Soccer-Postecoglou's second season claim in doubt after Liverpool humbling

LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou said last year that he always wins something in his second season but Liverpool made that assertion sound hollow after a League Cup semi-final thrashing on Thursday.

Taking a 1-0 first-leg lead to Anfield, Spurs were crushed 4-0 to exit 4-1 on aggregate and without a single shot on target all night.

Tottenham still have the FA Cup and the Europa League to maintain the Australian's record -- one he highlighted after a painful home loss to Arsenal in September -- but both will be a challenge for a side battling a lengthening injury list.

There will be little time to rest, however, with a trip to Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Sunday, for a club whose only silverware this century was the 2008 League Cup.

"We have given up a good opportunity tonight and we cannot shy away from that," Postecoglou, who took over at Spurs in 2023, told BBC radio. "We were in a good position to get to the final."

Liverpool, the holders and record 10-times winners now heading for their 15th League Cup final and third in four years, were relentless and simply too good.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, now a Sky Sports pundit, was merciless in his criticism of Tottenham's performance.

"It was never in doubt before the game. It's Tottenham. When did Tottenham ever win a big game? When did Tottenham ever go anywhere and surprise you and win against the odds?," he said.

"The odds were massively in favour of Liverpool. They are at home at Anfield, they are the best team in the country and possibly in Europe right now.

"It is not just this Spurs team. They never shock you and do something out of the ordinary."

Postecoglou, whose side are 14th in the Premier League, recognised it had been a tough night.

"Both of the first two goals we could have done better but ultimately what was really important was that we never played to our identity and strengths and shied away from the challenge a little bit," he said.

"Overall, we didn't start well and were way too passive and let Liverpool get in a rhythm."

Postecoglou won Australian domestic titles with South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar in his second seasons and the Japanese league with Yokohama F Marinos. He also won the Asian Cup with Australia and two Scottish titles with Celtic.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by...)