Opportunities Go A Begging Yet Again

That Liverpool missed enough chances to have won a number of games conclusively was disappointing. That Luis Suarez missed enough chances to pull himself well clear as the Premiership's top scorer was disappointing.

Not for the first time this season the Liverpool team that came out in the second-half at Anfield was unrecognisable from that of the first half and not for the first time this season the substitutions called into question the tactical decisions made from the side-line.

The dichotomy within Liverpool's performance was that the first twenty minutes was as good as anything seen at home and away in the last two seasons. The free-flowing football was superb with Gerrard playing within himself controlling the tempo of the game with Able Lieutenant Adam interchanging nicely with Liverpool were exerting pressure at will. But as we've found out time and time again football has a habit of kicking you in the teeth if chances are not taken from a position of dominance.

Bellamy's inclusion added to the number of match winners in Suarez, Gerrard, Adam, Downing and Kuyt which made all the more disappointed that we couldn't find a way to kill off a Norwich who deserved nothing more than a train ticket home. Suarez time and time again showed he is a class above, but these are the games, especially at home that we need win and the sub-standard nature of our finishing was made all the more galling, given how many of the chances were glaring opportunities inside the penalty area.

Having shown encouraging signs in his cameo from centre-midfield last week, it was disappointing to see Henderson come on to play on the right when it was patently apparent that Adam was flagging from the hour. Bellamy's substitution didn't seem to make any sense when he was offering quality in the final third and was tracking back when needed in addition to scoring the goal from his only decent opportunity.

Pepe was patently at fault for the goal, but two or free times Norwich got headers in beating Carragher and Skrtel comfortably in the air and twice early on in the second half Glen Johnson's personal satnav seem to go on the blink as he was palpably out of position.

All that being said, Gerrard and Adam were positives playing together, although Gerrard still looks someway short of match fitness. Pieces of skill from Suarez will live long in the memory, but players like Downing must stamp their own personality on the game and not be overawed by Suarez personality.

Downing on occasions will try to thread impossible balls through to Suarez instead of taking on the shot even when if he is better positioned. Recently, he has been unfairly chastised for not providing no assists this season, but as with yesterday is it his fault if those on the end of his crosses fail to hit the target?

Conclusion: The game should have been dead and buried after twenty minutes, but not for the first time this season we tailed off after a good start whether it's because of lack of concentration or disappointment or both, but it has to be stamped out. We closed positively with chances which on another day would have seen us home and hosed. It brings into question whether we are missing a clinical striker we can bring off the bench.

Instead of sitting quite comfortably among the elite we have thrown away an opportunity knowing that the race for fourth place will be as competitive as it has ever been we need to be winning matches we are expected to.

Man of The Match: Luis Suarez should have had a hat-trick and looked up occasionally to find better place teammates in the area, but that's all part of his make-up. Once again his all-round performance leading the line was at times sensational.