TUNNEL VISION

From one to eleven at the weekend, with the possible exceptions of Torres, Agger and Aurelio, Liverpool were poor againt Fulham.
Strangely, the players looked tired, devoid of spark and drive that would have broken down an obdurate Cottagers side.
But the starkest feature about the game was how our most in-form midfielder was sat kicking his heels on the bench.
Meanwhile, his replacement - young, foreign, out of form and becoming more a passenger as every minute ticked by - managed to complete the full 90 minutes.
True, Lucas wasn't the only player to massively underwhelm for Liverpool. Mascherano, Riera and Keane had stinkers.
But with Gerrard missing, and the need to control the centre of the park vital, the decision to play the Brazilian over the Spaniard seemed bizarre.
The crowd made their feelings clear from the outset with Alonso's name being chanted after just 30 minutes.
Fans were getting on Lucas' back, but then he wasn't exactly doing anything to remedy the situation.

And here's where the Rafa stubborness comes in.
Bar a 15 minute spell at the start of the second half, Lucas was clearly miles off the pace.
He was second best to challenges he should have won, he gave the ball away, and the passes he did complete were easy, regulation taps to either side of him.
In short, at a time when we needed leaders in central midfield, we had a player consistently passing the buck.
Mascherano is hardly known for incisive passing, and with Gerrard and Alonso out, Torres and Keane had to drop wide or deep to try and turn scraps into a first course meal.
Contrast that to what our player of season Alonso could have done given an hour and a half to influence proceedings.
It was clear to most people in the ground the switch needed to be made. But a stubborn Benitez was never going to acede to the crowd's wishes.
We can't go as far to say that this stubborness cost Liverpool three points as there were a handful of poor performances to be highlighted.
But it hardly helped.
A similar thing happened with Kuyt. There were clear arguments he should have been dropped during his off-form period.
But at least the Dutchman gave us massive workrate. And it could be said that Rafa was proved right in the end with the striker as he started to come good.
Xabi must be hacked off. He's been in great form for weeks, he was terrific at Bolton, yet he's rewarded with a subs slot.
What happened to the well-trodden rule about playing people when they are in form?

It seems a sad fact, but Liverpool are still blighted by the same age-old dilemna. We struggle without Gerrard.
Despite having a £45m forward line, having a £25m of talent in central midfield, £10m on the wing and £7m on the other wing.
We still look lost without Steven Gerrard. I thought we had left those 'one man team' days behind us long ago.
Clearly not totally.
Torres played well, and he worried Fulham all day with his pace. He was missing Gerrard through.
He was fuming at the final whistle and barely shook a hand before storming off the pitch for the solace of the dressing room and a wall to kick.
What he must think of the efforts of his striking partner Keane is anyone's guess.
There's giving a new recruit time to bed in, but then there's missing golden chance after golden chance.
The gaffe at Bolton's last week was a shocker, the miss that he smacked in Schwarzer's face wasn't a great deal better.
Granted it takes time to settle into a new system and striking partnership, but when gilt-edged chance come along you expect a £20m to be accepting at least half of them.

It was frustrating and a relief in equal measure at the final whistle to hear that Chelsea had failed to score against Newcastle.
What a chance to go two points clear. There's a sneaking suspicion that those dropped points could be hugely costly.