Brendan Rodgers spoke proudly of how his Liverpool team did everything they could to overcome Chelsea on Tuesday evening and were unlucky in their pursuit of League Cup glory.
Liverpool lost the game to an extra time Branislav Ivanovic header, which came over an hour after Phillipe Coutinho and Alberto Moreno had missed good chances to give the Reds the lead. Needing a goal to take it to penalties, Liverpool came just short with Jordan Henderson's header flashing wide late on. Despite this, the Ulsterman said that he believed Liverpool outplayed the league leaders over two legs and that Thibaut Courtois was the difference between the two sides.
"I think we were the better side over the two games, but ultimately you've got to get to the final," said Rodgers after the game ended.
"I think the goalkeeper [Courtois] for them has won them the tie. He was outstanding. There weren't going to be many chances in the game for either side but certainly in the first half we did enough to get a couple of goals.
"But their 'keeper made some very good saves and ultimately, I think, has won them the tie. I sit here with pride, there's dissapointment we haven't got through but Chelsea arrived at the top of their game when they came to Anfield last week and we were outstanding and should have won the game.
"Tonight we were very, very good again. The learning for us is to make the next step. You saw many young players out there working, and now we've got to ake the next step and now go on and win a trophy."
The two trophies remaining for Liverpool this season are the Europa League and the FA Cup, with the Reds facing a replay against Bolton in the latter next Wednesday. Rodgers had nothing but praise for his youngsters, saying that Liverpool were hurting but couldn't have done any more.
"These types of experiences help the youngsters progress. We wanted to do everything, and I think we did do everything that we possibly could to get to the final. We just failed to be clinical.
"Of course it hurts, because you put so much into it. You saw at the end, they [the players] were dead on their feet in extra-time. We did everything in the game; we played 3-4-3 and flipped the team around in extra-time to play with a diamond three to try and create more pressure.
"For us to be successful, at times it's got to hurt as well. In this competition in particular, we've startedto get our flow in our football back again. And, very importantly for us, how we press the game, and I thought we gave Chelsea a lot of problems. But it wasn't to be."
Liverpool return to action at home to West Ham United in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday, with striker Daniel Sturridge set to return to action.