Soccer-Faltering Liverpool lacked quality, says manager Rodgers

LONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - With the January transfer window edging closer, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers might be drawing up a shopping list after he blamed a lack of quality in key areas for their surprise 3-1 defeat at Hull City on Sunday. The Merseysiders looked short on inspiration as they slumped to a lacklustre defeat, with Steven Gerrard's superb curling free kick to level the scores in the first half the only bright spot in an otherwise poor display. With in-form striker Daniel Sturridge ruled out for up to two months with an ankle ligament injury prior to kickoff and Philippe Coutinho benched with an ankle sprain, the Reds seemed entirely reliant on Luis Suarez for inspiration. As it was, the Uruguayan striker had an uncharacteristic off-day at the KC Stadium and Hull took full advantage. "I just thought we lacked quality. With the ball we just didn't create enough and we didn't keep the ball long enough in order to move them about," Rodgers told reporters. "I always felt that we were in control of the game, but we needed to show a wee bit more quality and penetrate that wee bit more. "But we didn't play well enough. The players are committed enough and they have been giving everything - but today, our quality (was lacking) and there were just too many individual mistakes." Hull got the benefit of a huge slice of luck to open the scoring in the first half when Jake Livermore's shot from distance ballooned up off the boot of Martin Skrtel and over goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. After David Meyler rifled them back in front in the 71st minute, they were given another helping hand when Skrtel deflected a Tom Huddlestone shot into his own net to ensure the hosts secured their first ever win over Liverpool. "There were two deflected goals - we were unfortunate with that. We gave the ball away in a bad area (for the first goal) and it was a deflected goal, which puts you on the back foot straight away. We equalised with a great free kick that got us back into it," Rodgers added. "But then we didn't defend well enough when the ball came into the box. We were too slow and not aggressive enough in our defending. The third one is an own-goal. So it wasn't very good from that aspect. "(Hull keeper Allan) McGregor never really had to make too many saves and we're a team that has created a lot of chances this season." It was a disappointing afternoon for on-loan winger Victor Moses, who gave the ball away trying to run it out of defence for Hull's opener and then missed a glorious chance to put Liverpool ahead at 2-1. Rodgers' primary concern, however, is at the back where Liverpool have conceded six goals in their last two games, after last week's thrilling 3-3 draw against Everton in the Merseyside derby. The Liverpool boss chose to bring Kolo Toure back to partner Skrtel at centre back, dropping vice captain Daniel Agger to the bench alongside big-money acquisition Mamadou Sakho. "As a team, defensively, it's been difficult for us because we've had to change a lot," added Rodgers. "The only stability we've had has been our goalkeeper. "We've had a lot of changes to make defensively this season after injuries and people out. So that hasn't helped us. "Toure has good experience and we were playing against more physical opponents, (against whom) he does well. Sometimes we have struggled in that department. Ideally, I want to be able to play a balanced back-five, but we haven't been able to do that. "In our last two games we've conceded six goals. So we need to be much, much better than that and that's something we need to return to on Wednesday night." Liverpool's next game is against Norwich at Anfield on Wednesday. (Reporting by Toby Davis; editing by Brian Homewood)