The Reds lifted the league cup after a dramatic penalty shoot out at Wembley which saw five of the ten penalties missed or saved. The game saw Cardiff take a first half lead only for Martin Skrtel to equalise in the second half. In extra time Dirk Kuyt came off the bench to score what appeared to be a winner only foe Cardiff to score two minutes from the end of extra time and force the shoot-out. The tension throughout the stadium was immense but it was the Reds who came out on top when the cousin of the Reds captain missed his spot kick.
The trip to London started with travel problems on the railways but ultimately he stadium was packed so most people clearly got to London by one means or another.
This was the Reds' first final for six years and their first since Wembley visit since 1996. We had won this trophy twice in Cardiff though in the interim though so it wasn't all bad.
Wembley as it is though is a great looking stadium and the view was superb from where I had my ticket on the angle of the corner flag.
The teams came out and after being presented as usual to various dignitaries it was down to business and the Reds were straight in to it. Just a couple of minutes in and Glen Johnson beat Heaton only to see his shot come out off the cross bar.
It was a decent start actually from both sides with Cardiff looking to stick behind the ball and build very much from there - not full out attack as I think we could have picked them off with that so there tactics were spot on. They looked to hold the ball up front and support well from there and it certainly worked for them.
The one thing with Wembley that until you're there you don't really realise is how big a pitch the thing is and I think for large periods of the first half in particular it was a bit too big for our players. We didn't seem to get any flow going at all and we looked very lethargic. One thing that didn't help was how narrow we were on the right of midfield as Henderson always tucked in - natural to him I know but that's not his role in this shape.
On nine minutes Kenny Miller made sure the Reds' back line weren't sleeping for too long as he shot on goal but thankfully over the bar.
As the Reds continued to dominate possession they weren't troubling Heaton in the Cardiff goal. On eighteen minutes there was then a huge shock as Cardiff took a shock lead and it was so avoidable.
The Reds failed to cut out a cross very well and McNaughton played it inside to the edge of the box and then Mason was played in behind Agger and Enrique. He was left with just Reina racing out from his goal and sent the ball through his legs and in to the bottom far corner of the goal to send the Cardiff fans wild. IT was a really bad goal to concede and a few issues to pick out but at least we had plenty time to react.
The Reds reacted quite well and continued to have good possession of the ball. Stewart Downing was having a decent game down the left wing but as much movement as he made we just weren't getting the players in to the box to give him something to hit and that wasted his talent far too much.
The one thing that sticks with me and this probably goes for much of the game is how little Heaton had to do in his goal. In one sense this was to do with the defence in front of him which was well marshaled and never backed off too far.
As half time came we were still behind and for me playing far too slowly with some players looking out of their depth a little. We needed to up the pace and get beyond Cardiff quicker to really get something from the game and that was likely to need a change in personnel.
We did up the pace in the second half and you could see it lifting us that little bit. WE now had to push on get the goal in front of us and then maybe even win the game in the ninety.
Jordan Henderson became the first player booked on the day by Mark Clattenburg when he went in strong but poorly on Mason and he couldn't really argue with the card really.
Henderson lasted another six minutes before he was replaced by Craig Bellamy which saw Downing switch sides and Bellamy move down the left.
Just two minutes after the switch we were on level terms as Martin Skrtel showed great composure in the box to score. It came from a corner kick in to the box and Carroll rose well to win the first header and Suarez headed on goal only to hit the post. Skrtel reacted first and created himself space before shooting home for the second week running. It was very much game on now with the Reds looking the better side for a bit now.
The Reds upped the pressure a little more now and I thought we would go on and win it now but we just couldn't get the shooting right and that proved costly to the extra period of football as well.
Try as we might to create that suitable chance we just couldn't do it and for all that time Cardiff were continuing to plug away and hope that something would fall their way.
The major problem for both sides was the clock ticking on and it's at that point you start fearing the fact that it's pretty much next goal winner football.
The Reds were forced in to a substitution late on with Jamie Carragher replacing Daniel Agger who was obviously injured - later turned out he may have broken his rib.
With the clock ticking down the clearest winning chance fell to Cardiff but just as in the first half Miller shot over the bar but this effort was much closer to the target - too close for comfort really.
That was it though really and it was extra time. Another half and hour of football to be had and possibly one less train to get home on as a result.
Cardiff made a switch for extra time but then it was the Reds who again had most possession and for me it was now that Cardiff really looked tired and intent and the lottery of the shoot out. The more extra time went on the more they looked shot but we couldn't create that crucial chance still.
Cardiff were forced in to a second change as Gerrard replaced Hudson in defence. Hudson had been struggling just to stay on his feet for a while now so it was no surprise to see him finally hobble off.
The Reds made their final change a bit later with Kuyt replacing Carroll and that proved a crucial change as Kuyt would score for us in the second period of extra time.
We had a couple of decent efforts just before the end of the first half but it was all square at the turn around. Fifteen minutes from glory potentially of we could get it right.
Just three minutes in to the half and that glory was starting to shine as Kuyt broke past what appeared to be static Cardiff players and took a shot. As it happened the first shot was woeful but the rebound came back to him and this shot was sent flying past Heaton in to the back of the net and we were in trophy land now. The only down side was Cardiff had to come out and they had ten minutes to get something.
The Reds I don't think helped themselves much in that remaining time by sitting back and not keep possession of the ball enough and that proved costly as time wen ton.
With just four minutes left on the clock Cardiff won a corner which they threw right in to the mixer and Kuyt cleared off the line for a second corner which was a massive escape. That was until the next one came in to the same place and caused havoc before it was turned in by Turner from two yards out.
Cardiff fans were beside themselves now and that gave them a big lift as the clock ticked down towards the shoot out. Thankfully they didn't create enough before that final whistle went and it was now all down to the toss and which end the kicks were being taken.
Everyone was trying to work out who would take the kicks - and with our efforts this season we weren't exactly confident - but we always win the big ones. Cardiff had got to the final on spot kicks though so had first hand experience of winning.
As the wait went on we were then relieved to see Reina come towards us and that meant the kicks were in front of us. As the two keepers came forward they were followed by Steven Gerrard.
Gerrard spotted the ball up and went left but at keeper saving height and he tipped it up on to the bar and we were on the back foot.
Kenny Miller was first up for Cardiff and as he had the chance to hammer home the advantage he dragged his shot wide right and it was honours even.
Charlie Adam came up now and I have to say his peno was awful as he blasted it high and wide of the goal - possibly even the ground at the rate it went.
Don Cowie was next up for Cardiff and unlike Miller he gave Cardiff the lead, sending Reina the wrong way so it was advantage Cardiff.
Dirk Kuyt then arrived and sent his shot in to the goal to even the scores up again although we were a spot kick down now.
Rudy Gestede came up now for Cardiff to maintain their lead but he failed to hit the target and it was all square again.
Stewart Downing was the next to step up and that was a surprise in a way but he had played well to this point and he made no mistake with his spot kick so we were now one up by Peter Whittingham tucked his kick away with ease as well so one to go now.
Glen Johnson strode forward and with him being another player I hadn't expected to take on I wasn't sure what to expect. To his massive credit though he stepped up and scored to now place all the pressure on to the final Cardiff player.
Anthony Gerrard came forward now for Cardiff and I just had to concentrate hard on him missing and that concentration seemed to work as he struck it past the post and Reina raced away in joy as the Reds all raced forward to surround him and celebrate. The League cup was ours yet again and it felt great.
You obviously had to feel for Cardiff who had played their part in the whole day and they went up first for their medals before going off to their fans. Steven Gerrard led the Reds up the stairs and I needed the screen to see the walk really but he was closely followed by Jamie Carragher and his lad. After a bit of a wait Steven Gerrard strode down the royal box to be presented with the Cup - an eighth win for us!
The Reds celebrated and then came around the fans to show off the trophy and it never fails to feel good. The journey home didn't prove too difficult either once we managed to get on the tube.
MotM : Stewart Downing - one of his best games for us and he got some great balls in - a shame the two strikers weren't on his wavelength but he also got the sponsors award for the Alan Hardaker award and well deserved.
