Fulham v Liverpool (Premiership - 5th May 2007)

[JD]

Craven Cottage @ 3pm


Benitez says:

"We want to finish third and we'll field teams we feel can win.

"I understand concerns of other clubs, but we have our priorities and lots of teams in the division will be fielding different players in the final games."

Sanchez says:

"People are talking about the effect Liverpool playing their second leg of their Champions League semi-final match will have on them.

"But I don't think they'll be less up for it, even if they don't have much to play for in Premiership.

"I'm certain that it will be a hard game - that's how the Premiership is."


LIVERPOOL have managed five top three finishes in their 14 Premiership seasons prior to this. They go into this penultimate League match, and last on the road, one point ahead of Arsenal in fourth. They are already guaranteed a place in the qualifying rounds for the next seasons Champions League, but Rafael Benitez will want his side to go directly into the group stages by beating AC Milan and winning the competition for the second time in three seasons on 23 May.

The Merseysiders missed the opportunity to become the fourth club to top 1,000 Premier League points, when beaten away to Portsmouth last Saturday. Currently on 998 points, a maximum at Craven Cottage will see them joining Manchester United (1,228 points), Arsenal (1,079) and Chelsea (1,010) on four figures.

The Reds have won four of the last five Premiership matches against Fulham, scoring a total of 16 goals in the quartet. The Merseysiders dominated the first half of this season's reverse fixture, but needed a three goal blitz in 12 second-half minutes to seal the points. They eventually won 4-0 and are now looking to 'double' the Cottagers for the second time in three seasons.


Peter CROUCH is Liverpool's top scorer with 18 goals.

Dirk KUYT is the club's leading marksman in the Premiership with 12.

If named in the 11, Sami HYYPIA will be making his 400th start in a Liverpool shirt.

If he plays, Steve FINNAN will be facing a former club. The Republic of Ireland international midfielder made 207 appearances (172 in the League) and scored seven goals (six League) for the Cottagers between November 1998 and his £3.5m move to Anfield in July 2003.


LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Fulham 2-0 Liverpool
22 October 2005 - Ref: Martin Atkinson
Fulham scorers: John 30, Boa Morte 90


THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE
Liverpool 4-0 Fulham
9 December 2006 - Ref: Uriah Rennie
Liverpool scorers: Gerrard 54, Carragher 61, Luis Garcia 66, Gonzalez 90

(Info from BBC Sport)

[EddieC]

Going myself tomorrow, one of my mates on another forum has come up with a couple of spares.

Give you my match report after

[kelv78]

Can see Rafa resting a few players again but we should see Fulham off hope Robbie gets to play in last 2 league games grabbing a few possibly before he leaves.

[EddieC]

Going myself tomorrow, one of my mates on another forum has come up with a couple of spares.

Give you my match report after

Been let down, mate can't get down to London, having to watch it in the pub 

[DM Osbon]

Been let down, mate can't get down to London, having to watch it in the pub 

Ah I take it you are a fellow southern supporter? I had planned to try for this game too but can't go...no I didn't have tickets.

Do you try & see as many London games as possible or occasional?

[EddieC]

Ah I take it you are a fellow southern supporter? I had planned to try for this game too but can't go...no I didn't have tickets.

Do you try & see as many London games as possible or occasional?

I try to get to as many as possible, and now that I'm back on the road again will be getting to more games at Anfield

[love_inter]

what a chance for fulham

http://www.d1g.com/video/show/?id=971942
great shoot by Liv'pool (Bellamy)

http://www.d1g.com/video/show/?id=971963
lost goal by Fowler

http://www.d1g.com/video/show/?id=971993
shoot by Sisoko

http://www.d1g.com/video/show/?id=972020
1st goal for Fulham

http://www.d1g.com/video/show/?id=972082
Disallowed goal for Liverpool (offside)

http://www.d1g.com/video/show/?id=972124

[Nicola]

^^ Thanks for those clips

I'm not too bothered about the score, although Fulham will be like "yay we beat Liverpool" - good 3 points for them I guess. We did what we needed to do and rested our key players. I know the CL final is 2 and a half weeks away but I think getting rest is important, but obv they need to keep up their fitness. Nice to see Fowler getting to play, before he most likely leaves us

PS JD your avatar - I thought Rafa was so cute when he was sitting down!! Do you know why he did it?

[molby86]

Just watched the game on streaming and disappointing.....Kewell came on..oh my god!

Rafa sat down the other night so fans behind could see the shoot out.....what a guy!!

[Nicola]

What does "oh my god!" about Kewell mean? Was he sh*te??

Isit? Awww Rafa

[camara14]

pwpappapapapapapapapapap a diop papa
what a loads of bullplop good to see kewell back but we were sh*te
we need a cup of tea
once again paletta was crap I hope the next young centre half we buy is good we should get vicent kompany or jimmy bull

[LFC LEGENDS]

Bad News ........................ ........................ ....... :damn:

Injuries:"I have four players injured," said Rafa. "Pepe Reina has a shoulder problem, Mark Gonzalez and Alvaro Arbeloa have ankle problems and Momo Sissoko has a knee injury. We will have to wait and see how they all are."
                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                         RAFA

[Nicola]

  NOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reina can't be injured!!! He must get better and match fit for the final!!

[afif212_reds]

oooo noooooo!!!!

[Jabba]

Technical analysis of this game, as usual, second to none.

I was at a wedding but looks like I didn't miss much of a game.  I certainly hope Kewell doesn't even think he's getting a flight to Athens.

Worrying.  Are players not playing for their place anymore.  We certainly have the squad to be able to beat Fulham away - European Cup Final or no European Cup Final. 

I, frankly, am extremely disappointed at the last two league results.  A winning mentality needs to be developed throughout the entire team.  This just saps confidence. 

Pick it up Rafa. Get the players sweating on their places FFS.

[AussieRed]

thanks for those clips ...I can't believe Robbie missed that sitter .....and Jabba, I agree mate, even if we did play a pretty much reserve team...we still had abit of quality out there...we should be beating sides like this for fun....very disappointed. Surely the players must know that they are playing for there chance to play in Athens

[Court LFC]

No excuse for getting beat by Fulham, it really does sum up our season (domestic wise).

There should be no more room for error next season.

No matter what side we fielded, at least come away with a point.

[kelv78]

Yet again we fail to take our chances although we had a weakened team out it was still good enough to beat fulham,if Michael Brown had been sent off it would have been a different story.