I was a little concerned when I saw our defence for the start of the game – our right-back was at left-back, last season's left-back at centre-half and we were giving a debut to a player who loves to get forward. It could have spelled trouble – especially against players of the calibre of Torres and Robbie Keane.

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But I thought they were superb and Nyron Nosworthy and Danny Collins in particular were excellent.

The defeat just shows the fine line between success and victory at the highest level.

We lost, not because of a "clanger" dropped by the defence but by a piece of world-class finishing from one of the best strikers in the game. The ball has bounced kindly, first for Chimbonda, then for Whitehead and when it has bounced into space it has left our defence a little flat-footed for the first time in the game. But even then Torres had a lot to do.

It was a massively changed back four and against one of the best strike forces in the division, it did itself proud.