Topic: PL: Fulham 2 v Liverpool 2 Mitrovich 33' 72' (p) Darwin 64' Salah 81'

[KevLFC]

FA - Ok refs, don't buy any fouls where players throw themselves to the floor

Ref : Gives Fulham every free kick where they throw themselves to the floor

We were crap though

I don't think they gave them lots. He let loads go first half que boos from the Fulham fans

[RyanBabel19]

Yeah we can only afford two dropped points to win the league

Good lord, clearly not the start we wanted but the usual suspects (yes you included) really are filling their boots here. We took six points out of six games against the rest of the top four, that’s where we need to improve.

The margin is slim but nowhere near what its made out to be on here. This narrative you have to be 'perfect' has never been true

[MonsLibpool]

Lot of short memories on here clearly.

It's too early for that. They won't win their 38 games, will they?

[DelTrotter]

Were we watching different games?  Virgil hung his leg out, caught his knee, then pulled it back.  Mitrovic made a massive meal of it, but there was contact, 100%.

Doesn't have to be a penalty just because your skin touched someone elses you know.

[oldfordie]

Frustrating, some loose passes, forecast many passes , felt for Diaz, got himself into the game and unlucky to score, surprised to see him subbed but no excuses, credit to Fulham for fighting for every ball. turned into a niggly match which suited them.

[JackWard33]

Harvey looked miles ahead of any other midfielder we put out there today, well all except for Milner.

Milner was poor too, couldn’t keep it or do anything with it … Thiago aside only Elliot kept and progressed the ball effectively

[Ultimate Bromance]

Lazy in the 1st, disjointed in the 2nd. We come away with a point, but there is so much wrong with that performance. For far too much of it we failed to match their intensity and attitude and got more than we deserved.

Their fb gets a yellow in the first 20, how many times did we actually look to exploit that? How many times did we isolate him in 1-on-1s, how many times did we have Diaz or Mo really have a go at him?

Virgil lad stop with the fucking diagonals after the 50th is cut off maybe

Everyone's going on about sports science and being able to precisely fine tune the team to perform at their best when we need it, so why did we prime the team for a glorified pre-season friendly only to dish up what we saw today?

Seasons not over or any of that absolute bollocks, but seriously, what was that. If either of those shots that hit the bar go in it only masks how awful that was for worryingly large sections.

Fuck Fulham, they'll be 3 down to City by HT. They go at us all guns blazing but will roll over to them like everyone else in this league. Infuriating.

Oh and Thiagos probably out for awhile now too. Fuck off

[Phineus]

Midfield was a dumpster fire - Fabinho and Henderson were miles off the required level

Why we persist with playing Hendo as an 8… I just don’t get it. He’s a 6, look at his Elliot opened game up as soon as our midfield had balance.

It’s kinda bizarre at this point how we persist with it.

[Bend It Like Aurelio]

Brentford last season 3-3. That’s what cost us the league, hope we don’t look back in this on at the end of the season.

We were shite, but like you say fair play to Fulham.

Hard to say we lost the league with the Brentford result, I remember City weren’t great either at the start. West Ham was probably the worse result if we go by form and timing.

This season will be a weird one with the World Cup in the middle however, think the squad will need to build up fitness again mid season, which will be a daunting prospect.

[William Regal]

Credit to fulham, their workrate, desire, and aggression was outstanding, always a bad time to play a promoted team 1st game, especially away from home.

[rushyman]

Bt woman

Definite penalty

😂😂😂😂😂

[TheShanklyGates]

City are on 0 points. You comment makes no sense literally.

Whatever mate. Some of us remember losing the title by a point twice because of shitty draws against relegation fodder. Clearly some have forgotten.

[smutchin]

I love the fact that everyone is taking for granted that everything will go easily for City, despite the fact that they were not looking ready either.

It’s weird, isn’t it. We didn’t look match sharp, but we’ve got no idea where City are yet, and they looked pretty shite last week.

Simply no point making up evidence for any kind of opinion based on stuff that hasn’t happened yet.

[Red Beret]

It's a long season. Keep your head up. 

Well I was just anticipating the typical media hyperbole that we can expect to get after every bad result.

Frustrating result for us after the way we put City to the sword last week. Our sloppy play combined with a dodgy decision that helped Fulham out when they were on the ropes. I'm not expecting that kind of fight from West Ham.

A long season, but typically they come down to fine margins. Still, perhaps the smaller clubs will make the most of the truncated pre season early doors. Lots of variables still to come into play!

Up the Reds!

[amir87]

That was pretty shit. Didn't turn up and also one of our key players got injured.

Very disappointing start to the season.

[koptommy93]

Already feels like that could be a costly one.

[Crosby Nick]

If that was in the other box we would not get a penalty.

I thought Mitrovic played for it. You can see it’s good play, or that it’s very soft. I was annoyed but guess they’d never overturn it.

Played poorly but could have been worse. Trailing twice, at least we fought back and took something from it. They killed it well the last 5, couldn’t get any momentum going.

[Rush 82]

We where ready against City last week so after another weeks training how where we not ready today.   Fulham certainly where.

No. City were less ready than we were.


We're slightly undercooked (as per the Manager) and it showed.

[Drinks Sangria]

Difficult to watch at times. The tempo wasn’t there for large parts, the passing off. I think most would agree that Henderson is far better as a 6. Nunez looked a handful when he came on but needs to be sharper. They all do.

An odd one in that we were unlucky not to win, didn’t deserve to win and equally were lucky not to lose. Mitrovic is a grade A tosser and will not hit double digits this season. He played well today but we allowed him to play to his strengths. The dive for the penalty was laughable and Henderson was fouled in the build up to the first goal. They did also hit the post though.

All round dire really. Let’s hope it was enough exercise to lend some sharpness ahead of the next game because we were way off it. Milner excellent when he came on.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen us have as bad a half of football or give the ball away so, so much. It’s also hard to understand why we virtually never get a competent ref. Some of Mitrovic’s dives were laughable, yet everyone a free kick. Early on they did some poor challenges that should’ve been carded but weren’t and the ref bought everything they were selling. The first goal and the penalty don’t stand if the rules are actually applied properly and at the end, despite Reid doing five laps of honour, Fulham using two subs and Mitrovic again sharpening his thespian talents with his ‘cramp,’ we only played to the fifth minute when there should have been around 8 or 9.

[jillcwhomever]

It’s weird, isn’t it. We didn’t look match sharp, but we’ve got no idea where City are yet, and they looked pretty shite last week.

Simply no point making up evidence for any kind of opinion based on stuff that hasn’t happened yet.

Exactly, its not going to be a normal season this, in fact other teams could well come into it with both us and City having to take the odd disappointment like this.

[MULLENEDWINE]

I wonder how hard it was for Fulham's analytics team after seeing that starting lineup of ours.

Shocking for them I bet... "What they're starting the same line up and style as they have for the last 4 years, what a surprise".

Look forward to another season of the players being told what to expect by pre match Jürgen. Then not be capable of doing various parts of that assignment whether it be bad touch, shit passing or just general awareness of players around you and have to be told again at half time by half time Jürgen and the staff.

But how it's a lot more important now as we're not winning or are a goal down.

This group of players is out of this world and being in my 30's is the best I've ever seen, but we looked like idiots in that game.

Can't exactly blame it on being away either as they're about 25% down on capacity and we're a euro juggernaut who can go to any stadium in the world and win.

What have the players got to be nervous about? They made us look like the newly promoted team today.

[RyanBabel19]

It was a pen, he exaggerated like many players do but he was fouled in the box, people wouldn't be screaming dive on here if that's nunez... not a chance, it would be 'look there's contact there'

Salah isn't a reference point because he's overlooked shitloads, refereeing overall needs to be miles better but it surely should be give the fouls as pens not Salah doesn't get this so give them to no one and ignore fouls across the board, give the CORRECT fucking decisions

[Rush 82]

This is it isn't it, the margin for error is pretty much non-existent. We've just used up most of ours.

You're just disappointed we didn't win our first game of the season.


City lost their opening game last season and won the League.


It's a fucking long way to go still.

[Gnurglan]

Terrible result, let's not sugar coat it. It is akin to the draw at Brentford last season.

Yes. And a win in that game would have made a big difference…
We will drop points, everyone knows that. Results won't always be fair, but today it was. And it was our own fault. That's disappointing. It took us so long to get going today. Fulham came out with energy and we couldn’t counter it. Too many times we made simple mistakes. Decisions that were in our control.

[Robinred]

That one where Cordova dived through the air with one one near him? Even he was pissing himself at how shit Madley was

I thought that summed up the game. Hendo was clearly fouled in the build up to their first, and Mitrovic shoved Trent in the back for the header - Trent didn’t make a meal of it unlike Reid. The penalty was a dive in my view - what tiny contact there was was never enough for a penalty. Mitrovic won a number of free kicks by jumping early into the defender and then falling over and Madeley fell for most of them.

None of the above excuses our lethargic performance and woeful passing.

[Peabee]

Brentford last season 3-3. That’s what cost us the league, hope we don’t look back in this on at the end of the season.

We were shite, but like you say fair play to Fulham.

Wow. The league is decided by one game?

That’s nonsense. If that result was different, it doesn’t mean all the subsequent results would be the same.

[Bend It Like Aurelio]

Why we persist with playing Hendo as an 8… I just don’t get it. He’s a 6, look at his Elliot opened game up as soon as our midfield had balance.

It’s kinda bizarre at this point how we persist with it.

Think the difference was that Fabinho looks in terrible shape at the moment, Thiago and Hendo had to do a lot of defensive work covering for him. Saw a lot of 2v1’s in midfield, we just weren’t press resistant enough.

The players looked tired from the preseason training in general, think that’s to be expected in a way. But it has cost us.

[Red-Soldier]

By drawing the first match when City haven’t played ?

Yes. History tells us that even a handful of draws can cost you the title.

[markedasred]

Start Nunez and we win that game comfortably. He doesn't need to be eased in, he's our best number 9.

I feel unfaithful agreeing with you there, and I suspect Klopp wants to ease him in, but him and Salah giving each other an assist, makes you wonder if more would have gone in with longer time on the pitch.

[Dree]

Exactly, its not going to be a normal season this, in fact other teams could well come into it with both us and City having to take the odd disappointment like this.

We can say how it’s going to go for City so much. But most of the things that went wrong we knew already: Thiago is injury prone, Henderson isn’t good enough as an 8, and Firmino is on the decline. They aren’t huge problems but make the difference when you need 95 points

[Hedley Lamarr]

As soon as the referee gave the penalty it was never going to be overruled, there was slight contact.

I actually thought the entire back four were iffy. They never looked comfortable, and took strange risks the entire game.  Elliott played well when he came on and he’ll probably get a chance at a run of games now with Thiago being Thiago.  Could be a breakout season.  He brought Mo into the game more and looks much stronger.

As for Nunez, about as inelegant as it gets, but an absolute handful, he’ll score a fuck load and plenty of assists. He’s borderline unplayable, just a royal pain in the arse. Has to start.

We got away with one, and we need to be much better, no doubt we we’ll improve.  I think City will drop points tomorrow so it shouldn’t be much of a setback.

I’d sign a midfielder, we have numbers but Thiago, Keita, Jones and Ox can not be counted on.

Milner played well and we’re going to have to count on him more than we hoped.

[rushyman]

All I can think about is how shit that pen was

There’s nothing else in my head. How shit or good we were

That should be a 2-1 win. That’s all there is

[JackWard33]

Why we persist with playing Hendo as an 8… I just don’t get it. He’s a 6, look at his Elliot opened game up as soon as our midfield had balance.

It’s kinda bizarre at this point how we persist with it.

Yeah agree - it obviously needs to stop happening. As soon as he’s pressed he struggles … where as deeper with time he’s still an effective passer

[d.arn]

Stupid ball by Matip and stupid attempted tackle by VVD was our undoing. We had just got going and were probably winning from that point.

But… Salah never, ever gets that penalty. By any ref or by VAR.

[jckliew]

Defence sucked today.

[Peabee]

Honestly, just stop watching football if you can’t handle a draw. Jeez.

[BobPaisley3]

Start Nunez and we win that game comfortably. He doesn't need to be eased in, he's our best number 9.

Just wish he’d smashed that chance he squared.

[Kenny's Jacket]

This is it isn't it, the margin for error is pretty much non-existent. We've just used up most of ours.

Yeah a team that doesnt win the first game of the season wont win the league. It must be ages since that last happened.

[Nick110581]

Yes. History tells us that even a handful of draws can cost you the title.

But City haven’t played yet

[Rush 82]

The margin is slim but nowhere near what its made out to be on here. This narrative you have to be 'perfect' has never been true

Is correct.


City dropped 3 points in their first game last season.


The way some are carrying on already we should just hand the title to City (or Arsenal who are currently top of the league) right now.


I do wish people would get a grip.