No excuses.

We lost a game fair and square. Our 2nd game of the pre-season (2 weeks into training), and we lost.

Let's put things into perspective though shall we?

Rapid Vienna (and St Gallen for that matter), started their pre-season training at the end of June/beginning of July.

Rapid's season has already started as they've already had to play a competitive fixture in the Champions League qualifier. Their fitness levels are much higher than ours.

Furthermore, the combinations that Liverpool used (even during the St Gallen game) were not there to necessarily win a game, but to get fitness levels up and give everyone a chance of playing.

Voronin and Nemeth upfront? El Zhar as right wing? Ayala as centre back with Carragher? Degen at right full back (3rd choice at present)? Plessis (who was rubbish for the reserves all last season)?

Vienna took the game more seriously. They tried harder to win.

Besides, we had half our team out!

Reina
Torres
Alonso
Reira
Arbeloa
Dossena
Johnson
Aurelio
Agger

So, a 1 - 0 defeat to probably the best Austrian side, playing with the team we did?
Not bad at all.

I'm sure Rafa isn't losing any sleep over this.