Topic: PL: Liverpool 2 v Fulham 0 ‘40 Mo, Shaqiri '53

[rojo para la vida]

I'm struggling to want United to win but.....


We played okay today but I hope that Jurgen unleashes the beast come January.

[RyanBabel19]

I really cant be arsed debating in a position against LFC, Id rather enjoy the win and a little bit of luck, however the offside was not clear and the free kick from Alison could easily have been asked to be re-taken

I'm delighted we won, i've been smiling all afternoon. The officials were shit as they are every week. More went against us than for us so I don't give a shit the ball was moving when Alisson played it

[John C]

I thought Robertson had a great game but bloody hell Shaqiri should have been given motm, he had a cracking game and took his goal wonderfully.

We played on par for a 12.00 K.O. We just don't like them at all so that was a decent win and a very welcome 3 points.

[stockdam]

Mane  wasnt good  today.  Had genuine trouble controlling the ball when through. 

Maybe first half.......I didn't think Mane should have stayed on. In the 2nd half I watched him very closely and he didn't mis-control the ball at all. He had a decent 2nd half.

[stockdam]

Top of the league! For now at least.

Still top after the Chelsea result.

[Crimson_Tank]

Still top after the Chelsea result.

Yes we are!

[Caligula?]

Win, clean sheet and top of the league. We were never going to win 5 or 6-0 so it was imperative to just get the points. Top of the league, for now at least, and not even playing our best.

Manchester City don't have another gear to find. Neither do Chelsea. We do. A few in fact. If we can recapture some of the form from the second half of last season, we'll be a scary proposition. The front three must improve as a unit though. At times it looks as though we've signed all 3 late in the summer and they've never played with each other before.

[Mr_Shane]

Win, clean sheet and top of the league. We were never going to win 5 or 6-0 so it was imperative to just get the points. Top of the league, for now at least, and not even playing our best.

Manchester City don't have another gear to find. Neither do Chelsea. We do. A few in fact. If we can recapture some of the form from the second half of last season, we'll be a scary proposition. The front three must improve as a unit though. At times it looks as though we've signed all 3 late in the summer and they've never played with each other before.

We know they are capable of it. Klopp has done this with Dortmund and he has replicated it here. Are we focusing more on defensive solidity than our attack play? Is it because out recently signed players are still coming to terms with their role in our team? Is Buvac really the architect of our attack play? Don't know. But we are still getting in spite of it so I guess we will wait and see

[Upinsmoke]

I though we did quite well. They had some good opportunities early on as did we. Mitrovic (aside from his falling over) made life difficult at times for Gomez but on the whole the back four did well. First half we had a couple of good chances before we scored the first. Bit more composed and such and we could of been 1 up sooner. When the second goal went In it pretty much killed the game. Obviously still much room for improvement and could still do with moving the ball quicker.

It's frustrating right now because when we do put together s good passage of play it's usually blocked or we make the wrong decision at the vital moments but hopefully today was a step in the right direction.

[Linudden]

Got to win these games. We did. Fair enough.

[CHOPPER]

I thought Robertson had a great game but bloody hell Shaqiri should have been given motm, he had a cracking game and took his goal wonderfully.

We played on par for a 12.00 K.O. We just don't like them at all so that was a decent win and a very welcome 3 points.

I agree with the Shaqiri bit, but John, lets be honest here, 3 hours should in no way make a difference to a professional sportsman.

All Gegen and no press these days, if anything,we're bing outpressed. Flashes of brilliance are not enough to win a title.

Big positive was seeing Henderson back in there(The dour one will not like that).

Over all, still bang average and as mentioned in other threads, the international break may do us a favour rather than historically being a hinderance considering how we had been playing.



Wake up Liverpool, please. 

[DonkeyWan]

I was at the game it was a cakewalk

[88_RED]

This was a clear win.
Redmen deserve all the praise.
Even when the Atmosphere at Anfield lacking.
Nothing can stop us from being top of the table, for a few hours...
Deserve the three points.

Just wait till we get in top gear.
Forget about the other clubs, focus on us.
Keep it up Klopp!

Some bold statements there mate..

[jillcwhomever]

I was at the game it was a cakewalk

The move in the first half was quality if that goes in, its the sort of goal that can really give a team momentum, suddenly they begin to try everything. I just feel we need a moment like that to go for us.

[DonkeyWan]

The move in the first half was quality if that goes in, its the sort of goal that can really give a team momentum, suddenly they begin to try everything. I just feel we need a moment like that to go for us.

there were 4 or 5 like that from where I sat, amazed there was so much negativity on the radio.

[jillcwhomever]

there were 4 or 5 like that from where I sat, amazed there was so much negativity on the radio.

I'm never surprised in those radio phone in shows they always seem to attrack very negative callers. That was my perspective of the game we had a few really good moves, that ball that Keita played at the end was exactly what the front three need. If he can get up to speed than that will instantly lift us.

[Jake]

I was at the game it was a cakewalk

I was at the game it was quite dull.

[Floydy]

3 points is the most  important aspect to today

[88_RED]

I'm never surprised in those radio phone in shows they always seem to attrack very negative callers. That was my perspective of the game we had a few really good moves, that ball that Keita played at the end was exactly what the front three need. If he can get up to speed than that will instantly lift us.

Keita is the one that can take us from 2nd gear into 4th..

[Crimson_Tank]

Some bold statements there mate..

Bold indeed.

[SenorGarcia]

Can’t wait for us to become ruthless again. Decent performance today with some lovely hints of the spark coming back to our attacking play.

Fulham fans were really shite too which didn’t help the atmosphere, heard about 4 songs from them all game.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

The fact that some thought we got outplayed in the first half really amuses me.

[georgiejones]

Shairi goal was sublime

Chambers should have been sent off

Ref let shitloads of timewasting just continue to happen for them

We look like we are focusing more on managing games than playing the fast, free flowing, attacking football of last season

I just think he’s setting the teams up to conserve energy and go flat out in the games that they need to,

[killer-heels]

The fact that some thought we got outplayed in the first half really amuses me.

We didnt play well but no way did we get outplayed. Laughable statement by whoever said that.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

We didnt play well but no way did we get outplayed. Laughable statement by whoever said that.

Look at the half-time thread, it's pure comedy gold.

[garumn]

Not a great first half, and we had a bit of luck to go in with a lead. Thought we played well in the second half and controlled it well. Never gave them a sniff. Happy with that for a 12.00 kick-off.

[idontknow]

We did what we had to do, very efficient, still not quite the ruthlessness in. Don't know why that is, but all in all, we're still getting the points, and that's all we can keep on doing.
I believe the performance and sublime merciless ball-netting (?) will come. We'll still only get 3 points for it though.
And quick thinking by Becker to move that free-kick so quick. Haven't seen it again, if it was moving, at least the ref fucked up in our favour for once.

[Gaz123456]

Can't complain if we can keep grinding out the wins, but a really dominant performance with a few goals might just put a marker down to other teams that we truly are the real deal now.

Still, a good weekend and we've pulled a little clear of the other top teams.

[Theoldkopite]

I was at the game it was quite dull.

But it was still a cakewalk!!

[Upinsmoke]

I just think he’s setting the teams up to conserve energy and go flat out in the games that they need to,

Absolutely not.

[Always_A_Red]

Beat a very very poor Fulham team whilst in 2nd gear. We were pretty lucky to have not gone behind in the first half as they had the best of the chances before we scored. We had a lot of possession without really doing anything and dare I say we've become a pretty boring team to watch. Constantly passing backwards, sideways, backwards, sideways. I don't mind going back if there's purpose to go forwards. We seem to be passing for passing sake with no real plan once we get towards the final third.

I cant say I'm not concerned with our fluidity in the final 3rd. Something just doesn't feel right and Bobby looks a shell of the player he was last season. 2 goals in 12 PL games isn't good enough for a number 9 in a team wanting to challenge for the PL title. Did he even have a shot today? Mane was equally poor and despite a decent start to the season, he has really gone off the boil - that first touch when 1v1.... We've got to find our ruthless streak again.

Obviously a win's a win and the 3 points is all that matters so i'm happy. I just hope we're able to use this international break to refresh and get ready for a very tough set of fixtures that'll take us through to the start of January when we play City away.

MOTM was Shaqiri, followed closely by Robertson who were superb.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Beat a very very poor Fulham team whilst in 2nd gear. We were pretty lucky to have not gone behind in the first half as they had the best of the chances before we scored. We had a lot of possession without really doing anything and dare I say we've become a pretty boring team to watch. Constantly passing backwards, sideways, backwards, sideways. I don't mind going back if there's purpose to go forwards. We seem to be passing for passing sake with no real plan once we get towards the final third.

Massively disagree. They had a good chance through Sessegnon, but that wasn't the better of the chances, Salah had a chance 5 yards in front of goal, after his link up play with Firmino.

There was a chance for Mane as well in the first half when his shot was placed poorly, there was a chance by Salah when he hit it on the volley after a chip by Shaqiri, there was a chance by Shaqiri inside the box when he had inches wide.


All of those chances, [with one of those being clearly the better chance than what they had] were created before we scored the first goal, in the first half. So the sideways passing wasn't for sideways passing sake either, they played with 10 men behind the ball, we had to move the ball around and probe as best we could.

[Raid]

Nervy first half at times - they caused us more issues than I thought they would to be fair. Not seen the disallowed goal back yet since I've got home - I said to the person next to me I'd like to see it again as it looked bloody marginal from my view. Very quick thinking from Alisson though to help get us up the pitch to score.

Shaqiri was fantastic today, really showing his quality now he's in a good side. Other mentions to Mo - looks much happier and energetic, and those moments of individual brilliance are returning. Andy Robertson had a great game at left back too.

I'm sensing at Anfield there's an edginess created by probably City's brilliance rather than what we're not doing. It's **** that we are on 30 points after 12 games and sit 2nd, it really is. But the boys are continuing to string the points together, and so long as that continues we WILL be there if/when City have a slip up.

[RF]

I agree with the Shaqiri bit, but John, lets be honest here, 3 hours should in no way make a difference to a professional sportsman.

All Gegen and no press these days, if anything,we're bing outpressed. Flashes of brilliance are not enough to win a title.

Big positive was seeing Henderson back in there(The dour one will not like that).

Over all, still bang average and as mentioned in other threads, the international break may do us a favour rather than historically being a hinderance considering how we had been playing.



Wake up Liverpool, please. 

Thing is though are our players not pressing, because they are just generally not playing anywhere near their best  or are they being instructed to not press as much in order to save some energy for the rest of the season? Personally I think it’s a bit of a mixture of both. We can’t sustain 100mph football all season.

[Raid]

Thing is though are our players not pressing, because they are just generally not playing anywhere near their best  or are they being instructed to not press as much in order to save some energy for the rest of the season? Personally I think it’s a bit of a mixture of both. We can’t sustain 100mph football all season.

And last season we would be visibly shot to pieces in the latter stages of games. Klopp isn't silly - now we have a defence we can trust I presume there's no longer the instruction to go out all guns blazing so we have the energy for 90 minutes.

[Always_A_Red]

Massively disagree. They had a good chance through Sessegnon, but that wasn't the better of the chances, Salah had a chance 5 yards in front of goal, after his link up play with Firmino.

There was a chance for Mane as well in the first half when his shot was placed poorly, there was a chance by Salah when he hit it on the volley after a chip by Shaqiri, there was a chance by Shaqiri inside the box when he had inches wide.


All of those chances, [with one of those being clearly the better chance than what they had] were created before we scored the first goal, in the first half. So the sideways passing wasn't for sideways passing sake either, they played with 10 men behind the ball, we had to move the ball around and probe as best we could.

How many shots on target did we have in the first half mate?

[IanZG]

As much as we haven't been at our best this season, this was another comfortable 2nd half. Meanwhile, Spurs had to wait over 70 minutes to break down Palace, Arsenal salvaged a point and were lucky not to lose at home to Wolves in injury time and Chelsea couldn't score against Everton. City are looking excellent, but even with all their impressive wins and massive signings, we're only 2 points behind after 12 games, having played 3 top 6 aways... Lovely stuff, always nice to go into an international break on a high.

[El Lobo]

Loved Joes cynical fouls as well, we miss a bit of that.

[6BigCups]

I really didn’t see the sense in bringing on Milner for the last 10, whilst Keita desperately needs minutes.

[Fitzy.]

How many shots on target did we have in the first half mate?

I think that's possibly not the key indicator of what constitutes a good chance. Indeed, I think your assessment of Liverpool's first half is leaning towards being overly negative. Watching that half in the moment may have felt unnerving but your comments about Fulham having the better chances is not true. It wasn't vintage stuff but Fulham were not carving out regular chances - one really decent one compared to a string of moments where Liverpool could have scored.

I do think we've entered unusual territory here whereby perceptions of performance are superseding the result. I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't critically analyse the play but I don't think performance should dictate the mood to the extent it appears to be doing. The accumulation of points is the key. The winning of boring games is perfectly good practice. Offering overtly and, possibly, one-eyed reviews of performances where negatives are accentuated and positives dismissed is not the most productive way to evaluate this team as they sit two points off the top in November having dropped 6 out of 36 points.

Sat in the upper-main this afternoon I was struck by the intolerance of some with any mistake or imperfection. My (least) favourite line that I heard was "I told you, he's BANG average" - this was a fan's view of 20 year old Tent Alexander-Arnold. Strange times indeed.

I am startled by this 'new' emphasis. It's really quite miserable and I am not sure where it's getting us.