Final Whistle

Liverpool fans will feel a little lucky to have saved a point at home against Atletico Madrid last night in the UEFA Champion’s League given that it took them a 94th minute Steven Gerrard penalty to do so after failing to respond to Atletico’s first half goal.

The match, in truth, was a little dull largely as a reault of Atletico’s tactical ploy to sit with men behind the ball and only offer the counter attack as any way of going forward. Away from home, in European competition, that tactic often pays dividends, however, and it very nearly did for Athletico last night.

It took a decidedly dodgy penalty (though a more clear cut opportunity to point to the spot was avoided by officials) award to even things up after Liverpool had spent much of the evening looking fairly toothless in front of goal.

Gerrard as always looked to carry his underachieving teammates through this match and perhaps tried too hard at times – giving the ball away instead of playing a more simple pass – and it was he who threw his head to a seeming lost cause just before the Atletico defended clattered into him a little clumsily, but perhaps not unfairly for the penalty to get scores level. Gerrard stepped up and hit one of the sweetest spot kicks you are likely to see, hitting the side netting just inside the right-hand post.

2 points dropped? No Liverpool fan who watched this game will be disappointed with a point after such a performance, though things will need to improve (Torres looks like a huge absence right now) if they are to go far in this competition.