Thursday 6 November 2014 18:05, UK
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says it is an insult to the team he fielded at Real Madrid on Tuesday to describe it as some kind of reserve side.
Rodgers has been criticised for leaving seven first-team regulars out of his starting XI for the glamorous Champions League tie at the home of the defending champions.
However, Liverpool acquitted themselves well in a hard-fought 1-0 loss and Rodgers thinks the focus should be on the quality of the performance rather than his team selection.
"I know there has been a bit of criticism for the selection but I think it is a disservice to the team that played," he said on Thursday.
"The idea was to make sure we stayed in the game for 60-65 minutes and then open up the game with the quality of Steven Gerrard’s passing, Raheem Sterling's speed, and Phil Coutinho's creativity, but we couldn't get a goal.
"I don't look so much into it because any criticism that comes is part of what you take as a manager, but I didn't think it was fair to call Kolo Toure, Lucas Leiva or Adam Lallana a reserve player.
Those boys put in a great performance and they deserved more praise, as opposed to the criticism which came.
"Those boys put in a great performance and they deserved more praise, as opposed to the criticism which came.
"It doesn't affect me any way as I don't listen to it, good or bad. I don't have to justify it, the players justified it the other night.
“I think for all of them it was a great opportunity and that is what I look to do here, try and pick the team that can win the game
“Kolo (Toure), for example, was outstanding on the night, and it is a great mark of his professionalism that he could come in and play as well as he did on the evening.
“He has played in a number of the cup competitions and done very well.”
Rodgers also pointed out that the media and fans are not necessarily aware of all the factors he has to take into account when picking his side.
"Managers up and down the country are dealing in the reality of being a manager,” he said.
“It is not fantasy football, it is not on sentiment or on a computer. When we are picking teams we are dealing with the reality of players and their physical condition and tactics going into the game.
It was probably hard for you guys. You are probably not privy to some of the information that I have in relation to the team
“It was probably hard for you guys. You are probably not privy to some of the information that I have in relation to the team.
“You probably would not have known that Steven (Gerrard) had a scan on his hamstring on the Monday before we travelled out.
“But it was always in the plan (for Gerrard to be rested), with where he was at in terms of his games.
“But those players who did play certainly did not do themselves any harm. I thought they performed very, very well against a top class side.”
Liverpool’s England forward Daniel Sturridge has been absent since 31 August after a thigh injury suffered on international duty was compounded by a calf problem he picked up in training and Rodgers says there is no probable date set for his return just yet.
"Daniel is out on the field today with the rehab team,” said Rodgers. “He was moving very well but he is probably a bit of time away I think.”
