arsenal

And a HAPPY NEW YEAR to one and all. The "correct" new year by the way. Not that nonsense on the 1st January. The footy season is my (and many people I know) new year.

This was frustrating today. Harsh sending off for new boy Cole, though he wasn't in the game at all. But Atkinson's one of these referees who likes his name in lights, and if he can cause a bit of controversy he'll move hell or high water to provide it.

I thought we were very good value for the win today. Second-half display was as good as anything I've seen two seasons ago. N'gog took his goal very well, but it's the simple chances he misses that will frustrate his Liverpool career.

Under Benitez, we'd have gone the goal up, then spent the rest of the game defending our 18-yard box. But even down to ten-men, this Liverpool side continued to search for more goals in a responsible manner that didn't neglect defensive duties. It was refreshing to see.

And thank god the zonal-marking caper has been sacked off. True, there were still a few hairy moments, but the sight of man-to-man marking was good to see.

Arsenal didn't deserve their equaliser, and hopefully that's Pepe Reina's one and only mistake of the season out of the way.

But I'm slightly more optimistic about our chances now than I was a week ago. Roy's first month in charge has been a fruitful one.