Topic: MATCH PREVIEW - Fulham v Liverpool, 21st April 2024, 16:30

[Nick110581]

I'd be shocked if Mac Allister starts after what Klopp said post match. Sounds like he needs a rest. Would guess it's Endo and 2 from Szoboszlai/Jones/Gravenberch to start

What did he say ? Mac has been overplayed in all fairness.

[killer-heels]

What did he say ? Mac has been overplayed in all fairness.

He is knackered. Also we have three away games in a week, dont think there is any chance he plays all three.

[jckliew]

Draw here written all over.

[Tokyoite]

He is knackered. Also we have three away games in a week, dont think there is any chance he plays all three.

I really hope Mac is nowhere near the bench for this one to be honest. He's played way too much football in the past month and I don't want him to get injured again.

[Chris~]

What did he say ? Mac has been overplayed in all fairness.

'As long as he was fresh, together with Macca [Alexis Mac Allister] he set the tempo, the rhythm, the direction of the game. Obviously he was a bit running a bit out of gas. Macca had to go through this game, which is crazy and the way he did it was absolutely insane, but that was the difference.'
https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/jurgen-klopp-press-conference-manager-liverpools-europa-league-exit-atalanta

[jillcwhomever]

That’s the spirit.

Just ignore him, it isn't worth it.

[stockdam]

Thanks Zlen

Every recent match I have been expecting us to regain our form but I’m now losing confidence that it will happen. We’ve been oh so easy to contain and we’ve been very wasteful in front of goal. The free flowing football has gone and has been replaced by sideways and backwards passing. The whole team has been off form and there’s no easy answer. Hopefully Trent starts to ping passes around and gets some good crosses in and that lifts the team. When your form deserts you, you try too hard to force the play rather than sticking to what has worked.

Fulham will be physical and will try to dominate midfield. If we give them space then they can hurt us. We really need to start taking our chances rather than wasting them.

The result could go either way but I feel we need something to spark us into life.

[duvva 💅]

Thanks for the OP Zlen.

Hard to be confident right now, its also difficult to understand what’s happening. We’re better than what we’ve produced recently.

Confidence seems low, really need a performance and result to get that back into the players.

Hoping for the best

[Jm55]

One of my favourite aways Fulham and a tickets popped up last minute.

Buzzing, I wonder if they’ll do that cringe flag show before the game again like they did in January.

[Jm55]

1-0 Fulham

Honestly can't wait for this season to fuck off now. Bring on the summer.

Come on.

We may well lose tomorrow. I don’t think we will but I wouldn’t be stunned if it happened, but as long as we get top four then it’s been a decent season.

For me personally that let off at Wembley after Van Dijk’s goal alone makes it one of my favourite seasons, that will live long in the memory.

6 games now to thank the manager for everything, and still only 2 points of the pace. Nows not the time for feeling sorry for ourselves.

[darragh85]

Can't one team have an off day against us?

[PaleBlueDot]

Can we just be 0-2 up inside 8 minutes because of the most random own goal and a harsh pen?

How long has it been since we had some luck flow our way...feels like we have been clawing any point we can through blood sweat and tears.

An early positive start is imperative. Fulham will have dangerous spells in the game and we really need a cushion for it.

[petercormack]

The players returning from injury are slowly getting back up to speed. We had a good 20 min against Atalanta and then faded and played poorly in the 2nd half, especially after Trent went off. Expecting players like Trent to be available for longer than 45 min...may be 60 and this could make the difference.

I then hope that Klopp plays players that are in form, fit and raring to go, may be Gakpo, Elliot etc. I hope that he is prepared to drop those that are just not ready for at least 60 min, or just way out of form. If this happens, then we have a chance of getting something from the game.

Even if the above does happen then I expect the best we can hope for is a score draw, where we at least score from open play and so get some momentum going. I don't think the players have given this up and are still trying.

I'd have personally kept the likes of Clark in the first team longer and got Danns in the team sooner after his injury. These are players that have something to prove and with Klopp leaving there is always the risk that the experienced players decide they can ease off.
Klopp is trying to get his experienced men firing ASAP, and keep them in the team for longer periods, but this has had a negative effect on our play due to them not being ready for extended periods e.g. 60+ min. Doing this whilst the rest of the team was flagging e.g. Mac A & Endo has led to the poor performances. Keeping Clark in the team would have helped immensely with this.

[Caps4444]

Draw here written all over.

If that’s the case, then it’s title gone.

[Nick110581]

Jota fit enough to start ?

[Bread]

Fulham have been a fucking weird team this season. Just as likely to turn into a really good performance as they are to get battered.

[JJ Red]

If that’s the case, then it’s title gone.

Its gone anyway mate, unless both City and Arsenal somehow both implode and we find some form and belief from somewhere. It ain't happening.

I'd drop Salah and put Diaz back on the right with Nunez left, and Jota in the middle. We literally have nothing to lose now anyway. Hopefully, with Diaz on the right, we can lend support to Trent and we can stop teams overloading the right side early on, getting an early goal against us, and then sitting in for the rest of the game and hitting us on the break.

Unfortunately, despite having nothing to lose, Maca does need a break by all accounts. He deserves one as well. I wouldn't, after the last 2 games, put Jones anywhere near the first XI. That leaves us with Endo, Grav, and Szob for the middle 3 but, to be honest, I'd drop Szob as well. He's looked utterly useless recently. I'd be tempted to go with Elliott.

[Crosby Nick]

Score first for a change and go from there, please. This place needs to cheer up, and only a win tomorrow will do that.

[Oh Jimmy Jimmy]

We’ll win tomorrow and we’ll win the League. City are not special and will drop points (just like West Ham away two years ago). This team showed its balls on Thursday with a great win and will carry that on till the end.

We might need to rest Mac, but Curt’s and Dom’s workrate has been immense these past few games, plus a rested Endo.  Cody has stepped up and even looked Bobbyesque in the 1st half on Thursday. Mo has nothing to prove, but like every insecure overachiever , he will prove it again.

Enjoy these times.

[bornandbRED]

I look forward to going 1-0 behind in the first half hour

[RedG13]

Great OP Zlen.
Excited for this

[Bastion Of Invincibility]

If Liverpool Football Club score more open play goals than Fulham Football Club they have every chance of prevailing with a victory in this game of Association Football.

[latortuga]

Draw here written all over.

Seems unlikely.

Fulham have drawn 1 game at home all season.

Have scored 3 or more goals 7 times at home this season.

If you don't think we win this then chances are we lose.  Neither side is playing for a draw here.

[Historical Fool]

We’ll win tomorrow and we’ll win the League. City are not special and will drop points (just like West Ham away two years ago). This team showed its balls on Thursday with a great win and will carry that on till the end.

We might need to rest Mac, but Curt’s and Dom’s workrate has been immense these past few games, plus a rested Endo.  Cody has stepped up and even looked Bobbyesque in the 1st half on Thursday. Mo has nothing to prove, but like every insecure overachiever , he will prove it again.

Enjoy these times.

This all day …

[Jm55]

Its gone anyway mate, unless both City and Arsenal somehow both implode and we find some form and belief from somewhere. It ain't happening.

‘Implode’

We need Arsenal to draw one game out of 5 and city to lose 1. It’s hardly an implosion that’s required.

[Nick110581]

Its gone anyway mate, unless both City and Arsenal somehow both implode and we find some form and belief from somewhere. It ain't happening.

So it’s gone but not gone ?

[killer-heels]

City having to lose one game is what really makes the task tough now. Draw is eminently possible but losing is a different story. Basically they have to drop points in two games.

That said its impossible to think about the title. We have 3 away games in a week with a side that looks spent and is lacking confidence. We have to just focus on winning these three games and getting through all of them before we can even look to talk about the title again.

The fact that the fixtures have fallen like that makes it feel that its not only games but a single challenge in itself.

[WestieRed]

Just a few games left with Jurgen so I’m just going to be steadfastly optimistic for every one. I owe him that for all the utter joy he has showered on us since he arrived. Whatever happens here, he’s been magnificent and one of a kind.

Reds to win 3-0 - right out of the red 

Up our Reds and to our wonderful manager!!

[Zlen]

This week was always going to be time when we either book the ticket for title-station, or fall off the wagon. Even without Palace and United results, this week would still test us and could decide everything. What's changed is we have lost any breathing room. So now it looks and is extra hard. But... and its a very iffy but... weeks like this have a momentum of their own. They are like small puzzle rooms inside a big complex, but they are also isolated from the rest and our team will go into this sequence of games fully focussed and very much ready to graft and fight. With a bit of luck we could see the end of it riding high on a newly found wave of confidence. We don't even need to have a spectacular turnaround of form for this to happen, just get a foothold in each game, do the basics right, get a bit of luck and keep our composure.

I'll believe in this scenario until it's no longer possible.

[JRed]

We’ve thrown the title away with recent games but a strong finish to the season will set us up for next season. We really need to end Jurgens reign with a few good performances.

[Ray K]

Harvey Elliott is scoring a sensational winner today, I had a dream about it last night.

[Egyptian36]

I feel numb about this game no expectations at all

[Caps4444]

Arsenal need to concede first, they have only won once the entire season when conceding first.

[Kloppage Time]

expectations are low, hope is high

[Caps4444]

expectations are low, hope is high

If there ever was a must win game this is it. Hopefully Fulham will try and play and give us space to attack.

[fowlermagic]

Any chance of some width and crosses into the box for Jota and Nunez to create chaos with? Our slow tiktak football is not creating the spaces or chances we use to create so let's get Trent, Robertson, Diaz out wide and whip in some balls plus the tiktak stuff as well. Would go with three in the back, Trent n Robertson out wide n Macca with Jones n Elliot. Add some energy in legs that seem to be dragging little

[Tokyoite]

‘Implode’

We need Arsenal to draw one game out of 5 and city to lose 1. It’s hardly an implosion that’s required.

We also need to win all our remaining games which looks very unlikely at the moment.

[Clint Eastwood]

I know he won't fix all of our problems but I hope Jota can start this one. It's difficult to pick which forward to drop for him since you could make a case for all of them to be dropped. Salah's probably been the most out of form. Gakpo probably deserves a start too, but a forward line of Jota, Nunez, Gakpo just doesn't seem right. Could make a case for Elliott starting, but I want Mac Allister higher up the pitch.

I'd go - Alisson; Trent, Konate, Virgil, Robertson; Endo, Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Jota, Diaz.

Elliott and Nunez off the bench if needed.

[killer-heels]

I know he won't fix all of our problems but I hope Jota can start this one. It's difficult to pick which forward to drop for him since you could make a case for all of them to be dropped. Salah's probably been the most out of form. Gakpo probably deserves a start too, but a forward line of Jota, Nunez, Gakpo just doesn't seem right. Could make a case for Elliott starting, but I want Mac Allister higher up the pitch.

I'd go - Alisson; Trent, Konate, Virgil, Robertson; Endo, Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Jota, Diaz.

Elliott and Nunez off the bench if needed.

Mac and Konate should be nowhere near this.

[redk84]

It's do or die.

There's low confidence but these lads have got to win today and there's no other option. It's just about getting through....no heads dropping, nothing. Just keep working, keep doing the right things....worry about it later.

We've looked sluggish against opposition that have less to fight for and that just cannot happen anymore. There are 6 games left.
Decision making at important moments is the other thing....I reckon we get it right once or twice in open play and it can lift everyone.