Liverpool 2-0 Fulham: A Tactical Breakdown

After a horrible performance against Red Star Belgrade, Liverpool fans needed some catharsis. With Fulham on a five-match losing streak and due to play at Anfield, a win was the expectation. To deliver the win though, Klopp set Liverpool up with the 4-2-3-1 system, with Salah as the striker, Firmino at 10, and Shaqiri out...

If Henderson is the Solution, Then What is the Problem?

In the discussion about how Liverpool overcome the sterility in midfield that has affected performances over the course of the season and specifically in Belgrade, many have offered Jordan Henderson as the solution. Melissa Reddy brilliantly diagnosed Liverpool's problems. In elaborating a point on “midfield balance" she makes the following key points: Liverpool plays predictable football,...

The Story of a Minute: Liverpool 2 Fulham 0

Columnists and pundits rely on controversy. To them it is the lifeblood of half-time intervals and empty pages, awaiting words both spoken and printed. A handball, an offside, a disallowed goal. All meat and drink if the game is fairly run of the mill and you’ve nothing to talk about. This extends to this page. I’m...

Xherdan Shaqiri: £13 million of ever-growing importance

When Liverpool secured the services of 'The Alpine Messi', Xherdan Shaqiri, during the summer transfer window, his arrival on Merseyside was greeted with a mixture of scepticism and optimism. A player who has been a bit of nearly man for the duration of his career after spells with Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, before establishing...

Observations as Liverpool mark best ever tally from opening 12 games

Liverpool marched to a relatively routine 2-0 win against a labouring Fulham, regaining their spot at the top of the Premier League table with goals from Mohamed Salah and Xherdan Shaqiri. Once again, this wasn't a vintage performance from Klopp's side, with questions remaining about how the manager gets the very best out of his...

Liverpool 2-0 Fulham: Who was man of the match?

It wasn't the rout many would have hoped for given Fulham's near-historic defensive woes, but after the horrors of their trip to Belgrade, victory still brought sweet relief. In truth, Liverpool were happy to cruise into the international break once Mohamed Salah had fired them in front shortly before half-time, with Xherdan Shaqiri's subsequent strike...

Has Gomez Eliminated LFC’s Need For A Centre-Back?

One of the benefits of the transfer window ending before the season started is that you can draw a more precise delineation between the opinions at the end of the window and those opinions a few weeks later. In previous years, the form of Joe Gomez would have muddied the waters of opinion before...

Salah Does It Again – Key Stats from Liverpool 2-0 Fulham

Liverpool once again did the job at Anfield, scoring either side of half-time to see off a spirited Fulham side 2-0 to move back to the top of the Premier League – for a few hours at least. But what were the key stats from another composed and professional win from the Reds?  Full-Backs The...

Another Composed Anfield Display As Liverpool Beat Fulham 2-0

Liverpool took advantage of a controversial fifteen seconds to beat Fulham 2-0 at Anfield and move back to the top of the Premier League ahead of games for Chelsea and Manchester City. Despite the ropey nature of the first half and the question marks around their first goal, Liverpool were able to kill the...

Liverpool Player Ratings As They Fly Past Fulham

Bar a blistering performance that led to taking Fulham apart 9-0, that was pretty much what Liverpool needed. Much more coherent than midweek, three points and a clean sheet. Mohamed Salah's breakaway goal set the Reds on their way, Xherdan Shaqiri's second-half strike completing a 2-0 win over the Cottagers. Here are your ratings. Alisson throws his...

Klopp’s Midfield Merry-Go-Round Hurting LFC

Liverpool’s midfield has been a major point of contention so far this season. With Van Dijk and Joe Gomez forming a supreme central defensive partnership, Alisson looking like the best keeper LFC have had in years and the front three speaking for themselves, all of the major questions revolving around this team at the...

Jurgen Klopp’s Substitution Strategy Stunts Progress

How quickly things change in the football world. In the week prior to Arsenal, we had put up 8 goals and stats were being passed around illustrating that Liverpool was scoring more, and defending far better.   Even the most nervous of Liverpool supporters were high-fiving each other and were generally excited about where we...

Time For Liverpool Fans to Panic? Not Just Yet

Anger, frustration and disbelief - just three words which capture mine and I am sure plenty of other Liverpool fans' emotions following our humiliating defeat to Red Star Belgrade. As unacceptable of a result and performance Tuesday night's display was, there was an air of inevitability about it. Let's be honest we haven't played...

It’s Not All Doom and Gloom for Liverpool

After conceding a late goal at the Emirates, Jürgen Klopp and his side were resigned to leaving the capital with just one point. The general reaction so far has been one of negativity, largely down to the fact that anything but perfection just doesn't seem good enough - it's the effect that Manchester City have...

Fixing Liverpool’s Woes with the 4-2-3-1

Liverpool are currently ailing. It seems almost ludicrous to say, given they currently sit two points behind the automaton that is table-topping Manchester City, but ask any fan and the 2-0 defeat to Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League was not an outlier of a result. Not when Liverpool couldn’t take advantage of Arsenal’s obvious...

Liverpool v Fulham Preview – Liverpool need to let anger surface on Sunday

The Details Venue - Anfield, Liverpool Referee - Paul Tierney Date & Time - Sunday, November 11th @ 12:00 Current Odds - Liverpool 1/10, Draw 8/1, Fulham 22/1 Form Liverpool Form Liverpool slumped to a dismal 2-0 defeat in Belgrade on Tuesday night. The common theme among fans, myself included, is that defeat had been coming. The Redmen have looked to be just about stumbling...

Should Liverpool Drop Bobby Firmino?

Liverpool have hit a bad patch of form, and one player who is standing out as struggling is Roberto Firmino. Bobby is not the only player in the Liverpool scratching around for form, but he’s probably somewhere close to the player furthest from his best when you consider that for many people he’s Liverpool’s...

Ineffective Trio Represent The Past For Liverpool

Who else detested that 2-0 defeat to Red Star Belgrade more than any other game this season? It's rare that you get a Liverpool match where you end up angry at every single player, but not one individual could fly back to Merseyside with their head held high, after what was a display without positives. You...

Tough Questions, Tougher Answers | Red Star Belgrade 2 Liverpool 0

Saturday was different. Jurgen Klopp’s men entertained a much different Arsenal than those they used to under Arsene Wenger, and they didn’t seem ready for it. Ordinarily, home teams tend to give Liverpool the ball and lock the space down around the box, but this new Arsenal demanded more of the ball and went straight...

Red Star 2-0 Liverpool: What Went Wrong?

A sobering night in Belgrade saw a second successive away performance in the Champions League that left much to be desired. Far from the vintage Liverpool witnessed last season, this was as bleak as it gets for Jurgen's men; no ingenuity, no guile and no drive for success or at least attempt to turn...

Key Stats As Reds Flop In Belgrade

Liverpool’s Champions League campaign once again threatened to come off the rails, as following a 1-0 defeat in Naples, the Reds were turned over 2-0 by Red Star in Belgrade. But what were the key stats from what was an absolutely atrocious performance from the Reds? Attack Stutters As Reds Come Unstuck  Liverpool toiled and toiled,...

Observations as Liverpool deliver dire performance in Belgrade

Last season Liverpool were effervescent in the Champions League, breaking the record for goals scored in a single European campaign and generally taking teams by storm with a high intensity, gegenpressing style that put the opposition straight on the backburner with no hope of recovering after a 10-15 minute blitz. It was the opposite case...

Player ratings as Liverpool are bruised in Belgrade

That was embarrassing, wasn't it? Like, really embarrassing. Red Star 2-0 Liverpool and the sad thing was you knew it was over at 2-0. Couldn't tell you why really. The team has fight, they've displayed that already this season. There's quality going forward, they've proved that this season. But you knew. An off night, or a result...

Negligent Klopp Risks Reds’ Champions League Hopes

RedStar 2 Liverpool 0 Alisson, Trent, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Milner, Lallana, Mané, Salah, Sturridge Substitutes: Gomez, Firmino, Origi Pavkov… It’s one of those names that will end up being converted to a curse word from now on. Every time you stub a toe or pinch a finger, “PAVKOV!!!” The trouble really started against Arsenal. Klopp’s reluctance to...

Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool: A Tactical Breakdown

As expected for Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp elected to revert to the 4-3-3 system with which he has enjoyed a great deal of success with against Liverpool’s top six rivals and Champions League competitors too. It made sense: Arsenal have a renewed impetus to play out from the back and did not have a particularly quick...

Always the Bridesmaid, Time For Daniel Sturridge to Get That Ring

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota: The final possession of NBA match between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Utah Jazz. Dante Exum rises to hit the potential game-tying three-pointer to send it to over time. Enter Derrick Rose. The Chicago native guard rushed forward and caught a piece of the ball allowing Karl Anthony Towns to secure the rebound. The...

FK Crvena zvezda v Liverpool – Cauldron of noise awaits Liverpool in Serbia

The Details   Venue - Rajko Mitic Stadion, Belgrade, Serbia Referee - Antonio Mateu Lahoz (ESP) Date & Time - Tuesday, November 6th 2018 @ 17:55 BST Current Odds - FK Crvena zvezda 12/1, Draw 13/2, Liverpool 1/6 Form FK Crvena zvezda Form FK Crvena zvezda have won their three Serbian league games since the 4-0 defeat they suffered at Anfield in the Champions League a few...

Key Stats As Liverpool Draw At The Emirates

Liverpool took the lead at the Emirates thanks to a rare open-play James Milner goal – and should have had another goal if not for a poor refereeing decision – yet ended up with a draw thanks to conceding a late equalizer. But what were the key stats as Liverpool shared the spoils with...

Observations as Liverpool Drop Two Points at the Emirates

Liverpool settled for a point at Arsenal at the end of an absorbing game at the Emirates. Liverpool had their fair share of good chances, and with a bit of luck and competent officiating, the result could have been more favourable for Liverpool. The key observations from the encounter: Tough to beat this Liverpool team Though the...

Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool: Lacazette leveller frustrates Reds

Philosophical debates will be had around the dinner tables of Merseyside as Liverpool fans reflect on Saturday's draw with Arsenal, struggling to decide if it's one point gained or two points dropped. Glass half full, or half empty? After a 1-1 draw that include moments of genius combined with moments of madness, incompetency from officials...