Houllier's men lack a polished finish

Charleton Athletic - 2 Liverpool - 0:FA PREMIERSHIP: This was a victory for football's middle England, a triumph of solid virtues over the wastefulness of so-called superiors. There was something in the air in the suburbia of south-east London; Liverpool could not quite put a finger on it and so lost again.

Charlton would bridle - and rightly so - if this were depicted as a game Liverpool lost rather than the hosts won. In truth it was a mixture of both.

There was also a little bit of history here. The contest marked the club's 10th anniversary back at The Valley, and Charlton crowned their day with a fourth successive victory, their best-ever Premiership run, in front of the biggest Valley crowd since their return from exile.

Later their staff trumpeted another new beginning, none more so than the strident Tannoy announcer after the final whistle: "Just a reminder: we are not a small club any more, we're a big club."

Alan Curbishley did not go quite that far, but his message was clear: he is managing a club who deserve great respect both on and off the field. The foundations are solid.

"We haven't got millions of pounds of debt like other clubs and if we can stay in the Premiership this year we can only get stronger. Clubs like ourselves and Southampton will have the chance to become a big club in the Premiership. That's what our aim is.

"Ten years ago I had to sell Robert Lee and Anthony Barness in order to move back here. This time I won't have to sell anybody."

He was speaking in the context of the transfer window reopening next month - and he did not seem too bothered about buying, either.

And, on this evidence, who can blame him? No one in the Liverpool side matched Jason Euell for creativity in both midfield and attack; Kevin Lisbie, despite his chronic scorer's block, used his burning pace more effectively than Michael Owen; and the 21-year-old Paul Konchesky is surely a left-sided player with a big future.

That is what is being touted for Chris Kirkland, the 21-year-old who is England's goalkeeper in waiting. For a few disturbing minutes midway through the first half, it seemed that he would be wrapped in Liverpool's cotton wool again as he took the force of Stephane Henchoz's studs in his chest in a penalty-area pile-up also involving Shaun Bartlett.

As Jerzy Dudek waited, gloves in hand, Kirkland recovered. But not Liverpool. Kirkland, who suffered bruised ribs, could not be blamed for either Euell's close-range hooked shot or Konchesky's superb volleyed lob. Liverpool's faults lay elsewhere.

Houllier's side have taken only one point from their last five games, a dispiriting run which the manager believes "is over - we can't be more unlucky than we were today".

Yet in that sequence Liverpool have scored only three times - with none from Owen - and Houllier conceded: "Maybe it's time to have more composure in front of goal."

Owen had two chances in four minutes and fluffed them. He shot high over the bar after Dean Kiely blocked El Hadji Diouf's point-blank header, and then, released by Danny Murphy's through ball, was too ambitious in attempting an exaggerated bend in a shot with the outside of his right boot.

Milan Baros was even more guilty, the substitute heading Murphy's cross tamely and straight at Kiely.

Houllier insists the goals - and victories - will come, finding solace in being "still the top team in terms of shots at goal" before adding the acid aside, "not bad for a boring side".

But right now, as he admitted, "we need an ugly1-0."

Guardian Service

CHARLTON ATHLETIC: Kiely, Rowett, Rufus, Fish, Powell, Lisbie, Parker (Jensen 69), Kishishev (Young 80), Konchesky, Euell, Bartlett (Svensson 88). Subs Not Used: Roberts, Fortune. Booked: Euell, Konchesky, Svensson. Goals: Euell 36, Konchesky 78.

LIVERPOOL: Kirkland, Traore (Baros 61), Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher, Murphy, Hamann, Gerrard, Heskey (Riise 37), Owen, Diouf. Subs Not Used: Dudek, Smicer, Diao. Booked: Traore, Henchoz, Hamann.

Referee: M Riley (Leeds)