Diabolical is the only word that comes to mind when I think of Liverpool's recent trips to Stoke. Last year I witnessed the worst Liverpool display (in person) at the Britannia Stadium. Last year we were out-managed, out fought, out thought and totally out played by Stoke. This year the word diabolical is saved for the man in the middle who cost us all three points on Sunday. He was a disgrace.

Of course, people will say you can't blame the ref but I say rubbish. Stoke had only one attempt on target and that was a goal handed to them on plate as the bluenose Walters went to ground so easily it was ridiculous. If anything Walters fouled Carragher in the build up.

If you watch the replay again the ref was horribly out of position to make this call and was running at speed to keep up with the play. To call it wrong is one thing, to call it wrong and be out of position is another. If he is going to give that decision against us, then surely the assistant referee and the man in the middle should have been dishing out penalties left right and centre.

Somehow they managed to turn down two obvious handball's against Stoke, totally miss a terrible tackle on Suarez and, in my opinion, another penalty when Skrtel was kicked after he let fly with a shot (both players were injured in the play). He also only put up five minutes of injury time and played right to it, which if you look at the second half and add up time wasting and injuries there was at least seven minutes of added time.

Liverpool completely dominated every aspect of this game, even limiting Stoke's long throw-in tactics. I like Peter Crouch but he did nothing in this game, same goes for Etherington and Pennant and most of Stoke's attacking players. We had all the possession, all the shots and we were denied two or three freekicks in dangerous positions, while Stoke were gifted their goal. How can anyone say the ref did not influence the match?

My man of the match was Suarez again, he was all over the place and unlucky not to score at the end. I was not impressed very much by Adam as I thought he was to slow in attack, although he did put in a fine few corners. Henderson was better again but he should have scored on one of the follow on attempts from the lovely ball from Enrique. Some Reds are upset with Carragher but I can't possibly get upset with someone for something he didn't do. It wasn't a foul, full stop.

Next up a trip to White Hart Lane, never a happy hunting ground. I hear the beach ball ref is in charge of this one... when will it end?

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