Scapegoat

1. Alonso 2. Kuyt 3. Dossena

Well ya, i think most know what Rafa is trying to build. But i don't think it comes into the situation when you find yourselves level after dominating for most of the game. Sometimes you just have to "Go for it", we never done that today. Whereas we have on more than one occasion this season "when we had to". But not tonight, sorry, just didn't happen. Keane, well, what does he do really? In all truth. Good all-rounder, master at nothing kind of player. Runs his b******s off(don't know how efficient that is) but rarely threatens to make anything happen, be it by a moment of individual magic or by way of an assist. Keane was bought, i think, to help share some of Torres's burden of scoring goals, he's not done that, at all.

Never wanted it enough today. Can't just st off like we did after scoring the first goal. Champions go for the second and third when they smell blood. Which we only did after half time. Then when it didn't happen for us we got scared and sat deeper and deeper. Yes, Spurs were f***ing lucky today and didn't deserve f*** all, but thats what happens when you let anybody, even a team as woeful as Spurs have the ball all they want. Keane has proven to be one of Rafa's poorest ever purchases for my money. Can't lead the line, isn't execptional as a second striker, has no real stand-out ability. Yet we paid £20m for this? A striker without the confidence to take a pot shot at a clown in nets every once in a while? Just a poor poor signing. I think as the match went on, and especially when Spurs got that equalizer the game was calling out for Masch to be taken off off(offered nothing offensively) and maybe El Zhar brought on, drop Gerrard into mid-field with Kuyt joining Babel up front. We never went for it though, Rafa seemed content with the point. Dossena was looking better again today. Showed a bit more urgency in defence, staying tight, not allowing his man time one the ball. Made some lovely runs forward, but we still have that problem where we just don't get enough men into the box to capitalise. His positioning both defensively and offensively can still be better but he's improving and that's all i want to see from any player.

Alonso Hyypia Gerrard

Despite what was served up tonight i think we'll go to Spurs and beat them convincingly. As we've done when we've gone to places where its expected that we'll have to up our game if we want a result. Its the games where we're expected to win comfortably that we've been less than impressive, thats a bit of a worry, long term.

Far from convincing. Might be best though, keep a few people grounded in reality.

YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! My moaning worked.

Yossi with his patented take more time than neccesary manouver.

Can't see us getting a goal here.

Come on to f***. Don't leave it too late Rafa please.

Aurelio been past the half way line yet?

Bit flat from us i have to say. Still waiting for Lucas to have a game that really convinces me that we have a real player on our hands. He's far too happy to let games, and opportunities of cementing a place in the side, pass him by. He never seems to want the ball, yet look at Alonso tonight and he's always wanting it. Get Pennant off, offers nothing at all. Shove Babel up top, get Yossi or Riera on(he on the bench?).

Still far too early.

I don't feel comfortable getting naked in front of straight men. Its a bit gay.

The hoof is slowly being eradicated too, which is excellent. Next up, our static movement(does that even make sense), you get what i mean anyway. We've also looked a bit more likely from set-plays.

He's got three goals, and hasn't really played a good game for us yet. I just find it odd that he gets so little stick and Dossena comes in for so much, even though Doss on paper you could imagine taking easily a few moths to find his rhythm in a very different league. Why is that? Does one or two tap ins here and there really count for so much? Pound for pound Keane has been the worst of our new signings. I only use Keane as an example. I don't go out my way to have a pop at him.

Fair game when its warranted, even if he has been no worse than what, lets say Robbie Keane has been for us. Even though Dossena is probably feels like a bit of a loner not having the comfort of a few fellow countrymen(or at least speak his language) around to keep him company. New league, just married and all that. All i'm saying is that he had a decent game tonight, much improved at the very least.

Find that one a bit puzzling coming off a fairly assured game and did indeed show a few glimmers of class tonight.

Bit harsh imo. I am however heading that way with Arbeloa. Has a cracking game one in five and does little else in between. At least Finnan was always consistent.

1. Alonso . . . 2. Reina 3. Dossena(just for a much improved performance)

Hmmmm, pretty awful stuff from us i thought. Atletico were ripe for the picking and most managers would have seen this and urged his team to put more pressure on them. But second half we just set and set back and got what we deserved. So think Rafa had an absolute stinker tonight. Showed no courage whatsoever. Keane again. Just no way in hell he's worth what we paid for him. That little back heel stunt he tried was just plain embarrassing, could say he's cost us the game in that sense. Arbeloa along with Benayoun was the worst player on the pitch. Offered zero going forward and even less defensively. Gerrard too was as lazy as i've ever seen him. Showing again just how ill disciplined he is. And he wonders why managers have a hard time finding a suitable role for him in their sides. Positives for me were Alonso. Very neat display from him, even when he lost the ball he's right on top of the player winning it back. Was actually influencing things in the opposition half. So, good stuff from him. Dossena too had a good game. Needed it too at the vultures were starting to circle. Played some very neat passes, put in one or two excellent balls early on and was sound enough defensivly, but still needs big improvement. Needs to be a bit more aggressive. A point that will, in all likelihood see us go on and win the group. But we're making it too difficult for ourselves in every game.

Pound for Pound i think its safe to say its Robbie Keane thats been far and away the most disappointing.

You're one these guys that probably thought we played well today huh? He was woeful. Amazing how one or two Hollywood balls can mask such a terrible display. Was nowhere to be found for most of the game.

Worrying against that we allow teams like Wigan come to Anfield and play 'football' while we struggle to string two forward moving passes together. The Wigan players all looked like better players with the ball at their feet. <br /><br />Movement from us again was awful. So so predictable, hard to fathom what it is Rafa is trying to achieve, in terms of 'how' we play. Nothing is ever effortless or cohesive in what we do, its all a struggle. We pass back, back, back some more, they get on top and force a mistake or a thump up the field by Reina. Which all comes down to our lack of movement off the ball. Never as many options as there ought to be. <br /><br />Its great, the fight we've shown and never giving in and all that but there's positively now f***ing way we'll be able to sustain this over a season. <br /><br />

He was the covering player, easily just as responsible as Dossena for that goal. But come on, a finish like that, no need to point fingers.