Oh, Braga

What we learned by watching Liverpool fail to extend their 14-match unbeaten run in Europe is that Kenny Dalglish still has a long way to go in rebuilding this squad. Liverpool have played so much better under Dalglish that our expectations are such that losing to a ragtag side like Portugal's Braga does not seem conceivable.

And yet, not even Dalglish can motivate Joe Cole or Christian Poulsen to put in a shift - not even in Europe! Jay Spearing is a good local kid, but he is not going to be playing in the Premiership in a couple seasons. He is a Championship player. Luis Suarez is the Liverpool attack right now and Dirk Kuyt was lost without the cup-tied Uruguayan. Andy Carroll is not match fit, but shows glimpses of why in a few years Liverpool will be proven right for spending such a ludicrous amount on him.

Steven Gerrard may be seriously injured and did not play. Which is a concern because it seems Dalglish is the first manager he will listen to and the side has benefited greatly from his new found discipline.

I reckon that Liverpool will score the required amount to advance when the return leg is played at Anfield and I don't expect Braga to score again in the tie unless another penalty is gifted them by a lumbering Greek.

Reds fans will be disappointed to have a nice unbeaten run come to an end, but pleased at what Carroll showed upon entering the match. His goals will come and there will be plenty of them. And hopefully this helps push Cole even further out the door during the summer. I remember really liking Cole when he played at West Ham and first arrived at Chelsea. But injuries and ego have rendered him a shell of the promising player that England thought they were going to have as a mainstay in the national squad.

The Europa League is still there for Liverpool's taking. Dalglish will figure it out and deploy a much more inspired starting IX at Anfield.