Liverpool v Fulham - Pre Match Discussion - 11th April KO: 15:00

   V  

Liverpool are back in Barclays Premier League action with an Anfield encounter against Fulham on Sunday.

The Reds will be hoping to bolster their top four push, though they'll come up against a Cottagers side who are enjoying a fine season under the stewardship of Roy Hodgson.

Earlier this campaign, Fulham recorded a 3-1 home victory over Rafa Benitez's troops in a tense contest that saw Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher sent off.

However, the Whites have won just once away from home in the league this campaign and are yet to record a victory at Anfield in 28 league visits. (taken from lfc.tv)


This will be interesting Could be what we see in the Europa final, should both sides get through.


I also feel it's gonna be a great match!  

We'll batter them at Anfield.

We need to win this game .. come on you mighty reds.. torres hat trick anyone? I hope maxi can get a goal for us too, hes looking really sharp of late

                   Reina

Johnson   Carra   Kyrgiakos   Agger

       Mascherano
                          Lucas
Maxi         Gerrard               Babel

              The Daddy

Keep up the quality form. Freshen up the wings and lets have another goalfest

Europa League final preview?

Let us absolutely rip them apart - Torres to up his anfield scoring average as well !

Im going over to this match with a few of the lad's cant wait , going over in a few hours for the whole weekend, what's the best pub around Anfield as any other time I went over I wasn't old enough to drink so I dont know.Let's hope we give them a bashing with Nando on the scoresheet again.

Torres for 2

"Must win", anyone?

No excuses. Must get the 3 points.

Come on Nando, get a hat-trick!

I wanna see:

Reina
Johnson Carra Sotis Agger
Gerrard Mascherano
Kuyt Maxi Benayoun
Torres

Babel to come off bench after 70 mins when game is over to replace hat-trick man Torres

we'll smash em!

This could be the final preview right here, must win as usual. Fully expect us to pick up all 3 points though.

Battle of the English European heavy-weights

I think we'll do them easy at Anfield, we seem to have some good home form going now. They won't be push-overs, but set up the way we have lately and they won't be able to hold.

Confident of the 3 points here,
Will be at this game- (have never lost when i have been there!)  good omen?!!

I dont care who plays or in what position- just get the points!!

They have been terrible in the League. Their squad can't handle two competitions at once and that is why we'll win.

Like to see Aquilani start this one we need to attack them, I want to see more of the football we played against Sunderland.

They're no pushover, they move fast and swift and we must play destructive footbal to derail them. Masch must start. They look solid at the back, may put 11 behind the ball. They have six footer defenders, we must have more ground attack instead of aerial attack. Confident of 3 points here. Must start to collect max points from now on. Spurs and Man City will start to drop points now and come what may at the end of the day.

Should win this one. They have more injuries than us. They've just returned from Germany and now have to travel tgo Liverpool. They will be well knackered as well. Should    cruise to a 3 - 0 victory and put a bit of pressure on Spurs and Man city. And   all this after I pick the winner in the national on Sat as well.

Hamburg will rape Fulham. So forget  about the final.

I'm confident we'll continue the goal parade. I agree with freshing up the wings.

yes think fulham have done well but there away record is the pits.so we should take this comfortably like to see torres bag another two bring on pacheo

They haven't won in 27 games at Anfield and they haven't won away since the start of the season!

They haven't won in 27 games at Anfield and they haven't won away since the start of the season!

Good Stats that.
Getting a win would be a good pschyological thing over them for the Europa if they dont get turned into Big Macs first.

They haven't won in 27 games at Anfield and they haven't won away since the start of the season!

Talk about the kiss of death mate

 This could very well be a rehearsal for the final so let us show them no mercy and hammer them.More of the same as we had against Benfica please.

I'd love for us to hammer them. Then get them in the final. Torres would want to get a hattrick in the final

yeh hoping for another good home performance and off the crowd too  304 bouncing again 

This wont be a sample of the potential final. While we might argue about where our focus lies at this point of the season its quite clear that they are focused on the europa league. If we approach this right we could get a few goals. They will be tired and we have some good options to freshen things up

PaddyPower:

Torres - Hat Trick 7/1

Anyone?

yeh hoping for another good home performance and off the crowd too  304 bouncing again 

Oh my god- I would love to sit in 304!!
Can never get tickets for that far back, just look up there with envy!!

On the back of our last performance ...give Fulham no mercy and unleash Torres and allow Lucas to continue his attacking midfielder role ,same team as thursday i hope and predicting a 3-0 to us ...no pressure 

I'd go for:

Reina

Johnson     Carragher     Kyrgiakos     Agger

Mascherano

Rodriguez         Gerrard          Benayoun

Lucas

Torres

Tough game this one. They will be bouncing after beating Wolfsburg away. Hope to see Agger in left back again. Looked a lot more comfortable than Insua does. Good form at home though should give us the confidence to take this.

wonder what team will show up today. we have some momentum going now lets carry it on till the end of the season

We're at home. Fully expect 3 points but we have to be on our toes against Zamora. I'm going for 3-1. Another brace from El Nino and Maxi to break his drught.

Come on you Reds. Must win. Nothing less than 3 points is good enough.

Zamora isn't playing apparently so could be a boost!

Three points and I'll be happy.

Oh my god- I would love to sit in 304!!

We never sit at the back of the Kop just bounce 

Zamora isn't playing apparently so could be a boost!

How come? That certainly would be if so.

Actually, Fulham have played more or less a second string team a lot lately in the PL due to the Europa League.

Even if they put their full strength team out however we should really be coming out on top.

Hodgson said there gunna play a weak team against us.. heard it on Soccer AM yesterday when they were talking to whats on his head, i mean whats his face.. Should be an easy game if we attack them which I'd imagine we would considering it's must win

The BBC says Zamora is doubtful with an Achilles injury. Hope so.

We never sit at the back of the Kop just bounce 

spot on

I wish these next 3 hours would hurry up. Caffeine is all that's standing between me and sleep.

I wish these next 3 hours would hurry up. Caffeine is all that's standing between me and sleep.

Isn't it 6pm or something where you are?

Can't believe yet another 'must win' match has only 2 pages.

Come on lads, let's play like we did the other night, business end of the season, but still far from over, desperate for those 3 points today, and I'm confident we'll get them, glad that Zamora's not playing, he's been on fire that lad.


I hope Rafa puts out a good attacking side, and I'm sure after the performance the other night, the lads will be in buoyant mood to carry that on.

Come on you mighty REDS !!!

I would go with the same line up barring yossi,bring him on second half with babel,again i think lucas will be key for us in this game as too maxi.

Not on TV again which I find pretty ridiculous, in this day and age you should be able to watch any premier league game on television, especially the with the biggest teams.

Our home advantage is going to be the big difference today, think Torres' amazing goal record at home will continue.

Isn't it 6pm or something where you are?

Can't believe yet another 'must win' match has only 2 pages.

8pm now, been up since midnight though.

Reina

Johnson Skrtel Kyrgiakos Agger

Macherano

Maxi Lucas Gerrard Kuyt

Torres

That's what I would go for.

Reina

Johnson Carra Kyrgiakos Agger

Macherano

Maxi Aqualani Gerrard

Babel

Torres
I would do that !!

Would prefer seeing Babel starting today. The boys still got alot to prove to get in Holland's WC Squad so will surely give a performance.

Would prefer seeing Babel starting today. The boys still got alot to prove to get in Holland's WC Squad so will surely give a performance.

If that's his motivation then i'd say he doesn't deserve a start.

PaddyPower:

Torres - Hat Trick 7/1

Anyone?

Torres isn't playing, do you really think he would be after holding his knee the last 2 games..

No Insua for anyone. I think I'd prefer Agger there, but I'm not so sure I see Benitez doing that.

Wonder will we see a different front four start with a view to taking advantage of the fact they played in germany on thurs and we have babel maxi ngog and aquilani all fresh

Buzzing for this today. Wish I was going.

Come on Redmen!!

Should be an interesting match. I believe we will control the game, if we score early this could be a way of stating our claims as being a different pedigree to the like of Fulham.

If that's his motivation then I'd say he doesn't deserve a start.

Not motivation. Added incentive to do well as it draws nearer. Focus should still be on getting 4th/winning Europa.

Also hoping to see Aquilani actually given a chance today. Should be a cracking game anyway!

No torres? Your sure?

Torres isn't playing, do you really think he would be after holding his knee the last 2 games..

Do you know the team for today mate?

I've also heard Torres isn't playing. Not sure though.

Not heard anything of this. Says on BBC Website he's expected to be fit so don't know what to think. With or without him we'll win..

If he isn't, we can still do the job without him.

Rafa will probably get a load of stick off of the press for this.

Seems stupid if he did. Resting Torres and still winning and Rafa's a bad manager? Shows how pathetic they really are towards us..

Not sure who we'd put upfront without him. Kuyt I'd imagine.

Shame if Torres doesn't play, still think we'll batter them today.  Revenge will be sweet

Said on the radio before Torres' fitness will be monitored, so I think that most likely means he'll be on the bench. Could be wrong though.

We shall know soon. Just about an hour till kick off

If Torres isn't fit to start then I'd like to see Kuyt up top with Aquilani playing off him, the lad needs a start, especially after his cracking performance against Portsmouth. A good performance from him could really give the squad confidence in depth going into the final few games of the season.

Maxi and Babel for me on the wings also, Maxi's been in great form recently, one of our top players I reckon. Gonna try and watch the game on Veetle, as It's a joke that nobody is broadcasting it.

just been on SSN...Torres isn't even in the squad!

Ngog starts - Torres not even on the bench.

Does anybody know if Aquilani is starting?

Just seen it, good squad to me, looking forward to seeing how N-Gog does, it's been a while since he's had a starting role in the team, I would like to see a good game from him.

Starting 11

Reina, Johnson, Carra, Sotis, Agger Masch, Aquilani, Maxi, Babel, Gerrard, Ngog

Not sure about subs

David Ngog starts in place of the injured Fernando Torres against Fulham - a game you can listen to live from 2.30pm BST.

Meanwhile, Daniel Agger continues at left-back in place of Emiliano Insua, who is also injured.  

The Reds XI in full is: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Agger, Mascherano, Aquilani, Babel, Maxi, Gerrard, Ngog. Subs: Cavalieri, Kuyt, Benayoun, Lucas, Degen, Pacheco, Ayala.

The Reds XI in full is: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Agger, Mascherano, Aquilani, Babel, Maxi, Gerrard, Ngog.

Subs: Cavalieri, Kuyt, Benayoun, Lucas, Degen, Pacheco, Ayala.

Locked.

Match-thread:
http://www.lfcreds.com/reds/index.php?topic=29124.msg634456#msg634456