Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson defended the performance of Joe Cole in their stalemate with Utrecht.
The former Chelsea star continues to struggle in Liverpool Red.
But Hodgson says: "He sets himself high standards, he plays on small margins, he's an honest lad and I'm sure he came off the field thinking, 'That wasn't the performance I wanted to give. I'm better than that and I can do better than that.'
"It was just unfortunate he was unable to show that tonight but it certainly wasn't for a want of trying or through a lack of effort or desire. It didn't go his way and that can happen with front players.
"We must give some credit to Utrecht. They are organised and disciplined defensively, they get a lot of players behind the ball and don't concede much space, as their results in this competition have proved."
