This result really hurt. Last week's defeat at Boro was bad, but at least we could vent spleen about a negative team selection. Disappointment is easier to take when you have someone, or something to blame for it. Last weekend we had no shortage of reasons for what went wrong. Today, I can't honestly find fault with anything, and that makes this result a real sickener.
I may be overstating things a bit, but my impression of this game was that we were excellent from first minute to last. Some of the football was superb, we did everything but score, and never allowed the Mackems a single effort on goal (not that they seemed particularly interested in testing Jerzy anyway).
We hit the woodwork, saw efforts cleared off the line and were unfortunate enough to catch Sunderland keeper Jurgen Macho having the game of his life. Just what can you criticise about today?
These reports are a lot easier when you can have a rant about something, but right now all I'm feeling is a sense of injustice. I could list all the chances, but we'd be here all day so what's the point?
There were some superb individual performances, most notably from Diao - who continually drove us forward, especially in the second half - and Murphy, who suffered more than anyone at the hands of Macho. Danny could have had four or five on another day, and was twice foiled by the crossbar.
I expected a low scoring, nervous affair, and was predicting a 1-0 or 2-1 win. I didn't think it would be pretty, and I wasn't expecting much of a performance to be honest. We've made something of a habit of winning when not playing well, so it was somewhat ironic that, just like other home games against Newcastle, Birmingham and Basel, we played so well only to come away with a single point.
No matter how we tried, we just couldn't get the goal which would have seen off the sorry Mackems. Sunderland gave the most negative display I've ever seen from a side visiting Anfield. They will argue that it is justified given their present position, and fair play to them. If they want to do that, it's up to us to break it down. Quite how we didn't is still something of a mystery.
Had we scored early on, things would no doubt have been different. The returning Babbel missed a glorious chance when he blasted over the bar from close range. Had that gone in, a cricket score could have been on the cards. Or we could have just sat back and tried to protect it. You never know with GH.
In the past, when we haven't managed to score in the first half, things have often gotten edgy. The players can panic, and the crown often become impatient. That never happened today. The players kept their composure and continued to play their football, and possibly as a result of that, the fans never lost patience. At least not with the team anyway.
Referee Andy D'Urso is a different story altogether. This man is the most inept official currently in the Premierhsip. And that is some feat, given the levels of incompetance regularly seen around top flight grounds each week.
Luckily enough, he didn't have any 'major' decisions to make, and it is not down to him that we didn't win this game. But some of his decisions were unbelievable. Totally out of his depth, and he needs to be sent back down the leagues to learn his trade properly.
The only lesson that can be learned from this game is that football is a cruel game. Maybe we could have done better with some of our finishing, but by and large it was good goalkeeping or bad luck that denied us. Not too many chances were squandered.
There were a lot more positives to take from this draw than there were from most of our victories this season. Ultimately, getting three points is always the most important thing, but we can surely take some consolation in the fact that if we play like this every week, we'll win a hell of a lot more often than not.
We needed a response from the players after the disappointment of Boro and Basel, and we got it. The midfield trio of Hamann, Diao and Murpy were outstanding, and dominated the game from start to finish. Didi was just Didi, and SuperDan waged a one man crusdae against the Sunderland goal. Diao has really grown on me of late, and I hold my hands up and say he is a lot better than I thought he was going to be. We knew he was strong, quick, athletic etc. But he's also a damn good player. He uses the ball well and gets in the box when we attack. So far, he's easily the best of our summer signings, which I doubt if any of us would have predicted (except Houllier, who - credit where it's due - named Salif as his most important signing in a Sunday newspaper ahead of the Charity Shield game).
Smicer was excellent again in the 'hole', and the only minor criticism I can have about anything was that I felt Vladi should have been left on, and Emile should have been the one who made way for Diouf (you could also make a case for Baros being given a chance, but these are minor points really).
Michael was once again on top form, and his all round game gets better by the week. Djimi was faultless again at the back, and Sami looked more like himself, although Sunderland';s total lack of ambition meant it was a comfortable afternoon for the back four. Carra was steady as ever, but this game called for more of an attacking threat which was why he made way for Riise as we threw everything forward.
The one thing which we can take great heart from after this was the magnificent return of Markus Babbel. He was unbelievable. It was like he'd never been away. He gave the side width and balance, and paced himself brilliantly so that he was still going strong at the end. Great to have him back.
So unlitmately this was two points lost, but it would be unfair to criticise anyone after this. It was just one of those days, but it has cost us the top spot in the table, and with Arsenal seemingly over their recent blip, we can't afford many more days like this.
Team: Jerzy Dudek; Markus Babbel, Sami Hyypia, Djimi Traore, Jamie Carragher (John Arne Riise); Danny Murphy, Didi Hamann, Salif Diao, Emile HEskey; Vladimir Smicer (El Hadji Diouf), Michael Owen:
