Pundits Will Be Sorry To Write Stalwart Jamie Carragher Off

Knee-jerk reactions are increasingly common in the modern game. It seems you are either a world beater or a no-hoper; the middle ground has never been smaller.

After the opening weekend defeat at Spurs, critics were queuing up to claim Liverpool would be consigned to a season of struggle without "lynchpin" Xabi Alonso.