Rafa Benitez and his coaching staff will be scratching their heads this morning at melwood, Liverpools training ground.Last week we witne sed an inspiring performance from the reds, hysteria surrounded Anfield as they systematically took Manchester united apart. Flowing pa sages of direct and quick attacks left the mancunians reeling, Liverpool had defeated their nemisis after 9 attempts under Rafa Benitez. What A day for the red half of mersey side.Fast Forward a week and after a profe sional if not fatigued display against marseilles which saw Benitezs side pick up 3 invaluble points on the road in europe, Stoke City & Andre Marriner came to Anfield and frutrated the life out of His side, not to mention 45,000 scousers.Benitez made two changes to his side from their european midweek exerts, but this time rotation was not to blame for the frustrating result. The inabillity to break down a dogged stoke city side was to blame.Within a minute and a half Anfield erupted. Gerrards Nate Orchard Jersey 100th liverpool goal was saluted by a jubilent Anfield crowd only to be ruined by a poor dcsion from the man in the middle Andre Marriner. Gerrards teasing Free kick evded all in the box and left Thomas Sorrensen Bamboozled. 20 seconds later it was Steven Gerrard & Rafa Benitez who were bamboozled as he disalowed the goal for seemingly no reason.Liverpool, Determind to put the descion behind them they set upon stoke city, attack after attack stoke city still stod strong. Liverpool attacked from all angles, the game was being played in stoke citys half but liverpool found thomas sorensen in inspired form not to mention his army in front of him.The second half continued in the very same fashion. Liverpool pa sed the ball quickly, side to side, front and back but Stoke Stood strong. Sorensen Denied Keane his 1st goal for the reds with a smart stop, an air of frustration start to swirl around anfield.Torres was suffocated by the potters aggre sive backline, Riera and Kuyt worked hard to break them down in the wide areas but to no aveil. The introduction of Babble and Benayoun didnt change things. LIverpool were frustrated. Trres struck wildly over on two occa sion emphasing the very fact!As the final Whilstle brought the game to an end, liverpool fans looked on frustrated, tony pulis would have been delighted with a point. The dilema for Pulis is how his team would be getting home as their Bus had been battered all day long by Liverpool.BY LEE DUNN22/09/2008 Delano Hill Jersey