Dec 04, 2011

Fulham vs Liverpool Match Preview

Liverpool kick off December with a Monday-evening matchup against struggling London side Fulham, as Craven Cottage hosts a meeting that is sure to be fiercely contested with both teams desperate for points. The Reds are coming off an impressive Carling Cup win at Stamford Bridge, and appear to head into this game in fine form. Heavy-spenders Fulham have been somewhat unlucky early on this season, with untimely injuries marring what was meant to be a breakout season. The Cottagers fell to FC Twente in the Europa League in midweek, and will be desperate to leave this game with at least a point.

History:
Total Appearances: 51
Liverpool Wins: 35
Fulham Wins: 10
Draws: 16

Last Premier League Meeting: Fulham 2-5 Liverpool (Maxi 3, Kuyt, Suarez)

Form:
Liverpool: Kenny Dalglish’s men enter the game playing some of their best football of the season. The aforementioned midweek victory over Chelsea was a clear marker of just how far this team has come in recent months. Liverpool had already won a Premier League game at Stamford Bridge 2-1 nine days before, those games sandwiching a 1-1 draw with Manchester City at Anfield last weekend. Liverpool currently sit in seventh, but a big win could see them rise to fifth.
Fulham: Fulham have not had the best season, and their recent performances have exemplified that. Martin Jol’s men have taken just two points from the last three games, and only five from the last six. However, a draw against Arsenal at the Emirates last weekend was an encouraging sign, and they will be looking to ‘Park the Bus’ against Liverpool as well. Fulham lie in fifteenth, but a win will take them up to twelfth.

Injury News:
Liverpool: The big news in the Liverpool physio room is the significant loss of defensive midfielder Lucas. His ACL tear will keep him out for the rest of the season, dealing a major blow to his club’s top four aspirations. It is unclear who will take his place for now, but Jonjo Shelvey has been recalled from his Blackpool loan spell to help carry the burden. Steven Gerrard remains out with an ankle injury.
Fulham: Fulham have been hit a lot harder than Liverpool by their injuries. Defender Zdenek Grygera, midfielders Simon Davies, Damien Duff, and Steve Sidwell, and striker Orlando Sa, all important first team players, will miss the Liverpool match-up with injuries. As mentioned, these losses are a major reason for Fulham’s difficult start to the season.

Key Battles:
Jose Enrique vs Bryan Ruiz: Costa Rican attacker Bryan Ruiz has been one of Fulham’s key players since joining from FC Twente in the summer, and, though he has scored just one goal, he has been a contributor in almost all Fulham attacking moves. Jose Enrique will need to be at his best to shut down the Cottagers’ offensive catalyst.
Charlie Adam vs Dickson Etuhu: This battle will determine who takes control of the midfield in this game. Adam will go up against defensively-minded midfielder Dickson Etuhu, and if he comes out on top Liverpool will likely come away with a win.
Andy Carroll vs Brede Hangeland: Expected to start, Liverpool striker Andy Carroll will lock horns with massive Norwegian defender Brede Hangeland. If Carroll can get the better of the Fulham defender, it will open up room for the likes of Luis Suarez and could be a major factor on the outcome of this game.

Bet365 Odds:
Liverpool: 11/10
Fulham: 5/2
Draw: 12/5

Anfield Red Score Prediction: Fulham 1-2 Liverpool

12 Comments
  • George

    after the w/ends results we absolutely CANNOT afford not to leave london without the full points!!!! Even though he’s recalled Jonjo I hope KK gives Jay a run. Does anyone think that Jay COULD be a Danny Murphy? And I hope we start with Bellamy. I was dead against him coming back but I’ll be the first to hold my hand up and say I was so wrong. Maxi? Where he will fit in? He’s in great form too and had a great time when we were last at Fulham.

  • julie

    im with u on this 1 me 2 thought oh no not bellamy again but since hes come back hes been magnificant when is sg coming back??
    i think we could never find another hyypia but the looks of skrtle & enrique i think again hope u understand lol
    looking 4ward 2nights match we need full 3 points & start moving closer 2 the top
    love jue

  • julie

    that ref was apauling
    that shouldnt av been a send off also that WAS a penalty im begining 2 think we have wasted loads of money on “carrol” 2 me hes done sod all is this right? we r abt 2 bring back anelka?
    sorry 4 ranting on but that ref has peed me off

  • Anonymous

    Nightmare beat chelsea twice and drew with. Man city now lose to fulham! What’s going on….can. we only step up a gear against big teams?

  • jtppn

    Poor Maxi, scores us goals to win games and then does’nt get picked, so dissappointed we could’nt take care of Fulham, bad red card from the ref but sometimes that has helped us out, back to hitting the woodwork again, Reina spilling at wrong time, there was the obvious Lucas gap in the 1st half that i think only Gerrard can actually fill unless we play differently, and Kenny desperate for Carroll to work out, not blaming Carroll for the defeat as we played well enough to win but he does not compliment our other strikers when they require some slick passing & quick thinking, Maxi arrives late at the back post sometimes and there was 2 moments when shots became crosses i wished he was on the pitch for.
    We Really need to hammer QPR at the weekend.

  • George

    When KK signed the injured Carroll in January he said several times that Carroll was here for five years and not five minutes. Sorry Andy, but that seems a hell of a long time time… jtppn is right, Carroll can’t move quickly enough for a pass frome either Suarez or Bellamy. It’s not the Liverpool Way to slate one of our own, but I really reckon we should see if we couldn’t get something back for him in January. Lots of posts on here have said that we should give him time, but I think the problem is that we all thought his strength for us would be in the air from quality crosses. However we(KK) seems to have changed the way he wants us to play up front – at ground level, to feet and quickly – and I just don’t think Andy is able to do this. As I said I don’t want to slag him off because he always seems to want to offer himself but our current attacking style is NOT made for him. Finally jttpn, if QPR play like Swansea did at Anfield, at best we’ll get a draw.

  • rouman

    hi mate was at fulham last night, thoe the ref got a few things wrong it was a pen, plus suarez,s goal was on side. we were better than fulham. but your right carrol either misses newcastle, or he ist good enough. or both i know hes trying but the system does not fit his style plus kelly over johnson any day,spearing is a squad player at best he is ok but not top notch. ill play agger in lucas,s place and either carra or coates at the back.agger is quick can pass, beat players and can tackle. or buy in jan we all know now how good lucas has become, he was missed last night. all in all luck was against us and the ref, but we still lack that killer touch.QPR on sat will be a test
    all there team want to im press we need early goal if we get it i think we will win then again it depends if we take are chances we need to now..

  • deano69

    dont know how true this is but i have a good friend who lives near newsham park in liverpool and his sister works at melwood in the hospitality suite, apparently the whispers going round the training camp are that andy carroll is very unhappy and is going to put in a transfer request in january and if he cant get a that then he might get a loan move back to newcastle…….could be true but could be just chinese whispers….time will tell

  • George

    Hi deano, well I hope this is right. Sitting him on the bench for a full game yesterday MUST say soemething to Carroll. I’ll take a 1-0 win any day over last Monday’s result BUT we should remember we were only a Suarez header away from posting on here, again, that we can’t beat teams like QPR, Swansea and Norwich. I believe that Carroll has had ample time to do the business here. A year ago we had a manager at Anfield, who had all the credentials and was very willing, but couldn’t do the business. I feel the same, sadly, about Carroll. Our last Deecember game is against Newcastle. It could be interesting!!!!!!

  • rouman

    george we played superb in the first half, qpr were not in it till the last 15mins.its are finishing that letting us down the score should of been 5 honest.even suarez is guilty of missing a few plus not passing to players in better postions, than him.the goalie played out of his skin too i cant see carol going on loan 35mil doubt it one injury and it could be very costly.i heard he,s unhappy but transfer request not sure about that.be honest george he knows after liverpool the only place is down,and who will pay top dollar for him
    now. he needs to get head down work his socks off give his all
    then if he fails
    move on.. merry christmas to all ynwa..

  • George

    many thanks for your X’mas wishes and I wish the same to you! As you know I can’t see the games until they are on replay down here so I’m looking forward to the 1-0 win. Last weeks prgramme was the 0-1 loss at Fulham but this was balanced by our really good Carling Cup win at the Bridge. I agree we are really playing some good stuff and have not got what we deserved in several games to put us even higher up the PL. We are so lucky we have got Suarez but there are a few things, like you mentioned in your post, that need sorting with him and I am a bit surprised that eithe KK or Steve Clark have not drilled these home. I very much hope we will not lose him after the result of the FA enquiry. What he put up with at Fulham is just the tip of the iceberg with away fans if the racism case is proved. I don’t think the FA have much – I just hope i”m right!!! I also hope Carroll comes good but for me he has had plenty of time.

  • Anonymous

    If only liverpool look at quality players rather than price tags.

    Demba Ba showed from Jan to June in the Premiership with West Ham by accumulating 8 goals that he could deliver.

    Yet he goes on a free to Newcastle and we get Andy Carroll for 35 mill ….

    Demba is better with his head and his feet than Carroll and we could have got him for nothing in the Summer yet we were only interested in monetary signings.

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