oldham Athletic who they beat 5-1 last year in the competition on their run to the final. This time around though things were a lot different and the Premier league team didn't get it all their own way.

They went down to a battling Oldham side who from the outset put their physical presence about and made it clear to the Liverpool team that they were in for a rough day. Eventually they ran out 3-2 winners and were rewarded with a 5th round home tie against more Premier league Merseyside opposition in Everton.

The win was nothing more than Oldham deserved as they took their chances well and throughout the game just looked like they wanted it more. One shortcoming in particular that Liverpool had was the balance of the team and Brendan Rodgers tactics and that's what I want to focus on in this article.

I think Rodgers got it all wrong yesterday and it really cost Liverpool, he dramtically underestimated Oldham and I don't think he gave them enough respect, he set the Reds up to walk all over them up front and blow them away which left the team light in midfield which in turn exposed the back four in particular Coates and Robinson.

Having Sterling, Borini, Suarez and Sturridg on the pitch all at the same time although it may have looked good and exciting on paper it was actually a huge mistake. I think one of Sterling or Borini should of started on the bench to allow either Shelvey or Lucas to start in the midfield and sure it up. The main problem was that every time a Liverpool move broke down Oldham were managing to completely by pass Allen and Henderson who were often bystanders and this created space in between the Liverpool midfield and defence allowing Oldham strikers Simpson and Smith to worry the centre backs.

Frankly the decision to go with an extra attacker over the much more solide midfield option was what cost Liverpool the game as they were just not prepared for the physicality that Oldham subjected them to. The League one side played with a much higher tempo and harried and hassled any Liverpool possession and by putting themselves about like that they managed to create chances. Take nothing away from Oldham they finished their chances brilliantly when they came but it's simply not good enough for a Premiership side to be conceding goals in the fashion Liverpool did especially the second which Brad Jones fumbled horribly.

Although the loss can not be completely blamed on Rodgers tactics as some Liverpool players just didn't look up to the task especially Coates who looked way out of his depth. I think this game could of been a much simpler task had Rodgers opted for Carragher to partner Skrtel and if he had kept an extra midfielder in the side.

When it came to it at 3-1 down Liverpool just never looked likely to trouble Oldham that significantly to overturn the two goal deficit with far too many players under performing whilst Oldham put their bodies on the line for everything. Their defence in particular played spectacularly well along with striker Matt Smith who scored twice and was a danger all game for the Liverpool defence.

What's done is done though and it could be a replay at Anfield had Gerrard's strike been an inch lower rather than pinging the bar but those are the margins between victory and avoiding defeat. Oldham thoroughly deserved there win and Liverpool fans can only say good luck to the league one side as they take on Merseyside rivals Everton in the next round of the cup.