Friday Fulham Stuff (09/11/18)...

[F(f)CUK]

Liverpool vs Fulham Preview: Reds to bounce back from Serbian sorrows?

Liverpool vs Fulham looks like being a stone cold, cast iron home banker. You can get odds of 30/1 for Fulham to win on Sunday. Yet anyone who witnessed the Reds' abject efforts in Belgrade on Tuesday night will think the away side's chances are considerably better than that.

Even so, when looking at the expected goal data for 2018/19, it's easy to see why the bookmakers have come up with the prices they have. You can work out the percentage chance of any score line using the statistics, and doing so suggests a 9-0 Liverpool win is more likely than a 0-0 draw.

The perils of a small sample; 11 games isn't enough to use to make a realistic prediction. However, it certainly illustrates the difference between the teams when it comes to the underlying numbers this season.

Fulham go into the weekend rock bottom of the Premier League table. This is mainly down to them taking just one point on the road this season. Defeats at Tottenham and Manchester City were to be expected, but losses at Cardiff and Huddersfield could prove hugely costly. It may just be that those two sides will have dragged Fulham down with them thanks to those results.

It's not as if the Cottagers were incredibly strong last season either; their expected goal difference was only the sixth best in the Championship. Converting a 62-49 expected goals record into 79 for and 46 against in actual goals propelled them to third in the table. Fulham spent around £100 million in the summer, but it's still a huge gap to bridge.

If they are to have any chance at Anfield, they need to get their record signing on the ball. Jean Michael Seri has created 11 chances on the road this season – no other Fulham player has more than six to his name – so he unsurprisingly lead's Fulham's attack chart for away matches.

Getting the ball will be a big part of the problem though. Slaviša Jokanović's side only had 40 percent possession at Spurs, and just 35 at the Etihad. Liverpool, by contrast, have attempted at least 60 percent of the total passes in every home game bar their clash with the champions, and equalled their record under Klopp with 80 percent possession in their last home game against Cardiff.

With the Reds guaranteed to have so much of the ball, they need to ensure their best players get on it. Enter Shaqiri. The Kosovo born Swiss international was left out of the trip to face Crvena Zvezda. Who knows if he could have rescued a dire Liverpool performance, but he's certainly a man in form.

Shaqiri is Klopp's top attacking performer in the league at Anfield this season on a points-per-minute basis, albeit he has only amassed 90 minutes there so far. He simply has to come back into Klopp's XI for this match.

Liverpool may need to be patient. It might pay off to invite Fulham on to them a little, as only Palace have conceded more counter attack goals than they have in 2018/19. The Reds sealed their win at Selhurst Park in that fashion, and they may have opportunities to do so here too. A 9-0 prediction is obviously going far, far too far, but don't be surprised if Liverpool bounce back from their Serbian sorrows with a comfortable win here.



http://blog.twelve.football/2018/11/08/liverpool-vs-fulham-preview/

So if I am reading this right, there is more chance that Liverpool will win 10-0 than Fulham will win 1-0. Have I been transported back to 1986?

[WhiteJC]

 
Liverpool vs Fulham: This is the perfect game to turn things around

Liverpool host Fulham at Anfield on Sunday in the Premier League and it's the perfect chance for Jurgen Klopp to turn things around.

It's like the footballing Gods have just smiled down upon Klopp and the Reds. After a sad display against Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League, those mysterious deities have handed the boys a perfect chance to put things right.

And that's because the Cottagers are up the creek without a paddle. They can hardly score, they definitely can't keep them out at the other end. Never mind bringing a knife to a gun fight, Fulham wouldn't even turn up with a plastic spoon.

Under Slaviša Jokanović, they've managed to let in a mammoth 29 goals in 11 league games. They only have five points. They're rock bottom. Jokanović is fighting for his life, but that spoon won't get him anywhere.

Liverpool need to find some rhythm in midfield. Klopp has assembled an awesome choir, but they're not signing off the same hymn sheet. You've got Gini Wijnaldum purring along nicely, but Adam Lallana is out of key and messing with the harmonies.

But sometimes all you need is one great performance and you're up and away. Fulham can be that performance. It can be the game that gets the players back to their most fluent best, because we need it.

One of the curiosities with Manchester City's debt fuelled rise is that anything less than perfection isn't good enough. Liverpool are still unbeaten in the league, and that should be celebrated.

Little things are still going wrong though. Mohamed Salah isn't quite the same Salah – nor is Roberto Firmino or Sadio Mane. I'm convinced that it will all change with a barnstorming win over Fulham, and the fixture has come at just the right time.

So everyone raise a glass to the football Gods. They're on odd, fickle, smelly bunch. But sometimes they deliver.



https://rushthekop.com/2018/11/09/liverpool-vs-fulham-perfect-game-turn-things-around/

[WhiteJC]

 
Liverpool receive major injury boost ahead of Premier League clash with Fulham

Liverpool are expecting Joe Gomez to be fit to face Fuham this weekend, with all of Jordan Henderson, Xherdan Shaqiri and Naby Keita pushing for a starting spot.

After dropping two points in their last Premier League outing, Liverpool are out for blood and a midweek defeat in Serbia will also serve as motivation to return to winning ways as the Reds head towards the crunch festive fixture list.

The good news is that Liverpool have Naby Keita back from injury after the Guinean made a return to training at the end of last week and is now in contention to make his fourth start in the Premier League.

His drive and trickery on the ball should see the Reds play with renewed vigour in the middle of the park after a frankly shocking display against Red Star Belgrade.

Jordan Henderson is also on the comeback trail but the Englishman is likely to start from the bench with many hoping for Naby Keita and Fabinho to be paired in midfield with Xherdan Shaqiri coming in for added creativity.

Joe Gomez, who was a doubt to play this weekend after picking up an Achilles issue, is set to return to the starting lineup. He started from the bench midweek in the Champions League but with Trent Alexander-Arnold struggling for form, Lovren could start alongside van Dijk with Gomez at right back.

With Fulham languishing at the very bottom of the Premier League, Klopp will be looking to use a trip to Craven Cottage to get his side back to winning ways.



https://www.rousingthekop.com/2018/11/09/liverpool-team-news-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

 
Panic Sets in as Key Liverpool Players Miss Training and Become Doubts to Face Fulham

Liverpool regulars Joe Gomez and Andrew Robertson failed to train with the first team squad yesterday.

Whilst Robertson didn't train with the rest of the squad, he was at Melwood to undergo some light training accompanied by a fitness coach.

The pairs availability ahead of Fulham on Sunday is unclair, although Robertson, at this stage, is still expected to be fit.

Also away from the squad was Daniel Sturridge. The Englishman was dragged off at half-time in midweek after a poor first half against Red Star. It's possible he picked up a knock on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has handed Klopp a fitness boost after he was declared in contention to start against Fulham. The skipper was in full training yesterday.

Dejan Lovren is finally over his illness and could start on Sunday in the absence of Gomez. The Croatian also took part in full training, as did Nathaniel Clyne.

Naby Keita returned to training last week and is another option at Klopp's disposal.

Xherdan Shaqiri, who was left out of the Champions League squad to face Red Star, is ready to return to action on Sunday.



http://www.anfieldedition.uk/2018/11/panic-sets-in-as-key-liverpool-players-miss-training/