The Reds were made to pay for wasting chances yet again and as a result took just a point against Norwich at Anfield. Take nothing away from Norwich who stuck to their game well and scored a great header but the Reds should have been out of sight by this point and even after the equaliser should still have gone on to win. It seems to be the same story after each game these days - wasted chances!
Steven Gerrard again started and lined up with Charlie Adam in midfield with Lucas missing out through suspension. Craig Bellamy started on the left which meant Downing played right wing - a waste of his talent for me and Kuyt partnered Suarez up top. The Reds lost the toss and attacked the Kop in the first half.
Prior to the kick off the Kop filled with a JFT96 mosaic and the whole ground chanted for Justice and the applause I have to say also came from the visiting fans which shows the belief of the cover up that has gone on for too many years now.
The Reds started the game and were on the attack from the off. Inside two minutes they had a corner which Charlie Adam planted on Skrtel's head only for the ball to smash off the crossbar and go clear.
A few minutes later and Suarez managed to ease past his man but then toe poked the ball wide when he should have been hitting the target.
It was all one way traffic and on ten minutes Bellamy crossed to Suarez and he shot goalwards only for Ruddy to push the shot on to the far post and then Downing smashed the loose ball wide of the target.
The Reds continued to press but they continued to waste chances and although there were numerous occasion that Suarez got little protection from the ref we were just wasting too many opportunities.
Norwich gradually started to get in to the game as the half wore on and I have to say some of their play was good to watch - even it was from the opposition.
As Norwich got their game going for me it exposed the worries I had before the game about the lineup and how it might play. The centre of the midfield was not great as there was no receiver from the defence that you have with Lucas on the pitch whilst Downing on the right hand side is wasting his talent.
We were being stretched too much so that the gaps between each area of the pitch was too large and sometimes that was through laziness and that affected our attack - the offside count was woeful and so much of it was avoidable.
Just after the half hour Tierney picked up the only booking of the game as he took out Downing and could have no arguments really.
Glen Johnson headed over the bar as we continued to have the clearer chances of the sides but still we weren't troubling Ruddy enough in the Norwich goal.
As half time approached and we were continuing to waste chances we finally took the lead. As one minute of time was being added to the half Enrique sent a long ball forward. Suarez went down under pressure but as he claimed a free kick Bellamy just raced on the loose ball and after composing himself shot on goal and after a slight deflection the ball nestled in to the bottom corner of the net. A great time to score a goal and the sides went off at half time with the Reds ahead.
Neither side made changes at the break and Norwich got the game started again.
The second half started ok for the Reds and they tried to attack and extend their lead to no avail. Norwich reacted first to the half and Grant Holt was sent on as a sub and he didn't take long to affect the game.
You could see straight away that Norwich now had a bigger front line. Their number five was already causing problems and Holt is another who puts himself right in to the game.
Pilkington crossed the ball just about the hour mark from the right hand side and Holt rose well to head in to an empty net as Reina, Carragher and Johnson all collided with one another trying to prevent the header. It was a well taken header from Holt and three Reds were left lying on the floor after the great cross in.
A few minutes later and Holt forced Reina in to a save this time as the visitors went for a shock lead - and an undeserved one for me.
The Reds started to press forward more but they were in need of a change and the first one came with just over twenty one minutes left as Henderson replaced the impressive Bellamy. That finally meant Downing could play in his preferred position on the left and Henderson was meant to play right although he often drifts in and cuts the width from this side.
Ten minutes later and the Reds finally made a second change with Andy Carroll coming on but he replaced the one man who was probably able to find him - Downing so the supply line went for the target.
With the clock ticking down it all started to become a bit worrying as the Reds were not troubling Ruddy enough and it was looking like it was a point each.
Suarez was struggling up top to really get free and he's already hit the post in the second half and he had a penalty shout in the half as well but the ref waved it away when it looked tight. He has such a low centre of gravity sometimes when he turns his man and runs that it won't take much to push him over but refs aren't buying it.
As four extra minutes were added to the game the Reds made their final change with Kuyt going off to be replaced by Agger which moved Enrique to left midfield.
With four extra minutes to play the Reds managed to produce two more great chances. First of all Carroll had a great header but after meeting it well he couldn't quite guide it inside the post - it's only later that I saw it actually hit him on the shoulder as he didn't quite meet it perfectly.
Then in the closing minute Gerrard crossed in to the box and Suarez volleyed on target only for Ruddy to produce a great save to stop the ball hitting the net and that was it for the Reds who were forced to settle for a point.
Overall I think we created enough but if you don't take your chances you might pay the price - Wolves was one we got away with whilst United got a point last week and now Norwich. We're creating the chances without working the keeper often enough by hitting the target and that's what costs point as the season goes on. We're a work in progress for sure but taking chances shouldn't be a work in progress at this level.
MotM : Craig Bellamy - too his goal well by not stopping to wait for a whistle to go but he always played good wise football and was unlucky to be subbed for me.
