⚽️ Liverpool vs Fulham - Live Weblog

November 11, 2018 🕸 ⚽️

It’s 6am here in Chicago so I’m starting about five minutes in and cannot guarantee any coherent or consistent thoughts. Cheers!

06:10 - Liverpool looks like they are in a 4-2-3-1. With Salah leading the charge, Firmino, Mane, and Shaqiri right behind. Fabinho and Wijnaldum in a holding midfield and the usual defensive four with Allison in goal.
06:13 - Fulham is literally dead last in the tables I imagine Liverpool might try to throw a hard attack, since they’ve had trouble scoring lately. And then once a nice lead is secured, they will pull back and have a defensive sub at half, taking one of the attacking midfielders to join Fabinho and Wijnaldum.
06:14 - Shaqiri had a beautiful strike from just outside the box. It was a bit wide but the goalie just got his fingertips on it. No corner awarded though as the referees missed it.
06:18 - A beautiful little give-and-give-and-give and go between Salah and Firmino leads to Salah directly in front of the keeper for an opportunity he could not finish.
06:21 - Fabinho getting a chance to show some of skill chipping into the box from deep, setting up Alexander-Arnold for a header that ends up just over the goal.
06:23 - Salah with a nice up close opportunity (off a set up from Shaqiri) ends up directly off the keeper once again.
06:25 - Fulham just had the best opportunity of the game, but it ends up just wide. Lucky break for Liverpool.
06:27 - Bournemouth, Cardiff City, Arsenal, Everton, Machester City, and Spurs have all scored three or more goals against Fulham. That’s the measuring stick I’ll be using the judge Liverpool today. A lot of possession doesn’t mean anything if they continue to struggle putting the ball in the back of the net.
06:31 - Allison with a nice save diving to his right and van Dijk helped cleanup the rebound. Overall, Liverpool have had more chances, but Fulham has had the two scariest so far.
06:37 - First corner for Liverpool coming up.
06:37 - Corner is immediately cleared.
06:39 - Mane’s first touch of a Firmino lead pass spoils another opportunity.
06:41 - Fabinho with a hard tackle at midfield. Lucky to avoid the yellow card with that one.
06:41 - First corner for Fulham coming up.
06:42 - GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL SALAH!!!

40:54 Liverpool 1-0 Fulham

06:45 - That was a quick turn of events. Fulham opted for a short corner, leading to a chip into the box and a header in the back of the net, which was called back for offsides. Allison quickly turned it around which lead to a run down the right side for Salah, who took it all the way resulting in the score.

HALFTIME Liverpool 1-0 Fulham

06:54 - This is the least confident one could feel with a 1-0 lead vs. Fulham, at home to boot. I honestly don’t know if the offside call on Fulham’s goal was the right call and it essentially caused a two goal swing, taking one from Fulham, and leading directly to the only Liverpool goal.
07:10 - Mane with a beautiful strike on target from just outside the box requiring the Fulham keeper to tip it over the net.
07:11 - GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL Shaqiri.

52:58 Liverpool 2-0 Fulham

07:12 - After the corner from Mane’s attempt trickled out, Robertson chipped it back in the box for a left-footed volley by Shaqiri right out of the air and unit the back of the net.
07:16 - Fulham’s Chambers awarded a yellow card for a tackle on Salah.
07:20 - First sub for Fulham used at 62:30.
07:23 - With wide open space, Firmino is able to set up Roberston for a strike inside the box, but no rebound opporuas Salah is called offside.
07:25 - Free kick awarded to Liverpool just outside the box as Salah is tackled.
07:26 - Interesting to see defenders get multiple chances on free kicks. Both van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold have taken one.
07:27 - Henderson in for Wijnaldam for Liverpool’s first sub at 68:45.
07:28 - Feel free kick from Shaqiri forces a corner opportunity for Liverpool.
07:35 - Gomez awarded a yellow card. Far enough away from the Liverpool for the free kick to be much a danger.
07:38 - Fabinho with a nice tackle that almost set up a run but was forced out to slow the break down.
07:39 - Milner on for Shaqiri for Liverpool’s second sub at 80:59.
07:41 - Nice defensive stand by Gomez to spoil an opportunity. Corner for Fulham is easily cleared by Alexander-Arnold.
07:41 - Fulham used their second sub at 83:12.
07:45 - Some great passing between Arnold, Fabinho, and Firmino sets up a Liverpool corner.
07:47 - I said it last week, but I continue to be impressed with van Dijk’s poise and footwork when he gets opportunities in the box on the offensive side.
07:48 - Salah’s opportunity just spoiled. A good run up the right side, into the box, and a quick cut back to his left for the shot. Just wasn’t able to get passed the second defender.
07:49 - Keita in for Fabinho to use Liverpool’s last sub at 91:28.

FINAL Liverpool 2-0 Fulham