Roy "Fans singing Dalglish's name doesn't

help IF YOU ARE ROY HODGSON

www.skysports.com/story/0,19...

Roy Hodgson dismissed suggestions that his players had lacked mental strength following Liverpool's 2-0 defeat to Stoke.
The Reds went into the Britannia Stadium clash on a four-match unbeaten run but came unstuck as Ricardo Fuller and Kenwyne Jones scored second-half goals for Stoke.
Lucas Leiva was sent off for a second bookable offence just before the final whistle and Hodgson was disappointed with the result.
However, he refused to be too critical of his players, saying they coped with Stoke's physicality for the most part.
"I'm sad a good run has come to an end," said the Liverpool manager.
"It was always going to be a tough task and I knew we would be hard-pushed to win that battle but I thought we dealt with the pressure reasonably well.
"Once they scored it was going to be an even further uphill battle."
Fuller's goal came after Liverpool had failed to clear a Rory Delap throw-in, which is always a key weapon for Stoke.
"The first goal I am not disappointed in the manner of it because that is the manner of most goals here and that is what you have to defend against.
"For large periods of time I thought we defended it reasonably well but they got their reward from one of those.
"It would be a very unfair accusation that we lacked the mental strength or courage, as our defending from so many of the throws and set-plays proved.
"I thought today we stood up as well as we could be expected to considering the pressure we were under.
"I don't think the players threw the towel in and never looked like throwing the towel in."
DalglishHodgson also expressed his disappointment that some fans chose to chant the name of former player-boss Kenny Dalglish towards the end.
"I suppose it does. That seems like it is going to be part of life at Liverpool," said Hodgson.
"I think we are trying to do the best job we can in the circumstances and I don't know that that type of singing helps anyone.
"But I didn't hear it and I am sure there are lots of fans who sympathise with us and what we are trying to do."

TorresHodgson felt the Reds suffered in the second half because striker Fernando Torres carried on playing despite injury, although he played down the seriousness of the problem.
"He didn't want to come off and I didn't want to take him off but he was not firing on all cylinders," said the manager.
"We offered him the chance to come off but he wasn't interested in that.
"I don't think it was too serious, if it had have been I don't think he would have carried on but it was a nasty knock which he took on his ankle."