At least the Really Big Two drew, too

Personally, I must own up to being a touch more pessimistic on this.

Their track records show that they can overcome the odd few points dropped. They've proved they can last the course over recent seasons, as have Arsenal.

It's harder for us, as basically we've shown we can't.

Every opportunity to gain ground must be revered like a sunny day in Manchester.

So what can be done, apart from get that new contract for Steven Gerrard printed?

Turn possession into chances, for a start, then try taking a few.

Get a combination up-front that clicks, which may mean looking beyond Robbie Keane.

Get some better squad players, too, who don't necessarily have to speak Spanish or Portuguese or even have surnames beginning with A.

That's A as in 'Average'. On the subject, if the buying strategy is simply to do quantity rather than quality, then we may as well see what's around a bit more locally.

Places like Crewe, where Danny Murphy hails from.

He's actually a bit better than average, and sometimes possessed of the guile needed to turn games like this.

Too many players who can offer something different have been shown the door.

This season may be one of those nail-biters that goes to the wire.

So when we need to win 11-0 on the last day to make up for a deficit in goal difference that sounds like the national debt, we may look back to days like Saturday and two points that would have made all the difference.

Let's have no more, eh, boys.