Carragher optimistic after draw

2nd December 2008

Defender Jamie Carragher has admitted Liverpool are "going through a rough patch" but insists there are plenty of reasons to be positive.

Liverpool struggled through another frustrating game at Anfield on Monday night when brave West Ham claimed a 0-0 draw, although the point was still enough to take the Merseysiders top of the Barclays Premier League.

It was the third time this season that a supposedly inferior side had held Liverpool to a goalless home stalemate, following identical results for Fulham and Stoke.

But Carragher refused to be downbeat and said: "Usually when you are not playing well you go down the table. Instead we are going up the league when we are not at our best.

"The positive thing to take is the fact that we have qualified for the next stage of the Champions League and we are top of the Premier League. To do that when we are not playing well and going through a rough patch is really positive.

"You are always disappointed when you don't win your home games, and obviously in the last three games at home we have not played as well as we could."