Brendan Rodgers: "Liverpool lacking quality and leadership"

Liverpool FC manager Brendan Rodgers believes his young side are lacking both quality and leadership.

The Reds' latest setback was a 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace, which marred Steven Gerrard's Anfield farewell and definitively ended their chances of a top-four finish this season.

But it was only the latest in a series of disappointments which have heaped pressure on the Liverpool boss.

Having been knocked out of the FA Cup at the hands of Aston Villa before further slip-ups against the likes of lowly Hull City - the Northern Irishman is under fire from sections of Liverpool supporters.

A banner was even flown over Anfield during the Reds' win over Queens Park Rangers a few weeks ago, as the club prepare to wave goodbye to another influential figure in the dressing room under Rodgers.

Gerrard follows in the footsteps of Luis Suarez, Jamie Carragher and even Pepe Reina to leave - and Rodgers knows they will need to unearth leadership qualities from their current players or look to bring in some experienced new signings.

"That’s what we have to find – the answers to that," said Rodgers.

"You have to find the solutions. It is an incredible lot of experience, game management and quality gone out of the team but it is something we will find I am sure.

"Stevie has a huge influence in the changing room and a star quality. Of course it is something that will be missed, but if you want to be the big player at a club like this you have to step up and make the contribution in the big games.

"That is the idea next season. I am sure that will be the case.

"We have players with good character and if we can throw in some quality with that it is important.

"We need threat at the top end of the field because too many have disappeared for us, you only need to look at the number of goals.

"We have to find ways to get those goals back, the creativity and offensive threat while staying disciplined in our defending."

The success of the 2013-14 season seems some way away and Roders insists he can sympathise with those Liverpool supporters wondering how things have turned for the worse in just 12 months. 

"Listen, I can understand the supporters’ frustration this season when you think of the journey we were on last year," said Rodgers, who almost ended Liverpool's hunt for their first title in over two decades last season. 

"The quality of the football and the game they were watching has not been there this season.

"As a supporter you want to turn up and see the team win and win well and at times that has not been the case.

"It is a big challenge for us so from a manager’s perspective there is a sense of reality in what we lost but rightly so the supporters want to see the team improving.

"That’s our job in the summer to replace and find the players who will make the difference."

Reflecting on his side's poor performance, Rodgers insisted that his side were not carried away with the meaning of the day - with the topic of Gerrard's final game on Merseyside dominating the build-up throughout mid-week.

Instead, the Northern Irishman blamed the Reds' poor defending - as the Reds conceded three goals in a single game for the sixth time this season.

"I did not feel it was the sense of occasion," he continued. "I thought the first half we started reasonably well and then got the goal but we defended very poorly at certain moments of the game.

"Whether that is experience or not we have to be better in those moments.

"In the second half we gave away poor goals and looked edgy at the back. We did not look solid or strong.

"Of course it was a commemoration for Stevie but first and foremost we wanted to win the game and we’re disappointed we didn’t."

Rodgers was asked whether anyone could take up the number eight shirt at Anfield, with Gerrard's achievements whilst wearing the jersey ranking him as one of the club's best ever players.

"There are lot of those (famous shirts) here," he said. "It’s like the number seven, the number nine. We’ve had iconic players throughout the history of the club.

"He has worn it for many years with great esteem but we have to plot away to improve collectively next season."