Yesterday was bad. Middlesbrough away bad. Spurs away bad. Of course losing Torres and Gerrard was a blow, how could it not be, but the chance for the other players to shine and dispel the myth of the two man team coupled with the early Chelsea result meant we had a special impetus to impress and make some progress. Didn't it?
Sunderland are no mugs. Cattermole is a good player and their strikers, particularly Jones, are underrated but I'm pretty sure we've got the word 'Liverpool' on our badge. They came for us, as most teams do as we always give the opposition a chance, and we gave them free reign of the midfield. Yet again our heads dropped after an early blow and it took too long to recover. To lose an early goal and then only have one shot over an hour later is as unfathomable as it is unforgiveable. You can blame the absentees all day but that's still a Liverpool team out there, eleven v eleven. Whereas last season we took such blows with a shrug of the shoulders (Man U, Man C, Wigan, Hull…) we now look lost.
Like many I like to predict the line up pre-game and didn't even get close to this one. Is that the limpest central midfield since Houllier played Cheyrou in there? Very possibly. I like Lucas and I like Spearing but they were beaten time and again. I've always viewed the central midfield as a master and apprentice relationship. Lucas has learned from Alonso and Mascherano but it's too early for him to adopt the role of mentor just yet. Cattermole and his mates had a field day at their expense and neither could drive the ball forward. Thanks to more panicked defending, Pepe was forced to kick early, usually into the centre circle to the enormous, towering giant that is Jay Spearing. Thus, the ball came back with alarming regularity. I'm not having a dig at Jay as he seems a game lad but he's hardly as robust as Mascherano and has much to learn. There are places for his first team debut and this wasn't it. Maybe, Plessis would have been a better option. He's hardly Platini but he's rarely bullied.
Excuses will rain down about the beach ball. I can't complain about the result as we got what we deserved but it would be nice if the referee had mastered the fundamental rules of the game. Steve Bruce, slowly morphing into Bernard Cribbins with each passing hour, told the press that you'd have to be a 'saddo' to know the rule. Them Scousers, eh? Using the laws of the game to their advantage.
I confess that I didn't know the rule but I'm not a referee. They're paid to know that. Still, it set an early tone. Every fan gripes about referees and their cohorts but at one point I genuinely thought there was a sweepstake going on. Yes, there's the beach ball but what about the ref stopping the game when Cattermole sat down, not sprawled across the pitch, mark you, but just sitting down. Sure, he was injured but can you give it ten seconds while we have the ball? He wasn't fouled and he was behind the play. Meanwhile, the linesman was doing his level best to get into one of Johnny Vaughan's 'hilarious' gaffes DVDs. Here's Lesson 1, mate. If the ball comes off a Sunderland player, it's a Liverpool ball and vice versa. Next week we'll examine the impartiality of match officials and address how teams aren't supposed to get decisions just because their fans have shouted at you. It's rare that you hear a crowd be so appalled at the linesmen's incompetence that they actually laugh once the flag goes up but it was a day of firsts. For example, I never thought a Liverpool team would take to the pitch clad in the compulsory uniform of an Earth, Wind and Fire tribute night.
Lyon and the Munsters next. I'll take a couple of draws and good performances. And players played in their correct positions. And tackles. And shots. Oh, is it also possible that we can use the upcoming Bonfire Night to use that kit as kindling.
In hindsight, I should have had another forty eight hours cooling off period. I'll be back after I've finally calmed down after the United game.
May I be the first to wish you a very Happy Easter.