WHEN
Liverpool v Fulham.. Wednesday 03 May.. 20:00 BST
ITS TIME TO STOP THE GOALS GOING IN
Four wins in four and a home game against a Fulham side who set the stall out for our season in that opening fixture back in August.. After beating City the weekend before in the Charity Shield the wheels fell off and never really fastened back on.
The Spurs game last time out was the perfect example of what Liverpool turns up.. The good in the first 15-20 minutes that can demolish a team at every opportunity and The Bad.. The rest of the game was just a shambles barring a moment of Jota brilliance.. So lets look at what needs to change and ask the very simple question why hasn't it already..
We are simply haemorrhaging goals this season.. The 3 against Spurs made it 42 in the Premier League after letting in only 26 last season.. Its not just the goals its the ease teams get through us and the chances they have in the process.. Without going total Statto Spurs hit the woodwork 4 times.. West Ham had one disallowed and Forest also ran us ragged with counters and long throws.. All of them could have won these matches.. So what's going on..?
THE HIGH LINE - Really there is no need for it now.. With Virg sat in the middle of a back 3 it would be nice to see him sat a bit deeper and just sweep everything up that teams throw in behind us.. At the moment its defend high. Teams smack a ball over the top to a player who is never marked and just go and try your luck against Ali.. Crazy..
DEFENDING SET PIECES - Our players line up at free kicks leaving their players unmarked and slightly offside they drop onside and run free on goal.. Again Crazy.. Just mark your men.. With this offside rule totally in disarray why even try to play Russian Roulette with it.. Those long throws were laughable against Forest the way we defended them
DEFENSIVE SET UP - I mean where do you start.. 3 at the back.. Cool but it has to have a system.. At 3-2 against Spurs and 2-1 against West Ham Robbo was trying to attack and break up play high in their halves when he is left centre back and there are only minutes remaining. Have I mentioned Crazy yet.. Add to that the extremely high line trying to play offside and you've got problems.
SUBSTITUTIONS - Lets go back to the Forest long throw debacle again.. Our subs were Thiago, Milner, Diaz & Nunez.. We desperately needed a win we were holding on and Gomez, Matip & Tsimikas sat it out.. Against Spurs.. Milner, Hendo, Jota & Nunez came on and the same 3 sat it out.. Again we were up against it and could have lost..
That defensive unit just doesn't feel right and should be something Klopp looks at in the summer. Sure Trent has gone into midfield but he still fills in at right back when again he just does not need to.. Joe Gomez can play right or left of Virg if Konate plays and you have pace and solidity in one go. A left sided defender like Ndicka is a no brainer on a free and he'll fit in perfectly..
Joel Matip was immense against West Ham and should at least be tried out in the defensive midfield two alongside Fabs.. Then when things get a bit wild at the back you have 5 solid defensive minds. Gomez or Konate at right back. Matip drops in next to Virg and the left sided defender goes left back.. Sorted..
The attacking 5 will feature Trent who can literally play wherever the funk he likes but focus on that right hand side.. Robbo too could play a similar position on the left and you are then playing the best two assist kings in the prem where they are most lethal.. They also know how to defend. Fill the middle out with 3 strikers.. Take your pick.. and boom we are solid and a threat from all angles..
Why these problems have not been addressed Klopp only knows..
Quick Stat Check.. Fulham have Won 2 and Lost 4 of their last 6.. Liverpool have Won 4 & Drawn 2 in the same period..
LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS
No change on these three as Keita, Ramsay & Bajcetic are ruled out for the season. Bobby Firmino is still out and could return sooner rather than later.. Spurs match winner Jota faces a late fitness test and could miss out with a rib injury..
LIVERPOOL LINEUP
Ali, Konate, Virg, Joe, Matip, Fabs, Trent, Robbo, Gakpo, Nunez & Diaz
FULHAM TEAM NEWS
Fulham are without key players Willian, Mitrovic, Kurzawa, Ream & Pereira. Which is good news for the reds..
DANGERMAN.. Harry Wilson.. To be honest it's hard to pick with the injuries they have as Pereira has been in pretty good form and so too has Mitrovic.. Had they not lost their heads in that cup tie at OT they could have put a nice run together and maybe secured a European spot. They currently sit in tenth and should end the season around there. Harry though has one wicked left foot and would love to put one past us..
THE GAME
Now although this post starts sounding negative these are all very valid points.. Will things change.. Probably not.. Do they need to for this fixture.. Again maybe not.. Fulham don't have the attacking threat of Spurs or West Ham.. Yet.. We thought the same of Forest so its best not to get complacent..
We will be pretty much at full strength.. The lights will be on at Anfield and those defensive frailties could easily be long forgotten by the end of the match although its best to get things in shape cos Brentford won't be an easy touch..
As with plenty of other return fixtures this season and next we want put things right.. We didn't lose that opening fixture and were slightly cheated by their penalty so let put these to the sword..
PREDICTION.. 4-0 To Them Mighty Reds.. The Reds will be on the front foot as you'd expect at home.. We created chances at will in those lightening 15 minutes against Spurs.. Does lightening strike twice.. Well it could well do..
So a fast start and a quick goal once again could set us up nicely for a relatively easy evening on L4.. This time though we don't take our foot off the gas and don't give up the space in behind.. A clean sheet is a must its been way too long with the quality we have in this side..
OurLFC DANGERMAN.. Trent.. He will obviously be pulling the strings once more and really enjoying his new role.. If we can get him into that attacking 5 he defo won't look back.. Expect a couple of assist from our No.66 and maybe he could chip in with a goal too..
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