As u can see im an Arsenal fan and I think u hit the nail on the head. 2 valuable points lost this weekend. Rafa is an outstanding manager but the likes of Blackburn, Newcastle, Pompey and Villa cant be underestimated this year. I think the Rafa should concentrate on the league. Ye have proven urselves in CL. Unlike Man U and Scumskei i hope Liverpool are up there with the Gunners all year. Hope it makes a good title race.

Hi, Agree with your comments. A full side with Gerrard & Torres probably would have beaten Pompey. The thing is we have 6 games in the CL to get 10-12 points. Take 7 points from our home games and all we need is maybe one win away from home. Surely we could get that against Marseille and/or Besiktas. We could have played a full team against Pompey and played last saturdays team, next week against Birmingham at Anfield. I definitely think it is a case of 2 points dropped.

i think rafa's decision to have rested key players was right.although the premier league is the title we most covet, the portsmouth game was just one out of 38 and given the rigours of the international break and fixture schedule, he had no other choice,besides, what's the use of having a big squad if you can't use the second string against portsmouth, maybe he should use them against man utd instead, and lest we forget, the kop might crave the league, the champions league remains the biggest prize.

As a Portsmouth local who's also a Liverpoool fan, this match always creates difficulties for me anyway. However, from the Red perspective, there should be no danger of even a second-string Liverpool line-up failing to qualify for the knockout phase of the Champions League. However, not even the first-string have managed to win the Premiership for a very long time (well, lets face it, since before it was known as the Premiership). Against Pompey, Liverpool could have started with a strong side, would have been more likely to get an early lead and then they have the luxury to make early subs and rest some of them. I am amazed the Rafa showed the lack of respect to Pompey that he did with his team selection. I am not surprised Redknapp has been quoted as saying that he thinks Utd will win the league - Liverpool were lucky to get the result they did! I think that risking a lesser result on Tuesday would have been the better gamble.

Completely right. He has even set us a 12 point target from the group matches in the European Cup. Not happy he is clearly prioritising Europe again. Crouch & Voronin were so inneffective it was frightening. When I saw the line up I felt this anyway. Having Crouch just played into the hands of Pompey, high balls against two big centre halves? Easy and as it proved they were untroubled. Torres and Gerrard keep it down and run att teams, something I feel a cumbersome Campbell would have been unable to handle, particularly against Torres. Very frustrated, 2 points dropped but in saying same Pompey are formidable at home. However, we hardly threatened to upset that record and I am not and never have subscribed to constant rotation. It affects the players, how else can you explain fluid one week and disjointed the next? Until Rafa puts the league top of the list and despite what he is saying he clearly isn't we will not win it. Should he continue to rotate to ill effect I hate to say it but he may not be the man

to take us topside either. Unless he sticks with a more consistent 11 in the league then we will not challenge sufficiently. On a final note, Benayoun has been moaning about lack of first team shots. Yossi, take a look at the video of last Saturdays performance and you shouldn't have any question as to why you are on the bench.

i agree with rotation of players especially with the hectic programme of matches we have .... BUT NOT TO THIS EXTENT!!! as for shane's comment regarding benayoun i feel the same regarding crouch he was completely ineffective against pompey and as i have said in other threads he completely effects the side because they start firing long balls from all over the field to him that he just inst skilled enough to handle.

Again an article 'if this had have been done' - how do you honestly know the answer? Rafa has said he is prioritising the PL, so does this mean he should 'throw' the CL? I know things are easy on Playstation.......

The slump in liverpools performances has coincided with the departure of Paco Ayesteran. Since his departure, Liverpool have looked a shambles. Im sure this is a transitional phase that liverpool are going through. Do the maths if Liverpool win 25 games and Draw 13 i.e 88 points. Thats a damn good tally for the league title.

Is this too late?..