Match Preview: Liverpool v. Fulham, 12.05.11

Left my clever at Mile 10 on Sunday. Nothing brings a wasteful Monday morning like a half-marathon in driving rain at 44F/7C. My legs cannot handle my cursing a profligate Liverpool today. Fist pump for each goal.

So the "Never Gonna Happen" XI is my Cobra Kai "We do not teach mercy at this dojo, do we?" set-up.

Suarez
Maxi Adam Kuyt Bellamy
Hendo
Enrique Agger Skrtel Johnson

juventus

0_0

Italian for pedophile?

It seems a lot of people have come to conclusion that Downing was brought in to partner with Andy in a heading goal-haul.  There was an interesting soccernet post today about a guy who says Messi is overrated and if it wasn't for the squad around him it would be blatantly obvious. - http://soccernet.espn.go.com/c...

In my dissection of this whole situation our team is in, I think that it is a lot easier to find an understanding of elegant play (Adam long balls to streaking Johnson - similar to Xavi and Alves and quick pass and go) than find chemistry of consistant crossing, quick link up-passing with no chance of defending, space creation to open up play and pretty much any type of play-style you can think of.  The thing I love about Liverpool is that they always try and play real football and have a never-give-up attitude (another story that is more than just a football belief to me.)  The system that Kenny has introduced - or tried to bring back - is just a beautiful style of football.  We can all say that Barca is the best at what they do, but to me I can't just sit and watch a whole match to watch our team sit there looking for the perfect pass.  Good fortune tends to lean towards those who are willing to take a risk (another story that is more than just about football).  

I guess what I'm trying to say is that with all this change that is being brought into the club, those who are in charge are going for finding a winning team the hard way (edit: chance creation players makes it easier.)  Downing crosses to Andy's head takes more than just running around.  It takes positioning, technique and precision.  We're not just playing keep away for 70% of the match, we're going for the win and trying to create as many chances as possible (Downing, Hendo, Adam and Suarez.)  I'm in full support of whats going on.  I was not there for the John Barnes days and the Dalglish days, but watching those youtube highlights makes me smile more than seeing Torres with a 14-game goal drought.  I think Maxi is long overdue a hat-trick.  Good luck Monday boys.  

BTW what happened to LucasLeiva21?  He must be in the hospital with an ACL injury or something.

The guy writes for Surreal Football, which does nothing but ridicule and make outlandish (as a form of satire) claims. It was written as a joke, not a serious critique of Messi.

Satire.

the guy who wrote that article on messi is a baffoon.  in one sentence he slams him for being one footed, and in the next praises maradonna and ronaldinho - both notoriously one footed players - as being on different planets than lionel... hogwash...

Messi is overrated? I wouldn't even bother clicking the link. The article could only annoy me. I've watched Messi play against the top teams in the world so many times. If there is one thing I'm 100% certain about, it's that Messi is NOT overrated.

Too bad united got the better winger for cheaper from Aston villa. Liverpool not being on the CL is gonna be a huge burden if we don't qualify again this season. Just look at the prices we've been paying for average talent. That has a lot to do with us not being in the CL and if that doesn't change soon, Liverpool will loose the ability to attract top players, or will have to pay rediculous fees and wages to get them to sign for the club. Also I don't think Suarez will stay too long if there's no CL again next season.

careful with optimisim, you might hurt somebody...

I've been on the Ashley Young bandwagon since Watford. STILL pissed we let the Mancs get him, and going to be even more pissed if we let Marc Albrighton slip away. Aston Villa collectively is the most dreadfully boring team to watch with Heskey leading the snoozefest, but they have talent. And it is young, and it is English. 

Wow...

Some, eh... interesting commentary from one or two on this thread folks. If you need me I'll be sharpening my carving knife for the Kenny-cook-out some of these guys are planning. I like me a nice slice of King with my beer when I'm self-righteously pontificating on how shite Dalglish has been....

Jeeeeeeez, maybe hold off on the judgemental crap until at least a season has passed....? Or y'know...don't.

I was thinking the same thing Trev. I find it very very disturbing that we are giving Carroll more shit than Chelsea are giving Torres. Woah, woah. We are complaining more about a 22 year old peg leg who's scored more than a 27 year old "world class" finishing Spaniard? 

What do we have to be upset about? We are neck n neck with the top sides in the league. The only major problem, Lucas, wasn't even something we had control over. Seriously, that one guy missed the world cup because he slipped on a thing of shampoo or some shit. Lucas could have fallen out of his own pimpmobile and it wouldn't have made a difference. Weren't we all positive just a few days ago? Let us not become Chelsea fans, who criticize their manager because his tactics are just too hard for John Terry to comprehend. 

First of all, not scoring goals is a major problem, isn't it? We are 1st in goals against, but 10th in goals for and 14th in goals at home. Suarez is our leading scorer with 4, followed by "own goal" with 3. City, United, and Chelsea have scored more goals just at home than we have in total. Blackburn are in the drop zone and have scored more goals than us both home and away.

Second, there's a difference between being "upset" on the one hand and coolly evaluating on the other that the difference between this Liverpool team being in the top 4 right now instead of hovering around 6th-7th is a few goals, and that Carroll has yet to do what he was signed to do. Patience is fine as long as we're ok with finishing 7th.

Right o. I'm not a huge Carroll fan myself (huge Liverpool player fan, though. so its rough). You might be coolly evaluating, but others are simply saying Kenny should pull the whole "makin' a quick stop on the way to Melwood *whistlin*" and just leave Carroll on the side of the road. 

And I agree with Latortillablanca below me to an extent. I do think we wanted a wee bit more goals than we've gotten from him, but I think Carroll is a "problem maker" in the box, not a creator. Same with Suarez. Not exactly cold-blooded finishers, either one of them.  

But yes, we have a goalscoring problem. I also think we still have Charlie Adam issues.  But the displays the past 3 games have shown that no one is in crisis on the team. (Crisis, meaning "OH MY GOD WHO LET HIM NEAR THE PITCH DAMNIT").

i disagree that he was supposed to be our main goalscorer - carroll might be wearing #9, but the idea was that he'd create opportunities for those around him, specifically 7 and late arriving mids, to put away.  its not his fault if the pitch time hasnt been afforded for him to get the chemistry going with the other players on this team.

scoring goals is huge, but i get the feeling if carroll did absolutely squat for the team but had 6 goals next his name, no one would be giving the guy any shit.

Carroll was not signed to create, but finish. 

There's no doubt Kenny signed him to be a big-time scorer game-in, game-out.

It's 100% his fault he doesn't get pitch time, because if he was better, he'd get it.

Yes, scoring is huge. That's why strikers cost big money. And of course no one would complain if he had 6 goals right now. That's 3 times as many, and enough to put us in the top four.

Damn, I answered four points before I realized you're high. Never mind...

obviously he's not supposed to be our ronaldinho, but there are other definitions of creators.  unless u r in fact kenny dalglish, how do you know what exact plan he had in mind for him, if any?  tactics play a huge part in whether or not carroll plays because of his monodimensional skill set, in particular when we're playin a top 4 side.  i already ceded goals are important for strikers, the point was its not the be all end all, and its extremely near-sighted to use it as the only measuring stick.

as far as ur condescending dig, i really really wish i cud still smoke weed, so i take not offense at the thought.

lets just agree that u sip the haterade re: carroll, shall we?

Well at least I'm not the only one who's high!! Burn!

wait...

Anyways. His goalscoring record is better than Alan Shearer's was at 22. So you might be getting into the "huge pricetag failure" department that I accidentally fall into as well, -putting the blame on Carroll for Liverpool spending way too much on him-. 

Ok I'm gonna come out and say that I'm not a big fan o Lucas. There you go. I actually think we are totally overating him(best DM in the league???) just because he had a couple of good games(very good games in fact, but not enough to change my opinion of him). I would actually swap Song for Lucas, no regrets. Right now Parker is the one to beat.

ya, train left the station on this one about a year ago.  A for effort, thanks for playing.

Recent very good games aren't enough to change your opinion? What more than a string of good football matches can change your opinion of a football player? I'm very curious to know what your criteria are.

Now now, I still worship Lucas. 

hhhm, this smells like time for some good ol' stats and facts, Ed...or Noel...or anyone willing to take the time to prove Lucas is the best. Maybe Lucas can research the stats for us during his time off! Since he's "just another fan", and all. 

It's sort of past that point though, isn't it? Stats more than prove it and have been bandied about for the last 18 months. 

Figure if it hasn't happened for someone, it's just not going to.

Ed, the guy is an Arsenal fan just trolling over here. So. Yea. Lucas may not happen for him, pal. He doesn't actually watch the Liverpool games, so how could he see in Lucas what the guys here do?

Noo I've been found out.... However I do watch Liverpool games, and like the team somewhat(a little bit). Otherwise I wouldn't be here reading the pages and commenting.

HULK SMASH

You, Trev Chutfield and Ryan. FUCK him up boys. It is comical though. You boys trying to convince a gunners fan that Lucas is the shitz. TRY HARDER.

And now I can't tell which JPR is which. I quit.

All JPR/jpr's are authentic. You can't quit. Game day post tomorrow. The guy has posted to the Arsenal offside 50 times in the last 3 months. He posted here today for the first time - 3 times. And you guys are responding like he is a Liverpool fan. Funny shit. Trev posts some quality comments. But I fear that converting an Arsenal fan is beyond even his very impressive powers of persuasion. Sigh.

Hm, that actually explains a lot...

He's just winding you guys up. Now you know how Evra felt.

I just wantthis to be thinner

Yeah, I wonder how thin it'll get...

This thin.....

You're right, average at best. Wish they'd brought in Lee Cattermole in a straight swap when Hodgson and Purslow had the chance.

Actually, fuck it...let's have Roy and Christian back and ship out that "not very good when it comes to buying players" Dalglish fella and his useless signings like Suarez...and surely Carlton Cole would sign if we got The Hodge back...
 
*drinks entire bottle of vodka at a draught, laughs,peuks...and then weeps for makind*

Lets get our pitchforks to the ready!!

           reina
johnson agg skrt enrique
   hendo  adam maxi
 bellers  suarez  downing 

or 

            reina
johnson agg skrt enrique
          hendo adam
    bellers       downing/maxi
            suarez
                  carrol 

I think you're missing a more defense minded CM; I think Spearo will have to play.

that's def the logical thinking (which i agree with), but id not at all be surprised to see the second lineup...

I don't think Fulham have speed on the edges, so what I'd like to see is a Barcelona-style high pressing game.

                Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique
  Henderson Spearing Adam
     Kuyt Suarez Bellamy

Not sure Kenny will go for it, though. My guess is he'll go with.

                ReinaJohnson Skrtel Agger EnriqueKuyt Spearing Adam Downing         Suarez Carroll

(crosses fingers Disqus will recognize all line breaks)

No no, Disqus makes no mistakes. You're seriously suggesting Reina at right back?! Genius!!

lol, I can't tell if I proposed an 0-8-3 formation or an 0-9-2 

Reina as right-back, 5 centre-backs and Adam as left-back. Why has no one suggested this before?!

Note also the innovative technique of tying Reina & Johnson's legs together with rope like in a 3-legged race, and same with Enrique & Kuyt. Football will never be the same!

Pepe clearly does not have the pace for LB.  C'mon guys, get serious.

That first teamsheet is very tasty as long as Adam plays more controlled shorter passing and curbs the temptation to act as a DLP.

First 9 line breaks -> ok
Next 3 line breaks -> not ok
Last 2 line breaks -> ok

wtf???

Just use dashes, it looks dumb but so much easier. 

---------see--------------
how--nice--this-works--
------Lucas--isnt---------
-in------the---teamsheet
----------:(---------------

Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
Line 5
Line 6
Line 7
Line 8
Line 9
Line 10
Line 11
Line 12
Line 13
Line 14
Line 15

Please Maxi has to start!

Liking the suggested team. We really need Jay Spearing to step up and take his big chance.

3pts needed. Sort of game we should win if we are serious about top 4.

does anybody know if the espn3 broadcast will be available on replay?

They don't typically do replays for Premier League matches because they're bastards.

Hehehe, the guys a arsenal offside are taking digs at Liverpool. "Gervinho cost us half of what Liverpool paid for downing and he has contributed 8 goals(3 goals, 5 assists) while downing has 0". "Kenny was an exceptional player but not a very good manager made evident by him paying 20 mil for downing and henderson".

{sounds like broken record}

Kenny bought players that had been 'doing it' for their clubs in the prem - the theory being they wouldn't be a gamble with respect to coming to terms with life in the prem.

Gervinho was more of a gamble which has paid off, but Chamakh - who was more highly rated than Gervinho hasn't bbeen a success, so woould you like to remined arsenal offside about that? 

Downing (no goals, no assists) have I mentioned that before?

I'm going to be a little disappointed when Downing does get his first goal or assist. Kinda like what happened with http://hasfernandotorresscored...

I'm sure that Downing (no goals, no assists) will end his drought on the next day that doesn't end with a Y......................

Funny thing. Although there have been loads of disagreements. One thing that is pretty much been universally accepted is that England have not had a decent left midfield player in decades. Typical then that we have been lumbered over the last 2 seasons with two players who have repeatably failed at it (Cole and Downing!)

Cole was a lost cause from the word "go," but Downing is a good player who's had his fair share of decent games for us. He can play on either flank, rattled Sunderland's crossbar and never once looked like a pack-a-day smoker with his hands on his hips.

You could say Uruguay failed to qualify for three World Cup finals ('94, '98 and '06) therefore all their players are shite. Generalizations about the quality of individual players based on their nationality are pretty ridiculous; a little fella by the name of Luis can happily prove that. Hell, al-Hasby is a boss Premier League keeper and Oman have never played a single World Cup match. 

Surely you understand Downing was brought in to deliver accurate crosses to the forehead of Andy Carroll and lead to 20+ headed goals a season. They haven't had the chance to build up that relationship yet. Our job as supporters is to continue supporting and wait more than 13 games to decide that not one, but TWO players with plenty of potential are both worthless wastes of space.

Yes u have. I have to agree though that Kenny is not very good when it comes to buying players.

I'm not complaining about King Kenny. Every manager will make a few bad buys and remember he has brought in Suarez and Enrique and got rid of Poulson, Cole, Konchesky and helped us forget the Hodge podge era!

Good call! Let's deliver a concrete verdict on the signings that have arrived while he's been manager, because Fowler knows that three full months beyond the end of the first transfer window in which he might have had any sort of influence is plenty of time to say he's shit at buying players.  

You asked for it!   ;o)

Good buys

Suarez - Outstanding success.
Enrique - Great success
Coates - Raw but looks very promising
Bellamy - Has done ok. Better attitude this time around

Jury Out

Adam - Saves himself for the big games! Hit and miss.
Hendo - Better as an impact player, some signs of promise.

Looking Bad

Carroll - Currently averaging 1 goal per 1000 pints. Needs to improve!

Bad (terrible, terrible, atrocious waste of money) Buys

Downing (no goals, no assists) even Traore and Biscan managed a handful of good games between them!

So actually overall I think the King has done a good job in the market. The key will be working with and improving Hendo and Adam. 

Are you actually at the games?

About 50% rest have to stream!

Now I know that there is a school of thought that Downing (no goals, no assists) has played well and has been unlucky, and in fairness he has hit the woodwork a few times.

BUT

Running in straight lines, seldom beating your man, not having a trick and contributing no goals and no assists is not what I want from a left winger! 

Thanks - to me its important that if you are going to criticise a player, (no goals, no assists) its important that you see him in live ganes inorder to know what contribution he is making  aside from goals and assists.

I wonder what his Received passes to Pass/Cross % is? i.e you say he can't beat a man, but I wonder whether the stats back that up or whether our strikers and/or attacking midifelders just haven't done enough to get on the end of his delivery?

Sweet, we'll think of asking them to do a guest post. 

lol, if I knew better, I'd say you had a thing about Lucas Ed.

"Some say, his tackling foot is from another planet....."

It seems like you're implying that it's not.

It was a Top Gear rip off.....

this is where we need our not so great consistency to go with us for once. im sick of beating arsenal, chelsea, everton, and holding mancity the so called  new british barcelona ha ha to a draw, only to then come unstuck against stoke, norwich, swansea etc etc.  after all the so called easy to beat fulham are the only othe british team to get anything from the blue mancs...

Breaking....

liverpool get southend or oldham in the FA cup 3rd round draw. 

Played weekend of 7th/8th Jan, in the middle of our 2 ties against Citeh.  
4/5 days after the league fixture and 4/3 days before the Carling cup 1st leg.

Glamour tie of the 3rd round draw is Citeh vs ManUre!!!!  Time to rub SAF's nose in it!!

god knows what will happen if we get to the semi final, coz it is too be played on the weekend of the 14/15 april. 1 semi played on the saturday & the other on the sunday.
 F.A. cup or not i wouldnt feel right going to wembley for any match on hillsborough weekend!!  no doubt the F.A. will be as inflexable about this as they were about resceduling our cup game against chelsea 48 hours after the manc match..
 FINGERS CROSSED

especially as it involves the money pit that is Wembley 'oh you say you  wanted a football pitch that actually lets you play football?  Jees, picky or what' management.  

They wouldn't reschedule if Clarkson took out the two teams and had them shot in front of their families.

Good post, Ed. Although you've not mentioned anything about the Bandy Johnson threat. Or am i missing an injury here?

Oh right, he'll be there too.

i love the idea of a 3 man mid in the same way that i love the idea of a threeway with amber heard and kerry washington - my mind constantly drifts to the thought, but neither's gonna happen anytime soon.  over the last three games it seems we got comfy in the formation and style the king's been askin for, so no reason to change it at this point. 

The logical selection is to slot the wee iron next to adam, and just ask hendo to put those 14km of running in a north-south direction to help cover any breaks.  We've got enough in this squad to get us to january, but this wud sure be a great time to get hot in front of goal...

too true.  Spurs will fancy themselves to get 100% points over December, we need to show we're the real deal now to stake our claim to the 3rd/4th place fight, which could very easily become just a 3 way, 4th place fight against Chelsea and Arsenal.

This season is quite something.  Spurs have got an amazing 28pts out of 30 and are still only 3rd (game in hand however).

It's certainly tough at the top.

gotta wonder how the hens are gonna react when vdv goes down with his annual 2-3 monther... i like defoe, but the vdv/modric dynamic makes that offense something special

Harry over played VDV last autumn, ran him into the ground for some reason.  

Not so much this year, perhaps cos he's had some minor injuries, but I guess he is a weak point for them injury wise, though as Lennon has shown, fast players can be a real injury liability (lots of pacy players in that team).  

Defoe is lethal but inconsistent.  Spuds couldn't score last year which is the reason why they missed out on CL spot, but clearly not a problem this year.  Too quick with good players on the ball.

Abramovich has problems now, cos Modric might not go there at all now with spurs form.  He's gonna have to pay a lot and could easily end up with a lot of David Luis's/Ramires's!!

Anyhow, this is about LIVERPOOL, SHUT IT JONNY!!!!

Great we are gonna see another match including a diver/whiner in the shape of Suarez

get the excuses in early eh?  

Somehow, this might well be a ManUre fan rather than Fulham fan though.

Can we get this straight once and for all?

Suarez does not dive. He does not simulate. He does not go down easy...

...he does moan like a lusty whore and whine like a lawnmower engine in a jumbo jet though!

Wait, are you saying that we're going to see Suarez in the shape of Suarez, or someone else in the shape of Suarez?

All I ask is that if you're going to troll, at least do it with some semblance of clarity. 

I guess you are right. Suarez in the shape of Suarez it is. Diving and whining along with his nasty teeth come with the package. 

Even a dyslexic can get it now. Can you? I hope so, my slow nitwit friend. 

TELL ME MORE

hmmmmmm, do you live in a dark room with a feral cat as your only companion? Smelly and sometimes dangerous...

lets see if ur right:

egakcap eht htiw emoc hteet ytsan sih htiw gnola gninihw dna gniviD  .si ti zerauS fo epahs eht ni zerauS  .thgir era uoy sseug I

hmmmm, nope, still doesnt make any sense... although if suarez is a shapeshifter it wud certainly go some ways towards explaining that phenomenal ability.

Congratulations.  This is the first Lucas match preview entirely focused on Lucas someone who won't even be part of the Lucas match.

Well, at least going to win though.  And rack up three points.  And not gain any ground on anyone above us other than Chelsea.  But hey, that's life in this weird season.

yeah, not much went our way yesterday, but hauling in Chelski is a very worthwhile cause.  Spurs could challenge for 2nd/3rd and leave a right ole scrap for 4th involving the Chavs.

Lucas?

LOL.
No longer stands for Laugh Out Loud. Which it never should have. Because, who the fuck laughs out loud while typing? For the sake of honesty at the leastest, LOL now stands for:
Lack Of Lucas. This way, we won't have to get into why the midfield and 'abnormal' starters are discussed.
ex.  "Duh, Jay and Jordan are starting. Maxi will need to start too. LOL". 

I've been crying a lot this past week, watching my tears somberly drip into my whiskey glass. The sadness, the pain, the agony.  LOL

The watered down whiskey.

I've been crying a lot this past week, watching my tears somberly drip into my whiskey glass. The sadness, the pain, the agony.

The watered down whiskey.

That's some moving poetic shizzle right there guys.

off da hizzle fo shizzle

Sorry, other than Newcastle

yeah, you're right. nothing went for us yesterday.

More nervous about this than the past games against Chelsea and Man City. If we're a new side we will win, if not and if it is the same old Liverpool of the past few seasons we'll draw/lose. 

there's def something to that...