Liverpool 0-0 Fulham - In game and post match frustration

How did Aquilani get on?

He was probably our best player until he came off. He had a few good shots saved by Schwarzer and created most of our chances.

Nice one, i hope he improves every week & start fresh next season.

Sorry it didn't go the way you wanted mate! Agreed though, some teams really do just make you wonder don't they!

Afraid I disagree, they did what any side would do. We were all over them, they dug in and defended well. We can count ourselves lucky that they didn't counter attack very well, I was appalled at Kyrgiakos's performance today, and the Benfica game. He looks nervous on the ball and ruins chances when he gets up for set pieces. Any defending he did was blasting the ball out, no thought for passing.

Weird thought cus I used to fancy him as a 1st teamer, however the last few performances have been poor.

Sorry it didn't go the way you wanted mate! Agreed though, some teams really do just make you wonder don't they!

Another thing, i was listening to radio mersyside in the traffic jam and some guy said Rafa was out thought and he'd prefer Hodgson as manager next season.
I nearly ripped the radio out the car and threw it out the window.
Who are these idiots.
Thought Glen was class today superb player.

Today was only the second time all season I was able to actually watch a LIVE match on TV here in the States. I just accidentally ran across the pre-match show on ESPN while trying to get online and watch a stream.  Which for me was an awesome way to wake up this morning. So I envy anyone living in Liverpool who doesn't have to watch a match constantly buffer on a 16" laptop.   

Regardless...I am not happy that we got a home draw against Fulham.  Theirs no doubt that we HAD to get 3 points today and also the maximum points from the remaining 5 matches to get 70 points and a chance for the 4 spot and honestly 70 points might not even secure the 4 spot.

Today was a MUST WIN for this squad and 1 point instead of 3 was disappointing.

However I am not down on their play today.  I thought they played great. They just pummeled Fulham and spent a majority of the match in Fulhams backfield.  They passed the ball, created chances. Aqualiani was superb. Agger had a few quality shots. Gerrard played well. He had some good shots on goal and I thought he played great.  The whole team played great.  For once I dont blame Liverpool for the loss. The only save Reina had to make was in the 92 minute, which shows me that our defense and play was even better than Fulhams.  It was just Fulham were able to collapse on any attack and deflected so many shots on goal.  Every shot on goal had deflected off a Fulham player.  Most times with that much pressure just the law of averages and some luck would put a goal in the net. But it happens.The Fulham keeper was superb and made great saves.  I honestly think that Fulhams defense and their game plan worked perfect and they managed a point at Anfield which for Fulham is a big achievement.

Am I upset that we missed out on 3 points?  Yes, I am. But and I may be the only one, but I actually thought Liverpool played well and did what they needed to win and 9 times out 10 those deflections would of put a ball in net. But it didn't happen so move on.  We got 4 more matches and can get 12 points which would give us 68 points.  I am optimistic that we can still get the 4 spot but that means a win against Chelsea, which is at Anfield. the remaining 3 matches are Hull, Burnley and West Ham. 3 teams fighting relegation. That and a few City losses could sneak us into the 4 spot. So, I dont know.   

Theirs a famous sports quote from the NY Yankees Yogi Berra.  He once said " It aint over til' its over"... This is a guy who won 13 Championships. I agree with that 100%.   Of course he also said..."90% of the game is half mental"...So, take it for what it is.

Dont lose faith. Believe and keep following this team till the end.  What ever happens, happens. Thats it. Regardless of where they finish, I still love this team and will follow them on my death bed. Bad seasons happen. We have enjoyed a phenomenal run of Cups and winning teams. Remember Istanbul?...That alone is worth any heartache I can feel toward this team. I wouldn't trade the last 10 seasons for anything. I have cheered,cried,screamed and almost had a stroke watching some of those CL matches. I may be the only Liverpool supporter in 50 miles, but I dont care. All in all. I can only thank them for what they have done and accomplished.

Thought Glen was class today superb player.

Yeah he was.

He always does in games like that when he doesn't have to defend.

f**k, sometimes the players just have to step up and take responsibility. we were at home to a team with one of the worst away records in the league. we should have won, simple as that. so what if we don't have torres playing, so what if they defended with 11 men behind the ball, so f***ed off with the team now. thoroughly depressing.

city have just thumped b'ham 5-1 and we only managed a draw.
we don't deserve the 4th place, simple as that

Just got back from the game and haven't read the thread but just want to say that I spent a lot of time and money getting tickets for me and my son and for that sower of sh*t fulham parking the bus and spoiling the game was a disgrace to football.
If Roy hodgson is supposed to be a good manager then were all doomed to negativity.
Football is about entertainment and only one team tried to win that game today and tried to play football.
Shame on you Fulham
Rant over.

I agree with what you are saying about them not playing entertaining football but at the end of the day if they tried to pass it around and play nice football, we would have walked all over them.
The only way they were going to get something out of the game was to park the bus and go for the counter-attack, football is about results not about how attractive its played and how you achieve them results.
And to be fair to Fulham, I think they played well, we had so many chances and they defended well and didn't allow us to have many good goal-scoring opportunities.

city have just thumped b'ham 5-1 and we only managed a draw.
we don't deserve the 4th place, simple as that

maybe we dont deserve it, but should one of those deflections had gone in the game then would have panned out completely different. Fulham would have tried to get something from the game creating more space and we would have scored more.

But once again.. Thats football

glad aquilani played well and pachecos cameo is a plus

I agree with what you are saying about them not playing entertaining football but at the end of the day if they tried to pass it around and play nice football, we would have walked all over them.
The only way they were going to get something out of the game was to park the bus and go for the counter-attack, football is about results not about how attractive its played and how you achieve them results.
And to be fair to Fulham, I think they played well, we had so many chances and they defended well and didn't allow us to have many good goal-scoring opportunities.

True enough i am just fed up with people saying how good teams are and yet they don't have the balls to play football against a good side.
I know what you are saying and you are right but i hope their bus breaks down on the way back because it was parked in front of their goal most of the game.

Fourth place is all over now.

We'll be lucky to get 5th, probably have to win all our remainiding games but wouldn't be suprised if the table didn't change.

The simple fact there's still a trophy to be won - if we win something for the first time in four years that'll put a smile on my face!!

Those of you whinging about Fulhams tactics, get over yourselves, teams like that have come to Anfield for the past 30 years, and generally come away with nothing, we were to blame for being toothless in front of goal, they wern't going to simply let us score were they?

It may have been a drab showing from them today, but this isn't F***ing basketball we are playing, it is football, a highly tactical game, but if you get your chance, you must take it. Players such as Ngog, Aquilaini and Maxi today missed chances, so we had the oppertunities to win the game, we were simply unfortunate or unable to get the vital goal.

Credit to Fulham, questions must be asked against our team. It cost a lot more than Fulhams did to assemble, lets put it that way.

We will forever be the best football club and the best football fans in the world, no matter what happens.....YNWA!

here here

Although I admire the people who still stick by Rafa despite everything that has happened this season, I cannot say I feel the same way.

Rafa has now had 6 full season's to put a side together capable of winning the premier league title.  For whatever reason it just has not happened for him.  Ok last season was a very good season and finishing 2nd and four points behind Manchester United was not a bad season's work.  

But for the person who wrote in before saying he would be happy with a mid-table finish because of our financial restraints, I really cannot agree.  I go to nearly every home league game including the one today and there are a lot of average players in that side who should consider themselves extremely fortunate to be playing for Liverpool Football Club.  

Money simply doesn't come into it.  Last season we had a fantastic year in which we finished a close second.  Our financial budget was no better than what it is this season and yet we managed to compete.  So why not this season? Some fans are too quick to blame a lack of investment on the club's failings.  Manchester United lost two of their best players last season in Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo.  Chelsea and Arsenal didn't spend massive amounts of money yet they are all still competing.  Everton have spent little or nothing and yet they are just six points behind us with a game in hand.  

Rafa has had massive amounts of support from the Liverpool fans, maybe even too much. For a man who has spent as much as he has and only has a Champions league and an FA cup to shoe for it says it all as far as I'm concerned.  The club's going backwards under his management and yet the fans continue to back a man who for large proportions of the season has used the ''financial restraints'' placed on the club as an excuse to fall back on.  

It also strikes me that if anybody dares question Rafa on these forums you get slautured for it.  People get abuse just because they dont go with the majority of opinion.  Yet this is a forum and people have different views and everybody's should be respected.  My view is that Rafa has underachieved at the club and ''lack of finances'' is a rather lame excuse for his failings.

Finally nobody can criticise the way Fulham played today.  They have a paper thin squad that has played nearly 55 games this season and they play the way that works for them.  

Frustrated with today's result, but it's not today that we've blown it, for the season. I think on the positive, provided we both get through our respective semi's then Rafa will have learned more about them than vice versa, and there is no way they could be that negative in a cup final and get away with it.

Rafa has had massive amounts of support from the Liverpool fans, maybe even too much. For a man who has spent as much as he has and only has a Champions league and an FA cup to shoe for it says it all as far as I'm concerned.  The club's going backwards under his management and yet the fans continue to back a man who for large proportions of the season has used the ''financial restraints'' placed on the club as an excuse to fall back on. 

Personally, I can't say that Benitez has spent a lot. The squads that Chelsea, Arsenal and the Mancs have are built up of players they have accrued. Some were brought in for a half decent amount of money, others not. The difference is that they haven't had to get rid of many to fund their new purchases.

But with our squads, you see the likes of Bellamy and Crouch going out, and Torres coming in. Yes, Benitez has spent money on players, and quite wisely I feel personally, but you can't ignore that some players we would have loved to have kept hold of, for squad purposes even, have left.

I'm not saying that Benitez hasn't made mistakes, tactically or with regards to his transfer dealings. But he has done an awful lot right too, and I wouldn't say it is fair to ignore that. This season has been a complete freak though. It is hard to pinpoint one main contributing factor, but a lack of funding is one of them. Not all but just one, of many in my opinion.

And with regards to the game today, which is the topic at hand by the way I thought Fulham defended well. It was quite clear what their objectives were today and they got what they deserved out of the match. As you and philH have said, it wasn't today we blew 4th place, it was weeks ago. Fulham have played well this season and Roy Hodgson has done a good job with them.

Ok- not long got home from the game, and a little disheartened-
I thought we played well- and should have scored on a number of occasions!!
Credit where its due- Fulham defended their hearts out today! And it cant be easy to play the entire game in half a pitch!
Aquliani played well, nice to see Pacheco- even if it was for 10 minutes!  Ngog is an idiot- I wont be having any of this- `hes still young and getting used to the premier league` bullshit- he misses 9 out of 10 chances- and i cant stand to see his face anymore!
   Atmosphere was shocking- those sitting at the front of the kop & Centenary block kp should be ashamed!! Typical daytrippers with their cameras- (one guy trying to take a pic of Gerrard taking a corner- couldnt get one as i was accidentally clapping & knocking into him.. Oops!)
And whats with people mouthing or whispering the words to a song??!!! Either sing it or dont!!

I have to take some positives from this game- we played well and i believe we were unlucky to score-
I may now be defeated in terms of 4th place- and am mentally prepared for this not to happen, it would take nothing short of a miracle.
Maybe not reaching 4th means we can concentrate on the league?? No champions league fooball for 1 year is not the end of the world- far from it!
   I am also not anti-rafa, i believe we have the players in our team to win the league- They just need to be used in the right way!

Although I admire the people who still stick by Rafa despite everything that has happened this season, I cannot say I feel the same way.

Rafa has now had 6 full season's to put a side together capable of winning the premier league title.  For whatever reason it just has not happened for him.  Ok last season was a very good season and finishing 2nd and four points behind Manchester United was not a bad season's work. 

But for the person who wrote in before saying he would be happy with a mid-table finish because of our financial restraints, I really cannot agree.  I go to nearly every home league game including the one today and there are a lot of average players in that side who should consider themselves extremely fortunate to be playing for Liverpool Football Club. 

Money simply doesn't come into it.  Last season we had a fantastic year in which we finished a close second.  Our financial budget was no better than what it is this season and yet we managed to compete.  So why not this season? Some fans are too quick to blame a lack of investment on the club's failings.  Manchester United lost two of their best players last season in Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo.  Chelsea and Arsenal didn't spend massive amounts of money yet they are all still competing.  Everton have spent little or nothing and yet they are just six points behind us with a game in hand. 

Rafa has had massive amounts of support from the Liverpool fans, maybe even too much. For a man who has spent as much as he has and only has a Champions league and an FA cup to shoe for it says it all as far as I'm concerned.  The club's going backwards under his management and yet the fans continue to back a man who for large proportions of the season has used the ''financial restraints'' placed on the club as an excuse to fall back on. 

It also strikes me that if anybody dares question Rafa on these forums you get slautured for it.  People get abuse just because they dont go with the majority of opinion.  Yet this is a forum and people have different views and everybody's should be respected.  My view is that Rafa has underachieved at the club and ''lack of finances'' is a rather lame excuse for his failings.

Finally nobody can criticise the way Fulham played today.  They have a paper thin squad that has played nearly 55 games this season and they play the way that works for them. 

Well said i couldent of put it better

Missed the match, but from what I see we won't be the first match on MOTD

No champions league football next season. And the prospect of another Europa campaign on channel 5 doesn't excite me in the slightest.

 Agree with Ally playing Europa league next season doesn't excite me either and I doubt it will excite the bankers.

Are you two saying that you won't be cheering the Reds on next season in Europe ? because I will be !

Wrong thread??

Read the f**king title "Frustration"

If YOU cared to read the title of the thread when you made the quote I'm refering to, and when I replied you would have seen it was the 'match' thread and not 'aftermatch frustation'
so you read the 'F***ing title' ! 

Well if Torres, or anybody else - including fans - are here just for Champions League football they can f**k right off to somewhere else for it. We're not a stepping stone club for people to further their careers. Playing for Liverpool Football Club is a f**king privlage and honour than most people would jump at the chance of, and not because they're in the Champions League but because they are getting the chance to play for Liverpool Football Club.

Playing for this club is much more special than playing in the Champions League. Playing for this club is the pinnacle of anybody's career because we are Liverpool Football Club not because we're playing in the Champions League.

So if we miss out on fourth this year and people start whinging to f**k off to play in Europe's biggest competition then they can f**k off. I want people playing for this club because they want to play for the biggest club in the world and the most successful club in England and not just because they see it as a stepping stone to the Champions League.

32 sides play in the Champions League proper every f**king season so they can go and join one them but it'll be a step backwards because there'll only ever be one Liverpool Football Club.

Spot on there D.L.S. mate !

We could've finished 4th AND won the Europa League this season.

Have you given up on us already then Ally, 'Cause I bloody haven't !

Not a chance of that Frizz Read my comments in the "4th place achievable..." thread mate

What i meant by that was that staying in the Europa or getting 4th place weren't independent choices as many have suggested.

And by saying that Europa next season doesn't excite me, i mean i hate thinking about settling for that when we deserve to be in the Champions league.

And i'll be cheering my beloved Liverpool on next season, no matter what game, no matter what competition, and no matter what the state of affairs is at the club. But this season, there's still time to change how we finish the season and i don't want to settle for the Europa just yet

With City winning again this draw is a terrible blow for us. Thanks to fulham for parking the bus and making it a fantastically boring spectacle. If we meet them in the final hopefully they'll be a bit more adventurous the retards. Horrible day of football

Afraid I disagree, they did what any side would do. We were all over them, they dug in and defended well. We can count ourselves lucky that they didn't counter attack very well, I was appalled at Kyrgiakos's performance today, and the Benfica game. He looks nervous on the ball and ruins chances when he gets up for set pieces. Any defending he did was blasting the ball out, no thought for passing.

Weird thought cus I used to fancy him as a 1st teamer, however the last few performances have been poor.

He's not a Sergio Ramos/Thomas Vermaelen style player, he's a hard as nails no nonsense footballer. His first few months at the club were less than good because he tried to play nice, as long as he keeps kicking people up in the air I'll be happy, we could do with a bitta grit, especially at the back with that fairy Insua running around beside him