Fulham at Liverpool

Fulham travels to Liverpool who will be eager to end their shocking five game home losing streak. The match will be on NBCSN at 9:00 am EST on Sunday. (I'll be waiting for the replay 12 hours later so if you want highlights earlier someone else will need to grab them!)

I recommend watching Parker's pre-match interview. No big news comes out of it for this match, but he has a lot of thoughtful things to say about the hand-ball call and society's desire for perfection. Someone needs to put a sound track to this Parker moment too:


Fulham was one of seven teams to draw with Liverpool in the first half of the season. Liverpool has played three of those teams so far in the second half of the season and lost all of them (Manchester City, Everton, Brighton). It would be great if Fulham could be the fourth to pull that off. The match with Liverpool back in December was my favorite until Fulham beat Everton. Back in December, Fulham came out an totally bossed Liverpool in the first half. Only a questionable late penalty prevent Fulham from getting three points. I hope to see more of the same from Fulham in this match.

One sad thing I realized is that the last time Fulham was out of the relegation zone was when they played Liverpool. Since Fulham drew that weekend and Burnley beat Arsenal, Fulham dropped back down to 18th place - where they have been ever since.

 

Hate to say it, but I’ve got a bad feeling about this one. Scousers will be desperate to end this uncharacteristic slide, and probably feel hard done by the result at the Cottage, even though they deserved to lose. They’re still a formidable offensive force, and overdue for a bust out. And we’re overdue for a clunker. But I hope I’m wrong.

 

I’ve changed my mind. I think we’re going to win. Our best two wins have been away at Leicester and Everton. I think we’ll be confident due to the performance in the first match at the Cottage. And our young guys know they can beat them.

 

Fulham do seem to play better against the big boys, and better away from home, both things are true tomorrow. I think it'll be a draw but I certainly won't be shocked if we do win. Hopefully West Brom will do us a favor and beat Newcastle and give Fulham the added motivation of being able to get out of the zone with a win.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

A trip to Liverpool on two days rest? I’m not as confident as you all.

I also question whether Fulham plays better against top teams or top teams play down to Fulham. I’m sure the real answer is somewhere in the middle.

 

Well Fulham has gotten 10 points from 11 games against teams in the current top 8 and 13 points in 15 games against everyone else. Whether it's Fulham playing up or top teams playing down, the result is that Fulham has picked up points against the best teams at as good or better rate than the others

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

Fulham win 2:1. Has to happen eventually. Why not tomorrow. Would like to see the 3-CB lineup against Liverpool again, with the two shuttling wingbacks. Would also like to see Anguissa in instead of Lemina; the former is more creative, though neither has had his shooting boots on this season. Other than that, same starting setup as against Everton, please.

 

What a performance boys! I always believed! COYW

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

So happy to have been so terribly wrong about everything but the W! Shows why I should never apply for a job as a soccer pundit. Now on to the next one. Perhaps a good home win for a change?

I thought everyone did well today, with Cavaleiro perhaps the least excellent. Fulham did a great job pushing Liverpool to the flanks and limiting their opportunities. Going forward, I liked the mix of possession and longer balls. Fulham is playing like a top-6 team right now. If we continue, we stay up. I hope we can make the loans for Andersen, Areola, Aina, Lookman, and Lemina into permanent deals. Would be nice to keep Maja, too, but we can probably get as-good-as or better in the summer market.

 

Fantastic result! I’m still not sure how Areola kept that volley early in the second half out of the net but what a save!

 

Well, it seems you guys were on to something. So glad that you were right and I was wrong.

I wonder how Micah is doing with his attempt to stay in the dark until he gets to watch the replay.

 

Make that 13 from 12 games against current top 8 sides. Incredible.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

Lots of great performances from many in white today, but that play by Lemina...THAT’S what’s been missing since we righted the ship 14 or so weeks ago. Salah’s still looking for his jock strap back in the scouser box in front of The Kop. If I recall correctly, Robinson dispossessed him in an equally embarrassing manner at the Cottage. But #18’s audaciousness and clinical finishing (how many times have we said THAT this season) was huge. I agree with Mr. Hymel’s observation about our shoot/pass decisions in the opponent’s box. I chalk that up to the somewhat annoying combination of youth and exuberance (OK, OK, selfishness), especially from Lookman. Today he got a little taste of his own medicine from Maja, but Cav, BDR, RLC, all have been guilty this season.
But...
We’re even with Brighton on points, behind only on goal difference. And despite a couple of hiccups, namely Spurs midweek, Palace, and both matches against Burnley, we’re trending upward. Getting better. And learning how to win. I’d settle for a modest increase in the upward incline on the graph, but I’m hoping we’re poised to start a steeper one. I’m sensing an offensive breakout, because our players just aren’t as bad as our stats would seem to indicate. Mario’s goal today was not a gimme. He still had a lot to do after he nicked the ball off of Salah. The fact that he did it, a low, off balance, snapped screamer that skidded toward the far post like an Exocet missile, away from Alisson and inside the pipe, indicates to me that the lad needs to be more adventurous more often. That was top flight skill, AND effort. It’s amazing when you employ both at the same time, huh? I’m not even going to think about Citeh until, maybe, Friday. I’m going to spend the week celebrating by watching all of the extended highlights of our now FIVE wins this season (with a glass of Maker’s Mark).

 

Watching the replay 12 hours later, I remarked to my wife when Lemina scored that he wouldn't be in my starting lineup. I still know nothing about this game. What a win regardless of my ignorance.

 

I made it! Totally oblivious until I got to the replay 12 hours later. Of course I was also negotiating the purchase of a new house today so I was preoccupied and too busy to think much about it. So given my superstitious nature on Fulham, does this mean I have to buy a house for Fulham to beat Liverpool? <gulp>

When I saw the lineup I questioned why Lemina was in. With every bad touch I'd yell "Why is he playing?!" After he scored I said "Oh, that's why he's playing." What great heart and effort he showed to win the ball and get the shot off.

I thought that Fulham started sitting back too early in the game. I was sure it would end a draw because they weren't even trying to retain possession with 20 minutes to go. However, Areola and the defense hung in there and secured the points. Fulham got a little lucky that the ball didn't bounce more kindly for Liverpool a couple of times, but after crap like last week Fulham deserves a little luck and more.

If the form over the past 8 matches were to hold through the rest of the season, Fulham would finish with 41 points - above Burnley, Newcastle, and Brighton. Of course that means something like winning 5 matches over the last 10 - doubling the number of victories for the season. I don't think that is likely, but Fulham has certainly given the teams in the 17th, 16th, and 15th spots a reason to look over their shoulders.

 

Its stats like this that make we wonder why the heck we are in a relegation battle.

God those extra 2 minutes added to the added time were nerve racking! That was a great match. Had a bit of everything in it. COYWs

 

Inability to breakdown teams that set up to defend and the first 6 games before getting our current back line in the team together. Start the season with Areola/Tosin/Andersen/Aina all in the lineup and Fulham might be home and dry right now. Andersen is the key though, he is the leader at the back and everything flows through him

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk