John OBI has a touch of Ballackitis ...

[Star]

Firstly let me say I rate the kid, so highly in fact I believe he will one day go on to be one of the best players of his generation. But he had a bit of a mare today and strolled around Anfield like Michael Ballack with a cigar on.

I don't know if it's a ploy to calm him down a bit but it could and should have cost us today. Gerrard bossed the Centre of the park and John Obi should have been replaced by Maka once Lamps slammed in the dodgy penalty.

Ben Haim was exposed again, this time by the pace and trickery of Torres for the goal but he played very well it must be said after the break. However, i'd like to see a match fit Alex given a starting place alongside JT in the absence of Carvalho.

SWP was our best player, he has been pre-season and in all three games of the Premiership season in my opinion. What a turnaround, good job we turned down all approaches for him in the summer, this is the guy we all saw at Man City. Talking of Man City, what a performance in their Centre of defence by Dunne and Richards against Manure.

Wonder if Jose is thinking perhaps Richards with his capability to play right back was a dual option better than paying over the odds for Alves?

It was a point gained today make no mistake, Liverpool are looking a decent bet to challenge this season.

I'm a bit pissed so i'm signing off ...

[MannyJello]

star, i completely agree. i counted at least 3 times when Mikel was caught ball watching...Pool would play the ball in the center of the pitch, and Mikel would chase it around like a chicken with his head cut off while they made short little passes to easily string it through the midfield. i would have at least given him a break if he'd shown some hustle while doing so, but most times he looked frustrated and (worse), disinterested. last season i was happy when Mikel showed that we could have a holding midfielder who liked to move the ball forward in attack and wasn't always happy to settle with a defensive backpass; but i can't help but think that Liverpool's attack would have been sorely disrupted if someone with the positioning of Makalele would have been in there.

[Liam]

I still think he has potential but I'd like to see some kind of learning curve.

I don't think he's earned the right to stroll through big games like today's though. Perhaps he's been reading his reviews on here!

[Elliott]

I'm not so sure that Mikel would intentionally 'stroll' through our most important game to date.

He will always have a composed look about him. That is his style.

It's clear to everyone that he is not a Makelele, and is still a young lad.

If anything, blame Mourinho for putting so much trust in him to do that job?

[Sofa Manager]

I said last season his footie actually resembled...Ballack.

I said it, because he can actually look very composed, has the physicall presence, and ISN'T a runrunrunruntackletackletackle like a madman Parker, wich IMHO are qualities.

What he needs to do is actually pass better (altough I see some improvements), and shoot to score.

[footiemadman007]

I agree with you Star all the way..

Just one slight thing - we still have time to sign Richards from City AND we got Alex on a free - so we didn't pay over the odds for him.

[The Brit]

I didn't think Mikel was that bad against liverpool...I remember him hitting some lovely passes including a 40 yard crossfield ball to swp which led to a great chance for pizarro...he may not run around like gerrard, but gerrard's main job was to stop us playing, something he did well, but Mikel didn't seem to be intimidated...it was gerrard that got booked for a reckless tackle on mikel remember after he'd been outwitted.