Good point for Liverpool - but striking out for win is mark of champions
A POINT against Arsenal would have been considered a very good result at the start of Sunday - but not at the end of it.
It was another one of those occasions when I was desperate for Liverpool to go all out for victory. Two strikers, Gerrard joining the attack, two wingers, full-backs pushing on because they had no-one to mark at the other end once Arsenal were down to 10 men.
It all adds up to another opportunity to open up a gap at the top lost.
As soon as Adebayor was off, it should have been time to take the handbrake off as well.
Especially as that Arsenal defence was looking as nervous as I've ever seen it and Djourou was having a stinker and Gallas wasn't looking great either.
They were there for the taking and when you look at how Liverpool dominated possession, not converting that into three points could prove very costly.
And given that Chelsea once again failed to capitalise at Goodison Park last night only adds to the agonising feeling, growing by the week, that the lead a the top should be so much bigger by now.
But more pressing than that is the concern that Liverpool themselves have already dropped so many points in games they have been expected to win.
Stoke, West Ham, Fulham, Hull - if those one points had been turned into three then a point at the Emirates would be a great result.
But when you're in control, when your defence is so comfortable, when it's three points for a win, you need people on there who will win you the game.
Even though he wasn't there, I felt the approach was a return to the Benitez of old, hanging on for one point without taking the gamble.
It might yet turn out to be sensible thinking on the day, and I remain firmly in the Benitez camp.
But this is the best chance he will probably have of winning the league, because everybody seems to be doing their best to lose it.
However, if their rivals get on a good run, the dropped points could well come back to haunt him and that's why you can't miss the boat when chances to win games open out in front of you. Simply, that's not what champions do.
In terms of the news of Benitez being close to a new deal, well if there's any doubt about how much he wants to manage Liverpool it was well and truly dispelled on Sunday.
He couldn't stay off that phone and backed up Sammy Lee's insistence that he would be in total control - to the point of being a control freak by the looks of things.
I actually felt a bit sorry for Sammy in those circumstances. Either he is trusted to be in charge of the team or he isn't.
Given the way he kept scurrying to the goalkeeping coach to get another message from his manager, I suspect it's the latter.
Mark Lawrenson was talking to NICK SMITH
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I agree with almost every word of that with the exception of Sunday seeing the team return to the overcaitious Benitez of old.
For me that hapened after the Chelsea game and I am growing more and more concerned that our safety first approach will cost us dear.
You can argue that playing one up front offers us more options interms of tactics but that only works if we have someone of the quality of Torres backed up by another world class player in Gerrard.
As soon as that system is employed using Kuyt or Keane then we look toothless and it simply doesn't work.
You can point to the fact we are top of the league as evidence of Rafas success, however those in the know realise that it's whos top in may that takes the prize, not December.
Only then will we know for sure if rafas tactics are proven right...I have serious doubts!