LIVERPOOL fans will be left scratching their heads after Saturday’s game and not for the first time this season wondering ‘why’? In reflection it may be justifiable to say we were unlucky, but something more than this left a bad taste in the mouth after our first league defeat of the season.

Yes we had 65% possession, yes we hit the bar and the post, yes we should have been awarded penalty and the penalty given against us was a foul two yards outside the box.

But, why did Rafa revert away from the formation that has seen us rack up 21 goals in five games while conceding just one against a team that have played nothing else but 4-4-2?

Why did he substitute Gerrard and Torres when they had been behind most of our attacking threat?

Why did he bring a centre-half on when we was 3-1 down and why did he seem to concede defeat midway through the second half?

Admittedly we have two big games this week and he wanted to rest our two best players, but Rafa’s most common phrase in the four seasons he has been with us is “we take one game at a time” – this is exactly what he didn’t do on Saturday.

The 4-3-3 formation left us bare down the flanks in attack and defence. Convey seemed to have a plethora of space to run into when he was in possession out wide and Torres and Crouch constantly had to pull out of central areas create space, when they are the two guys we want in the box getting on the end of balls, not supplying them.

Obviously if a bit of luck had gone our way and we come away with a win these questions would not have been asked but while Rafa consistently makes baffling decisions a la Portsmouth, Birmingham and now Reading I am afraid they will keep resurfacing.

On the positive side, we came away with no new injuries or suspensions. The squad must quickly forget Saturday and focus on two season defining games.