Yet again, another frustrating game for the Reds. A game one would have expected us to win but as been the case for most parts of this season, we have failed to find the back on the net against teams who come out to defend against us at Anfield. With Torres back in the starting lineup I thought that we would find the cutting edge no matter if Fulham defended with all they had. I was shocked when I saw the teams walk out onto the pitch and I saw that Lucas was starting and Alonso was on the bench.
Okay, Alonso had played for 90 minutes for Spain in midweek so he could have been tired but I would have expected him to start ahead of Lucas. I was a great admirer of Lucas when he came to Anfield but of late he has not impressed me. He is meant to be a slightly more attack minded midfielder than Alonso and Mascherano but he just does not seem to have that x-factor you would expect from a Brazilian midfielder. And against Fulham he just did not do much!
We huffed and puffed for 90 minutes but could not score. Robbie Keane had a glorious opportunity to take the lead in the first half but somehow he struck the keeper instead of finding the back of the net. It was clear that we were missing Stevie G’s drive from midfield. We certainly could have done with him being on the pitch. But we will not have Captain Fantastic all the time and we need to find a way to unlock teams without him.
The only consolation from this result is that Chelsea and Man Utd also drew so no one pulled away or closer to us. It would have been perfect if we took 3 points against Fulham and Chelsea and Man Utd were both held.
We can not sit down and cry about this draw and we just need to pick ourselves up and continue working our way and see where we are come May.
As I was in the pub all day Saturday I was lucky i did not have to watch this match as going by the reports it was of the type that makes me physically sick. Absolute crazy decision by Rafa not to play Alonso. One again he under-estimated the opposition simply because they are at the bottom of the league. He still does not seem to understand that the EPL is NOT Spain, nor is it Italy or many of the other Euro leagues where teams at the bottom are simply cannon fodder and three points are pretty much in the bag when you step off the team bus.
The EPL is the strongest league in the WORLD fact. Every team is capable on their day of causing an upset (even a percentage of the championship sides can)and the sooner Rafa gets that and plays his strongest team possible against every team then we will win naff all. I am not saying that I could do a better job than him, far from it, but ask 1000 Liverpool supporters and I bet a high majority of them will believe that Alonso should have been on the pitch from the start and if not should have been on after 45 mins.
Wake up Rafa, that now 7 points dropped against Stoke, Fulham and Spurs – all botton of the league sides. Liverpools problems in the past has not been putting these sides to the sword and then losing agsint the top sides. This season we are competing against the so called “elite” but we need to be picking up 3 points agsint these sides for a true challenge this season. I just hope we are not looking back for 4 points at the end of the season and having to look at dropped points at home against these sides.