“Another uninspired performance”- Liverpool fan reaction to 4-1 FA Cup victory

Liverpool’s FA Cup Victory Over Barnsley: More Grit Than Glamour

Liverpool’s win over Barnsley in the FA Cup may have lacked fireworks, but it opened a window into the current mood around the club. On the Anfield Index podcast Post-match RAW, Guy Drinkel and Trev Downey dissected the game in their characteristically candid style.

“It was the same as we’ve been doing, with another uninspired performance with moments of brilliance from our best players,” Downey said, capturing the mood of a performance that was more functional than fluent. Despite the win, Liverpool’s display failed to impress large sections of the fanbase, or the podcast duo.

Barnsley Threats and Broadcast Bias

Much of the frustration stemmed not just from Liverpool’s patchy play, but also from the television coverage. “I experienced it through the bizarre filter of Fletcher and McCoist,” Downey said, describing a surreal commentary experience. “It’s been an unending roller coaster of them getting marvellously excited. Anytime these boys crossed the halfway line… they’re still chatting bobbins about a penalty that wasn’t a penalty.”

Barnsley, for all their effort, didn’t pose much genuine threat, but benefited from the FA Cup underdog narrative. “Look, I get it,” Downey admitted, “They have to be up for the underdog because it’s good for the neutrals.”

FA Cup Rising in Importance

At the start of the season, many Liverpool supporters would have dismissed the domestic cups. But with the league title out of reach and Champions League success unlikely, priorities are shifting. “Now we sit in January, we’re out the league title. The Champions League is very unlikely… the FA Cup is probably now second priority for the season,” said Drinkel.

Photo: IMAGO

Downey agreed, adding, “I would take this trophy this year given the way things are going in the league.”

The tone of acceptance is striking. Liverpool, reigning Premier League champions under Arne Slot, now appear to be recalibrating expectations.

Squad Depth, Missed Opportunities, and Managerial Gaps

Much of the discussion focused on team selection. Downey was blunt about the starting XI: “I was surprised by the comparative strength… Van Dijk, I could not believe he started.” He questioned the logic behind fielding such a strong team against a League One side, adding, “This should not have been the massive challenge it was.”

More telling was the lack of youth integration. “Trey Nyoni gets five minutes at the end,” Drinkel noted, while Downey was disappointed not to see academy defenders get minutes: “I thought this would be a good game for an academy defender to come into the squad.”

The discourse turned pointed when discussing individual players. On Wataru Endo, Downey said, “Imagine being Endo… poor Endo. You’re not giving him money, the club are buying the players the club want to buy.” He suggested Slot has limited influence on transfer decisions.

Downey didn’t hold back on Cody Gakpo either: “Where our attacks go to die,” was his damning verdict on the Dutchman.

Conclusion

This Liverpool performance, and the discussion it provoked, paints the picture of a team in flux. The FA Cup may now carry unexpected importance, both for silverware and for salvaging pride in a season that’s fast slipping away from its original ambitions.

While Liverpool dispatched Barnsley and moved on in the FA Cup, the concerns raised by Drinkel and Downey highlight the deeper questions being asked around team management, squad usage and ambition. “There’s enough games left in the season for us to finish very strongly,” Downey said, but the tone throughout suggested that hope is fading fast.