Topic: Re: RAWK Round Table FFC 2-3 LFC

[tuaz]

[snip]...

until they scored. Both times they noticeably attempted to shut up shop - which is absolutely fair game, based on their league position. It was up to us to then find the key to that padlock and I think we did it fairly well. We didn't attempt to flood their box and play long balls or percentage crosses like Moyes' team, we kept calm, passed it around and tried to find the space - which is somewhat what I expected us to be all the time under Rodgers.
.....

Still, we came back. We dug deep and stuck to our tactics even when it seemed it was to be "one of those days". In truth though, on reflection we probably could have had the win wrapped up well before the calamitous 90th minute lunge of desperation by Riether. ...

Credit to Rodgers too - bringing on Teixeira was a bold move. A debut for a young lad in a high-pressure situation probably raised eyebrows in some quarters when the likes of Allen, Moses and Aspas were on the bench. Yet Teixeira was calm, his passing sound. The type of player we needed to unlock that stubborn Fulham rearguard - a 'second Coutinho' if you will. Indeed, it was from a Teixeira pass that Sturridge was felled for the penalty - some justification there, Mr Rodgers.

.....

Those are my thoughts as well.

The game was being played in the wee hours of the morning where I live. I had set the alarm but by the time I woke up, it was 1-1 in the first half, Sturridge having just scored. We were starting to control and dominate things when the halftime whistle went. 

I was confident we would score more in the second half, and that looked more and more likely, until they scored their 2nd goal.

And that's when I realised that what BR had done to the team had also affected me, the fan. In seasons past, I likely would have felt we didn't have the mental strength and fight to claw our way back. For these o-dark-thirty games, I might have just switched off the TV and gone back to sleep.

Not this season.

I was sure we could get back in the game and even win it.  You could see that the team didn't panic.  They continued calmly probing, passing, making chances, playing proper possession football, until Coutinho scored.

Then BR made the Tex substitution, and I was going "Whuh? Now??!".  But we continued pressing for the winner.

To be honest, I was starting to wonder if it would come, when the penalty came. My heart was thumping when Stevie hit it sweetly into goal. Cue crazy screaming into my pillow!

My main take-away from the game was MENTAL STRENGTH. Our team now has it in spades.  And Stevie really is Captain Fantastic.

As for Brendan Rodgers, he has guts, putting on a newbie during crunch time. 

I've read news articles reporting what he said about the club's "CORE" development for young players. He really backed it up during the match.

I thought the CORE statement was clever publicity by him, an invitation to promising young players to come join Liverpool.

I believe there will be a certain type of young player, perhaps more mature and longterm-thinking, who would place money or "glamour" as less important than being in a place with a good manager, where they can continue to learn and improve as a player, and have a fair chance of getting into the first team. 

If we attract more of this type and less of the mercenary sort, good.

[wah00ey]

I'll post an odd perspective on the game. I was in rural Wiltshire, amidst a biblical storm, and by extension a domestic power cut. So no wireless, and no stream.

So I popped to the boozer, and found myself in the company of several (yokel and otherwise) Man Utd fans, watching the Arsenal game, and reading the text updates on here for our own. And so it was fun, amidst the Moyes-based derision, to witness their reactions to the on-screen updates, in each case steeled by the time lag before BT Sport caught up with reality. It seems they thought they'd make fourth on some level, while knowing really that it just ain't gonna happen.

It seems they covet our manager. Did you ever hear the like?

But of course, cheers of joy when Fulham took their leads, and groans of inevitability for our equalisers. I departed when their game finished, their chat intolerable, but walking home, the news came of the pen, and I startled some local fauna with a shout and punch and kind of star jump when the penno was awarded, and worse when confirmation came that it was slotted.

Soaked but bloody delighted. Goodness knows how it felt to be there Archie - wish I'd been there with you.

Then a download and the game itself, in full. My word. What a ball from Gerrard. Two of the finest passes in two consecutive games you're ever going to see.

I agree, it was one fine pass from Gerrard but don't you think his body shape after his slip dictated that he had to hit the ball with the outside of his foot that way?  I wouldn't want to take anything away from the pass at all but I'm pretty certain he wouldn't have played it the same way without the slip.

I thought it was interesting how much better than Arsenal Fulham were, particularly in the intensity of their game and the way they closed our players down.  It's the obvious way to play us but they implemented it effectively enough.

Toure looked a liability the whole game, he seemed terrified of both Bent and the ball and Skrtel, for me, was easily our man of the match.  As well as playing his own game he was clearing up in and around Kolo knowing that he was an accident looking to happen.

Flanno found himself in good positions on a number of occasions but failed to deliver a decent cross.  This is partly to do with the fact that he looked up and there was rarely anyone in the box to aim for as this is not Sturridge or Suarez's game - Suarez pretty much played the game in midfield, making bursts forward from deep.  It's frustrating to watch us create great space for the full backs to exploit only for there to be no target man to aim for.

My final criticism is of Mignolet who needs to react quicker and get the fcuk off his line to clear danger rather than leave it to Kolo or Skrtel.  He reacted far too slowly to these kind of situations against Fulham.

Wingeing apart (sorry!) we kept going and always looked like scoring.  Suarez had some astonishing touches and if he doesn't score again soon i think he might just explode.  Literally.  The atmosphere was great and singing the JAR song was pure class!

[Corkboy]

Skrtel, for me, was easily our man of the match.  As well as playing his own game he was clearing up in and around Kolo knowing that he was an accident looking to happen.

Yes but Touré was nowhere near the second goal. How do you exonerate Skrtel for that?

[fatlip13]

great result and attitude to get it.

my thoughts on the game were on the surface we were poor, I put this down to Fulham playing a defensive style of football(understandably) and a pitch that on tv looked slow and bumpy in areas.

Toure's own goal and a pass to Skrtel took off from the pitch. not defending Toure. we gave 2 goals away from very little pressure and dug out 3 goals when not playing very well. would like Sahko and either Johnson or Enrique back at LB for the run in. Flanagan has been excellent

[Greebo62]

Watched the game on a decent stream from what used to be Liveonlinefooty (NewsSource now).  £7 for two months & the only game I've missed was the Oldham one.

Deja vu, "here we go again", whatever you want to call it but they did seem to come at us pretty fast in the opening 10-15 minutes, and we looked panicky and unsure of our touch.  The awful pitch and the wind probably had a bit of an effect in that, but I must confess I had visions of a Villa or Hull type of performance.  The O.G. just made me groan.  love kolo & his attitude as part of the squad, but he does appear to be feeling the pressure a bit.  Hopefully Dagger's return will give us a bit less nervousness in defence.  After that and another bit of a scare, we did seem to settle down and start playing for each other a bit more.  Nowehere near enough guile and precision however, and it has to be said that Surridge's equalizer felt like a bit of a let off. 

Second half I thought we were consistently the better team, only suffering from another strange brain-fart from Skrtl.  Strangely, though, having been encouraged by the pressure we'd been building prior to that, I somehow felt that this was going to be ours... the looks on Rodgers and the players faces went from disbelief to gritted determination, and somehow I knew we were going to pull the game back...

A word about Phillippe Coutinho here...  He's considered a bit "lightweight" but I watched him putting strong tackles and physical pressure on their players all game.  Once or twice he seemed to stop or slow down, then seemed to remember that he was supposed to be pressing the ball, and he'd put in a strong sprint to get into a good pressing position...  love that he's learning and growing into the role as well as others like Gerrard.  His goal was a bit lucky, but "in it to win it" as they say.  Think he may go on to be a bit more of a goal threat from this - sometimes a bit of luck is all it takes when the overall attitude and quality is there.

By the last few minutes it was clear they were just holding on desperately, and desperate teams do desparate things in their own penalty area...  Luck may have played a part, but penalties like the one we got on Wednesday are forced from the defending team through a combination of pressure and patience.  Nice assist from Teixeira too, and great cojones from Rogders for the decision to replace Sterling (who looked knackered) with him at a crucial point in a crucial game.

Stevie G.... well what can one say?  There's a big gaping hole in his medal collection, and I'd guess that he was almost resigned to never seeing it filled, but here we are, mid-February in the mix...  you could see how much he realises that this season may just be his best opportunity since 08/09 and a gritty determination to make sure that this time we're going all the way to the wire... 

Awesome performance from the travelling Kop.  Can't remember anything like that except... oh yeah... Fulham away 08/09...  funny old game innit???

[Hank Scorpio]

After going a goal behind it was nice to see us come back and win.  I believe it is the first time that has happened this season and it's an essential string to a *whispers* title-winning bow.  Even more impressive is that we were still losing with 20 minutes to go and turned it around.

I think going into matches we may as well assume we are going to concede.  Possibly the players already work under this assumption although not explicitly, perhaps in the same way you'll hear amateur coaches shout nil-nil following a goal from their team.  But we need to work towards dramatically cutting down the number of unforced errors.  I don't know if this is a personnel issue but we've had the GK and both centre halves make errors which have led to goals since Xmas.  In some cases it's hard to debate that the issue is not personnel (KOLO'd).     

[Fluke]

I agree, it was one fine pass from Gerrard but don't you think his body shape after his slip dictated that he had to hit the ball with the outside of his foot that way?  I wouldn't want to take anything away from the pass at all but I'm pretty certain he wouldn't have played it the same way without the slip.

I don't think so. He had plenty of time to adjust his shape for any kind of strike of the ball, and he has always a been a fan of the outside boot drilled pass. I think that's exactly what he would have had in mind all along.

Great pass, sturridge is really benefiting from some good service atm.

[wah00ey]

Yes but Touré was nowhere near the second goal. How do you exonerate Skrtel for that?

I haven't exonerated him for that.  I still think he was MoM overall.

[SquirrelandGman]

we've conceded far too many silly goals.

i dont know how the managers gonna sort it out.. but people saying once agger comes in and everythings all good just doesnt cut his injury record is abysmal


Defending is the easiest thing to coach in a side..surely despite the limitations of say a kolo toure.. we'd be able to manage such schoolboy errors.(six yard box= keepers ball, proper positioning..etc)

[decky]

What I really liked about the performance was that our heads never went down. There's a real sense of 'ok, let's get on with the game and score another'. We didn't panic and start hoofing balls into the box, rather we just kept passing the ball and pushing them until they made the error. Great work by the team to stay calm and stick to the manager's philosophy

[redmark]

Great pass, sturridge is really benefiting from some good service atm.

Sturridge is benefiting from taking up some great positions and making beautifully timed runs, too. I heard one pundit saying that he "couldn't miss" after Gerrard's pass. Absolute nonsense.

He's about as good a finisher in that situation, stroking the ball into the corner, as I remember seeing. For both the Coutinho and Gerrard assists, Sturridge is in his perfect position, coming off the back of the LCB, to steady himself, open his body up and stroke the ball past the keeper. What those two goals also illustrate is an acute awareness of the position of the goalkeeper. Scezney's positioning on Saturday was a little odd more than once (see Henderson's chip, as well as Sturridge's goal), perhaps over-trusting his range to his right and over-protecting his left-hand post. Sturridge could stroke the ball past him, a couple of yards inside the post. Against Stekelenburg, the same finish needed to clip the inside of the post. Sturridge isn't just whacking the ball, or aiming for a specific part of the goal - he's putting the ball just out of reach of the keeper.

This ability of Sturridge's, and the difference in the way Suarez plays in the build up (back to goal, wanting the ball to feet and turning to take on defenders) is why I like Sturridge up top and Suarez coming off a flank; it gives us a dual-edged weapon going forward. Defences can't protect against Sturridge's pace and ability on a threaded through ball (and contrary to many such strikers, he doesn't need *much* space to run into), without backing into positions in which Suarez loves to torment them.

[conman]

Yes but Touré was nowhere near the second goal. How do you exonerate Skrtel for that?

Skrtel pointed and claimed the player at the edge of the box before the cross came in, Flanno had the man at the back post (he pointed also).
Then Skrtel totally left his man unmarked to attack the ball right where Flanno was. Strangely enough, he then "cleared" to the one place a defender should never clear it, back into the 6 yard box.

The rest of his game was great, but this goal was primarily his fault. Really though, you would like your goalkeeper to claim that, but alas, we don't have such a luxury.

[Twelfth Man]

My first away game in over 20 years (Wimbledon v LFC at Selhurst Park in the Milk Cup was my last away with Digger and Rush playing), and what a game to pick (thanks to Alf on here for the last minute ticket). Been going to games at Anfield this year but you get a much better idea of being a supporter opposed to a fan at away fixtures. Everytime we went behind the away end was in full voice. When Kolo and Richardson scored there was a part of me thinking, yeah this would be just like us to throw it away after the incredible Arsenal performance. But the crowd really got behind the team each time. Fuck the away end when the penalty was given, then it dawned on us shit he's got to put it away, some turned the other way, I was right at the back behind the goal, when Stevie converted, the place went mental, fucking bouncing, lost me voice, breath, being bear hugged by strangers, lifted onto one guys shoulders screaming me head off punching the air and well a few V signs and expletives for the Fulham end. 

As for the game, Fulham pressed us well, they were content to let our defence have the ball, but once it got to Coutinho, Gerrard or our forwards they pounced. We couldn't really get going, they played a low block, with energetic pressing and we couldn't find a way to deal with it. Holtby was possibly the best player on the pitch for much of the game, all their best play came through him, we just couldn't deal with his left-peg and the way left-footed players shield the ball with their body. Danny does it too. Gerrard's pass for Sturridges goal was incredible, the spin, touch, accuracy of it, it curved perfectly into Danny's run, and once he gets one-on-one we know where it will end up. Luis' bit skill from Cissokho's driven pass was breathtaking.

The big issue for me was Luis being played out wide and him dropping too deep to affect the play. For large parts of the game he was way out wide, holding his hand up in frustration. He did swap with Daniel as they do during a game, but I feel when teams play a low-block, you need that bit of trickery and dribbling skill that Suarez has to unlock tight defences centrally. Sturridge's pace is better suited to counter-attacks (and teams that come at us) where he can use his searing acceleration to deadly effect. Of course he can dribble but I feel Luis is better suited to it. Playing him central, will immediately create space for both sides of the attack as he can follow the play, whereas if he is out on the left he can only affect the centre and that wing. There were times when he was playing sideway passes on the halfway line when were camped in there half, that is not where he should be. He should be making darting runs in-behind Fulham's defensive line, that is when he's at his best, and I think we lose a little bit of that when he's out wide for much of the game.

Finally put the late-winner thing to bed too.

[Crosby Nick]

I don't think so. He had plenty of time to adjust his shape for any kind of strike of the ball, and he has always a been a fan of the outside boot drilled pass. I think that's exactly what he would have had in mind all along.

Arsenal away in 2001/02 he played one like that to put Riise away to score didn't he?

In fact the year before he set up Camara at Arsenal too and that might also have been outside of the foot I think.

[wah00ey]

I don't think so. He had plenty of time to adjust his shape for any kind of strike of the ball, and he has always a been a fan of the outside boot drilled pass. I think that's exactly what he would have had in mind all along.

Great pass, sturridge is really benefiting from some good service atm.

He didn't have enough time to adjust himself to play in Sturridge with a more standard instep pass, watch it again.  He slipped and his momentum and body shape dictated an outside of the right foot pass was on to Sturridge.  Anything using the instep of his right foot would have had to be in the direction of the left of the field.

This takes nothing away from the pass whatsoever, he still had to hit it with the right part of his foot and with the right pace to do what it did.

[redmark]

He didn't have enough time to adjust himself to play in Sturridge with a more standard instep pass, watch it again.  He slipped and his momentum and body shape dictated an outside of the right foot pass was on to Sturridge.  Anything using the instep of his right foot would have had to be in the direction of the left of the field.

This takes nothing away from the pass whatsoever, he still had to hit it with the right part of his foot and with the right pace to do what it did.

But that's kind of the point. He could have just controlled the ball and played it square, he could have spread it left, he could have controlled it and looked for a more orthodox through ball somewhere.

But he saw Sturridge's position and saw the opportunity and knew how to play that ball. As I put it on one of the Gerrard threads once upon a time, he has more possible actions at his disposal at any given moment, with the ability to make them and the vision to see them, than almost any player I've ever seen.

[GrkStav]

What I really liked about the performance was that our heads never went down. There's a real sense of 'ok, let's get on with the game and score another'. We didn't panic and start hoofing balls into the box, rather we just kept passing the ball and pushing them until they made the error. Great work by the team to stay calm and stick to the manager's philosophy

Although we did not execute quite as efficiently, this is precisely what we did after WBA equalized. Yet, in both the post-match thread and even in the Round Table thread, posters lamented or bemoaned the lack of 'urgency' allegedly shown by our players.

Too many, unfortunately, as Vulmea would say, react to the score-line rather than the match itself. Working backwards from the final result to an evaluation of a performance seems obvious but is not always a sound way to analyze and evaluate a performance, in my view.

All in all, I thought the score-line, despite the timing of the goals, flattered FFC big time. For long periods of the match, we comprehensively dominated them; the difference in class, talent, organization, etc was very large and in our favor. They got lucky and we helped them out with two major errors (unforced errors at that).

On a different note, I would like those who understand our style of play, our strategy, to comment on the idea that the FB are supposed to whip in crosses to 'heads'. I was under the impression that the low cross, to feet, behind the defenders or right in front of goal, is the indicated play in our system in that scenario. Is it?

[wah00ey]

But that's kind of the point. He could have just controlled the ball and played it square, he could have spread it left, he could have controlled it and looked for a more orthodox through ball somewhere.

But he saw Sturridge's position and saw the opportunity and knew how to play that ball. As I put it on one of the Gerrard threads once upon a time, he has more possible actions at his disposal at any given moment, with the ability to make them and the vision to see them, than almost any player I've ever seen.

We're in complete agreement here....

[redmark]

We're in complete agreement here....

[Yorkykopite]

I agree, it was one fine pass from Gerrard but don't you think his body shape after his slip dictated that he had to hit the ball with the outside of his foot that way?  I wouldn't want to take anything away from the pass at all but I'm pretty certain he wouldn't have played it the same way without the slip.

A combination of slipping and a fear that a retreating Jordan Henderson was going to get to the ball first and send it - sigh - backwards. This forced Stevie to play the ball as quickly as he could and that meant hitting it with the outside of his shoe. But.....

But let's not forget that he's the best player in the world, since the retirement of Boban, at making the ball talk with the outside of the foot.

What a match! We like taking it to the wire at the Cottage. But once again our defence lost the game and the attack won it. We can't keep on doing this. Kolo is just....well, it's the sort of thing you see in the pub team and even there it looks clumsy. Minutes later Skrtel almost did the same thing. A weak and underhit cross from the right was too much for the lad to control and the ball went spinning off his toe for a corner. For the first ten minutes or so it looked like Bent and Richardson were going to be too much for our defence to cope with it. Say that sentence out loud and then wonder in amazement how it is we're in 4th position.   

The reason, of course, is the midfield and attack. In the first half Gerrard sat too deep - doing that England thing of taking the ball off toes of the central defenders in order to instigate an attack. Why was he doing this? Probably because Kolo was petrified (I don't mean that as a metaphor). No Fulham forward pressed him (which was odd in itself) but Kolo simply couldn't move with the ball. Skrtel was having problems too. And so Stevie went all the way back to get it (shades of the Cup Final v Chelsea).

This meant there was a superabundance of Fulham players to mark Coutinho, Sterling, Sturridge and Suarez. When they finally got the ball there was neither time nor room to do anything. Being the players they are they kept wriggling away and creating bits and bobs, but nothing significant until Steve corkscrewed the ball into Daniel's path and the forward does what he always does. Scores.

The second half was much better. Right from the start Gerrard started joining attacks and left the centre backs without a babysitter. It all became very one-sided. Ten minutes of excellent pressure were bound to result in a goal.

They did. A Fulham goal. The ball was lofted gently into the centre of the 6-yard box and once again "That old triangle went jingle bloody jangle (all along the banks of the Royal Canal)". It wasn't just the little cross and the the fact that Skrtel decided to attack Flanagan and put the ball into the space he'd just vacated. It was also the series of mishaps that led directly to the cross. First Kolo mistimed his header which went backwards and not forwards. Skrtel went to sweep, but mistimed his trap and was forced back to the corner flag. Then his pass forward went straight into touch. Cue, throw-in, cross, further fuck ups and goal. We're bad back there. There's no use denying it.

But we're Liverpool and we have fine players going forward. Coutinho got his just desserts. I love the way that he found a bit of space by simply stopping his run and letting a retreating Fulham midfield all drift past him in order to pack the box. Then he used one of their heels to help his sizzling left-footer on its way. Great player. The opposite of 'luxury'.

Rodgers then put on Teixeira, apparently with the instructions to shoot. This annoyed Suarez at one point, but he wasn't privy to the coach's thoughts. Teixeira was nice though. He got on the ball a fair bit and became an extra needle threading midfield to attack. His ball to Sturridge was a good one because it was early and caught the Fulham boys on their heels. Sturridge was allowed to turn and then the full-back who sounds like Riise with a lisp obligingly hacked our man down.

It was enough to say 'Steven Gerrard steps forward' to know the score was going to be 2-3.

Then we were treated to some real central defending. Agger came on and gave a text-book lesson on how to use the whole body to head a ball. Three times he cleared his lines in the space of a minute. It was nice to see someone back there timing things.

Well done Reds. Well done Rodgers. A little break in the league now. Soon it will be time to thrash Swansea. 

[Zlen]

I still didn't process the victory.
Have a feeling like we've lost and I constantly make myself happy when I remember we actually won.
Just me being left in the past mode where we expect us to crumble and lose in situations like this.

Sensational victory really - avoid major injuries and get our defence back and we'll be amazing.
Everything is possible.

[PhaseOfPlay]

Although we did not execute quite as efficiently, this is precisely what we did after WBA equalized. Yet, in both the post-match thread and even in the Round Table thread, posters lamented or bemoaned the lack of 'urgency' allegedly shown by our players.

Too many, unfortunately, as Vulmea would say, react to the score-line rather than the match itself. Working backwards from the final result to an evaluation of a performance seems obvious but is not always a sound way to analyze and evaluate a performance, in my view.

All in all, I thought the score-line, despite the timing of the goals, flattered FFC big time. For long periods of the match, we comprehensively dominated them; the difference in class, talent, organization, etc was very large and in our favor. They got lucky and we helped them out with two major errors (unforced errors at that).

On a different note, I would like those who understand our style of play, our strategy, to comment on the idea that the FB are supposed to whip in crosses to 'heads'. I was under the impression that the low cross, to feet, behind the defenders or right in front of goal, is the indicated play in our system in that scenario. Is it?

Our fullbacks maintain width. That is their primary function. It allows the wingers more leeway to move where they see space.

[Hazell]

Finally watched it last night, it looked like we played pretty well on the whole with a few comedy episodes (although clearly not funny at the time) thrown in. What is there to say on them? Personnel changes may help although we've been gifting goals all season. Kolo clearly needs a little spell out of the firing line but it won't guarentee the soft goals will stop.

I think having Agger and Sakho back will improve us in that respect, to some degree anyway. I can't have imagined they're have had as much trouble as Toure did with their first goal. To me, it seems like it's the easiest thing to cut out really - in the last few games we've had Mignolet going for and missing a cross, Toure giving the ball straight to Anichebe (I was thinking if you're going to give to the opposition, make sure it's someone useless like him although it didn't quite work out that way ), Gerrard bringing Oxlade-Chamberlain in the box when there wasn't any need and both Toure and Skrtel's mistakes against Fulham on Wednesday. I keep thinking it's so easy to eradicate those kinds of individual errors - I don't know why actually but I still believe we're just going through a spell where we make those mistakes and they get punished. I think we'll just come out of it.

But lots to be positive about really, away games are usually tough regardless of the opposition and Man City have struggled there already this season. Our attitude was one of the most pleasing things and the way we won it can give us some confidence for the remaining games.

[lfcderek]

.......  pumping and screaming 'it's on!! it's fucking on!!' The whole Putney end erupted, for a few brief seconds it was like the Kop against Chelsea in '05. Something big happened last night and everyone in the away end felt it.

Now I know this is going to sound like some old fart rambling on (well it is an old fart rambling on) but I did pick up the same vibe watching it on a stream. Can't put a finger on it. The urgency from Suarez and others to stop celebrating after the second, the calmness in the last 10-15 mins, Brendan having the balls to put on Tex, THAT PASS, the sheer wonderfullness (is that a word?) of Coutinho's blindingly quick feet.

There's a lot of inexperienced players out there and yet 0-1, then 1-2 and still you felt we would do it. Yeah, something happening.

[i6uuaq]

On a different note, I would like those who understand our style of play, our strategy, to comment on the idea that the FB are supposed to whip in crosses to 'heads'. I was under the impression that the low cross, to feet, behind the defenders or right in front of goal, is the indicated play in our system in that scenario. Is it?

I dunno, I thought this kind of play works best on the fast transition. It's tougher once they're in their low block, and camped on their six yard box.

I figured once they're set, our wing play would be looking to release players to get to the byeline inside the box.

[GrkStav]

Our fullbacks maintain width. That is their primary function. It allows the wingers more leeway to move where they see space.

Right. So, if and when they do end up with the ball wide and close to the by-line, what are supposed to be their priorities?

Is a whipped-in, high ball to the heads of 'targets' high on that priority list?

[redmark]

Right. So, if and when they do end up with the ball wide and close to the by-line, what are supposed to be their priorities?

Is a whipped-in, high ball to the heads of 'targets' high on that priority list?

Whatever is the best option. I don't think we have a Moyes-esque aim to get crosses in. Our style and shape will often suit a cutback, or a low whipped cross for the near post runner. But the aim must be for intelligent, technically good players to pick the best option as often as possible, based on the options available to them.

[PhaseOfPlay]

Right. So, if and when they do end up with the ball wide and close to the by-line, what are supposed to be their priorities?

Is a whipped-in, high ball to the heads of 'targets' high on that priority list?

Their priority is possession. Johnson cuts inside, Flanagan and Enrique play give and go's and try to get into the box. Cissokho gives it to an attacker with better skills than he has, or makes the occasional cross. There is no mandate to cross the ball in Rodgers' system. There IS a mandate to be smart with the possession though, so it's situational

[Robbo1980]

Bemused by the reports of us playing poorly (james pearce says worst of the season??) and it coming across as if we were awful, i though we dominated the game from the 5th minute onwards but were susceptible, as United where, to Fulhams sporadic but well timed breaks, mostly involving Holtby & Richardsons pace. Infact our equaliser coming as a result of a fortunate break off Cissokho as Fulham attempted to hit us on the break.
I said pre game elsewhere that conditions worried me, having played football in shit conditions against both much poorer and much superior teams, it without doubt levels the playing field but we coped, as we did away vs stoke in similarly shit conditions.

Few individual musings

Sterling looked a little tired after recent exertions

Kolo had a poor 1st half, brain fart aside i thought his positional sense at times in relation to Skrtel was awful, yet he got better in the 2nd half and had a decent game eventually but his lack of composure on the ball is as worrying as it is baffling (he did play on the wing for Arsenal when he first joined).

Henderson's position was bizzare, seemed to playing as a very deep left sided CM at times, this only happened when he positioned himself between Cissokho & Toure, which seemed to be a lot during this game, almost as if told to protect them specifically more than playing his own game.

Overall i was happy with the performance in awful conditions but ecstatic with the win, had all the making of a game we normally slip up in, especially going 1 down so early but the team rallied, we created & wasted more than enough to have been more comfortable.

[lfcforlife]

having watched it a couple of times at first i thought he was but he should never have had to be making that the clearance in the first place he was the worst placed of the three .

Yes but Touré was nowhere near the second goal. How do you exonerate Skrtel for that?

[na fir dearg]

overall, thought we played well - seemed to create more chances in the 2nd half than in the wba game, maybe not

Conditions didnt suit us - bobbly pitch, windy - didnt suit our passing game so it was a struggle - fulham were content enough to hoof it although Holtby was impressive on the ball at times

Thought we were nervy in defence - possibly because of Toures mistake and the elements

But we got the job done - thats what you gotta do on nights like that against teams like fulham - Gerrard was outstanding again and has been on fire since the Everton game, one of the best penalties ive seen given the pressure he must have been under

Just one thing i was wondering about - Henderson seemed to play very deep in the 2nd half, was this to prevent against a fulham counterattack? I would have liked to seen him closer to the action sometimes

Also our centre halves appeared to drop back a bit when we were pressuring fulham in the 2nd half - i wanted them to psuh up towards the half way line as there seemed to be a large gap between them, gerrard and the rest of the team?

anyway, as they say, all's well that ends well

[Timbo's Goals]

Bemused by the reports of us playing poorly (james pearce says worst of the season??) and it coming across as if we were awful, i though we dominated the game from the 5th minute onwards but were susceptible, as United where, to Fulhams sporadic but well timed breaks, mostly involving Holtby & Richardsons pace. Infact our equaliser coming as a result of a fortunate break off Cissokho as Fulham attempted to hit us on the break.
Overall i was happy with the performance in awful conditions but ecstatic with the win, had all the making of a game we normally slip up in, especially going 1 down so early but the team rallied, we created & wasted more than enough to have been more comfortable.

Agreed mate - as below

I'll still watch it again though just to be sure.

 

I actually listened to the LFCtv commentary. Ian St John and Steve the LFCtv commentator had us playing poorly. I watched the Press Box on LFCtv last night. James Pearce of the Echo said we were abysmal - the poorest he's seen us all season.

I've only watched the Sky one hour edited version so far but I thought we played pretty well. Certainly there were mistakes - two costly ones as we all know - but overall I saw a pretty assured performance against a very determined and confident Fulham side who were doing their level best to make life awkward. Despite that we persevered and seemed to control much of the play with a patient passing style which wasn't easy with all the harrying and which ultimately got its rewards with a fully merited a win which could and should have been more comfortable.

So what the fuck these commentators and reporters were watching I'm fucked if I know.

Unless it's me, of course.

Whatever, it now means I've got to squeeze in watching the whole thing again to determine whose got it right. Me or them?

 

[Timbo's Goals]

overall, thought we played well - seemed to create more chances in the 2nd half than in the wba game, maybe not

see above

 

[DutchRed]

There was this parallel drawn of Roy Evans' Liverpool side earlier this season. A side renowned for playing some quality football, but lacking the bottle to drag the points over the line in low-profile matches. However much we wished to deny those allegations, they rang true sometimes. Hammering Everton and Spurs and Arsenal in big games is nice, but when the camera's weren't shining and the weather wasn't too nice, like at West Brom, it seemed some of our chihuahas weren't 100% up to the job.

And that is exactly why Wednesday's win was so massive. Fulham were dismal, make no mistake about it, but with little attention drawn to the game many sides wouldn't turn up. Let alone when playing through hefty winds and adversity, falling behind twice to soft goals caused by individual errors. To keep fighting for the full 90 minutes shows huge character.

And THAT is the key thing. You can have skill all you like and it's beautiful to see when it all comes together and results in an absolute tonking of the opposition. Yet the harsh reality of football is that more often than not it won't all fall into place and that's where character plays a huge role. Sides with both the individual quality of players like Gerrard, Coutinho and Suarez and the ability to keep going right until the final whistle can go a long, long way in the game. Rodgers might have described his boys as chihuahas, yet those little dogs will put some nasty biting wounds into some opponents when playing like this. Once you stop writing yourself off by always going for it 90 minutes long regardless of the score, opposition and other circumstances, other teams will have to take you seriously.

[markedasred]

We've done it again Muelensteen sacked after playing us. Pretty unfair I thought as that was a performance on their part better than bottom of the league, and he drew against Gollums ugly orcs the game before. Should have been given more of a chance. New owner a bit trigger happy perhaps?.

[cowtownred]

Steven Gerrard is going to be HUGELY important in the next 3 months.

This game marked the next step in his evolution as the leader.  What a performance in every respect.

The man has every bit as much heart and desire as those great leaders previous, Yeats, Hughes, Thompson.

His desire to exit the stage with the biggest prize of all might just be the extra ounce we need.

[Gnurglan]

There are some games that indicate you have what it takes as a team. You can play the opposition off the park, or you make special comebacks, or you can score late winners. In the last two games, we've shown those three. We find ways to win. The last time we had this, was of course in 2009. The feeling then was stronger, at least for me. We had already been to the biggest scene, so our quality was more 'known'. Now it's something that grows and grows. As we saw in the Fulham game. Despite some dreadful defending, we found a way to win. And the way we won it, it's the trademark of winners.

Extra credit to Gerrard. It has to be said, even if it's a team sport and it ws the team that won. That pass was magic. Magic. Most had difficulties to control the ball or overhit passes. That's when Gerrard pulls off that incredible ball. And coping with the pressure of the penalty - anyone remember Gary Mac vs Barca? Calm under pressure, sure, but that ball was destined for the net and that's that.

Whether we end up where we want to this season, or not, remains to be seen. But the progress of this side is impressive. This time, I'll just try and enjoy it. But please, gift no more goals to the opponents. It's exciting enough without them.

[BabuYagu]

It was magic mate, there was about 7 or 8 of us all piled into a mass man hug scrum and then we all fell on our arses, laughing our bollocks off, fists pumping and screaming 'it's on!! it's fucking on!!' The whole Putney end erupted, for a few brief seconds it was like the Kop against Chelsea in '05. Something big happened last night and everyone in the away end felt it.

Post of the thread for me as it is EXACTLY what I needed to know. How did that feel. I have absolutely nothing to draw on from my match going years to try and understand what that was like. Thanks for that. And yes.... I felt it too 9,320 km's away in Rio de Janeiro. Sweating like David Moyes at a board meeting with 35oC temperatures that is closer to 50 in an apartment that has been under the sun the whole day.

My 2 year old daughter has decided her lifes ambition is to copy every movement, word and sound I make. I learned this because when there is a goal when I am watching football she shouts "Yesssssssss" when shaking her fists in front of her. Genuinely had no idea that is what I do there you go. Kids pick up on those little things.

So it has become our routine. There is a goal in football, she knows it because of the change of sound from the crowd... we look at each other and do our celebration, together. So 1-1 Sturridge "Yessssssssss", 2-2 Coutinho a very big, relieved "Yesssssssssssssssssssssss". However, at 3-2 my wife came running into the room. Seems she heard noises leading her to believe there was a werewolf transformation occuring in the livingroom. My daughter looking at me puzzled... unsure whether there was a goal or if her dad has ants running around inside his veins. It's probably ruined our father-daughter goal celebrations that. The price to pay for seeing your side fire themselves into proper league contenders with a final minute penalty.

[jason42]

We have seen some great matches/wins followed by poor draws - Stoke > Villa; Everton > West Brom so I was really hoping that after our total destruction of Arsenal we would actually back it up against a Fulham side buoyed by their result against Utd.
I did not think that we would turn up and twat them but I believed that we would have enough to pick our way to a win.
The first Fulham goal came as a result of a combination of players and strictly speaking that ball should not have found its bobbling way to the shin of Toure. Suarez has a heavy touch, albeit from a difficult long ball from Toure and we lose possession. The Fulham keeper passes the ball out to the CB who then passes the ball into midfield. This pass cuts Sturridge, Sterling, Flanagan and Coutinho out of the game. Holtby runs on to the ball and is tracked by Gerrard & Flanagan. Skrtel is also drawn across to Holtby meaning we now have 3 players around the man with the ball. Richardson makes a run that nobody tracks (Countinho was closest to him at the time) and Holtby plays the ball into our box. Richardson runs untouched on to it and crosses. The ball bobbles and Toure shins it into our net......Minutes earlier he had made a similar sort of clearance to hook the ball to safety. It is very unlucky and could have happened to anyone, and it is so unfortunate that it has come so soon on the back of the error at West Brom. I think that Rodgers would not be at all happy with the ease that Fulham got in behind us with just 2 passes.
Our first goal comes from one of the passes of the season. You can see Gerrard slip but he is always looking forward and he can see the position that Sturridge is in. After the slip, he has 2 full seconds to to decide what he is going to do....he has time and space to take a touch, he can pass to Henderson who is just in front of him, he can pass to Coutinho, Flanagan, Skrtel or Cisshoko who are all available or he could look for the wider pass to Sterling or even Suarez but his vision is that good and he knows that the killer pass is on. He moves his feet in such a way that it will enable him to cut across the ball with the outside of his foot. He could probably just as easily used his instep but then that would have had the ball curling towards the goal and away from Sturridge. The weight and pace of the pass were absolutely spot on and Sturridge can just take a touch, open his body and put the ball away. The Gerrard pass was very similar to the one from Pablo Hernandez in the Swansea V Cardiff game.
The second Fulham goal is another example of poor defending. We switch off as the ball goes out of play. Fulham take the throw in and Countinho is slow to close down the Fulham player who crosses the ball into the area. I think that Mignolet should come and claim this ball, taking out anyone in his way if necessary. It would show a strong command of his 6 yard box. He doesn't come though and Sktrel is forced to attempt a clearance. I think he is caught in two minds, he isn't sure what Flanagan is going to do and is aware that Bent is sniffing around so he attempts a clearance that goes badly wrong and the ball goes to the again completely unmarked Richardson who makes no mistake from a couple of yards. Gerrard has let Richardson wonder into our box and Sterling hasn't made enough of an effort to get back to pick him up. Toure gets dragged towards the ball. Poor application again is our undoing.
At this point, the Arsenal win is driven from my mind - what is the point of destroying the League leaders if we are then going to struggle against the League's basement team? Would we capitulate or would we fight?
Glad to say that we fought and it was great to see Countiho finally add a goal to his excellent approach play around the box. It was then great to see Teixiera come on and to see him have the confidence to take on that shot. I guess that as he gets more experience he will look first to see if he has a team mate in a better place but at least he backed himself to go for goal.
Those last few minutes were terrible. My stream had packed in so I was listening to the radio and SSN Soccer Special. I know that time is running out when suddenly they cut to Craven Cottage for news of a penalty. My heart sank and leapt at the same time and I jumped for joy when they said it was our penalty. Up stepped the man with balls of solid rock and he put the penalty away with significant aplomb and serious confidence.
We had come back from 0-1 and 1-2 down to win 3-2. To me that was equally if not more important than the win against Arsenal. I don't want to get carried away with any title talk - I prefer to leave that until the last few games of the season - but I think that we will make the Top 4. That will allow us to keep Suarez and more importantly attract more players like him that will help us seriously push for that No19.
 

[steveeastend]

It's just amazing to watch this team grow on a weekly basis, we hardly take massive set backs in our overall play anymore and I enjoyed our game just as the one vs WB, although they both could have ended with a frustrating outcome in terms of points gained. But thankfully, it seems that we are over this, playing well, gaining nothing, because the team obviously made the next step, progressed again with a massive change in terms of overall attitude and team spirit. How long have we missed that? And without taking anything away from our players it's been pretty obvious how much some of our players have been lacking the proper spirit in all those years, especially away from home against mid- and low table teams where there was nothing to win but lots to lose. Better staying out of it as the overall chaos surrounding the club would suit as a perfect excuse for getting away with less than 100%? 

I thought the attitude of Suarez and Gerrard was outstanding in this one which on the other hand bears the question why this attitude was missing in so many games during all those recent years which is especially true for some of our senior players.. Gerrard, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, and to some extent Lucas. Probably they were lacking confidence, probably lost the believe in the way we played or the team while it was probably too easy for them to remain their place in the starting eleven without substantial competition. Maybe. Or maybe it was just some sort of a lethargy creeping in with manager coming and going, the squad being rebuilt so many times just to watch the entire project fall into pieces again and again.

Rodgers obviously changed this as well, starting with the foundation, implementing his tactical visions and making the players believing step by step. Yesterday was the reward for the hard work of the players with Rodgers, for believing in his methods and giving it a try. Cause even when circumstances should be against us despite good performances, and even when we should suffer from minor dips in concentration here and there, the players learnt in this one that it's possible to make it happen with the right spirit on top of that. And that's what I would think of the starting point of a winning mentality. The believe in our overall play, the tactical vision of the manager, the believe in our own strength as a team in terms of everybody having a desire to win with playing football the way the manager wants, no matter the circumstances.

This change of attitude could win us the title this season and I am especially looking forward to OT away, I am smiling already cause I am pretty sure what's to be expected from our team in this one.