« on: January 24, 2024, 06:59:53 pm »
Fulham vs Liverpool FC
League Cup Semi Final 2nd Leg
20:00 Wed 24th Jan 2024
Craven Cottage
Referee: Simon Hooper
Assistant Referees: Adrian Holmes and Simon Long
4th Official: Tony Harrington
Agg. Score 2-1
Is it just me or whenever we visit Craven Cottage I start a little 'Maxiii...Maxi Rodriguez runs down the wing for me' chant in my head? Damn that was a good night. Some nice memories from Craven Cottage I have to say. That Maxi hattrick one was a crazy game alright. 5-2 win, Maxi song, Kenny smiling... just one of those matches under Kenny that was soothing our soul after horrors of Hodgson. Or that amazing Sturridge hattrick in 2013? That was nice as well. Or Yossi's goal, oh boy how could we ever forget that. I watched that on the worst strem ever. I've never seen something so beautiful happen in two dozen dancing pixels. We believed there and then - it's coming, it's happening, no fucking way it isn't. Yeah, good memories. Some not so good ones too, like the very next match after the Maxi-3 game, where we lost 1-0 after Spearing got a red card and then rookie referee Kevin Friend made his name as a twat of the highest order. He proved his reputation many times since then. But mostly it's been a good place for us to go.
We're going back to the Cottage this week, hoping for some more good memories. This team feels like real memory makers in the making. Already this season they've done the impossible many times. No surrender, no letting up. This cup really is there for us to win and I'm certain we will if we make it to the final game. One final hurdle left to overcome.
First match was very good you have to say. After that wobbly start we really grew into it and subs helped us turn it around. Shame it wasn't 3-1 in the end - we sure were close more than once. But it's ok, we go to their ground with draw or win securing our progression. Fulham are well rested having played their last game 9 days ago. I do feel this will probably work in our advantage a bit. Yeah, they are rested - but last nights game allowed us to shake off any rustiness after our break. We'll be ready to rumble from minute one. If ever there was a game where an early goal could kill it off - this is it. So I'm hoping for a strong lineup and a strong start. Put pressure on them early, let's exploit their lack of playing time and hopefully score early. Having both Darwin and Jota score twice last night helps as well. I don't think anyone is afraid any longer that we'll struggle to either score or create in absence of Mo and Trent. Not happening, we'll be all over them.
Not sure if Klopp will rotate and how much. I could see perhaps Gakpo starting instead of Diaz and Gravenberch starting for Jones - but not much more. We're so close to another trophy here, it makes more sense to rotate more against Norwich, who are also objectively weaker than Fulham. In any case, I'm sure we have enough to wrap this one up.
When are we ever recycling that Maxi song?
It's a banger.
Up the Reds.
« Last Edit: January 24, 2024, 09:37:43 pm by TepidT2O »
Logged
“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
“Generosity always pays off. Generosity in your effort, in your work, in your kindness, in the way you look after people and take care of people. In the long run, if you are generous with a heart, and with humanity, it always pays off.”
W
