Fulham vs. Liverpool - EFL Cup Semifinal

Fulham plays two legs against Liverpool in the EFL Cup semi-final round. The first leg is at Anfield on Wednesday, January 10 with kickoff at 10am EST. The second leg at Craven Cottage is Wednesday, January 24 at 10am EST (Correction - 3pm EST, at some point the Fulham website started adjusting times to show in the user's time zone and I didn't realize that).

The Africa Cup of Nations will have a big impact on the match by taking away Salah, Iwobi, Bassey, and Ballo-Toure. For Liverpool, Endo will also miss out because of Asian tournaments. Fortunately Diop is healthy again to come in for Bassey, but I think that Fulham will greatly miss Iwobi - there just isn't anyone who can replace what he brings.

Fulham did very well against Fulham at Anfield earlier this year and really should have come away with a win, and with the recent win against Arsenal, Fulham should come into this match with a degree of confidence. Certainly it is a tough match, but anything could happen. For the first leg Fulham primarily needs to ensure they don't let Liverpool get a win by multiple goals so that the second leg at Craven Cottage can be competitive.

 

The bug guy is coming on Wednesday and I needed to be home for that. Guess I'm taking the afternoon off.

 

First off, shall we discuss ‘the draw’. Zero chance Liverpool v Chelscum was a viable semi for the sponsor so the Undead getting Boro was the best chance of them getting to a final.

Another bit of good news is Trent Alexander Arnold will likely miss both legs.

Have no idea if it’s straight aggregate, but hope the we can produce a performance that makes the 90 minutes at The Cottage the most important we’ve had (excluding the promotion playoffs) in many years.

 

And in the other Semi-Final, Middlesbrough comes out of the first leg at home with a 1-0 lead over Chelsea.

 

Disappointing result after taking lead into HT. Only going by the pro-Liverpool announcers on Sirius while driving, but they said Van Dyke got lucky not to get a second yellow in first half. To score the tying goal on a deflection is brutal, another goal 3 min later felt like deja vu.

 

We were tired in the second half. In the first half, we mainly defended but controlled the game. As the second half went on, we grew slower and less focused. The Gakpo goal doesn't happen if Tosin and Diop are alert.

Tosin was possibly the weakest link--a ton of mistakes on the ball, and his passing, usually a strong suit, was all over the place and led to dangerous giveaways. Leno was my MOTM. I wonder if a possible transfer isn't messing with Tosin's head again.

The refereeing was at times comical but equally bad for both sides. I loved not having VAR.

At the Cottage, we have a real chance of winning and advancing.

 

I was only able to follow via text, but they mentioned a gilt-edged chance that DeCordova-Reid had to feed Pereira for a tap in to make it 0-2, but he took the shot on his own that was saved. That didn't show up in the highlights, but if true, that would have been huge since it came just before the equalizer. It is disappointing to lose the match after taking the lead, but a one goal deficit is not insurmountable at the Cottage.

 

Terrible second half overall. Could have netted on the counter attack but failed to do so and basically told Liverpool go ahead and do it. They did. The fact we escaped with the score line what it was is a huge break. No huge optimism on the return leg. Not sure why I'm so glum. I honestly thought this would be a respectable score line before the game.

 

Fulham's highlights have the play where DeCordova-Reid probably should have squared it, or cut it back to Raul. There are a couple ways that ball could have been parried into a more dangerous area, but it didn't work out that way. The square ball would have been a better choice.

 

Agree that the legs gave out b/c the defending was intense and accomplished in the first half, but it was hard to imagine that continuing for 90 minutes. Liverpool have the talent to overwhelm any club, but someday soon Fulham will hold onto a lead against the Reds (hopefully in about 2 weeks). Also, I saw that Paddy Power has Andreas as an early front runner for best actor.
COYW

 

If you look at Bobby's play from the angle across the field, a Liverpool defender (don't remember which one) is making a recovery run, and with the limited space between the keeper and the defender, if Bobby squares the ball to Pereira, either the defender or the keeper gets there first. I thought Bobby had screwed up, too, but changed my mind when I saw the line he would have seen on the replays. Cutting back to Raul might have worked, but since there was a defender running at his left shoulder, taking the shot was not the worst choice in the situation. He just should have taken a better shot.

Yep. Bad second half.

We cannot let ourselves be forced to defend for 90 minutes again, or we'll tire out, and the story will repeat. This is something Marco will have to figure out.

 

Both #4s had a match to forget. Tosin seemed to think he was playing the u-21s in a scrimmage - very casual on the ball and loose with his passing. Van Dijk could have had a second yellow, true. But Robinson should have been penalized for a hand ball in the box, so that probably equaled out.

I am also conflicted with the result. A 1-2 loss is reasonable and probably expected. But to lose a lead late in the second half twice now at Anfield just stings. Fulham had a handful of chances breaking forward but couldn't seem to put any of them away. Then Darwin and Gapko come on as super subs and steal the victory away.

All I could think of as he was flailing around on the pitch was "This is precisely why I hate watching Copa America. The South Americans are the worst at play acting."

I'm excited for the second leg. This result definitely makes the match interesting and, with Fulham's recent home form, there is a serious chance that this tie goes to extra time or penalties. I hope Fulham doesn't get content with making the semis for the first time. They need to push for the final.

 

The chance of an all-underdog final was eliminated today when Chelsea came back from a 0-1 deficit from the first leg and shredded Middlesbrough 6-1 to win 6-2 on aggregate.

I have to admit I've lost my enthusiasm for Fulham's second leg against Liverpool and expect a similar lopsided result in Liverpool's favor. It would be wonderful to be wrong, but I just don't see it happening. Nunez and Jota are coming off of fantastic performances against Bournemouth over the weekend. Bournemouth had their chances in the first half, but couldn't convert and ended the first 45 even at 0-0. Then everything went Liverpool's way in the second half. That felt like a preview of a likely storyline for Fulham.

I'll be interested to see if Fulham start Willian and Wilson with DeCordova-Reid on the bench. Fulham must score and that pair seems more dangerous than one that includes Bobby, although they did come up blank against Chelsea.

The match kicks off at 3pm EST on ESPN+

 

I'm hoping for a bad day in form for the Reds....maybe an own goal thrown in as well.
COYW

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/jan/23/fulham-craven-cottage-liverpool-football

 

Let’s win the FA cup, instead. Luck was the difference today. Good effort from the boys. Proud of them.

 

Fulham did far better than I expected, still just couldn't catch a break or two. I think 9 out of 10 times Leno gets a solid hand behind that shot and stops it. Pereira's shot off the post was so close too. I do wish Wilson had come on earlier, or even started. Another noble effort from Fulham, but sadly close enough that we are left to rue the fine margins that led to the final result.

 

I'm a bad fan. I checked the score at the end knowing what to expect. I didn't watch a minute nor did I intend too. I will watch Saturday though.

 

5-6 min of the first half to the first leg was the difference. Most bummed about is Liverpool and their fanbase could really care less, while it would’ve meant everything to us to go to Wembley and beat the Undead.