We Miss You Lucas, Oh Yes We Do: Liverpool 1 - Norwich 1

I probably jinxed it. I said in a match like this you shouldn't have to have a holding midfielder like Lucas. You should dominate the ball enough, take your chances, and have it done and dusted long before the gaps that Lucas's suspension would leave. Of course, Liverpool were undone by the large gap between defense and midfield, as Charlie Adam and Steven Gerrard fired up the pitch to find goals, and then looked at each other when Norwich gained possession to say, "Are you going back? Do you want me to? I will if you want, but you can too, I don't care." That's where Norwich's goal came from, that's where their winner very well might have come from. And because of their joy in the space, Liverpool were no longer on the front foot and couldn't bury their opponent. And it's two points lost, amid a performance that isn't going to get the juices pumping about what's ahead.

Thoughts:

-Part of my calculation of missing Lucas and how Liverpool would do without him  was based in the fact that I thought by this point in his career, Steven Gerrard would know that he would have to do more shielding of his backline than he's used to. Adam certainly isn't going to. But that's harsh on the captain, as he's also required up top to help find a second goal that would have probably ended the game. It's a lot to ask for him to do both. If Kenny Dalglish was going to field Bellamy, then he probably needed Spearing too. Not that Spearing is a holder, but at least three in the middle would have created a crowd. Then again, how much are you really going to adjust to Norwich City?

-I should thank Charlie Adam, as he always gives me something to write about. He was having what could be called a tidy match before he charged forward and fell down -- which is apparently his finishing move, and let me tell you, it rivals The Rock's People's Elbow, boy -- gifting the ball to the Canaries with no cover for the backline. He pulled that move again later in the game to no avail. But then he had a few crosses at the death that were lethal. I think I'm done trying to figure it out.

-Maybe Adam's turnover wouldn't have mattered so much if Pepe hadn't come charging out to that cross like William Wallace and Hamish combined. Still, how do Carragher and Johnson get beat by one guy?

-There seems little point in bringing on Carroll if you're going to take off Downing. Yes, Stewie was starting to fade out of the match. But his crossing is a main weapon, and it's designed to bring the best out of Andy Carroll.Then again, if Carroll is going to invent ways to miss sitters, it probably doesn't matter.

-Was it just me or did Jose Enrique and Glen Johnson let a lot of crosses come into the box with barely a raised hand for a question?

-When things aren't going Suarez's way, man can he be unpleasant. At least today his complaining and diving didn't become all he did, as he did keep trying and found a couple openings. One or two of which he probably should have buried.

-I didn't like it at the time, but I think I have to accept that at this age Craig Bellamy is probably not going to get the 90.

-That said, he, Suarez, Downing, and Kuyt provided just about the most fluid and creative attack Liverpool have had all season.

Onward to Stoke in the Cup on Wednesday. That will be anything but easy, but Liverpool require a win out of it to wash the taste of this one away.