Just when will it end? 11 games now without success, and when you can't win at home to Villa, you've got problems.
Villa's away record going into this match was abysmal, but had they come away from L4 with all three points, no-one could have complained. They were more composed, and created the better chances, as the reds' dismal run shows no sign of ending.
Villa were quick out of the blocks, and Liverpool had to be grateful that Dion Dublin is shit, or they'd have been two down inside the opening quarter of an hour.
GH had picked the exact starting XI that I would have done, so I can't criticise him in any way as regards team selection. My main gripe with him right now concerns his embarrassing after match excuses, and today was no exception, tiredness being the reason given this time.
Neil Mellor once again kept out Heskey and Baros, and went close on a couple of occasions in the first half, but was otherwise quiet as both he and Michael Owen suffered from the usual lack of service.
Diouf was employed in a wide role, and had a lively first half before fading badly - along with everyone else - after the break.
The reds defence had trouble all game dealing with crosses into the box and Dublin was posing a massive threat. He was also managing to get under Sami's skin with his niggling fouls, stray elbows and all round horrible demeanour. It takes a lot to make Sami lose his cool, but on a couple of occasions the big Finn looked like he wanted to stick one on the Villa frontman.
The first half display wasn't bad, but Enckleman was rarely tested, despite the reds enjoying a lot of possession. Riise was charging forward from left back, and looked to be back to the form of last season. He's been doing a lot better recently, which was why it was a bit surprising to see him lose his place to Traore for the previous two games.
Riise was excellent against Villa, effectively doing the job of two players. He performed his defensive duties well, but was also getting forward at every opportunity, even popping up on the right wing in open play on one occasion!
Owen looked sharp too in the opening half, before he was once again reduced to chasing long balls after the break. Michael has to be pretty pissed off at the moment. All he seems to do these days is jump for high balls or chase punts over the top.
He did manage to give us the lead with a well taken goal following great work from Diouf down the right, but once again we surrendered the initiative after going ahead. It's deeply disturbing at the moment that when we take the lead, we just drop deeper and deeper and allow the opposition to come back at us, whilst if we concede the first goal you know it's all over as we won't come back. We're a mess.
Villa came out for the second half and really got after us. Taylor had forced Kirkland into a brilliant stop after substitute Stefan Moore had crossed from the left wing, but within minutes they were level when Sami brought down Gareth Barry, and Dublin just about beat Kirky from the spot.
It could have been worse, as the visitors had chances to win it, whilst all we could offer were a couple of long range blasts from Stevie G, and a couple of promising situations which Smicer failed to make the most of. Oh, and Heskey had a shot (long time since I've written that!) well saved by Enckleman.
Just like virtually every other game in this bad run, this was pretty dour stuff and was painful to watch. Our style of play came in for criticism when we were winning, but right now it's as bad as it's been in my time of watching the reds. The performances now are as uninspiring as anything served up under Souness or Evans, although I would say that the overall state of the club and quality of the playing staff is clearly much better right now.
It pains me to see sides like Southampton not only above us in the table, but playing a much more attractive brand of football. In fact, 90% of teams in the Premiership play better football than we do. Yet man for man, on paper our line up compares favourably with anyone other than Arsenal. So why can't these players produce good football and create chances?
The answer for me has to be in the way they are coached. What we see on matchday's is a reflection of what they do in training, and on the evidence of this season our coaching leaves a lot to be desired. The players seem devoid of ideas, disjointed, and incapable of passing and moving.
There is no lack of effort (for the most part anyway, although there have been exceptions), and the players are trying, but we are relying on moments of individual brilliance from the likes of Gerrard, Owen or Murphy, rather than creating chances through good teamplay.
That's our biggest problem, along with a serious lack of confidence which is the inevitable result of a run like this. A revamp of the coaching is the only way Gerard will be able to get the best out of this group of players.
The title is long since gone, and we can also forget about catching the mancs. I'd say that Chelsea will also be too strong for us, and there is a serious doubt about whether we will catch Newcastle for the final CL spot.
Realistically it's looking like 5th place is the best we can hope for, but unless thing improve radically, even that may be a tall order. Hamann's return will help, and an addition to the backroom team to help with the coaching would also go a long way to improving things, although I understand someone has been lined up and an announcement will be made on this soon.
