ReactionPress conference: Gareth Taylor on Liverpool's defeat by Chelsea

The Reds suffered a 9-1 loss in the Subway Women's League Cup quarter-final tie at St Helens Stadium, their final fixture of 2025.

See a summary of Taylor's post-match press conference below.

On how he 'would sum up a really disappointing afternoon'...

All the words you used there are the words I would use as well. We knew it would be a tough game, tough opponent. I think we gifted a lot of goals to them. When you put all that into the mix and we don't perform to the required level with the battles and the duels, we were naïve in some of our play and, like I say, gifted them goals. You can't do that against a team like Chelsea.

On what went wrong on the day in general...

The levels were just off. The levels were off anyway and then obviously when you don't perform to an acceptable level of sprinting, competing, reacting then obviously you're going to make it really difficult. We adapted a couple of things but it was really difficult, we couldn't implement anything really in changes of course, so we knew we were limited today. But the levels from us today were off and you just can't do that against a team like Chelsea.

On what he has said to the players...

Just that we're trying to get help. I think January is really important. We're all really aware of what needs to improve. The thing they can impact is obviously looking after themselves and controlling what they can control. So, with their break, they will have a few days but they need to obviously maintain levels of fitness because we come straight back in to a busy programme in January.

On whether he 'has been told there will be backing in January'...

Yeah, of course. We've identified targets we want to bring to the club, of course, but I don't think it's something that's going to be able to flick a switch and change. There needs to be probably a lot of improvements and probably getting to the summer, retaining our status [in the top flight] is going to be really, really important because then that allows you to be able to do more. I think you're limited with the amount of players you can bring in during this January window as well, it's quite limited in that sense. With all of the injuries we have, I'd love to bring in what Chelsea probably have, a second starting XI.

On the challenge for him currently as a coach...

Really tough. Really, really tough. But it's a challenge and a different type of challenge. The increased level of logic that I use is really important in these moments because the first person I always question is myself. And you want it to be better, you want it to improve. That's why I'm here: to make things better than what they are currently. Of course, it's really difficult to do it on your own, you need certain levels of support that's going to allow you to do that, and we'll find out where we are in January.

On if it was 'a step back' for the team compared to the league draw with Chelsea last month...

It was probably just a game too far for us with what we had available. Two young players on the sidelines, no real opportunity really to change things much. We had Beata [Olsson] who was on a yellow card, worried about her getting a red [but] we can't take her off. Very limited. So, yeah, I think it is what it is.

On hoping to have a number of experienced players return to the squad in the New Year, and the impact of injury absences today...

Yeah it does, of course it does [have an impact]. We have had a lot [of injuries] in this first half. It's probably a year that we're all looking forward to putting to bed here at the club and moving to the next one, for sure, and hoping it's going to be brighter. I'm sure it will be.