The Reds put in a woeful performance and lost at home to Wigan. I'm really not quite sure where to start with this one because the Reds certainly didn't start.
On a lovely warm day it felt more like an end of season May game - sadly the Reds played like it was the last game of the season with absolutely nothing riding on the game and being more interested in their holidays. The reality is that it's still March and they're still getting paid their wages by us turning up and supporting them.
The programme notes from Kenny said that the players were desperate to repay the support of the fans - I ended up just being desperate for the ref to blow for time on the game and put us out of our misery it was that bad. Even a late debut for Raheem Sterling failed to light up the afternoon.
Steven Gerrard lost the toss and was forced to attack the Kop in the first half and hence defend with the sun in their eyes.
Action in the game was of little note and it was about twenty five minutes before I can really remember a good shot on goal. Stewart Downing volleyed across the keeper but just wide of the far post as well.
Wigan took the lead when they were awarded a free kick on the right which was half cleared and as the ball fell Spearing set the ball for Henderson but Maloney jumped in and won the 50-50 to put the ball back towards the area. As the ball was in the air Carragher headed it back but as Moses looked to get in himself Skrtel booted the ball away. Anfield was suddenly stunned as the ref blew and pointed to the spot. It was dangerous play and in fairness you couldn't complain. It took a few minutes before Victor Moses walked off the pitch with his injury. Shaun Maloney finally spotted the ball up and despite Reina going the right way the ball flew in to the back of the net for 1-0.
There was at least plenty of time on the clock for the Reds to get back in to the game and at this point I wasn't overly concerned but that did start to come as we didn't show a reaction to the goal. I really don't remember Al-Habsi doing an awful lot to keep Wigan in it.
Half time came and we really needed a change to our play. Suarez was isolated up front on his own and that position really doesn't suit him best anyway. Andy Carroll - who should have started for me was sent on in place of Jordan Henderson.
From the start the Reds looked like they'd had the rocket at half time and suddenly showed some pace and desire about them.
It took just two minutes for the Reds to equalise as Steven Gerrard swept the ball in to the area for Suarez and he swept the ball past the keeper and in at the far post. A great instant response and one to build on.
Six minutes later and the Reds were off celebrating another goal as a cross to the back post was headed back across goal by Skrtel and Suarez bundled the ball in. With everyone celebrating the ref seemed to dither before pointing up field. Was he pointing for a goal or a free kick? Eventually he made it clear that it was a free kick and when everyone realised he'd disallowed it he showed Suarez a yellow card. I can only assume he handled it to put the ball in.
The Reds gradually eased the pace down then and thought they could get through Wigan with ease but at 1-1 that was the wrong decision.
Wigan then stunned the crowd by taking the lead again on sixty three minutes when Gary Caldwell beat the offside trap in loose play and then wrong footed Carroll who was trying to block a shot. With Carroll now gone Caldwell stroked the ball past Reina and their was a mountain to climb.
Again like the first goal time wasn't that much against us really but it did take us ten minutes to make a change and that saw Jonjo Shelvey replace Downing. Shelvey did ok when he came on but it was strange that Downing went off as it just threw any kind if shape out of the window. Shape or anything positive was out of the window by this point and I have to say Al-Habsi could have read the paper from what I remember him having to do.
With eight minutes to go Raheem Sterling was sent on in place of Dirk Kuyt and the young kid tried to get involved in the game but without much support from team mates. At one point Sterling got to the bye line and crossed the ball - no-one had bothered to get in the box and Carroll was actually stood in the centre circle.
As the clock ticked down I'd love to say we went down fighting or Wigan defended with every ounce of strength that they had or the keeper pulled off great saves. None of them applied and even with five added minutes for time wasting just compounded the misery really. Some fans were getting frustrated at the odd bit of time wasting by Wigan - if we were throwing the kitchen sink at them then fair enough but we wouldn't have got ourselves out of a wet paper bag at this one. At the final whistle there were loud boo's across the ground and after that performance who can blame some of them. Apart from the goal the most exciting part of Liverpool today was Operation Anfield Exercise - although I think that operation was to try and keep us in.
MotM : Jon Flanagan - been out of the team a while and after a slight shaky start settled well and tried to get involved in as much as he could.
