As said a few weeks ago: they got a reputation by beating Everton in the FA Cup (not that it was all youth team players), but their hiding in the game against Villa in the LC was more the measure of them.
I mean the hiding against Villa was really Villa's 2nd string, against an actually reserves team wasn't it. Whereas the cup game was more a 2nd string, with a couple of younger lads- a bit like our side against Sheffield Wednesday. Yes younger players playing, but by no stretch a 2nd team.
Aston Villa's squad lads annihilated Liverpool that not. They got to 5 and declared out of embaressment if I remember correctly?
We were shot in that cup tie too. I know it sounds harsh but it really was one of those games. Created 5 clear opportunities in the 1st half and missed them all. Then you saw the fatigue set on. I said at the time, we should have rested everyone for the city game a couple of days prior (a game we still lost) and focussed on the cup. Had we have done, it would have been a handsome win.
Ancelotti probably felt even a heavily depleted and fatigued squad would have enough to beat Liverpool's squad players. Unfortunately he was wrong. But yes, a whole narrative has been crafted around their young players that doesn't stack up at all.