Snore-draw Not The Answer To Rafa’s Current Problems

The match of the day producers didn’t fancy it, but with the DVD of this match they may have just stumbled across a best-selling cure for insomnia.

The fact that Liverpool were relegated to the final slot on Saturday night’s highlights programme will have come as no surprise to anyone who had the misfortune to be at Ewood Park.

In fact it was shocking they decided to give it any air time at all.

After the high of their triumph at Goodison Park, this was a reality check.

What’s clear is that it’s going to take a lot more than a solitary derby victory to truly kick-start a hugely disappointing campaign.

Confidence and belief are still in desperately short supply. Too many players are stuck in a rut and Rafael Benitez doesn’t have the strength in depth at his disposal to be able to ring the changes.

Skipper Steven Gerrard did his best to rally the troops on his 500th appearance for the club and looks to be regaining his sharpness. Right-back Glen Johnson also impressed but there were few positives.

The return of striker Fernando Torres can’t come soon enough.

The Spaniard was sorely missed on Saturday as Liverpool’s lack of firepower was exposed for all to see.

Benitez insisted afterwards this was another step in the right direction for his side following the troubles of recent months.

Their unbeaten run stands at six matches and for all their defensive woes this season Liverpool have now gone nearly five hours of football without conceding a goal.

Of course a point at Ewood Park is hardly a disaster.

After all Blackburn haven’t lost at home since Manchester City visited on the opening day of the season. And Rovers have only tasted defeat twice in 23 home games since Sam Allardyce took over nearly a year ago.

However, there is no escaping the fact that this was another in a long list of missed opportunities.

The emphasis was placed firmly on keeping things tight, but the problem was Blackburn were more than happy to settle for a share of the spoils.

When Liverpool finally began to force the issue in the second half they couldn’t make their pressure pay and in a frantic finish they could easily have ended up with nothing.

Blackburn are well-organised but their deficiencies have been routinely exposed by title contenders this season. Arsenal stuck six past them, Chelsea helped themselves to five and Manchester United cruised to a 2-0 victory.

But Liverpool didn’t have the guile or the quality to unlock them and for long periods of the afternoon goalkeeper Paul Robinson was merely a spectator.

One man who may have been able to make the difference spent the afternoon warming the substitutes’ bench and jogging up and down the touchline.

Benitez said Saturday wasn’t the right kind of game for Alberto Aquilani.

In such a tight, physical contest he insisted it would have been unfair to introduce a player with so little football under his belt this season.

The manager is desperate to keep his big money signing wrapped in cotton wool, but how else can Aquilani get match-fit unless he plays? Surely the £18m man has been brought in to turn the tables in tight games like this?

His continued absence is a source of much frustration among fans who will finally see the Italian start a game in a red shirt when he lines up against Fiorentina on Wednesday night.

But a meaningless European game will hardly help him get accustomed to the hustle and bustle of Premier League football.

Benitez recalled Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun on Saturday at the expense of David Ngog and Fabio Aurelio with Dirk Kuyt pushed up front as the lone striker.

It didn’t work with Kuyt isolated and out-muscled by Ryan Nelsen and the outstanding Chris Samba.

Riera was a major disappointment on the left flank and the only surprise was that Benitez left him on until early in the second half.

Blackburn were on a high following their Carling Cup victory over Chelsea and they welcomed back Allardyce following heart surgery.

It was the perfect contest for the boss to ease his way back in with excitement painfully thin on the ground.

Gerrard had a shot deflected behind early on but it was 36 minutes before either keeper had a save to make.

Robinson’s long punt downfield was met by Samba but his header was straight at Pepe Reina.

Liverpool defended stoutly amid an aerial bombardment from the hosts who grabbed every opportunity they got to pump the ball into the visitors’ penalty box.

But going forward there was little invention and Benitez’s side ran out of ideas in the final third.

Before the break Lucas’ pass set Gerrard clear on the left side of the penalty box but Samba was across quickly to deny the captain.

The game improved after the break but in truth it could hardly have got any worse.

Liverpool enjoyed a major let-off when Steven Nzonzi put Franco Di Santo through. The striker, who is on loan from Chelsea, dallied and allowed Javier Mascherano time to get back and dispossess him.

It took the introduction of rookie frontman Ngog to finally get Liverpool going. Robinson had to keep out Gerrard’s 25-yarder and he also had another effort deflected over.

The skipper was at the heart of everything and just before the hour mark he had pleas for a spot-kick waved away after he tumbled over Nzonzi’s challenge in the box following good work from Lucas.

With the tempo finally raised, the game opened up and with 20 minutes to go Liverpool were just inches away from breaking the deadlock.

Johnson embarked on one of his lung-bursting forward runs and raced into the box before picking out Ngog.

The Frenchman looked destined to score but a cruel bobble meant he miscued his shot which cannoned back off the bar.

The rebound kindly dropped into the path of Kuyt but his goal-bound effort was forced behind by Samba.

However, this was no hard luck story with Blackburn giving as good as they got in the closing stages.

Benni McCarthy fired wastefully wide when well-placed and Vince Grella also went close as the home side hit Liverpool on the counter-attack.

Daniel Agger stung Robinson’s palms from long range and Kuyt’s blistering strike just cleared the bar, but it was Rovers who looked the more likely to steal the points.

Substitute Nikola Kalinic blazed one chance over and in stoppage time David Hoilett’s pass left Kalinic with just Reina to beat.

The Liverpool keeper raced out to meet him and the Croatian international’s composure deserted him.

Lucas Tips Aquilani To Shine

Lucas Leiva is confident Alberto Aquilani will be a hit at Liverpool once he settles into life at Anfield.

The Italian has endured a frustrating opening to his Reds career, with a long-standing injury carried over from his time at Roma hindering his early opportunities to make an impression.

However, with Rafa Benitez having spent big over the summer in order to acquire his services, the Liverpool faithful are expecting great things from the £17million man.

He has been charged with filling the void created by Xabi Alonso's sale to Real Madrid, but has been limited to just 21 minutes of action so far.

Aquilani will, however, be awarded his first start against Fiorentina in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday and his fellow midfielder Lucas is backing him to prove his worth and silence the doubters.

"It is exciting that Alberto is going to get his first chance and we are all looking forward to it - we will give him all the support and respect he needs," Lucas declared in the Liverpool Echo.

"Hopefully he will do a really good job for us. When you have been out for a long time injured, it takes a while for you to get your rhythm back.

"But it is easy to see in training that he has got quality on the ball and we hope he is going to help us.

"People will make comparisons but he is a different player to Xabi; he is more attacking and we can all see that he is going to play in a more advanced role.

"Obviously he came to replace Xabi but he is going to need some time to settle and we will do everything to make that happen quickly."

Rafa Benitez Challenges Javier Mascherano To Score More Goals For Liverpool

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez wants Javier Mascherano to start finding the net more often after his deflected effort at Everton.

That strike is set to go before the dubious goals panel to determine if it can be credited to the midfielder.

Benitez is giving the goal to Mascherano though and now wants to see more from the holding midfielder.

"Since the first day when we signed Javier we've talked about goals because he's not bad at shooting from outside the box," the manager told the Reds' official website.

"He can do well on this, so he has to keep trying. If he does, he'll score more goals.

"He tries in training. He doesn't score too many when you compare it to Gerrard but still it's a good and a different option for us.

"For everyone, if you're at the edge of the box you have to try. It doesn't matter what position you play - if you're a centre-back or left-back or midfielder, you must try.

"The main thing is to try. You might get a deflection. For me, Mascherano's goal [against Everton] was a deflection, not an own goal."

Benitez also revealed that Mascherano would not be travelling with the Argentina squad for their unofficial friendly with Catalunya later this month.

"It's a friendly game that comes during Christmas time, and we have a game on the 26th and 28th. It's too much for us, so the best thing for us is if he doesn't go and doesn't play," the Spaniard added.

"He is coming back to the level we know. He had some problems at the beginning of the season but he's now playing really well.

"We're really pleased because we have the Mascherano we signed."

Reina Set For New Liverpool Deal

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is hoping negotiations over a new contract for goalkeeper Pepe Reina can be wrapped up over the coming months.

The Reds boss revealed over the weekend that the club had begun talks over a new contract for Javier Mascherano, with Benitez also keen to tie down the Spanish stopper.

"We are very happy with him," Benitez said. "He has been improving every single year and he will improve more because goalkeepers have more time in their career.

"He's always positive and he's one of the best in the training sessions because his attitude is always good.

"It depends on the agent and what the player wants but Pepe is very happy here in Liverpool so I don't see a big problem.

"The team-mates love him because he's a very good example."

Samba Adds To Reds Criticism

Chris Samba claims Liverpool's fall from grace this season has been so substantial that Blackburn were disappointed they did not collect all three points on Saturday.

In years gone by this Millennium the Ewood Park outfit would likely have accepted a 0-0 home draw with the perennially labelled title-challenging Reds.

However, this campaign sees Rafa Benitez's side well off the leading pack in the Premier League as the Merseysiders sit 12 points behind table-topping Chelsea.

After Saturday's stalemate Liverpool also trail second-placed Manchester United by 10 points and Samba is annoyed Blackburn did not pile more pressure on Benitez.

The centre-back said: "It's easier defending against Liverpool this season than in previous ones.

"They didn't impress me as much as Chelsea and Manchester United especially. I don't think they are as good as them now.

"In a way it's a good point but we're a bit disappointed not to get all three because we should have won."

Rafa Benitez Says Liverpool FC Are Heading Down The Right Road

Manager Rafael Benitez insists Saturday’s point at Blackburn was another step in the right direction for Liverpool.

Chances were at a minimum during a frustrating afternoon at Ewood Park, but the Spaniard was delighted with a third successive clean sheet which extended his side’s unbeaten run in all competitions to six games.

“It was a difficult game against a team that is very physical and direct,” Benitez said.

“They were pushing in the first half with a lot of long balls and free-kicks deep into our box.

“To defend this style of football is not easy but I thought we did well and the clean sheet is the positive thing against this kind of team.

“The second half was much better. We were attacking with (David) Ngog and Nabil (El Zhar).

“We were creating more chances, had better possession, and the other positive thing about today is that we played better than we did against Everton.

“We’re disappointed because we were pushing very hard and we had chances to win. But at least we are improving and playing a little bit better.

“It’s another clean sheet, and you saw that we are reacting and trying to do things well.”

After a poor first half Liverpool improved after the break but Benitez was cursing his luck when David Ngog’s effort came back off the bar.

“I was convinced it was a goal,” Benitez said.

“And after that Kuyt had the rebound but it was well blocked.

“We could have won the game because we had the chances in the second-half and we were pushing and attacking all the time. But we could have lost because they had one or two chances on the counter-attack.

“If you analyse, the game was too open near the end but we had plenty of possession. The team played much better in the second-half.”

Benitez defended his decision not to bring on Alberto Aquilani and revealed he expects the Italian to make his first start for the club against Fiorentina on Wednesday night.

“We were thinking about giving him some minutes but the problem was which player to take off,” he said.

“We had balance in midfield and we were concerned we might lose control.

“It was a difficult and tough game and when a player doesn’t have match fitness to put him on the pitch in that situation is a risk.

“I know he can only get match-fitness from playing. He was ready to play with the reserves the other day but the game was postponed.

“He will have his chance against Fiorentina. At home with our fans it will be easier for him.”

Stan Collymore: Why Steven Gerrard Must Quit Liverpool FC

Former Liverpool FC striker Stan Collymore is calling on Steven Gerrard to leave Anfield "in search of the Premier League".

Collymore believes the Reds ace will never win the ultimate goal while with Liverpool and he says many players in the current squad are not good enough to play alongside Gerrard.

"It's time for Steven Gerrard to put his loyalty to Liverpool to one side and go in search of the one honour that has eluded him - the Premier League," he writes in his latest column for MirrorFootball.co.uk.

"He's not going to see that day while he's wearing a red shirt and as sad as it is for me to say this as a former Liverpool player, I think it is time for him to leave Anfield.

"I was at Blackburn on Saturday and players like Lucas, Rieira and Kuyt don't deserve to play with him to be honest."

Collymore thinks Gerrard has more chance of winning a domestic title with Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan and Inter Milan.

He said: "I've seen him lift the European Cup and I'd love to see him lift the Premier League trophy, but it won't be as a Rafa Benitez player and I'm not sure it will ever happen for him as a Liverpool player.

"I'm not saying this to try and wind up Liverpool fans. I just think it would be a tragedy if after seeing inferior players to him like Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick win the title, he didn't.

"I know he says he wants to stay at Liverpool, but the only thing that is keeping him there is the fact that he's a Scouser and that he has the club in his blood.

"Ultimately, he owes Liverpool b***er all. He's done more than any other player over the last decade to bring success to Liverpool.

"It's time for someone else, like Alberto Aquilani, to take on that pressure and free him to go.

"He shouldn't feel that he has to stay to pacify the fans and they should let him go and win the title he deserves before it's too late."

Steven Gerrard Gets Ferocious Guard Dog To Protect Home

Stevie Gerrard cautiously admires his latest home security device – a ferocious-looking guard dog.

The Liverpool and England footie hero has enlisted the help of Quinn, a fearsome four-year-old German

Shepherd, to patrol the grounds of his family’s £3million mansion while he is away over Christmas.

And the security-conscious midfielder, 29, is said to be delighted with his new No1 fang.

Quinn and his handler, ex-prison officer Alan Sedley, will guard the star’s house in Formby, Merseyside.

The Anfield skipper first introduced round the clock security after a terrifying break-in two years ago. His wife Alex, 27, was confronted by four masked raiders as the couple’s two young daughters slept.

They ransacked the place and stole jewellery worth thousands of pounds.

In the past three years 15 Premiership stars have been targeted.

Security chief Frank Firth said: “Steven and Alex have both met the dog and are very happy with him.”

Babel Denies Benitez Criticism

Ryan Babel has denied giving a disparaging interview to The Sun on the day of the Champions League game against Debrecen.

The Dutchman was quoted by the tabloid criticising Rafa Benitez' management, suggesting cliques exist at the club and claiming he will leave the club in January.

He has now set the record straight via the club's official website, saying: "I was very disappointed when it came out because I never gave an interview here in England - I never gave an interview to The Sun.

"I did give an interview in Holland a month ago when I was with the national team, and I think they took some bits out of it and added some of their own opinions.

"They wrote that I'd talked about other players - and I would never talk about players like that.

"The funniest thing was them publishing that I'm not friends with Dirk Kuyt. Come on! Dirk will tell you how our relationship is.

"It has to be made clear. Who published this? The Sun - I wouldn't talk to The Sun.

"I am very happy that the boss made it clear straight away that he had confidence in me and believed that I didn't do the interview.

"I hope people understand. It is easy to read papers and believe it's true, and so I was disappointed with the situation and the fact it was published on the day of a very important game.

"I have spoken to a few of my teammates and they were clear that it was The Sun and so it was nothing."

Babel claims he still sees his future at Liverpool, saying: "I have given a lot of interviews about my feelings and how I am but the situation is the same for every player who likes to play games and thinks he is good enough to start.

"I feel confident that I'm good enough to play a lot of games for Liverpool. I keep saying this. Hopefully I'll get chances to show this."

Midfielder Alberto Aquilani And Forward Fernando Torres Poised To Return For Liverpool

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has confirmed that injured duo Alberto Aquilani and Fernando Torres are ready to return to action and should play some part in Wednesday’s Champions League tie with Fiorentina.

Aquilani’s continued presence on the Reds bench has been the source of much frustration for Liverpool fans in recent weeks. However, speaking to BBC Sport, Benitez admitted the former Roma man could start the game against the Viola and revealed why he did not face Blackburn Rovers yesterday.

"Aquilani will maybe start the game [against Fiorentina], we are considering this,” explained the Spaniard.

“I feel this [Blackburn] was a difficult, physical place to come and not the right time to throw him on.

"He will be better getting his chance in a home match with our fans behind him. It is a difficult decision when someone is not fully match fit, he could make a mistake and it would set him back."

The Italian could be joined in the starting line up by Torres who is fit again after missing the last five matches for the Reds.

"Hopefully Torres will be ready this week - I don't know if he will play or be on the bench," added Benitez.

"He's a player who everybody knows is really good. He is important for us and would be for any top side in the world.

"Hopefully he will be ready this week and maybe we will see different things. I don't know if he will play or be on the bench and we can give him some minutes.

"It depends on his progression in the coming days."

Ugly Blackburn Tough To Beat, Says Liverpool FC Glen Johnson

Glen Johnson believes Blackburn play "an ugly game very well" as Liverpool FC slipped further behind in the race for a place in next season's Champions League.

Twelve points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea and in seventh place, any thought of the title apparently disappeared long ago. A top-four spot is also looking a big ask after Saturday's 0-0 draw at Ewood Park.

Despite labelling Blackburn's game as "ugly", Johnson admitted the Lancashire side is difficult to play against, saying: "It's always difficult against Blackburn because they don't play much football and just launch the ball forward at every opportunity. They play an ugly game very well and play to their strengths. It makes life difficult for the opposition at times."

He added: "We knew what to expect and we tried to get the ball down on the floor and play. The pitch wasn't great and we took a while to get used to it, but that's football and you have to live with things like this."

The Liverpool defender produced the one piece of quality in a dreadful match by surging past four men to set up David Ngog, whose effort from six yards crashed against the bar.

He added: "We deserved to win, especially after our second-half performance.

"I thought we'd scored when I crossed for David but the ball hit the worst bobble I've ever seen before his effort came back off the bar.

"Sometimes luck doesn't go for you but I thought we played the best football and did enough to win the game.

"We were pushing and pushing and it was so frustrating we couldn't get that goal our play deserved."

Don't Bank On A Happy New Year For Liverpool FC Boss Rafa Benitez

Christmas has come early for George Gillett and fellow Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks’ finances are also set to get a much needed boost.

Gillett banked a tidy £180million profit this week after his sale of Montreal Canadiens to the Molson brewing family was approved by the National Hockey League.

The 71-year-old paid £165million for the team and their Bell Centre arena back in 2001 and eight years on has more than doubled his investment.

Gillett made the decision to sell last year in a bid to ease the pressure on his other business interests, which as well as the Reds includes a Nascar motor-racing team.

Hicks is also in the process of off-loading one of his North American sports franchises.

Reports suggest three bids in excess of £300million have been received for his Major League Baseball club Texas Rangers. The Dallas businessman bought the Rangers for £150million in 1998 from a group that included former US president George W. Bush.

His reign has turned sour and earlier this year the Hicks Sports Group defaulted on £315m in loans tied to the Rangers and Hicks’ other major franchise, Dallas Stars ice hockey team.

The cash-strapped Rangers needed £9million from Major League Baseball’s central fund just to get through last season and Hicks put the club up for sale in an effort to ease mounting debts.

Recently Hicks back-tracked and revealed he was trying to put together a group of investors for a bid that would enable him to keep control.

However, it’s believed the league, which has the final say, have blocked Hicks’ plans and he has been told he has until December 15 to accept a winning bid.

Hicks is about as popular among Rangers and Stars fans as he is on the Kop. The 63-year-old has cut back wage bills and infuriated Rangers supporters by delaying refunds for play-off tickets which were void when the team’s slump meant they didn’t even qualify for the end of season showpiece.

With Gillett now £180million better off and Hicks’ windfall just around the corner, the question is what effect will all this have on Liverpool?

What is clear is that the American duo have no intentions of walking away from Anfield. If anything their extra cash tightens their grip on the club’s ownership.

However, the pair are pressing ahead with their search for third party investors. They want help to pay off the Reds’ £235m debt and to finance a new stadium.

They know the club’s value will only rocket when the Stanley Park development and the huge increase in revenue that will bring is guaranteed.

With more money in their pockets, Rafa Benitez can only hope the Americans loosen their vice-like grip on the Anfield purse strings in time for the January transfer window. But after the experiences of the past two and a half years, the Spaniard won’t be holding his breath.

Gerrard Far As Ever From Elusive Title

When Steven Gerrard, in the coming years, decides that his body and spirit can no longer carry the burden of expectation bestowed upon him by his adoring public, hangs up his boots for good and looks back on his career, the occasion of his 500th game is unlikely to be a highlight.

The Liverpool captain will fear, though, that it may provide an epitaph: Almost, but not quite.

By a curious quirk of fate, Gerrard's debut was also against Blackburn. The man now is scarcely recognisable from the boy of then, who few observers would have picked out as a future contender for the title of best player in the world.

Yet for all that as a player, and as a person, he has changed, one crucial thing has not. More worryingly, it does not look like doing so.

Rafael Benitez's side may be unbeaten in six matches, but they have won just three in 11. They are toothless without Fernando Torres, blessed with just a handful of players of sufficient calibre to share a pitch with the Spanish striker, ever more conspicuous in his absence, and their captain.

Liverpool look as far now as they did in 1998, when Gerrard began on the road to history, from ending their 20-year wait for a league championship trophy.

Gerrard remembers watching the club he now captains lift the league championship in 1990, but he is not going to follow in the footsteps of Ronnie Whelan, his favourite player from that side, this year. There are too many troubles at Anfield for Benitez's insistence that he has not yet ruled out catching Chelsea to seem anything but empty. A team capable of doing so would have created a chance worthy of the name before the 37th minute.

That they did nothing until Lucas picked out Gerrard, who saw his shot deflect wide off Chris Samba, says everything about the team Benitez has created when Torres is absent.

So limited are the Spaniard's resources that his only alternatives to his misfiring senior players were David Ngog, a raw, promising striker, and Nabil El Zhar, just as raw, altogether less promising. There is Alberto Aquilani, too, of course, but he is proving enduringly elusive. Benitez has promised he will start against Fiorentina on Wednesday, in the Champions League dead rubber. How it will help him get used to Premier League life is a mystery.

In his continued absence, though, it was left for Ngog, replacing the indescribably abject Albert Riera, to provide the visitors with a focal point for their previously aimless attacks. He had the best chance of the game to score, too, his shot cracking against the bar after Glen Johnson had raced clear down the right.

"We were trying to do everything," said Benitez. "Attacking from both sides, set-pieces, pushing and pushing very hard. I was convinced it was a goal from Ngog, and we are a little bit disappointed not to win."

So, too, was Sam Allardyce, watching his first game since his heart operation from the stands. "I like it up there," he said. "You can make a better call. I thought we were a little bit unlucky not to win."

A draw, then, was probably fair. Liverpool, and Gerrard, need more than that at places like Ewood Park if they are to bring to an end the frustrations that have accompanied his career. Almost is not enough.

Hands Off Javier Mascherano

Rafa Benitez is braced for a £30million New Year showdown with Barcelona over Javier Mascherano.

Liverpool boss Benitez has warned the La Liga champions they're fighting a losing battle in their ongoing efforts to lure the Argentinian to the Nou Camp.

Benitez will also deliver another blow to the Catalans by securing Pepe Reina's new deal after Christmas.

But he fears Mascherano will become a pawn in the next round of Barca presidential elections, with Sandro Rossell and Agosti Benedito planning to make his signing a key election pledge.

Benitez was called directly by Barca officials last summer when he told them not to bother making a formal offer for the player.

Although Mascherano was unhappy with Liverpool's decision at the time, Benitez thinks he's winning over the 25-year-old midfielder with the promise of a new deal.

"We were talking with him and his agent a month ago about our idea and his idea," said Benitez.

"Everyone can see he's doing really well and has come back to his best. We were really pleased to talk to him to make progress. We have plenty of time but we are happy with him and he is happier now, too.

"He has two more years on his contract, we were talking before and we will sit down sooner rather than later and talk about the future.

"The last conversations that we had were very positive."

While Liverpool sweat on whether Mascherano will publicly commit himself to the club - the player kissed his badge after creating the first in last week's Merseyside derby - there are no such fears about Reina. He recently told Sport of the World he would 'die for the Liverpool shirt' amid more interest from Barcelona.

The signing of keeper Reina on a new four-year-deal worth £90,000 a week should be a formality after Christmas.

"We are very happy with him," said Benitez. "He has been improving every single year and he will improve more because goalkeepers have more time in their career. He's always positive and he's one of the best in the training sessions because his attitude is always good.

"It depends on the agent and what the player wants but Pepe is very happy here in Liverpool so I don't see a big problem.

"The team- mates love him because he's a very good example."

Why Fernando Torres Is Right To Want His Kids To Grow Up As Scousers, By Derek McGovern

It was a surprise to learn that Fernando Torres wants his children to grow up and be Scousers.

Many would say it's impossible to do both.

The thing about Liverpudlians, as Torres has no doubt found, is that to a man they have a childlike sense of fun.

I'm not talking about the famous Scouse wit - like money, some Scousers have it; most don't.

I'm talking about the ability to find enjoyment where none should exist, like a funeral, an industrial strike, or an Everton match.

In London, those who have any dosh left after paying the mortgage rush home at 11pm because they have to work the next morning. In Liverpool they stay out until the wee small hours because they have to work the next morning.

I told a Cockney mate that I was writing a piece about why it's great to be a Scouser and asked if he had any advice.

"Lie," he said.

That's the thing about non-Scousers. They really haven't a clue what a joy Liverpool is to live in.

They rely on Merseyside stereotypes, perhaps because Merseysiders have nicked most of their stereos.

They shudder when they see our boarded-up shops - but rather those than boarded-up minds.

They shake their heads when they read of Croxteth gang crime, ignoring the inconvenient truth that Liverpool is the safest of all English cities for everyone bar Sun readers.

My missus is a Cockney who would never dream of leaving Liverpool now, even if I untied her. Thousands of the students who spend three years here on half a lager choose to stay on and have their homes here, their homes repossessed here, and ultimately their homes burgled here.

They put up with the bad eggs of the city - as bad as any eggs you'll find - because the good eggs, the vast majority, are the warmest, most generous of all.

That's exactly what Torres has discovered in less than two years on Merseyside. He has opened his heart to Liverpool and in return Liverpool has opened its heart to him. It helps of course that he scores bundles yet doesn't nick our orange girls off us, but we'd love him anyway.

And as for his daughter speaking Liverpudlian - a hybrid of Spanish and Scouse would sound most appealing, unless of course it was called Spouse.

No Chance, Rafa

Matt Le Tissier watched Liverpool fall further behind the Premier League pace-setters.

With Fernando Torres still sidelined, the Reds failed to make an impact against a Blackburn side buoyed by the return of Sam Allardyce - and their Carling Cup win over Chelsea.

It left Rafa Benitez bemoaning a poor first half but looking forward to Alberto Aquillani's first start in a red shirt against Fiorentina in midweek.

And for Le Tissier it can't come quick enough because he insisted Rovers looked the least likely to break the Ewood Park stalemate.

"The first half was dire, absolutely turgid stuff," he told Soccer Saturday.

"In the second half it was a lot livelier but still, in terms of great chances, Liverpool had one. It fell to David Ngog who was a little unfortunate; Glen Johnson did so well and his cross came in and maybe it did take a bit of a bobble because he was just looking to side-foot it in, but it's come off his shin and hit the bar.

"They had a lot of pressure in the second half, some long-range efforts went in, but that was the only gilt-edged chance they created in 90 minutes.

"(Nikola) Kalinic had an absolutely perfect chance late on to win the game; Reina did well to come out of goal and close down the angle but Kalinic for me, showed a lack of composure, panicked a little bit. They had another one late on when (Benni) McCarthy turned but should've done better."

"Big Sam would've probably snatched your hand off for a point at the start of the day, but in the end, they had more chances.

"(Franco) Di Santo looked like a man bereft of confidence when he went through but wanted about four or five touches to get into position to have a shot before Carragher got back and took the ball off him."

Match Report: Blackburn 0 - 0 Liverpool

Blackburn and Liverpool fought out a gruelling 0-0 draw at Ewood Park with Liverpool substitute David Ngog coming closest to a goal with a shot that rattled the bar.

The first half was a shocking, grim affair with neither side producing anything worthy of note.

After the break Liverpool were arguably the better side, but even a third successive clean sheet will not mask another display which lacked drive and belief.

Blackburn deserved their point in a good week which also saw them beat Chelsea in the Carling Cup quarter-finals.

They made four changes from Wednesday's victorious side with Michel Salgado, Nikola Kalinic, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Jason Roberts on the bench and the fresh legs of Gael Givet, Vince Grella, El Hadji Diouf and Franco Di Santo all back in the side.

Liverpool had Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun returning to the starting line-up from the side which won at Everton last time out.

Dirk Kuyt played as the lone central striker with Steven Gerrard, playing his 500th game for the club, delegated to his supporting role.

With Riera and Benayoun out wide and a clear decision to defend in depth, Liverpool were looking to hit Blackburn on the break.

Rovers accepted the initiative handed to them in midfield and came forward with purpose with ex-Liverpool man Diouf prominent as the home side monopolised possession.

Not one serious chance was created in the opening half, Liverpool not having enough up front to make things happen and Blackburn finding it tough to weave their way through Liverpool's massed ranks.

Rovers boss Sam Allardyce, back after his heart surgery but leaving the dug-out to his assistant Neil McDonald, would have been reasonably pleased with what he was watching.

Liverpool chief Rafael Benitez fashioned his side to counter Rovers' aerial threat at set-pieces.

He has always been preoccupied with competing against anything Allardyce comes up with, either at Bolton or now Ewood Park.

The first half saw precious little penalty box activity. Givet's 36th-minute free-kick presented Di Santo with a flick-on chance, but Jose Reina was alive to the danger.

A minute later Gerrard burst into the box from the left, but Chris Samba's lunging tackle deflected the shot wide of the far post.

Di Santo should have scored a minute into the second period when Steven Nzonzi's pass put him clear, but the young striker was painfully slow to get the ball under control and was dispossessed by Daniel Agger.

Then Liverpool again lost Riera to injury as he limped away to be replaced by Ngog, Kuyt moving to the left.

Gerrard soon tested Paul Robinson from 25 yards and then saw another flighted chip clear the bar. Diouf was booked for tripping Javier Mascherano, the tempo of the game finally rising.

Gerrard had another shot blocked and Benayoun's header from his captain's corner flew over the bar.

Rovers hit back when they took advantage of Lucas falling over in possession, surging away for Di Santo to test Reina.

Glen Johnson's exciting run past four men ended with a low cross that Ngog smashed against the bar after 71 minutes from just a few yards out, Kuyt's follow up being blocked by Samba.

David Hoilett came on for Diouf and Nabil El Zhar replaced Benayoun, with Benni McCarthy shooting inches wide before being taken off after 76 minutes, Kalinic taking over.

Johnson's cross was then headed back by Gerrard for Ngog, who failed to connect three yards out under pressure.

Rovers sent on Keith Andrews for Di Santo with six minutes left as Liverpool surged forward, but they could not manage the decisive finish.

Steven Gerrard Leads The Way, But His Team-Mates Refuse To Follow

Rafa Benitez has been falling over himself to praise Steven Gerrard in the run-up to his skipper's 500th Liverpool appearance, but having seen Blackburn Rovers hold his side to a tepid goalless draw at Ewood Park, the Spaniard may now cast his eye at the rest of his squad as he looks to inject some consistency into his side's season.

Gerrard did his utmost to unpick the lock which Blackburn had placed across their backline, but was let down badly by his support cast as Sam Allardyce's men - watched from the stands by their manager, following his recent heart surgery - picked up a relatively comfortable point against a Reds side lacking conviction and confidence.

Indeed, were it not for the wayward finishing of Rovers' substitute - and midweek League Cup hero - Nicola Kalinic, it might even have been worse for Benitez's side. A defeat would have been harsh, but Liverpool would have had only themselves to blame.

As it stands, a third successive clean sheet, and sixth game unbeaten, should not be underestimated in a season which has promised so much yet delivered so little, but Liverpool fans will traipse away from Ewood Park ruing a lack of cutting edge in their side.

With Fernando Torres ruled out of this trip to Lancashire, Liverpool were always going to need someone to step up alongside Gerrard. Dirk Kuyt, selected at centre-forward in preference to David Ngog, provided little in a first half for which the term 'insipid' may have been invented.

The home side's sponsor - Crown Paints - was apt. It was like watching paint dry in an opening 45 minutes in which quality and incision were in desperately short supply, from both sides. A couple of forays down the inside-left channel from Gerrard were the sum total of Liverpool's attacking raids as the wide players - Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera - offered next to nothing by way of service.

With Riera so anonymous he lasted just six minutes of the second half before being replaced by Ngog, Liverpool's attacking play was disjointed and lacking any sort of consistent threat, despite a few near misses.

Too often Gerrard's efforts were not matched by the awareness of his team-mates, as a series of dangerous balls in from the skipper were not met by a Liverpool shirt. One piece of skill in the second half should have opened Rovers up, but no colleagues were able to get themselves on the end of his inviting cross.

The same, it should be said, goes for Glen Johnson. The England international full-back grew in confidence as the game wore on, and should have provided the key to the door for Ngog with a bold, imaginative raid down the right. Unfortunately, the young French striker's finish on the six-yard line was wild, and crashed against Paul Robinson's cross bar.

As for Alberto Aquilani, another game passed without the Italian being spotted. Benitez has, quite rightly, spoken of the need to be patient with the £17 million signing as he works his way towards full fitness, but the sight of a creative, powerful shooting, attacking midfielder sat on the bench as Liverpool toiled here was puzzling.

Lucas and Javier Mascherano are playing well both individually and collectively, yet there is a nagging feeling that when wins are needed, one of the pair must surely be sacrificed.

Aquilani will surely start against Fiorentina in the Champions League on Wednesday night, and Torres is likely to be involved too. Yet Liverpool desperately need points in the Premier League and, despite a much-improved second-half display, there were few signs here that they had the werewithal to pick up all three.

With Manchester United, Arsenal and Aston Villa all picking up wins, a draw here was always likely to be two points dropped. That was the certainly the case, and Benitez will be hoping that Torres and Aquilani can return to add some purpose to the Reds' attack. And quick.

Blackburn Too 'Physical' A Place To Risk Alberto Aquilani

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez admitted his disappointment with Liverpool's goalless draw at Ewood Park but defended his decision not to bring on Alberto Aquilani.

He said: "We did not play well in the first half, but after the break we were much better. We were certainly better in possession than we had been in the last game when we won at Everton.

"We need to win, though, in these situations. We are getting better but we know we have to do better."

Benitez revealed that Liverpool are likely to have Fernando Torres fit for the Champions League match on Wednesday against Fiorentina, with Alberto Aquilani also expected to start the match.

Of his decision to keep Aquilani on the bench at Ewood Park, Benitez said: "He is fit now, the ankle injury has healed. But I feel this was a difficult, physical place to come and not the right time to throw him on.

"He will be better getting his chance in a home match with our fans behind him. It is a difficult decision when someone is not fully match fit, he could make a mistake and it would set him back."

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce revealed that he couldn't resist a return to the dug-out on his first game back since undergoing heart surgery.

Allardyce had spent much of the match in the directors' box following his heart surgery last week, but he ventured down to the dug-out for the closing minutes.

He said: "I felt okay until the last few minutes, they were a heart-stopper.

"But in those minutes we could have won it. Nikola Kalinic was through, and should have at least got his effort on target. He was flattened by (Jose) Reina just outside the box, but he still should have rolled the shot on target. "

Liverpool Face 'Meaningless' Match

The true measure of Liverpool's Champions League humiliation will really hit home next week when they face a meaningless Group E match against Fiorentina.

Liverpool are already out of the competition with one match still to go and all that boss Rafael Benitez can really look forward to is the prospect that both Fernando Torres - still fighting to recover from a groin problem - and £20million midfielder Alberto Aquilani could play.

Benitez said: "Fernando was not quite ready to play at Blackburn but we are working on him playing against Fiorentina. The same applies to Aquilani, this might be the right moment to play him from the start of a match after his long-term ankle injury."

That will be scant consolation for the fans, who have become accustomed to seeing Liverpool facing an exciting final group match with qualification at stake.

This time they will be the supporting cast watching an Italian side celebrating their first qualification for the last 16 for 10 years.

The only remaining issue is whether Fiorentina can claim the win to secure top spot in the group above Lyon.

Liverpool have only the Europa League to look forward to after Christmas, with the draw for the last 32 taking place on December 18.

Benitez may well leave out the likes of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Jose Reina on Wednesday ahead of the far more important home Premier League game against Arsenal on December 13.

Their route back into the Champions League depends on a top four-finish now but Benitez said: "It is important that we put on a good performance, play well and win. That can only help our confidence in the future.

"But I may well use some players who are not usually involved in the first-team starting line-up. But we have to win. We must show quality and give the fans a good game."