STEVIE WE'LL FIGHT BACK; Reds ssipper' vow after FA Cup final defeat We'll recover and come back stronger - Gerrard.

Byline: JAMES PEARCE 

Reds skipper's vow after FA Cup final defeat STEVEN GERRARD today admitted the heartbreak of FA Cup final defeat was tough to take but the defiant Liverpool skipper insisted: "We will come back and fight again." The Reds' hopes of completing a domestic cup double were dashed as they were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday. Substitute Andy Carroll spearheaded a spirited second-half fight-back from Kenny Dalglish's men but Gerrard was left to rue their poor start.

"It's disappointing," he said. "We never got started until after half an hour and that's the frustration. "I thought with the pressure we put Chelsea under towards the latter stages of the game we maybe deserved to take them to extra time. "We are Liverpool and we will bounce back. We will strengthen in the summer and we will come back and fight again - that's what this club does. "All the way through my career it's been about highs and lows. This is a big low but I'll be back and we'll be back." Defeat means the Reds only have the Carling Cup to show for a turbulent campaign which has seen them slump to ninth in the Premier League with two games remaining. "My opinion hasn't changed on how our season has gone," Gerrard said. "We've been superb in the cup competitions. We just couldn't get over that final hurdle in the FA Cup. "To get to two finals you have to give the players a lot of credit but the league form hasn't been good enough.

"We've been two different teams this season and I don't know why that is. We need to find a better level of consistency in the league as the performances haven't been good enough. "There are no excuses and us as players need to take responsibility for a poor league showing because the players we've got in that dressing room are certainly not eighth best in the Premier League." Goals from Ramires and Didier Drogba had put Chelsea in the driving seat before the introduction of Carroll sparked the Reds into life. The striker pulled one back and was convinced he had equalised with a powerful header late on but the assistant ruled it hadn't crossed the line before Petr Cech clawed it on to the bar. Replays were inconclusive and Gerrard refused to criticise the officials.

"It's difficult for them to give decisions like that," he said. "It's a final with 90,000 people watching and the officials need a bit of help. "I'm not 100% sure if it was over or it wasn't but there's certainly an argument there. "There are arguments that it maybe is over with the computer image but Phil Dowd was standing by me and the assistant is 40 yards away so it's impossible for them to say for certain yes or no. "We've been talking about the need for technology for years and it will continue until it comes in." Gerrard hailed the impact Carroll had on the game and believes the big frontman's form is worthy of an England recall ahead of Euro 2012. "Andy changed the way we played," Gerrard said. "We were a lot better with him in the team. We were a lot more direct, we created more and were more of a threat. Credit to Andy, he came on and played brilliantly well. "I think his form has been fantastic and in my opinion he's certainly pushing for a place back in the England squad."

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I CAN'T LOOK: Steven Gerrard stares at the floor during the trophy presentation at Wembley