Fulham (H) - EFL Cup Semi Final, 1st leg - Wed 10th Jan 2024 (8:00pm)

[VladimirIlyich]

6 hours ago, AngryOfTuebrook said:

He's definitely got better at staying onside.  I approve.

No VAR helps. You know,just so when he is onside he isnt flagged as off.

[Redder Lurtz]

9 hours ago, lebron said:

 

He’s definitely had better games, and at very least games where he’s been more influential. I just think he gives us something different with his passing. As with our previous number 6 I wish he had a bit more recovery pace, but he’s not afraid of receiving the ball under pressure, normally turns really well with it and plays mostly quick, progressive passes. 

 

He struggled tonight with finding quick outlets in front of him. i’m not blaming that solely on him though. With Harvey parked on the wing (our only real “between the lines” player), he didn’t really have many options to release those early passes. Thought he started the 2nd half better (as did Harvey when he started to get into those “half-spaces”), and finished strongly.

 

Glad to converse!

 

Yes it is! 

 

I'm struggling to recall him being what you'd call influential though. Not entirely his fault. He's being played out of position and I can't see him getting into his number 10 position anytime soon. I think he's turning into a signing we didn't need and can't use properly. Oh and he shouldn't be taking corners. Dreadful. 

[Redder Lurtz]

9 hours ago, Caramac said:

 

 

VAR and Sky would have been dying to call Nunez offside there. Clearly wasn't but that never stops them trying.

 

"Oooh and VAR are having a look..." Fuck off.

 

The game is so much better without it. 

[Barrington Womble]

8 hours ago, Fallen Angel said:

 

 

I’d largely agree with all that. But to become the player we want / need he simply can’t keep missing the glut of chances he currently fluffs. He scores one of his chances today - the tie is done - he didn’t - now we are taking a slender lead to Fulham with the tie still in the balance. 

 

I thought when he bagged that brace against Newcastle that would be him turning the corner - sadly it wasn’t. 
 

And it is primarily on him to make it here (with the coaching staff and wider team) or he’ll fade into a memory cloud of ‘cult’ players with Origi, Bišćan, and Dicks…)

 

 

Dicks was a plant…literally as well a figuratively. 

Fluff what chances? He changed the game, we were losing when he came on and the way we were playing would likely gone on to lose. As I said in the Nunez thread, I genuinely feel sorry for people who can't/won't enjoy his contribution. 

[Trumo]

Perreira? Shithouse, rolling around like Neymar, clearly trying to get Virg sent off.

 

Coote? Let the play flow for the most part, bar one hugely frustrating stoppage in the first half when we'd broke the lines. That pissed everybody off. I can also guarantee that the handball incident in the second half, were he in the VAR booth, would have resulted in a penalty being given. It wasn't a penalty so the right call in real time, but he is one of those officials at the forefront of every PGMOL fuck-up and veers towards stupid when on VAR duty.

 

As for us, for an hour we had all the possession but had given Leno nothing to do. We weren't playing badly as such, but we lacked incisiveness and the final ball was lacking. De Cordova-Reid opting to shoot instead of squaring it seemed to wake us up a bit, along with the introductions of Cody and Darwin. Almost like a "you will regret that" moment. Curtis' deflected strike got us back on track, Cody put us ahead, and Leno was suddenly very busy. I don't know what more Darwin has to do to find the net. To me it looks like Haaland in the exact same situations would do the exact same things, and the ball would hit the net. Darwin finds the keeper or the woodwork. Impressive outing for Bradley at right back too.

 

It's still up in the air in the second leg, but we have never taken the easy route.

[Reckoner]

9 hours ago, Caramac said:

 

I love it when players really celebrate a teammate scoring a goal, always a good sign for team spirit. Look at Jotas and Diaz’ reaction on Gakpos goal.

Often players just look like they wish they’d scored it themselves. The red mancs have about 20 examples.

[Reckoner]

10 hours ago, rubble-rouser said:

Aaargh. Accidental neg. Meant to rep 

Phil McNulty over here.

[Fallen Angel]

23 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

Fluff what chances? He changed the game, we were losing when he came on and the way we were playing would likely gone on to lose. As I said in the Nunez thread, I genuinely feel sorry for people who can't/won't enjoy his contribution. 

The header was a good save to be fair, but also I wasn’t just considering last night. He is currently on a run ‘without a goal from his last 24 shots and has missed a big chance every game’ (that’s from Sky, pre Arsenal) think that’s 11 games  - so he is consistent at least.

 

We may also have ran out 4 - 1 winners if he stayed on the bench - it’s simply not possible for anyone to say. 
 

Who said they didn’t enjoy his contribution? That right. NOBODY … it is quite possible to enjoy other aspects of his game whilst also believing he could / should be scoring more. Sorry, forgot everything must be black or white on here; you are either for or against. 

[Reckoner]

11 hours ago, gkmacca said:

The ghost of Don Revie must have been drenching in ectoplasm in ecstasy at that performance. What a shite-spewing side they are. If the sports hacks had any integrity they'd seize on that god-awful eye-holding farce in the first half as just one example of what they got away with. We should go there and batter the shite of them.

The Guardian -  “The Liverpool captain was booked moments later for catching Pereira in the face with an elbow as the pair contested a loose ball.”

 

No mention of the reaction either.

[Reckoner]

Nunez is generally boss but often his finishing is shite. Case closed.

[sir roger]

34 minutes ago, Reckoner said:

I love it when players really celebrate a teammate scoring a goal, always a good sign for team spirit. Look at Jotas and Diaz’ reaction on Gakpos goal.

Often players just look like they wish they’d scored it themselves. The red mancs have about 20 examples.

 

I always look out for this, very revealing.

[Manny]

It's been said loads but the thing about Nunez is that he gives defenders so much to worry about. It's easy for rival fans to just think that "he's shit at finishing, so what's there to worry about?" - but I can imagine on the pitch you're just thinking the next one will be the one that goes in: letting him keep having chances isn't really a tenable plan. So having a guy who is just a chance machine, a guy who keeps getting shots away and repeatedly proving your defence against him isn't working, is probably a torturous thing to have to face. Even if he doesn't convert as many as the attacking side would like.

 

I'd much rather see him in the side than out, especially in the absence of Salah.

[BeefStroganoff]

Hes a paradox Nunez.

 

I get it, he's a handful and he does cause defences headaches with his unpredictable nature. But he was bought to score goals and if he was able to do that consistently we'd probably be running away with the title at the moment.

 

I think him and Gakpo are frustrating, as in both contribute on a semi permanent basis but are never always at the peak.

[Code]

All three of Jota, Nunez and Gakpo is close to 10 goals each now this season.

 

Gakpo - 9

Jota - 9

Nunez - 8

 

 

[TheHowieLama]

It would be easy to write Nunez off if another player slotted in - whether through the middle or on the left - and created the same chances, but they don't.

[Mook]

We've been crying out for these sorts of options up front for years and now we have them, we've still got folk moaning about this and that. 

 

Personally now that Diaz looks to be getting back to his best, I'm loving all five of them. Absolutely brilliant we can bring really good players on in the second half to tear it up.

[Barrington Womble]

3 hours ago, Fallen Angel said:

The header was a good save to be fair, but also I wasn’t just considering last night. He is currently on a run ‘without a goal from his last 24 shots and has missed a big chance every game’ (that’s from Sky, pre Arsenal) think that’s 11 games  - so he is consistent at least.

 

We may also have ran out 4 - 1 winners if he stayed on the bench - it’s simply not possible for anyone to say. 
 

Who said they didn’t enjoy his contribution? That right. NOBODY … it is quite possible to enjoy other aspects of his game whilst also believing he could / should be scoring more. Sorry, forgot everything must be black or white on here; you are either for or against. 

 

if you watched that opening 55 minutes, you wouldn't think we would run out 4-1 winners had we not introduced Nunez, because he was the one who changed the game, i think you are confusing us with another team. 

 

your bellyaching about nunez on here would suggest you don't enjoy his performances. 

 

nobody is saying he shouldn't score more. he clearly should. but is overall contribution makes him a valuable asset in our team. if he puts away half the chances he has, he will be the best forward in the league. you made a point of saying "But to become the player we want / need he simply can’t keep missing the glut of chances he currently fluffs" . So I would say he did fluff a few a while back, but mainly actually, rather like last night, it's not because he keeps "missing" as you say. it's because the keeper is saving them. That save Leno made from the chance about 6 yards out was brilliant and if Ali had made it, we would all be applauding it. You also talk about him being "the player we want and need". Well this is another part of where I think this continued talking down of his contributions falls over. He is the player we want/need. He is for me. He is for Klopp. I am assuming you think he can only be successful if he is scoring off the charts? I don't see it like that at all. he is successful right now. As a team we are in every competition we started and are top of the league. What more do we "need"? So it really comes down to what you and not "we" want. It just all comes across as spoilt brat syndrome.

 

Not for the first time last night, Nunez was exceptional and people just queue up to slag him off. 

[Rushies tash]

3 hours ago, Reckoner said:

The Guardian -  “The Liverpool captain was booked moments later for catching Pereira in the face with an elbow as the pair contested a loose ball.”

 

No mention of the reaction either.

 

His elbow? Maybe I missed that bit. Looked for all the world like his hand.

[Fallen Angel]

33 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

 

if you watched that opening 55 minutes, you wouldn't think we would run out 4-1 winners had we not introduced Nunez, because he was the one who changed the game, i think you are confusing us with another team. 

 

your bellyaching about nunez on here would suggest you don't enjoy his performances. 

 

nobody is saying he shouldn't score more. he clearly should. but is overall contribution makes him a valuable asset in our team. if he puts away half the chances he has, he will be the best forward in the league. you made a point of saying "But to become the player we want / need he simply can’t keep missing the glut of chances he currently fluffs" . So I would say he did fluff a few a while back, but mainly actually, rather like last night, it's not because he keeps "missing" as you say. it's because the keeper is saving them. That save Leno made from the chance about 6 yards out was brilliant and if Ali had made it, we would all be applauding it. You also talk about him being "the player we want and need". Well this is another part of where I think this continued talking down of his contributions falls over. He is the player we want/need. He is for me. He is for Klopp. I am assuming you think he can only be successful if he is scoring off the charts? I don't see it like that at all. he is successful right now. As a team we are in every competition we started and are top of the league. What more do we "need"? So it really comes down to what you and not "we" want. It just all comes across as spoilt brat syndrome.

 

Not for the first time last night, Nunez was exceptional and people just queue up to slag him off. 

As nobody is suggested they didn’t enjoy other aspects of his game, just you implying that, likewise no-one is bellyaching. It’s a forum, for people to, you know, express opinions.

I want to see the lad reach his full potential at Anfield, and that means scoring more, as soon as possible. 

[Mudface]

50 minutes ago, Rushies tash said:

 

His elbow? Maybe I missed that bit. Looked for all the world like his hand.

 It was, and he made a massive meal of it, the shit haired fanny.

[3 Stacks]

1 hour ago, Mook said:

We've been crying out for these sorts of options up front for years and now we have them, we've still got folk moaning about this and that. 

 

Personally now that Diaz looks to be getting back to his best, I'm loving all five of them. Absolutely brilliant we can bring really good players on in the second half to tear it up.

I think the fact that no trio we have used has really found continuity or consistency is annoying but the difference is having 5 subs now. That's why it's working.

 

I didn't think of that myself that this was the point with the forwards, but surely that's what the strategy has been all along. We have used the 5 subs better than anyone. When the 5 forwards are all there, as a group, they are untenable for opponents. The 2 that come on as subs always make a difference.

 

 

[Lario]

No doubt Darwin misses a fuck load of chances.

 

But he's scares the living shit out of every defence he plays against, and never stops working while in the team.

 

A good egg is Darwin.

[lebron]

3 hours ago, 3 Stacks said:

I think the fact that no trio we have used has really found continuity or consistency is annoying but the difference is having 5 subs now. That's why it's working.

 

I didn't think of that myself that this was the point with the forwards, but surely that's what the strategy has been all along. We have used the 5 subs better than anyone. When the 5 forwards are all there, as a group, they are untenable for opponents. The 2 that come on as subs always make a difference.

 

 

 

As a trio any combination of our 5 forwards are a step too far from our previous front 3 for my liking (nearly every trio in the history of the game would struggle to better the golden years of Mane-Firmino-Salah to be fair), but we've seen this story before in the league. Agree that 5 subs helps, but looking back at the best Utd and Arsenal sides in the 90s/00s, they always had impact players that could change the game. Even if I wouldn't call any of Sheringham, Solskjaer, Cole or Yorke (he was probably the closest when there) world class, they changed games and/or scored goals in crucial moments/late in games for the Mancs.

 

Not sure if enough is made of the importance of wearing sides down when playing against low-block sides in the league either. Unless you score quickly or you are really clinical, teams are so well drilled tactically now that there aren't really any big gaps to exploit unless the opponent plays a really expansive (Brighton/Us/City/Spurs/Arsenal) brand of football. We seem to struggle much more with the quick starts than we used to (Arsenal and CIty rely even more on this now), but thankfully we have such an array of options that we often get the job done even if we seem a bit more passive for periods of the game.

 

I

[3 Stacks]

57 minutes ago, lebron said:

 

As a trio any combination of our 5 forwards are a step too far from our previous front 3 for my liking (nearly every trio in the history of the game would struggle to better the golden years of Mane-Firmino-Salah to be fair), but we've seen this story before in the league. Agree that 5 subs helps, but looking back at the best Utd and Arsenal sides in the 90s/00s, they always had impact players that could change the game. Even if I wouldn't call any of Sheringham, Solskjaer, Cole or Yorke (he was probably the closest when there) world class, they changed games and/or scored goals in crucial moments/late in games for the Mancs.

 

Not sure if enough is made of the importance of wearing sides down when playing against low-block sides in the league either. Unless you score quickly or you are really clinical, teams are so well drilled tactically now that there aren't really any big gaps to exploit unless the opponent plays a really expansive (Brighton/Us/City/Spurs/Arsenal) brand of football. We seem to struggle much more with the quick starts than we used to (Arsenal and CIty rely even more on this now), but thankfully we have such an array of options that we often get the job done even if we seem a bit more passive for periods of the game.

 

I

That's what works, I would say. Diaz and Nunez can spend 70 minutes making bad choices with the ball but they're so intense and tiring to play against that Gakpo and Jota can come on and they feast. Or Jota and Gakpo can pose relatively little goal threat but they still work their tails off and then we have two more demons in Diaz and Nunez to come on. And no one really has 5 players of the calibre that we do. But the key is we have to have all of them fit because individually, the consistency isn't there.

 

It is also a bit like you said; when Man United figured out they should have loads of good strikers and one of them would often score late in games.

[VladimirIlyich]

Not sure how you can call yourself a fan when all you do is moan about a team that's lost one game that matters so far in half a season. Its quite pathetic really.