Liverpool vs. Aston Villa: 6 Things We Learned About Kenny Dalglish and His Team

Liverpool's season just keeps getting worse and worse.

While their arch-rivals, Everton, were thumping Sunderland last weekend, the Reds could only muster a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa. Now, Liverpool are a point behind Everton in eighth place and have only own two matches since the turn of the year.

There appears to be little left to play for at Anfield, and this season is looking like a failed one. If Luis Suarez had not scored a late header, Liverpool would have succumbed to their fourth consecutive league defeat.

With pressure mounting on Kenny Dalglish and everyone at the club, let us examine what lessons can be learned from yet another disappointing result.

Kenny Dalglish Is a Conspiracy Theorist

It appears that Kenny Dalglish is all out of excuses.

After overseeing Liverpool's worst run in 60 years, the distinguished manager is partly blaming what he believes might be a "conspiracy" among officials for a string of poor decisions that have gone against his team and in favor of others.

This is simply pathetic. Every team is on the receiving end of poor refereeing, but it is just a part of the game. When Shaun Derry was shown a ridiculous red card against Manchester United, he simply walked off the field with class and never blamed competitive imbalance for his team's failure to secure a result.

These might be the final ravings of a defeated man.

The Reds Do Have a Fighting Spirit

While Liverpool were lackluster for much of the match, they showed in the second half that they still have the resolve and motivation necessary to get results.

They team played itself into a bit of a hole early on, with Doni's error eventually leading to a Chris Herd goal. And the rest of the first half was not much better for the home side.

But the Liverpool team that walked out of the tunnel at the start of the second half was clearly a different side. When Kenny Dalglish threw on Craig Bellamy and Andy Carroll, the team attacked with more verve than it had in previous matches.

If the Reds keep up this attitude, they will have a chance to progress in the all-important FA Cup.

Jordan Henderson Is Awful

Why Dalglish insists on starting young midfielder Jordan Henderson in nearly every match is simply beyond me.

Perhaps the only thing that the Englishman has going for him is that he is only 21 years old. Otherwise, he would definitely be among those sold this summer due to a string of lackluster performances.

Once again, he failed to impose himself on the game in midfield, and his partnership with Jonjo Shelvey was a very unproductive one.

Unfortunately for Dalglish, his alternatives are not proving to be much better. But the team cannot improve its dismal goalscoring record if Steven Gerrard is the only attacking midfielder that can be effective on a regular basis.

Liverpool Badly Need Pepe Reina Back

I don't mean any disrespect to back-up goalkeeper Alexander Doni, but there is a reason why he was released on a free transfer by Roma last summer.

Perhaps it was just a result of the Brazilian having played only 57 minutes all season prior to the Aston Villa fixture, but Doni looked very shaky at times compared to the solid Shay Given at the other end of the pitch.

His awkward flap at a cross eventually led to Chris Herd's opener, and it was quite obvious that the 32-year-old is a measurable downgrade from the suspended Pepe Reina.

While nobody is expecting Doni to live up to the Spaniard's standards, he will need to step up his play for the remaining two games he will be in goal for Liverpool.

Luis Suarez's Reputation Precedes Him

It seems that all the diving Luis Suarez has done during his time at Liverpool is finally coming back to haunt him.

His numerous appeals for a penalty might actually have been met with some sympathy if he did not have the reputation of being a simulator that is, shall we say, very light on his feet.

While there are probably not any conspiracies like those speculated about by Kenny Dalglish, a player known for his honesty might just have gotten the attention of Michael Oliver when Alan Hutton performed his usual antics in the penalty box.

Steven Gerrard Is Really a Winger

Who would have thought that the most productive tactical move that Kenny Dalglish could have made during the second half would be to play relatively slow central midfielder Steven Gerrard on the right wing.

But Stevie G continues to prove that he can play anywhere and dictate the flow of play from wherever his manager wants him to operate.

He repeatedly threatened Aston Villa's wing-backs down the right side and constantly peppered the opposition's box with tight, threatening crosses.

Eventually, it was one of these missiles that produced the crucial equalizer. Daniel Agger struck the post from a Gerrard cross, which set up Luis Suarez to steal a vital share of the points.

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