MFletcher

Another draw at Anfield today. I felt Arsenal played us off the park at times and deserved something from the game. If I'm being really honest, they probably deserved to win it. Your thoughts?

I agree with this. Good, honest player who can produce the odd moment of quality but has been distinctly average for a good number of games now. I do think we need someone a bit more incisive to play as second striker - we certainly need a player capable of beating his man consistently and Voronin doesn't really do that consistently. I'm not sure being played on the wing helped him today though. Babel and Yossi on the bench, with two strikers on the wings, was a very odd decision.

Unless we're going 4-4-2 with Kuyt/Voronin down the left and Gerrard down the right? I can't see the logic of 4-3-3 without Babel or Benayoun... Very strange line-up. Delighted to see Alonso and Torres back though.

I think that as well mate. I really didn't think his use of the ball was up to much.

The fact that he was the Brazilian player of the year, was a key player in Gremio's rise from the second division to the Copa Libertadores, has been capped by Brazil and has shown tremendous potential in his brief cameo appearances this season is what leads me to conclude he is going to be a star and the more he plays in the first team the better. I have hardly rushed to make a judgement - he is a special talent.

I still maintain that his use of the ball against Milan was very, very poor. Anyway, I don't like to see any of our players injured and it's very unfortunate for Pennant himself. However, it could be a blessing in disguise. We could see Gerrard moved to the right - which would be good for the balance of the team. It might also allow us to see more of Lucas in the middle.

If Gerrard plays in centre midfield, we have to drop two from Alonso/Mascherano/Lucas. If he plays on the right, we have to drop Pennant. I think that sums up where he should be playing these days.

My favourite player ever. He really was fantastic. His QF performance against Brazil in the 2006 WC was stunning.

My Dad said we'd win the 2005 CL before the Olympiakos game. He also said we'd get to the CL final in 2007 but lose at half time during the Carling Cup defeat to Arsenal. I've half a mind to put a bet on whatever he thinks this time. We can still qualify. Things are terminal, but at least we have a chance.

Reina Babel Gerrard

To be fair, I am starting to come round to the idea that we need a proven goalscorer. I've always understood Rafa's reasons for wanting team players up front. But the bluntness of our attack in Torres' absence has worried me. Fabio Capello has won the league at every club he's been at and he always seems to buy a proven, experienced goalscorer as soon as he gets there. He brought in van Nistelrooy at Madrid and he basically carried them at times. He was scoring a goal every 2.5 shots. Madrid weren't creating enough chances, but RvN's excellent finishing and knack of being in the right place at the right time turned losses into draws and draws into wins and Madrid ultimately won the title with RvN scoring 25 goals. I'm starting to think we need a proper "goal hanger", who will be there at the right place at the right time to knock the ball into the net and give us a 1-0 lead in a tight game, or to make it 1-1 in a game we're losing to give us fresh initiative to push on and win the game. The big problem is finding such a striker. Rafa has already made it clear that he would rather have four strikers scoring 15 goals and he wants team players and not someone who'll hang around at the far post to score 20 goals. But I must admit that I'm beginning to think a proven goalscorer is a necessity if we're going to push on. We can't rely completely on Torres being in the team. The guy will be completely fatigued by the end of the season if we're forced to play him in every game to ensure we aren't completely blunt. Regarding the other three members of our strikeforce mentioned: Crouch is a decent player, but one suspects that he has started to act a big time Charlie behind the scenes. When he has got onto the pitch, he hasn't contributed anywhere near enough. He probably should have moved on in the summer, but given his complete lack of game time so far this season, and the fact he only has 18 months left on his contract, he'll probably move in January. I believe Kuyt to be a good, honest team player who's movement up front creates openings for other players. He clearly has a good understanding of the game and knows where the back of the net is. His problem is that he drops too deep (I suspect on the orders of the management) and he has a somewhat limited first touch. I'm happy enough with what he brings to the side whenever he's in it. Voronin is my real concern. He's been very poor recently and I'm wondering if he has actually "found his level". He was great in his first few games, but you do wonder if that was part of the "boost" from joining Liverpool and a determination to prove himself. Now things aren't really going well and he's making silly choices and showing a completely different side to him. Anyway, with Crouch almost inevitably going, we'll either be signing a striker in January or a winger to replace Babel who will be moved up front. I think our signing in that area will determine once and for all the sort of team that Rafa wants to play. If we sign another hard working but slightly limited play to replace him, I will be very disappointed.

The injuries to Agger and Alonso were devastating really. They are the two who dictate the pace of our game from the back.

I'm suite sure you weren't coming out with such rubbish at any stage during the 2005/2007 CL runs. We were s*** tonight. We deserved to lose. The players let Rafa down. I think that's tonight in a nutshell.

Look what happened when Sissoko/Gerrard were paired together during the Marseille game. Rafa may be stubborn, but he's not stupid.

Rubbish. Any combination of Sissoko/Gerrard/Lucas would have seen huge gaps left in the middle of the park. Besiktas showed tonight that they are a decent outfit and it would be disrespectful to turn up with no holding midfielder and expect to walk it. Masch had to play tonight.

So who should have played then? A half fit Alonso thrown straight into a must win game? Perhaps a Sissoko/Gerrard partnership is the way forward? Or Lucas/Gerrard - where both look to attack and neither are used to being the holding player. Masch had to play tonight because there was no other suitable combination.

Kuyt is a second tier player and his fee was also for a second tier player. Mascherano is a quality player who has been to South America and back in the past week and a half and also went straight into a physically demanding local derby on Saturday - then flew to Turkey and played for 75 minutes again. I shouldn't have to refer you to his performances against Arsenal, Chelsea or Milan last season... The guy is quality. You don't get an Argentinian cap at the age of 18 before even appearing for your club side.

That's right. Pennant was a first choice player. It's not like Rafa went after a player of the quality of Daniel Alves.... No, that's right. He did. Only he didn't have the money to make a bid and now the player is being hawked around for well over twice what we could have got him for. We have mediocre players because we had to shop in the second tier of the market for so many years. It's a miracle Rafa has achieved what he has given some of the dross he has been forced to buy to cover gaps in the squad. I know you're pissed off, but that comment is completely wrong.

I think Rafa played his best available team tonight - bar Benayoun for Pennant. We've had awful luck with injuries and are missing our three most important players for the way we play - Agger, Alonso and Torres. Arbeloa probably would have played ahead of Riise tonight as well. The likes of Riise, Pennant and Voronin are decent players, but you have to question whether they will really be good enough for a title challenging side.

Babel was one of best players tonight. Urgency, determination to try something, showed a good turn of pace, good shot etc. His run down the left and cross was absolutely top notch. And as I said in my post above, Sami is just that fraction too slow these days. He knows what he wants to do, but his legs just won't work fast enough.

On the contrary, I think Benitez bought well this summer. Benayoun, Lucas and Torres have all impressed when they've played. Babel is a bit hit and miss, but he's a 20 year old flair player who is playing out of position - you can't expect him to come in and play like Torres. But that argument is for another day.

Our general play tonight was sloppy, we were giving the ball away easily and I daresay that Sami just doesn't have the legs anymore. For their second goal, he was there just that fraction too late. I think it about sums up the way he's playing these days. We didn't really create a chance where we "should" have scored and only really showed urgency once we were 2-0 down. I thought Pennant was very disappointing (again, as usual this season). Some may say Babel was poor in that he gave the ball away, but he actually tried to force the issue. He tried to take players on, have a few shots etc. I thought Voronin was very, very poor and apart from one or two clever passes Kuyt wasn't much better. Things are terminal in this group now. I'd sooner finish bottom than third. Our CL form has just been diabolical. Rafa's team selection was fine, but the players let him down and some of them need to have a good long look in the mirror.

Knowing how fickle our support are, I wouldn't be surprised. Milan's league form has been very, very poor for a couple of years though. Last year they were a good 30 points behind Inter and that isn't including their initial points deduction. We should be putting in a sneaky bid for Kaka.

They should award a penalty goal. Whoever takes the shot is awarded the goal and the player who handled the ball is sent off.

Gerrard was abandoning his position constantly and taking it upon himself to score. We had twenty minutes against ten men and we didn't need him rampaging around the pitch when patience was key. Sissoko wasn't playing well, but he was sticking to his tactical instructions. By bringing on Lucas, we kept our shape better, started to pass it around better and we ultimately won the game. We created good chances after Lucas was brought on and I fail to understand why so many people "can't understand him." Not one of us will ever be in Rafa's position. The man is vastly experienced and knows exactly what he is doing. Two La Liga titles, two European Cup finals etc. With hindsight, the substitution makes perfect tactical sense and Lucas ultimately won us the game by forcing the second penalty. It was a tremendous decision that took real bottle. The reaction of some people on here is quite shocking really. It's as though people want us to lose sometimes so that they can get the Rafa bashing stick out. Gerrard is not above substituion. He was abandoning his position and showing tactical naivety. Lucas came on, we regained our shape, created more clearcut chances and won the game. It'll be a cold day in hell before some people realise that Rafa is the manager of Liverpool - and not them - for a reason.