Toure: The game almost changed
Kolo Toure sensed a moment, during the second half at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening, when Liverpool could overturn their 1-0 deficit against the early league leaders Arsenal.
The Gunners took a 19th-minute lead over the Reds when Spanish creator Santi Cazorla met his own rebound off the post with a piledriver finish beyond the helpless Simon Mignolet.
Following Brendan Rodgers' half-time decision to switch formation and introduce Philippe Coutinho, however, the visitors rallied and worried the Londoners by fashioning a series of ultimately wasted chances.
Had those opportunities been seized rather than squandered, both the final 2-0 scoreline and therefore the league standings could have adopted a different complexion according to the Ivorian.
"It was a tough game, especially the first half," the 32-year-old reflected with Sky Sports post-match.
"When you play against a team like Arsenal - who keep the ball very well - and concede the first goal, we couldn't play the way we are used to playing, keeping the ball and passing.
"In the first half, we spent a lot of energy by running after the ball. In the second half, the manager changed the system and Coutinho coming on made the game better for us.
"But the second goal finished the game; it was a great strike from Ramsey. He has been fantastic this season and kept it going really well. For us, it was a difficult game. We could have done better.
"When you concede the first goal, you don't want to concede a second goal otherwise the game is finished. We didn't concede again before the first half finished.
"In the second half, when Coutinho came on, the game changed - that showed we could have been better.
"When we came back, we had a good start although we didn't score the goal that could have made the game better for us. When they scored the second goal, the game was nearly finished."
Despite the disappointment at the home of his former club, the No.4 tasted Barclays Premier League defeat in Liverpool colours for only the second time since signing in the summer.
He added: "I'm enjoying my football very much right now, at a great club like Liverpool. I'm very happy playing with this team, with a great manager and great people at the club.
"I love football, as long as I can keep winning and enjoying football. I hope that I will have better days than today, definitely."