Fulham 1 – Liverpool 0 : Match Report

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written by Jamie McLaughlin website at www.anfieldnews.com

Liverpool was hoping to keep their good run of form going in this testing trip to Craven Cottage. Liverpool had good memories of their last visit to Fulham when they had a convincing win with Maxi netting a hat-trick. Fulham have been unlucky with a couple of defeats in their last two games and with former Reds’ players Riise and Danny Murphy in their side the home side would be well up for the contest.

THE TEAM

Dalglish brought Suarez and Spearing into the side, Spearing making his first league start of the season for Liverpool to replace the injured Lucas. Jamie Carragher had to be content with a place on the bench as Dalglish stuck with Agger and Skrtel in the centre of defence. Andy Carroll was given another start as he looks to find his form in front of goal. Bellamy and Henderson also started as Dalglish left Kuyt, Downing and the unlucky Maxi on the bench

THE MATCH

Liverpool started the game with great possession with most players getting an early touch of the ball, but it was Fulham that almost took an early lead when Dembele got behind the Liverpool defence from a clever pass from Ruiz but Reina came out sharply and made a great blocking save.

Liverpool had the next chance when Adam’s volleyed effort was deflected to safety. Then Carroll had a shot saved by Schwarzer as Liverpool continued to press. Schwarzer made another good save from a low shot by Adam.

Fulham looked threatening going forward too and Reina made a great save on the stretch from a great effort from Dembele and shortly after Reina had to be alert to an ambitious volley from Dempsey.

With the game going from end to end Henderson saw his curling effort come off the inside of Schwarzer’s far post and away to safety. Then a great run from Suarez to the bye line was then cut back to Carroll but his shot was well blocked to safety.

It was amazing how the score remained 0-0 at the half with all the chances that were produced by both teams.

Liverpool started the second half on the offensive with Agger having a 30 yard effort deflected wide before Enrique being denied his first Liverpool goal by Schwarzer. Chances were still being created at both ends with Zamora being thwarted by Agger before Adam’s surging run was ended by a late challenge by Senderos on the edge of the box. Bellamy’s free-kick was blasted into the defensive wall with Agger heading wide from the resulting corner.

Johnson played a great pass through to Bellamy but he dragged his shot well wide of the target. Liverpool thought they had taken the lead when Suarez brilliantly put the ball in the Fulham net from a clever pass by Enrique but his effort was ruled out for offside.

But the game changed in the 71st minute when Jay Spearing was shown a straight red card after crashing into a tackle on Dembele. Dalglish brought on Kuyt and Downing for Carroll and Bellamy just after the sending off.

Dempsey saw an effort come off the Liverpool bar with Reina beaten before Downing was denied by a brilliant save from Schwarzer onto the post. But Liverpool were stunned inside the last 10 minutes when a Danny Murphy shot was spilled by Reina which saw Dempsey fire the rebound into the net from close range.

Liverpool tried in vain in the remaining minutes to salvage a point as Fulham held on leaving Liverpool frustrated at the outcome of a game that had many chances and many controversial refereeing decisions.

SUMMARY

I thought Dalglish sent out a very attacked minded team and I was pleased to see Bellamy and Carroll starting along with the impressive partnership of Agger and Skrtel keeping their place at the expense of Carragher. I expected Spearing to replace Lucas in the midfield with his style of play. Liverpool played very well in what was a very good game with Fulham adding to the spectacle as the game ebbed and flowed. Another night of bad luck and missed chances which are proving costly in our quest for a Champions League place. But I’m sorry I have to say the referee was no “Friend” of us as every big decision went against us, the sending off was ridiculous as no Fulham player appealed for anything in what was a terrific tackle from Spearing. Senderos should have been shown red and Liverpool could have been awarded a couple of penalties one with Adam running into the box to be taken out by Senderos then Suarez going round Hangeland only to be impeded and Suarez puts the ball into the net only to be flagged for offside when he was onside. Suarez once again getting no protection from a referee. But we did lose the match because our Mr. Dependable Pepe Reina made a big mistake which cost us the game. I am very frustrated with the missed chances and the referee but I am proud of the performance and if we keep playing like this we will do ok.

Man Of The Match – Skrtel – defended superbly all night and made some great clearing challenges and headers.

11 Comments

  1. Bad Luck?! Bad Luck?! Sorry pal but I completely disagree with your analysis – we’ve been playing this ‘bad luck’ tune for far too long for my liking. We lost because we simply DIDN’T TAKE OUR CHANCES TO SCORE!!!! The simple fact of this team is that we aren’t clinical enough and we lack an out and out goal scorer. Carroll ain’t up to scratch (and to be honest – after watching him play for LFC over the last year, I’ve seen nothing to make me thing he’ll come good for this team – no flashes of brilliance – no touches to make you think that he’ll rise up to become a goal scoring prodigy).

    KENNY – prep your check book, DROP CARROLL NOW, and buy 2 strikers in the Jan window.

    1. @ scousedude i m happy wiv ur comments i couldnt agree more especially kenny making silly experiments of playing caroll all the time.i have read that nobody is bigger than the club however if kenny continues playing Caroll in the first team i bet our top four ambition will disappear in thin air why would the club be sacrificed for just one fella called caroll??Why kenny didnt start maxi..is he injured?

  2. Carroll Henderson and Adam, are just NOT good enough for Accrington Stanley,never mind Liverpool FC!.

    YOU Kenny needs to stop buying CR*P!!. Your persistance of trying to justify your CR*P, buys, is costing Liverpool FC, BIG TIME!!!

    1. I disagree about Henderson. he’s only 20 and he’s shown his potential. He took aim and was just unlucky. Give him some time.

    2. @ RednRed our biggest problem is the lack of sight of Kenny playing first teamers as fringe players and playing fringe players as first teamers…Henderson had improved alot so Adam but Caroll is not ready to improve….However he should be in the fringes we need to start climbing up the table we need maxi especially in the kind of scoring form he is

  3. We need a Torres type of player prunto! Otherwise forget it, we r not finishing those chances and I have to agree with scousedude Carroll has not shown moments of brilliance and finishing… He’s good to have but we must have a pacy ‘a la Torres or rush or fowler’type of striker to win us games! Someone like van persie for arsenal…

  4. We have a talented group of players who are being ruined by championship level coaching by Keen/Clarke. Until this changes, well its going to be frustrating.
    I would bring back Pako Ayesteran and get rid of Keen and Clarke along with ‘statman’ Comoli.

    1. Keen nor Clarke is not the problem the problem is kenny with his blind trust on Caroll to deliver yet we keep dropping points or we end up loosing…Our beloved club is not a trying club its an established club for established players so why must Kenny put blind faith in caroll?this is going to cost us our top four as i dont see us in top four if we continue playing underperforming players..Maxi ought to be given chance in matches

  5. I think Kenny needs to have a rethink without not playing maxi in matches we need him he’s a clinical finisher that makes positive runs in the box i bet if maxi had started the match yesterday he would have scored by getting into those scoring positions..Looking at caroll played yesterday was a joke caroll is still a young striker that lacks the intelligence of a striker,he’s too lazy in the box,he’s anticipation is zero all caroll expects in the box is the ball to be put in the air for him to use to big head to attack..lol
    Meanwhile scoring goals is more than expecting the ball in the air…

    1. Yeah right, so just playing Maxi will make us world beaters? Get real, you muppet, the problems are much deeper than that. Do you think barcelona play the way they do just by pure accident? Its about superior coaching which we do not have at LFC.

  6. When I saw the starting line up, I immediately declared that liverpool is going to loose the match. The type of football they were going to play with carrol at the centre. There was no hope at all. We have lost/drawn every match which we started with carrol. God Know when he score. He is not a liverpool type of player. All the reputation which liverpool earn earlier ruined by this stupid fellow. Missing of Lucaas was badly field. I think no one can replace his stature untill gararrd get in.

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