Fulham v Liverpool Match Thread 3pm Sat (Read mod note in OP)

MementoMori

Please read this note before posting



So Fulham v Liverpool

Time to get the show back on the road and build on Sunday's result.
I'd like an early goal as I really don't want the tension of last year's game.

I think Torres should be good to start - I think Gerrard will most likely be on the bench.

I think the best Aquilani can hope for is a spot on the bench and even that might be pushing it.

If I had to guess I'd say the line-up would be something like this

Reina
Johnson Carra Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Benayoun Aurelio
Torres

Cavailieri Skrtel Degen Aquilani Gerrard Babel N'gog

I think Fulham could be a little soft in the CM with Murphy and Etuhu both out.

TEAM NEWS
Fulham's Simon Davies has an outside chance of returning from a foot problem but Danny Murphy (knee) is still out.

Kagisho Dikgacoi sits out the match as he completes a three-game suspension.

Liverpool expect top scorer Fernando Torres to start at Craven Cottage but captain Steven Gerrard remains doubtful with a groin problem.

Javier Mascherano returns after serving a one-game ban against Arsenal, while Alberto Aquilani should be on the bench after an encouraging cameo in midweek.

---

Fulham

Suspended: Dikgacoi (one match) Doubtful: Davies (foot), Konchesky & Murphy (knee)

Injured: Etuhu (knee), Kallio (Achilles), Stockdale (knee)

Liverpool

Suspended: None Doubtful: Gerrard & Torres (groin)

PiE

It was mentioned in the main thread that Lucas had caught swine flu - any further news on that? If he's out along with Gerrard, we'll be looking pretty soft in midfield ourselves.

MementoMori

The Lucas swine flu thing seems to be an unconfirmed rumour, so I'm still hopeful it's wrong.

If Lucas is out then maybe Aurelio in CM and Babel on the left?

redzerdrog

if lucas is out what about

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masch

---

kuyt

---

yossi

---

aurelio

---

torres

---

ngog

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prendy

redzerdrog wrote: »

if lucas is out what about

---

masch

---

kuyt

---

yossi

---

aurelio

---

torres

---

ngog

---

if he's out it'll be

---masc---aurelio---
kuyt---benni---babel---

---

torres

---

Sully

Gerrard and Aqua man are confirmed to be out according to RTE Sports News I just heard..

mike65

Patched up squads all over the place right now.

MementoMori

Gerrard and Johnson both out
Aquilani a doubt with a virus.

With both Johnson and Kelly injured, presumably Degen at RB.
No mention of Lucas and the swine flu, so I presume he's fine.

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Reina

---

--Degen---Carra---Agger--Insua--

---

Lucas---Mascherano

---

----Kuyt----Benayoun---Aurelio---

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Torres

---

Cavailieri Skrtel Dossena Spearing Voronin Babel N'gog

INJURY LATEST: GERRARD, JOHNSON AND AQUILANI
Jimmy Rice 30 October 2009

Rafa Benitez will be without both Glen Johnson and Steven Gerrard for this weekend's trip to Fulham - though the Liverpool manager is hopeful Fernando Torres can again lead the line up front.

Gerrard has failed to recover from a groin injury sustained earlier this month on international duty, while Johnson suffered a small tear in his calf this week.

Meanwhile, Alberto Aquilani is also a doubt after picking up a virus following his debut against Arsenal in midweek.

Benitez told Liverpoolfc.tv: "Gerrard still has a problem with his groin so he won't be available this weekend.

"At this moment he's working with the physios. He has to keep working and we'll decide next week how he progresses.

"Johnson has a small tear in his calf, so we will lose him for maybe one week."

On Aquilani, Benitez added: "In terms of fitness he's doing well. His ankle is coming on well. The problem we have now is that he has a virus, so it will be difficult for him to be available.

"We will see this afternoon how he feels but he was a little bit sick yesterday.

"He wanted to play against Arsenal and was really pleased to go. He wants to go and play against Fulham but we'll have to decide how he feels."

Benitez will also have to do without both Martin Kelly (ankle) and Albert Riera (hamstring) for the journey south.

However, the boss is hoping Fernando Torres will be able to make an impact after he returned with a match-winning display against Manchester United.

Benitez said: "He is improving. He's been training and working with the physios. We will see if he is a little bit better this weekend. It's a difficult situation because if you play games, you often don't have too much time to get fit again."

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N166269091030-1258.htm

Mr Alan

is this game on the box?

tok9

Setanta 1 i think.. maybe seanta ireland

its one or the other anyway

MementoMori

tok9 wrote: »

Setanta 1 i think.. maybe seanta ireland

its one or the other anyway

It's on Setanta One; not Setanta Ireland.

jesus_thats_gre

MementoMori wrote: »

Gerrard and Johnson both out
Aquilani a doubt with a virus.

With both Johnson and Kelly injured, presumably Degen at RB.
No mention of Lucas and the swine flu, so I presume he's fine.

---

Reina

---

--Degen---Carra---Agger--Insua--

---

Lucas---Mascherano

---

----Kuyt----Benayoun---Aurelio---

---

Torres

---

Cavailieri Skrtel Dossena Spearing Voronin Babel N'gog



http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N166269091030-1258.htm

I see him putting Carra at right back and starting with Skrtel and Agger in the middle.

Boggles

Fulham 2-1.

Duff, Zamora

Kuyt

Eire-Dearg

Lucas also out with a virus, apparently.

Spearing to start in midfield?

5starpool

If Spearing starts I would be a bit worried for us. Although games might help, he has not looked at the required level in his appearances so fat this season. Right back is a worry as well with Johnson and Kelly out, so Degen will likely start. He looks decent going forward, but defensively he has shown himself to be suspect in his few outings so far. I'm gald that Fulham are missing Murphy and Johnson though. Hopefully we can ut in a good display and get the three points, but Fulham are a very good team at home, especially since Hodgson has come in.

Tricky fixture.

Tusky

---

Reina

Degen--Carra--Agger--Insua

---

Aurelio--Masch

Babel----Benayoun

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Kuyt

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Torres

With Johnson, Gerrard, Lucas, Riera and Aquilani all out, twill be a tricky game.

magma69

Tusky wrote: »

---

Reina

Degen--Carra--Agger--Insua

---

Aurelio--Masch

Babel----Benayoun

---

Kuyt

---

Torres

With Johnson, Gerrard, Lucas, Riera and Aquilani all out, twill be a tricky game.

No doubt it will be tricky. Can't see us keeping a clean sheet but at the other end of the pitch I can see Benny and Torres doing a nice bit of damage. I'm going to say a 2-1 victory for the Pool with Torres being our saviour once more. We really would be screwed if he was not playing.

Eire-Dearg

I'm going for

Reina
Carragher Skrtel Agger Insua
Spearing Masch
Kuyt Benayoun Aurelio
Torres

MementoMori

Tusky wrote: »

---

Reina

Degen--Carra--Agger--Insua

---

Aurelio--Masch

Babel----Benayoun

---

Kuyt

---

Torres

With Johnson, Gerrard, Lucas, Riera and Aquilani all out, twill be a tricky game.

Babel on the right and Kuyt on the left?
Surely a much better chance of being the other way around.

I'm still not convinced that Lucas will be out - surely it would have been mentioned if he was doubtful a la Aquilani on the offical site.

I do think if Lucas is out then Aurelio a better bet to play CM than Spearing.

Can still see it being a tricky game.

Eire-Dearg

This made me LOL

I'm trying to keep the Halloween puns to a minimum folks, but I'm sure you'll join me in hoping for a spook-tacular afternoon, with a few tricks and treats in store for us all. It would be nice if they were topical too... what do you think the odds are on a Bobby Zamora shot hitting a stray pumpkin that has rolled into the Liverpool penalty area at Craven Cottage, and ricocheting past Pepe Reina?

Kess73

Rumour doing the rounds that both Agger and Skrtel may miss the game due to swine flu. Seems ythere are a lot of last minute checks going on.

mike65

If you are to believe everything 4 players have flu - Aquilani, Lucas, Agger, Skrtel. With doubts over Insua plus Kelly, Dossena, Gerrard, Riera, Johnson deffo out.

Gelio

mike65 wrote: »

If you are to believe everything 4 players have flu - Aquilani, Lucas, Agger, Skrtel. With doubts over Insua plus Kelly, Dossena, Gerrard, Riera, Johnson deffo out.

FFS is there anyone left able to play?

spockety

If the above is true then

Reina, Degen, Carra, Krygiakos, Aurelio, Kuyt, Masch, Spearing, Benayoun, Babel, Torres

In _theory_ should be able to dispatch Fulham.

Eire-Dearg

Kyrgiakos is starting alongside Carra apparently, with Degen and Insua starting. Aurelio in midfield...

mike65

NOBODY REALLY KNOWS!

magma69

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

Kyrgiakos is starting alongside Carra apparently, with Degen and Insua starting. Aurelio in midfield...

That is a defence I am far from confident in. You can bet your bottom dollar we will concede today. Let's hope Torres is his usual magnificent self today and scores a hat trick for the Pool to snatch a 3-2 win.

jesus_thats_gre

oh oh

mike65

Liverpool:

---

Reina,
Degen, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Insua
Kuyt, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun

---

Voronin, Torres.

Subs: Gulacsi, Babel, Spearing, Plessis, Dossena, Eccleston, Ayala.

spockety

Line up announced.
Reina, Insua, Degen, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Kuyt, Benayoun, Mascherano, Lucas, Voronin, Torres. Subs: Gulacsi, Babel, Spearing, Plessis, Dossena, Eccleston, Ayala.


:eek:

whatawaster

Reina

Degen
Carra
Kyriakos
Insua

Mascherano
Lucas

Kuyt
Benayoun
Voronin

Torres

Subs
Gulacsi
Babel
Spearing
Plessis
Dossena
Ecclestone
Ayala

Eire-Dearg

Ah FFS. Where's Aurelio? Cavalieri must also be out now too.

I think that bench surpasses the one we had earlier in the season as the worst ever.

Holsten

No Aquilani... bah!

Actually wow... Swine Flu is wiping Liverpool FC out!

whatawaster

i've been critical of him, but why the f%ck isn't Babel playing instead of Voronin?

mike65

Liverpools sick/injured 11

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Cavalieri
Johnson-Skrtel-Agger-Aurelio
El Zhar-Aquilani-Gerrard--Riera

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Ngog

MonkeyTennis

is this true about the virus??

Mr Alan

whatawaster wrote: »

i've been critical of him, but why the f%ck isn't Babel playing instead of Voronin?

much of muchness to me tbh, if its 4-4-2 Voro is more suited, not to mention he looked better than Babel the other night. i actually suspect Voro might impress today.

Tusky

mike65 wrote: »

Liverpools sick/injured 11

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Cavalieri
Johnson-Skrtel-Agger-Aurelio
El Zhar-Aquilani-Gerrard--Riera

---

Ngog

Yup, our sick/injured team is better than the team playing today!

MonkeyTennis

5 reserves on the bench.. somethings not right

whatawaster

Mr Alan wrote: »

much of muchness to me tbh, if its 4-4-2 Voro is more suited, not to mention he looked better than Babel the other night. i actually suspect Voro might impress today.

it's not really much of a muchness. Voronin is a mixture between Kuyt and Benayoun but nowhere near as good as either.
At least Babel has a bit of pace.
A little variety would be nice

Mr Alan

You say at least Babel has a bit of pace.
i raise you at least Voronin has a decent touch!

as i said, its meh for me

plus i think Babel is a lot more effective from the bench than Voronin is.

Eire-Dearg

Strangely I think we've enough to hold out, the centre midfield is unchanged from the Utd win and Torres and Benny are both capable of scoring. Defense might be a bit shaky, but Kyrgiakos did well enough during the week. Insua's confidence must be high after his goal, and Degen finally has 90 mins under his belt. Kuyt is Kuyt, and Voronin now has another chance to impress.

That team doesn't inspire me with confidence tbh.

Bench is fairly lightweight, astonished to see Voronin on the pitch.

I'd cut my arm off for a scrappy 1-0 win courtesy of an OG.

Paul Tergat

bare bones stuff. Fulham away is never easy but this is going to be a real tough one for ya now.

spockety

MonkeyTennis wrote: »

5 reserves on the bench.. somethings not right

D'ya think?

Kess73

MonkeyTennis wrote: »

is this true about the virus??

Yep.

An old school pal of mine is a steward at the club, and while he never has any major behind the scenes news for me, he did text me about the swine flu and to say about Agger and Skrtel running tests earlier, plus a pile of the stewards are out with it too, so they have to draft in extra people for the next home game.

From what he has said, there are a load of people at the club down with it. First team, ressies, back room staff, admin staff etc.

Tusky

Considering Gerrard, Riera, Aurelio, N'Gog and El Zhar are all injured, I think Babel has a case to be pretty pissed off at being on the bench. Exactly how far down the pecking line is he ?

As Ive said before. Either sell him, or give him a proper crack of the whip.

MonkeyTennis

spockety wrote: »

D'ya think?

well i have no idea why the selection isnt explained on the official site.

Kess73

MonkeyTennis wrote: »

well i have no idea why the selection isnt explained on the official site.

Swine flu is the reason.

Tusky

Yeah, they obviously dont want to shout about it.

Reginald P. DuM

Uh-oh..... I fear another Sunderland comng on. :eek:

I'm sure there are good reasons for the selection in terms of injuries etc.
I'm also sure that Babel hasn't earned his place on that team.