3 POINTS...BUT ONLY JUST

Marseille were unrecognisable from the crumbling outfit who surrendered to a 0-4 hammering last year in France.
Pleasingly, for 60 minutes we matched their commitment and showed a lot of our European experience to ease into what looked like a comfortable 1-2.
The last half hour, however, was worrying. Although the players were clearly leg weary after their manic exertions against the Mancs on Saturday.
So what did we learn? Well, that Gerrard is one of the greatest players to ever pull on a Liverpool shirt.
There are not many superlatives that can do justice to that first strike. The ball was played behind him, he was 25 yards out, yet still managed to cut his foot backwards, sideways and under to deposit the ball in the one spot of the goal their keeper couldn't reach.
It was stunning. Gerrard has scored some goals in his Reds career. That was in the Top 3. The skill it needed can't be underestimated.

It always makes me shake my head in bewilderment to see the message boards fill up with criticizm of our captain, particularly before the Manchester United matches.
The same happened before the game at the weekend. Put simply, if you can't appreciate and savour one of the best players to grace the Premiership in nearly 20 years, who luckily enough is playing for us, then there's nothing down for you.
It these types who were probably still having a moan in the minutes after Istanbul. The alternatives are a midfield full of Lucas Leivas, a distressing thought and no mistake.
Let's have a look at this Brazilian conundrum. The most common text winging its way to my inbok last night was, 'What does this lad actually do?'
I'm struggling to find an answer. He was pretty woeful against Marseille. Tackling is Paul Scholes-esque, passing is poor, doesn't get forward.
Even ITV commentator Jim Beglin felt it necessary to say at one stage, "Lucas is a liability." He was spot on. We played Marseille with 10 men.

The lad tries hard but he's patently not Premiership or Liverpool class. I can't really see what Benitez has ever seen in him.
And, I've detected a worrying Kuyt-like fondness for Lucas from Rafa that renders him incapable of ever removing him from the line of fire.
He was a stone-cold dead cert to be subbed in the second half. With Yossi limbering up, it seemed a certainty the Brazalian's number was up.
But no, off comes Gerrard. Clearly, the skipper was fading and his fitness is not 100% yet. But Yossi for Lucas was the obvious switch to retain the shape and formation we had on the pitch. I'm sure somebody else could have replaced Gerrard. Alonso for example.
If we hadn't survived one of the many chance Mareille spurned, we'd be pointing the finger at someone like Lucas for continually passing the ball back to the Frenchmen.
It's almost as if, like Kuyt, Rafa is determined to prove the doubters wrong over him. He's willing the Brazilian to play himself back into form.
But wheras Kuyt's energy and die-hard commitment can allow him to do that, I can't see the same scenario for the youngster.

Onto Babel. He had a promising night and he seems to be now believing in a little of his own ability.
It was savvy play the way he ran at the defender, sold him the dummy and won the penalty for our second.
Ryan appeared to be putting faith in his pace and power for the first time in ages.
He should have bagged a brace himself. But a lack of poise let him down after the hard work had been done.
But at least, he's getting in the positions, as those sage pundits always say.
A word for Arbeloa too, as after a questionable start to the season, the Spaniard has been excellent in the last two games.
His defensive, wise, sometimes sly approach to the game was a big benefit to us last night.
He was very solid faced with wily Marseille forwards and he carried the ball forward with confidence and purpose.
This sort of Arbeloa make him first choice right-back every time, no matter what Degen offers up.
And Riera's 20 minutes cameo looked good. He has composure, an outstanding left foot, and the ball played into the centre for Babel late on was a striker's dream. Quietly confident about him.

A final word about the two defensive rocks at the back, Carragher and Reina.
There's no praise too high for Jamie at the moment who has had a magnificent start to the season. With Skrtel strangely commiting harry-carry on occasions last night, Carra remained like a brick wall.
Chucking himself in front of everything, with great organisation and positioning. It was a captain's performance.
There were a number of fans who predicted a slow decline for Jamie this season after an up and down 12 months in which a tendency to give away penalties came to the fore.
It shows his strength of character that he's come back better than ever and now looks to have a good three seasons at the top level still in him.

And it would be unfair not to mention a great display from Reina - the £6m we paid to Villarreal must be one of the biggest steals in Premiership history.
At just 26, he has all the experience, professionalism, nous and unflappability of someone six years older than him.
He bailed us out big time last night. Pepe doesn't seem to produce full-length eye-catching saves like David James say, but his positioning is often so impeccable that strikers find the centre of his midriff or legs with well-placed shots.
And his speed off his line and sweeping up is first class.

It was good to hear Gerrard acknowledging in no uncertain terms after the game that the second half showing was not good enough.
Still, three points, away from home, against a fast anbd tricky Marseille outfit, in what is a tough group, is a very good start.