Liverpool – Fulham Preview

Rafael Benitez looks to build on last weeks victory versus Manchester United, by overcoming Fulham at Craven Cottage. However, Roy Hodgson has built a side capable of passing with the best of them, at Liverpool will have to be trenchant and confident in attack, if they are to come away with a win.

TEAM NEWS

Liverpool:

Gerrard, Riera and Johnson out injured, Aquilani also out with a virus.

Likely Line-up:

———————————————-Reina—————————————-

—-Degen——————–Skrtel——————Carragher———–Insua——

——————————–Lucas———–Mascherano—————————-

————————Benayoun—————————————–Aurelio——-

—————————————–Kuyt———————————————–

——————————————Torres——————————————–

Fulham:

Konchesky, Davies, Johnson, Etuhu and Murphy all out.

Likely Line-up:

——————————–Schwarzer———————————

——–Pantsil———Hughes——Hangeland——-Konchesky—

—————————–Baird—Greening—————————

——Dempsey———————————————–Duff——-

—————————Kamara——Zamora———————–

In Depth:

With Johnson out, Liverpool look to the treatment-bound Philip Degen to anchor the right flank, and ensure Yossi Benayoun license to drift infield, to support and link play between Lucas Leiva and Dirk Kuyt. The Swiss showed solid attacking instinct and a firm technical ability against Arsenal, yet he will need to curtail his attacking runs and ensure Liverpool’s right-wing is not exposed. Aquilani’s virus means Lucas partners Mascherano in central midfield; the Brazilian showed ability against Manchester United, and it is imperative that Kuyt and Benayoun are constantly dropping deep and presenting the short pass option, as opposed standing 25-yards away in the final third, a distance neither Mascherano nor Lucas are accomplished at distributing over.

Providing either Kuyt or Benayoun perpetually offer Lucas support just ahead of central midfield, this should allow for Fulham’s central midfield to be triangulated and will also free up space for Degen and Insua to bomb forward without their runs going to waste:

Key:

Red = Liverpool

White = Fulham

Black = Ball

Tactical View

 

In the above, Lucas is in possession of the ball in central midfield. With Kuyt dropping deep, and Aurelio as well as Benayoun coming infield, Liverpool now outnumber Fulham’s midfield four to five, with Insua and Degen also offering width on either flank. Lucas now has plenty of passing options; he can go wide and stretch Fulham, take the ball forward, draw an opponent which will free up another Liverpool player for the pass, or look for Torres who can then hold the ball, drop short, draw an opposition midfielder and release Benayoun, Kuyt or Aurelio into space.

Frankly, this is pivotal if Liverpool are to achieve any degree of success tomorrow, as far too often in recent times have Kuyt, Benayoun and Aurelio drifted far too ahead of Lucas into the final third, allowing for Lucas to be closed down due to a lack of short options or for a wayward long ball forward. Until Alberto Aquilani returns, and Liverpool’s midfield possesses a man whose long passing range can prompt forward runs and who can ping passes 50-yards to feet, Lucas must be given short support constantly, or else Liverpool’s title challenge will be further sabotaged tomorrow.

Prediction:

Liverpool 2-0 Fulham

Providing Benitez adheres to his setup in the previous two games, in which Liverpool’s central midfield has always had plentiful support allowing for a flowing, rhythmic, short passing game, Liverpool should be able to overcome Roy Hodgson’s men. However, if not, Fulham will frustrate Liverpool in defence, and will look to their own swift, short passing style to open up the ostensibly shaky Liverpool back four.

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