Daniel Agger delivered a withering assessment of Liverpool’s latest wasteful Anfield performance and has warned their Champions League ambitions will evaporate with further repeats.

The Denmark defender is usually economical with his words but he did not hold back following a 0-0 draw with Swansea, a result which means Liverpool have already squandered eight points on home territory from six games this season.

‘Sometimes we looked like headless chickens running around after the ball,’ said Agger, before cryptically adding: ‘I think everyone was angry and disappointed, some more than others, but that is the way it is.’
No home comforts: Agger (left) is concerned that while Liverpool remain unbeaten at Anfield, they have drawn four out of six Premier League games

No home comforts: Agger (left) is concerned that while Liverpool remain unbeaten at Anfield, they have drawn four out of six Premier League games

Certainly there was no disguising Agger’s fury. Kenny Dalglish selected the same side that had dismantled West Brom seven days earlier but the display was far removed from the one they had produced in the Black Country.

Therein lies a key point. Despite the significant overhaul that took place this summer, all the old problems that have stymied Liverpool in recent years remain. They fall down against sides they should beat, there is an over-reliance on certain individuals and consistency is frustratingly elusive.

Faces may change in the dugout and on the pitch but everything seems to stay the same at Anfield. The more Liverpool fail these type of examinations, the more restless the crowd becomes. Teams arrive at the fabled old ground sensing their hosts are vulnerable.
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‘We were really, really bad,’ said Agger. ‘When we got the ball we lost it straight away. We were not sharp enough. We did not press well enough. There were so many things that were really disappointing, especially after we played okay last week.

‘We have to win these types of games, no matter which kind of team we put out. We are Liverpool Football Club.

‘If we play like this, we won’t (get back into the top four). We have got to move up a level or two. I won’t say it is not possible, because it is but it is up to the players. We are the only ones who can make a difference. We definitely have to do a lot better.’

While Liverpool were poor, it would be wrong to overlook a terrific effort from Swansea. They played the better football, should have won the game had Mark Gower shown some composure when he had the Kop goal at his mercy and never flinched in the face of a late rally.

‘This is a difficult place to come, so for us to play how we played, get a clean sheet and a point was a fantastic,’ enthused Swansea’s impressive manager Brendan Rodgers. ‘I like my teams to be technical and tactically organised and understand their job, but psychologically this was important.

‘To stand there when You’ll Never Walk Alone was going around the ground was a real tear-jerker. Ultimately, I am judged to do a job and I thought psychological this point was a step forward to us.’

Stewart Downing acknowledged his disappointment at Saturday's 0-0 draw with Swansea City - but pledged that Liverpool will keep working hard at Melwood to ensure they turn chances into goals over the coming weeks.

While the England winger accepts the Reds were not at their best against the Swans, he cites several good goalscoring opportunities as proof that Kenny Dalglish's side can perhaps consider themselves somewhat unfortunate not to have taken all three points.

As a result, Downing remains unwavering in his belief that the goals will soon start to flow for the Reds.

He told Liverpoolfc.tv: "It was disappointing to draw, but although Swansea played quite well, if we had put our chances away and scored early it might have been different.

"Probably the pleasing thing for the manager and the team is that we are creating chances. But we're not putting them away.

"We'll just have to keep working on it and keep getting ourselves in the right positions and hopefully they'll turn into goals soon."

Andy Carroll had Liverpool's best chance of the game when the No.9 cannoned a close-range effort against the crossbar with just six minutes on the clock.

Meanwhile, Glen Johnson was left holding his head in his hands after seeing his late volley thwarted by a stunning stop from visiting goalkeeper Michel Vorm, while substitute Dirk Kuyt also had an effort ruled out for offside.

Downing added: "If Andy had scored with that early chance, it may have been a different game - Swansea might have had to change the way they played.

"It was a brilliant save from Glen's shot. I think the goalkeeper has probably been their best player this season, which shows how well he's done.

"But we had chances through Daniel (Agger), Glen as well as Andy's right at the start, and I'm not sure if Dirk's goal was offside or not.

"Swansea are a good footballing team and they've played well this season, but with no disrespect to them we need to be winning games like that at home if we want to get to where we want to be, so it was a bit disappointing for us not to get the three points."