I was reading the news wires for player opinions after the Liverpool-Arsenal game. By now the majority of people who watched the game are probably wondering how Arsenal didn't go on to win, given the better chances they had.

Some Liverpool fans have admirably stood their ground and claimed luck deserted us, with injuries to Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres. I say we had luck firmly on our side when the goalpost and dodgy boots saved us from conceding.

Not many Liverpool fans, however, have said we outplayed them for longer than they did us.

'Some Liverpool fans have admirably stood their ground and claimed luck deserted us, with injuries to Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres. I say we had luck firmly on our side when the goalpost and dodgy boots saved us from conceding'


Our own players certainly didn't. Read quotes from Steve Finnan ("I suppose they were good enough to win the match because of the chances and possession they had”); Jamie Carragher (“Are Arsenal as good as people say they are? You’d better believe it, I thought they had 12 men out there!") and Pepe Reina ("I think it is a point gained because they were the better side"). On the other hand, the only Arsenal quotes indicated they knew, like our players did, who the better side were on the day.

I would have loved Liverpool to have stolen a win, but left with no choice, can make peace with a draw. Arsenal fans can remain aggrieved, though, because they were, and are the better footballing side. Last season, players like Aleksandr Hleb and Cesc Fabregas were being criticised for being ineffective and not scoring enough. Second, Arsenal did not have a plan B, and last, they were soft in the centre of midfield.

Now, Hleb is dovetailing effectively with Fabregas (himself scoring for fun), and suddenly you don't really notice whether Cesc and Mathieu Flamini are having to outmuscle opponents, because the team is playing almost seamlessly all over the pitch. They've also learned to play, and win ugly, if they have to, as a plan B.

Arsenal are improving because their players are getting better. You'd think Bacary Sagna has been with the club for more than half a season, such is the ease with which he's settled.

Liverpool, on the other hand, might be improving incrementally, but we're still falling behind, because our players are not developing, as rapidly as the Gunners' and United's are. We're still the Steven Gerrard show. John Arne Riise, Momo Sissoko, Sami Hyypia and Dirk Kuyt are suddenly playing below par, together, on a regular basis. This can only bring the overall team performance down from game to game, and there's only so much Stevie, Pepe, Carra and Finnan can do to compensate for their lacklustre performances. How can so many of our players be so damn jaded this early in the season?

Yes we have injuries, so did Manchester United. That's why teams have squads.

Is it training, tactics, man management? Are we missing Pako Ayestaran that badly? And what are our options? Buy, or sell? Sissoko looks to be heading toward Inter in light of Patrick Vieira's injury. Hyypia will surely be usurped shortly (by MIcah Richards?)  and Lucas Leiva cannot be promoted soon enough.

For the moment, we concentrate on players we do have available. I hope Peter Crouch takes the chances that will come his way, and if ever Harry Kewell had an opportunity to throw off the "failure" sign on his back, then this is it.

Hopefully, we'll see this team take the field in the next few games:

Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Arbeloa, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Kewell, Crouch, Babel (Kuyt, Voronin). Subs: Itandje, Riise, Leiva, Kuyt, Voronin.

How can Liverpool catch up with Arsenal? Post your comments below.