Morgan Rogers has praised Chelsea’s character and fighting spirit despite their painful Carabao Cup exit against Liverpool, insisting the Blues can take pride in their performance at Anfield.
Chelsea suffered a 6-5 defeat on penalties in Wednesday’s fourth-round clash after both sides played out a 1-1 draw in normal time. The result ended their hopes of progressing in the competition, with Rogers describing the shootout defeat as one of the most difficult ways to lose a football match.
The Chelsea forward opened the scoring from the penalty spot shortly before half-time, giving the visitors a deserved advantage after a competitive opening period. However, Liverpool responded quickly, with Cody Gakpo converting a penalty of his own to restore parity.
Neither side could find a decisive goal after the break, despite creating promising attacking opportunities. The contest eventually went to a shootout, where 16 penalties were needed to separate the teams. Chelsea ultimately came out on the wrong side of the result.
Reflecting on the defeat, Rogers said: “It is probably the worst way to lose a game. It was an even game and at times we had the better of it. In the first half we quietened down the crowd, had got our foot in the game and taken the lead. To concede so quickly was difficult.
“I thought we started the second half really well, and we could have got in front a few times; we had a few chances towards the end. I’m a bit disappointed because I had some half-chances, half-moments that I’d have liked to have put away. They did as well.
“It was a really good performance, really good game. It was one of those that can go either way and you have to accept it.”
Rogers converted his penalty during normal time and also found the net in the shootout. The forward acknowledged the pressure involved in taking a spot-kick in front of Liverpool’s home supporters, while defending the team-mates who failed to score.
Rogers said: “It’s tough in that environment at the Kop taking a penalty. It’s not easy. There’s no blame to anyone; you have to have courage to step up and be that person taking it.”
Despite the disappointment, the Chelsea attacker was encouraged by the team’s response following their defeat to Tottenham on Saturday. He believes the performance at Anfield demonstrated the determination and personality within the dressing room, even as the squad continues to develop tactically and technically.
“To show that reaction shows we have players in the dressing room with character and fight. That’s all you can ask. Of course we will get better tactically and technically in terms of the way we want to play.
“We showed real fight after that loss and to come here and put in a performance against a tough team, I’m proud of the boys and now we have to keep moving forward.”
Chelsea must now shift their focus to the Premier League, with Manchester United visiting this weekend. For Rogers, the priority is to build on the resilience shown against Liverpool and ensure the narrow defeat becomes a platform for improvement rather than a setback that derails their momentum.
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