The Only Highlight Of Liverpool's 2011-2012 Season

The Reds had another season to forget. 

- 37 points behind the title winners, Manchester City

- Racism rows which divided opinions between player, manager and owners

- A totally unnecessary siege mentality

- Finishing behind cross-town rivals, Everton

- Losing pathetically in the FA Cup Final

- Having a dismal home record at what used to be "fortress" Anfield

- Not gaining maximum points against the eventual bottom six in the Premiership table

And yet, Liverpool amidst a trying season, won the Carling Cup, making Suarez, Carroll and Henderson first time winners of an English club football competition. The players could have made it a season to remember but decided to turn into shrinking violets under the pressure of delivering the club's first domestic cup double since 2001.

The Carling Cup win is all Liverpool have to show for the 2011-2012 season and I guess we should just enjoy these pictures and remember the lucky win over Cardiff City. One could say that the Reds' name was on the cup this season. Putting things into a positive perspective, this was Liverpool's first trophy in six years.

Here's how the action unfolded.

Cardiff's Joe Mason turned the heat up by scoring the first goal of the Cup final.

The increasingly influential Martin Skrtel leveled the score with an typically hard shot into the net.

Liverpool then thought they had wrapped up the cup when Dirk Kuyt scored an excellent goal in extratime.

Only for Ben Turner to pounce on a mistake by Kuyt and force the match into penalties. Stewart Downing's best showing of the season was in danger of going up in flames.

The Reds looked to be self-destructing when Gerrard and Adam missed their penalties....

The pressure was on once more when Cardiff's Don Cowie scored from the spot, turning the penalty shootout 1-0 in the Bluebirds' favour.

But Dirk Kuyt again came to Liverpool's rescue when he made sure he slotted home his penalty kick.

And when Anthony Gerrard screwed his penalty kick agonisingly wide of Reina's right hand, the joy and delight at winning the 2011-12 Carling Cup final were there for all Liverpool fans to see.

And so Liverpool can always look back on their fantastic Carling Cup run, in which they beat Stoke City, Chelsea and Manchester City en route to the Cup.