The Reds probably blew their last hopes of getting fourth place this season after a home loss to Arsenal in a game which we really should have won with some ease. Fourth was always looking to be a hard task but after this loss I'd say they were gone now but at least with the League cup win last week we know we are back in Europe - even if it is for the second trophy.
Prior to the kick off Steven Gerrard came out with the League cup won last week. He did literally come on the pitch lift it up and then walk straight back off again. Not like the pictures you see of the 1965 FA Cup win and it being paraded all around the pitch.
The Reds came out and there was no Gerrard or Johnson in the side so it was Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly who started for us whilst Dirk Kuyt played up top with Suarez as both Bellamy and Carroll were on the bench.
Arsenal kicked off attacking the Kop in the first half but it was the Reds who were straight on the attack and had a corner inside the first minute but we couldn't make anything of it.
After a minute and another corner Kelly headed over the bar. Arsenal on the other hand were looking to play their football and generally use Walcott down the right. On five minutes the winger had a shot on goal but Reina gathered well.
On fifteen minutes the Reds had a golden opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty kick but then again with our strike rate this season I don't know why I got excited.
The penalty was a stone wall one as Suarez jinked his way around Szczesny only to be brought down. Mark Halsey pointed to the spot but strangely for me never showed even a yellow card which given that Suarez was around the keeper I thought was a goal scoring chance. We did have the penalty though and Dirk Kuyt took the ball from Charlie Adam and the crowd were ready. Kuyt stepped up but in going left saw the keeper get across well and save it but it flew back out and Kuyt tapped the rebound back to goal only to see Szczesny scramble back across his line to push the ball for a corner kick.
I always say it's criminal to miss a penalty and they've been very costly at times this season in particular. At this point we were on top and deserved to be on top. In the final round up it's cost a point as well.
The Reds continued to dominate the play in general and finally they did take the lead midway through the half as Jordan Henderson broke down the right and he crossed low in to the box aiming for Suarez but Koscielny got back to clear the ball - except it flew off his boot and in to the back of the net.
We really were on top of the game now and two minutes later we so nearly went two up but Suarez smashed his shot off the post after good build up play.
Arsenal for me looked really rattled at this point and for me the defence was exposed and certainly there for the taking.
However on the half hour Arsenal broke forward well down their right side and with far too much room Sagna crossed the ball in to the area and van Persie stole in front of Carragher to head in to the Kop net.
As the half wore on it was still the Reds who were on the front foot and we had chances to score again. Skrtel, having another great game headed over the bar from a corner and on half time Dirk Kuyt prodded past the keeper only to see the ball hit the post and go to safety for Arsenal.
So as the half time whistle blew we looked back on a one one half having missed a penalty and hit both posts. As that whistle blew Adam struck the ball and actually hit the bar with it just to compound it all.
No changes were made at half time and it was the Reds who started it again. Just a minute or so in to the half though and Arteta clashed off the ball with Henderson - it didn't appear anything dangerous but the Spaniard collapsed to the floor and never moved - eventually being stretchered off the pitch with oxygen. Abou Diaby was sent on in his place.
Thomas Vermaelen was booked just after the hour mark when he went through the back of Suarez and the ref finally remembered he had yellow cards. Suarez had been getting hacked from the back all game without much protection and it took until this tackle for the yellow card to come. Ref's need to wake up and understand top strikers are playing the game at a high pace and little moves will always look more theatrical at speed when you're hacked down.
A couple of minutes later and Adam was lucky not to get booked when he took Song down from the side in his usual poor tackling method.
On sixty eight minutes the Reds really should have gone in front again when a cross came in from the right and it fell to Kelly at the back post about four yards out but he somehow managed to miss the target. It looked like he went at it with the wrong foot for how the ball came across him.
On seventy three minutes Arsenal made a second change as Gervinho replaced former Red Yossi Benayoun who left the pitch to a round of applause.
There was no movement on the Reds' bench though as time started to tick on. We were still playing well but we did look like we could do with something different and if a player is going to get time to create that chance he has to come on sooner rather than later.
In fact Arsenal had to make their third change before we made our first and it was sub Diaby who was subbed. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came on in his place as the Arsenal man ran straight down the tunnel.
On eighty seven minutes the sub was finally made with Craig Bellamy replacing Stewart Downing. IT wasn't giving Bellamy much time to get in to the game and as it turned out he didn't.
As the clock had just past the ninety and eight minutes were added Arsenal struck the killer touch as Song lofted a ball over the defence and as the crowd yelled for offside van Persie side foot volleyed the ball past Reina at his near post. It was a crucial bow for the Reds and despite all the dominance we were now losing. Andy Carroll was sent on for Jay Spearing but even with all the added time we just couldn't create the crucial opening.
As the final whistle blew you were left wondering about another game where we failed to score the goals our dominance suggested we should have. At some point we have to get a grip and put the ball in the net. Bob Paisley always side put the ball in the net and we'll discuss your options later - well let's start doing that.
MotM : Martin Skrtel - another really strong game at the back and nothing got past him all game - a shame to end on the losing side for him.
