Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Daily Fulham- 14 minute blitz ends Liverpool's 26 game unbeaten streak
57 Plays9 days ago
Gavin looks back on a great afternoon for Fulham as they overcame league leaders Liverpool and strengthened their bid for Europe.
Our Sponsors
Bioniq- Don't settle for off-the-shelf solutions made for ANY body. Get what's right for YOU. Right now. We've spent years analyzing blood markers to develop our patented algorithm, enabling us to create a 100% personalized supplement to support your health by optimizing your micronutrient status.
Follow the link and Use code GSPN2025 for 40% off your first month's subscription.
www.bioniq.com/gspn2025
Zencastr- Built for quality- Designed for growth
A new era for creation is here.
The only complete audio + video platform to get best-in-class recording, intuitive editing, Al-powered growth features, and top-tier tools all in one place.
Get started for free!
We highly recommend it!
Global Sports Podcast Network- Creating the world's first network of 30-minute daily podcasts for the world's biggest sporting export, the English Premier League.
For advertising and sponsorship details or to learn more about the scale and demographics of our audience- email Ken Davies, VP Business & Development at:
ken.davies@globalsportspodcastnetwork.com
www.globalsportspodcastnetwork.com
Copyright] 2024| Global Sports Podcast Network] All Rights Reserved
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to the Daily Fulham Podcast
00:00:05
Speaker
sports podcast network work Hello and welcome back to the Daily Fulham Podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network, bringing you the latest news and views from across the Premier League as well as women's football.
00:00:18
Speaker
My name is Gavin Ruffall and Arne Slott, welcome to the Marco Silva Penitentiary. Wow, what a weekend, what a performance, what a result.
Surprise Victory: Fulham vs Liverpool
00:00:29
Speaker
I don't think any of us saw that coming, but if there's one thing we've learned from following Fulham this season, maybe it's to expect the unexpected. Yes, Fulham defeated Liverpool three goals to two on the weekend, which marked Liverpool's second Premier League defeat of the season. Fulham becoming the second team after Nottingham Forest to have a win over them in the league and in the process snapping their 26-game undefeated run.
00:00:53
Speaker
In a week that's been... Largely negative with some disappointing results for Fulham. Don't know how confidence levels would have been going into this one but the players were bang up for it weren't they and what a victory secured for the team and I'm going to try my best over the course of this episode to pick through the bones of all of the key parts from the game and tell you how they did it. So as I said Fulham did come into this game off the back of successive defeats after the international break.
Tactics and Aggression: Marco Silva's Strategy
00:01:19
Speaker
The one last week at home to Crystal Palace, bitly disappointing. So you wonder how confident they would have been going into this game. But at the same time, you do look at Fulham's results against some of the bigger sides the season.
00:01:30
Speaker
And we know on their day they can hold their own, despite going down to Arsenal in midweek. Having said that, you would have had to fancy Liverpool heading into this one. Big win for them in this week, the Merseyside derby, winning that by a goal to nil.
00:01:42
Speaker
And they're very close to being crowned Premier League champions for just the second time. Marco Silva, he made it clear, I think one of the things he said he wanted to see following the Arsenal game was just a bit more aggression. And what that means exactly, well, that's open to interpretation. Could that be aggression in terms of press, closing players down?
00:02:00
Speaker
Or is it be aggressive in your passing, taking the positive option, being brave? It's a combination of things, isn't it? I argued myself in midweek. I felt they were a bit passive and didn't take the game to Arsenal.
00:02:10
Speaker
So I feel like judging from his comments, he wanted to see his side impose themselves on the opposition, be on the front foot and show what they can do rather than focus on containing the opposition.
Controversy and Defense: The Non-Penalty Incident
00:02:23
Speaker
That's certainly what I felt headed into this one. I wanted to see a more dynamic version of Fulham because we know on the day how they can hurt opposition sides.
00:02:31
Speaker
even the best of sides and I just wanted to see them play in a style where they could get their attacking players involved and ask questions of Liverpool we know Liverpool heading into this game they had some concerns of their own we wondered what was going to be the situation at right back whether Curtis Jones would continue there or maybe he might revert back to Jarrell Kwanza but Slott said in the lead that he liked Curtis Jones at right back given his qualities on the ball obviously you're shifting a midfield player over to right back as opposed to a more defensive option of Jarrell Kwanza who's typically a centre half So he doesn't quite have the abilities on the ball that obviously Arna Slott would like, that he would see ordinarily from from Trent.
00:03:06
Speaker
Alisson, once again, he missed out after suffering the concussion away with Brazil. I'm sure that's a precaution. I don't think it's anything serious. If this was a cup final, a massive game in the Champions League, we might have seen Alisson. But given the fact they wasn't, he opted to keep Keller hitting goal.
00:03:21
Speaker
Decisions to be made for Fulham. I think I speak for everyone when I say this, that I wanted to see Ryan Sessegnon in the team. He contributed in that game against Arsenal. He scored in the game against Spurs. He scored in the game against Wolves when he was given his opportunity to start.
00:03:35
Speaker
So another rare chance to start here for Fulham on the right-hand side. I don't think we're all happy to see that. Other changes we saw, Calvin Bassi probably benefited from the rest in midweek. It's been a very busy season for him, not not just with Fulham, but internationally as well.
00:03:47
Speaker
Travelling thousands of miles away with them. So he came Cuenca and Diop both dropped out and we saw the four at the back which I'm glad to say because i that five at the back experiment call it what you want the way they set up in certain games it hasn't impressed me just in terms of the eye test seeing that five at the back comparing it to the four at the back I just think the four at back works much better one other bit of positive news talked about Kenny Teddy and the leader and you know the signs were promising he was nearing a return well I thought this game might come a little bit too early for him but the good news was he was back
00:04:19
Speaker
in the squad he took his place on the substitutes bench mark himself one of the other things he said in the interview with sky before the game was how fullham needed to be close to perfection in order for them to get a win in this game so let's come on to the action itself and as you would expect with curtis jones playing it right back fullham directed their attacks down the left hand side anthony roberton had superb game didn't he earlier on in the season anfield combining with Alex Iwobi and they look to do the same here the game plan was to try and isolate Curtis Jones and probably ask some questions of him that maybe maybe Everton weren't quite able to do in midweek and Fulham made a bright start in fact there's a chance within the first five minutes there's an opening for Fulham canate
00:05:01
Speaker
He actually dallies on the ball and Pereira is able to nick it off him. Kelleher comes rushing out. Pereira, you're wondering, can he get the shot away? Can he dink it over Kelleher? But instead he decides to square it for Munez.
00:05:12
Speaker
And then there's just a coming together with Van Dijk. Munez goes to ground. There's calls for a penalty. But the chance has gone a glorious opportunity for Fulham. Not quite made the most out in the first five minutes. Marco Silva, he's fuming. It's taken him about four minutes and 37 seconds. And we've seen his first interaction with the fourth official.
00:05:29
Speaker
He felt Fulham should have had a penalty for what he saw as a foul on... Muniz and actually looking at the replay it did seem like a coming together with Van Dijk and Muniz and nothing intentional I felt but after a couple of more replays I think the more pressing one here is the is the one from Kelleher on Pereira which I think is a definite foul and for me that should have been a penalty People can argue where he's already played the pass. I don't think it matters at that stage. Kelleher wipes him clean out.
00:05:54
Speaker
And for me, that should have been a penalty. I think Keith Hackett came out afterwards and said that Fulham should have had a penalty. So Liverpool, they they definitely got away with one there as far as I'm concerned. It was a nervy start from Kanate in particular. Not just that one moment there leading to that Pereira half chance.
00:06:09
Speaker
But it was also a moment of hesitancy. Wolbe on the left side tries to whip a cross and then he just slices it behind. So not the most confident start for him. And it was a bright start for Fulham. And I think we were certainly seeing that more aggressiveness that Marco Silva maybe felt his team lacked in midweek. But despite the good start and good Fulham play, promise, they go
Liverpool's Response: McAllister's Goal
00:06:27
Speaker
behind. Much like the Crystal Palace game. And it's ah it's an absolute belter of a goal from Alexis McAllister.
00:06:32
Speaker
Another worldie against Fulham. I'm sure you all remember the goal he scored against Fulham in that 4-3 last season at Anfield. Well, this one... It's not quite as good as that, but it's still very good all the same. And it comes about, it's a clearance from Fulham. There's a bit of wrestling tug of war going on between Gravenberg and Muniz in the middle of the park, which Gravenberg gets the better of his opponent there.
00:06:50
Speaker
And then McAllister, he just picks up on a loose ball and drives forward. Sanderberger's chasing him, but Sanderberger doesn't have the pace to get back to him. McAllister, shifts it onto his right side and he just lets fly from about...
00:07:01
Speaker
More than just slightly more than 20 yards and it flies past Leno Not quite in the corner of goal, but Leno's beaten for pace after looking at the replay You wonder if Leno's maybe slightly at fault here if he could have done better to get a hand to it not out of reach for him But I think it's ah a combination of the pace that he's beaten for pace and all those also maybe the fact that he wasn't expecting my Calis to get a shot off there, so Liverpool leads and it's an ominous position there, isn't it? Liverpool, they don't give up many leads. So you're chasing again in a game and possibly got the feeling, oh, this is going to be repeat the Crystal Palace game again, isn't it?
00:07:36
Speaker
But for them, to their credit, they made a stern stuff and they respond. They get the equalising goal and it's from Session on who takes it really well. Fulham play a nice little triangle at the back to beat the Liverpool press.
00:07:47
Speaker
Sander Berger then has the ball and he carries it forward. And he lays it out wide to Andres Pereira and he fizzes the ball in from the right hand side. It's a beautiful delivery first time. Goes over Canate's head and Curtis Jones he doesn't have time to react. He can't clear his lines.
00:08:02
Speaker
So all he does is inadvertently lay it off in the path to Ryan Session. On his first to react he gets the head of Virgil van Dijk. He comes to him on his stronger left foot. And he finishes it with aplomb, much like the goal we saw against Spurs, much like the goal we saw against Wolves.
00:08:15
Speaker
In those positions, when he's got a chance, he buries it. And Fulham are level in the
Turning the Tide: Fulham Takes the Lead
00:08:19
Speaker
game. And before we have time to digest the equaliser, Fulham, they find themselves in front just after the half-hour mark. They've turned it around.
00:08:27
Speaker
And it's through Liverpool's own undo and Andy Robertson. He had a very... Difficult encounters in the early on in the season at Anfield getting that sending off even prior to the red card. He was very shaky and this is a moment he won't want to look back on with great fondness because he just plays a square pass.
00:08:43
Speaker
Alex Iwobi intercepts it. Initial shot is blocked. Ball kind of balloons up in the end. Robertson has a chance to make amends but he makes an absolute dog's dinner of a header and it it comes straight back out to Iwobi.
00:08:54
Speaker
He shifts it onto his left to create a little bit of space for himself. Gets a shot off again and it's Pascal. And Andy Robertson, as if the misplaced pass wasn't bad enough, as if the missed header wasn't bad enough, he's only gone and compounded all by diverting the ball into his own net. It's an absolute calamity of errors. Alex Iwobi will get the goal. It's on target.
00:09:15
Speaker
The final touch comes off Andy Robertson. An absolute chaotic 10-15 seconds for him. And at that point, he probably just wants the ground to open up and swallow him. But Fulham don't care. They're in the lead. 2-1.
00:09:26
Speaker
All of a sudden in the ground there's a feeling of optimism. There's a feeling we've got a chance here. Maybe we can pull off an upset. And then the confidence is up. Alex Iwobi, he's feeling good about himself. Robinson and Iwobi combine down the left-hand side. Robinson plays a ball in behind to Iwobi.
00:09:40
Speaker
This time he shifts it from his left side onto his right foot. He's from the left-hand side of the box. He he tries to bend one in the far corner. Kelleher has to make a save to prevent it from being But... but It's not long later that it is 3-1.
00:09:53
Speaker
And Fulham are an absolute dreamland. It's a corner. It's not cleared. Iwobi gets his foot to the ball again. And I'm not sure what he's trying to do. I think he's just trying to get it back in the area somehow. But it turns out to be the most incredible assist. But I think he's got the thank his centre forward for that. Because Rodrigo Moniz, my word, this is absolutely magnificent play.
00:10:14
Speaker
So Iwobi just hoofs it up. Doesn't get much distance on it. And it actually proves quite a testing ball for the Liverpool defenders to deal with. Rodrigo Manez gets to it first. He backs the goal. He's up against Virgil van Dijk.
00:10:27
Speaker
First touch lifted over him. says, see you Virgil. Sends him for an absolute hot dog. The second touch is also good. i think he just comes off his knee. And now he's in a great position. He's just got Kelleher to beat from about six or seven yards.
00:10:39
Speaker
He's not looking for precision. he just fires at goal, makes sure it's on target, and it squirms between Kelleher's legs and into the back of the net. And in a 14-minute blitz, Fulham have gone from 1-0 down to being 3-1 in front.
00:10:52
Speaker
And this is maybe where you take those marginal gains of Liverpool players being absent. Because Alisson's not in goal, there is a drop-off. It's not the best of shots from Muniz, and it does wriggle through Kelleher.
00:11:04
Speaker
If that's Alisson in goal, he probably saves it. You never know, but chances are he probably saves it and it's still 2-1. But Fulham get the slice of luck and it's not the cleanest finish. Much like his goal the other day, it wasn't necessarily the cleanest strike, but they all count, don't they?
00:11:17
Speaker
He's off, cartwheeling, some assaults are out, and Fulham, wow, it's just an absolutely remarkable turnaround, isn't it? The rest of the first half continues. I think it's important for Fulham to remain in that position of comfort heading into half-time, because if they give a Liverpool a goal back, then then maybe they can sense blurs, and if you give Liverpool an inch, they take a mile You don't want to give them a head of steam, do you?
00:11:40
Speaker
Mo Salah. Fulham was sticking tight him, not giving him any space. Calvin Bassi in particular, any time it came to a Liverpool forward's feet, he was on to them like a rash. He wasn't then giving them time. He was just on to them.
00:11:52
Speaker
Mo Salah, was a difficult first half for him. We hadn't seen anything from him at all. And after that third goal, there is no immediate response from Liverpool. Fulham are pretty comfortable and they see it out to half-time. What half. What a turnaround.
00:12:04
Speaker
Some questionable Liverpool defending for the goals, no doubt about it, but Fulham, they take advantage, they're clinical, they're ruthless in their finishing, and they go into halftime at 3-1, which absolutely nobody could have predicted after going 1-0 down thanks to that Alexis McAllister strike.
00:12:20
Speaker
And in the next part, I will come on to all the action in the second half, but before then, let me just point you in the direction of our sponsors. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform.
00:12:33
Speaker
Zencastr came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:12:45
Speaker
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencastr. Would you believe that that was actually the first time Liverpool have conceded three goals in the opening half of a Premier League game since 2020, which was that 7-2 embarrassment, if you can remember back in Covid time, 7-2 embarrassment at Villa Park.
00:13:04
Speaker
But you are expecting reaction from them in the second half. They don't lose Premier League games. They have some great attacking players on the bench that they can call upon at any time. So for Fulham, Marco Silva's just got to tell his team, stay firm, particularly for the first 15, 20 minutes, because you probably are expecting that onslaught.
00:13:20
Speaker
So keep it tight. Don't gift them a way back into the game.
Defensive Stand: Sustaining the Lead
00:13:23
Speaker
If they are to get themselves back in the game, make them produce a moment of magic. Be strong defensively, stay well organised with that good shape and just make it as difficult as possible. Could have easily made changes on the slot.
00:13:35
Speaker
He opted not to do so. And Fulham were defending well in the opening stages of the second half. Crosses were coming in. but they were being headed out, they were being cleared. There is an early chance for Jota, however.
00:13:47
Speaker
Canata dispossesses a will-be. Salah and Jota, they work it between them. Salah wriggles a ball through for Jota. Jota tries a death finish past Leno, but the German goalkeeper, to his credit, he's able to thwart it. It's a really dangerous attack.
00:14:00
Speaker
And at that stage, if Liverpool had scored, then the momentum is just all of a sudden with them. It's a long time for Fulham afterwards. So important stay from the German shop stopper there. Marco Silva still raging. I think this was after a Moniz went down. There was a bit of a collision with Canate. It was a coming together, nothing untoward. But Marco Silva cuts a frustrated figure on the sidelines as we see time and time again.
00:14:22
Speaker
Liverpool do make some substitutions to try and rescue something from this game. Gakpo and Sir Boslow... They come off and they're replaced by Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott returning to Fulham, getting that usual reception we see from the Fulham faithful. In the second half, it's important for Fulham not to just shut up shop and still show they have life in them as far as an attacking threat goes. Try and get that fourth goal if you possibly can.
00:14:46
Speaker
Sessegnon went close with another effort. Good work from Sander Berger. Sessegnon cuts in. onto his favour left side but he can't put it into the near post Rodrigo Meniz was just he was just such a problem such a problem in the first half and again in the second half that's why i really like Rodrigo Meniz because the word I describe him as is is a handful and we saw that exquisite piece of skill for the goal that absolutely turned Van Dijk and Van Dijk and Canate this was just a really uncomfortable afternoon and a lot of that is because of the presence of Rodrigo Meniz he's just
00:15:20
Speaker
He is an absolute pest and he was giving them all or they could handle. I mentioned Salah in dispatches. does get a sighting of goal. This is his first chance of the game it's just after the hour mark.
00:15:31
Speaker
Luis Diaz, it's a delivery from the left. Pinpoint position. And Salah, he's there arriving at the back post, comes to him on the half volley on his weaker right foot and he just can't keep his effort down.
00:15:42
Speaker
But Mo Salah's a great player, isn't He doesn't need many opportunities, many sightings and goals to damage you, to hurt you. So that is a let off for Fulham. More changes for Liverpool. Darwin Nunes comes on. Conor Bradley comes on. We see Canate come off.
00:15:55
Speaker
And Jot has come off as well. This means Curtis Jones goes back into centre midfield. They've got a more traditional right back with Conor Bradley there. And Gravenberg reverts to centre back. Which is where we saw him for the majority of the game early on in the season. And with 20 minutes left to go there is a lifeline for Liverpool. And it's the substitutes that combine.
00:16:17
Speaker
Conor Bradley makes an inside run. He plays it out to Lois Diaz on his left. And then he just slides it. Really good finish. Passed Leno. And on that point on you think, it's going to be a long 20 minutes, isn't it? It's going to be sustained Liverpool pressure.
00:16:30
Speaker
Bernd Leno is going have to be at his best. The defence are going to have to be at the best to withstand that sort of pressure. There's a Harvey Elliott trance that goes over. There's a Curtis Jones header that's straight at Leno.
00:16:41
Speaker
And then we finally see some Fulham changes. bit later than we're used to seeing. We used to see Marco Silva make changes slightly earlier. But I think he would have been pleased with the all-round performance from everyone, in that team, that he would have been reluctant to make changes. As it is, he makes a triple substitution.
00:16:56
Speaker
Off go Lukic, Pereira and Munez. And these are all like-for-like changes. We see Harrison Reid, Raul Jimenez, Emile Smith-Rowe. oklamin lukic coming off after being booked once again i didn't even notice that he got booked until the commentator said it actually but he did he did he did get a book in in the 46 minutes so i died i'm not sure i'm not sure what not sure what he did exactly i must have missed the miss that but yeah lukic being substituted after ah booking yeah we've we've seen that before haven't we there are Minor appeals for a Liverpool penalty.
00:17:25
Speaker
Comes from a throw in. Luis Diaz, he tries to lift it over Anderson's head. Slightly a touch of the shirt, but Luis Diaz throws himself to the ground. Nothing doing in there, no penalty given, never going to be overturned by VAR. But Liverpool at this point, the pressure's piling on.
00:17:39
Speaker
A really good chance for them now. Robertson cuts in from the left. There's a low cross, goes beyond Fulham defenders, goes beyond Liverpool attackers. Works its way out to Harvey Elliott on the right. He cuts in on his favoured left side. Tries to bend one in the top corner.
00:17:53
Speaker
Berndt Leno can't do anything as he watches it cannon off the woodwork. We do see some final changes for Fulham and a really positive reception for one of these substitutes as he makes his return from injury.
00:18:07
Speaker
Ironically enough, he got injured in the in the game at Anfield. Kenny Tetty returns. Adama Traore is also the other substitute, Ofgo Iwobi and Sessignon. They could be pleased with their afternoon's efforts. Both find themselves on the score sheet.
00:18:19
Speaker
So then we're wondering how this is going to shape up, how Fulham are going to line up, how it's going to look formation-wise. Well, Fulham do revert to the back five then. Kenny Teddy drops in as a third centre-back.
00:18:30
Speaker
And of course, Adama Traore is a useful weapon to have at that stage. Liverpool now seeing the majority of the ball. The action areas are tilted towards them. So any chance of a break, any chance of a counter-attack.
00:18:41
Speaker
and you've got the running power of Adama Traore. So Fulham's chances in the second half were few and far between. He had to be patient, but there is one chance for one of the substitutes to potentially wrap the game up. It actually falls to Harrison Reid. Castagne does well and feeds it into Jimenez, who with his back to goal lays it off to Harrison Reid.
00:19:00
Speaker
He strikes low and hard, but not quite in the corner. And Kelleher, he does well to get down to keep it out. Six minutes added on. It's going to be a long six minutes, isn't it, with Liverpool chasing that equalising goal.
00:19:12
Speaker
It's a chance for Chiesa after a missed kick from Sander Berger. Falls to Chiesa and with fulling bodies in front of him. He gets a shot away. Leno makes a comfortable save. Another opportunity for Liverpool to salvage it.
00:19:23
Speaker
Elliott and Salah, they combine, but the finish from Elliott lacks any sort of conviction. Comfortable again for Leno. And to the relief of the home fans, the Fulham players, final whistle
Securing the Win: Fulham's Victory and Future Prospects
00:19:34
Speaker
goals. Fulham hold on and what an impressive victory that is.
00:19:38
Speaker
Great way to bounce back after what's been a rough week. Beating the league leaders, the champions elect. Thrilling game and with that win, they still remain in the running for European football next season.
00:19:50
Speaker
And in the final part, I will be giving my own riding thoughts on the game and looking at where Fulham go from here. Your body is unique and Global Sports Podcast Network has partnered with Bionique, the world's most personalized supplements.
00:20:05
Speaker
Bionique provide 100% tailor-made supplements designed to deliver precisely what your body needs at exactly the right levels to optimize your health.
00:20:17
Speaker
No guessing. So click the link in the show notes. Use the code GSPN2025 for 40% off your first month's subscription. Bionique.
00:20:28
Speaker
Don't settle for off-the-shelf solutions made for just anybody. Get what's right for you right now. So after starting the weekend in 9th, Fulham do move up a spot following Brighton's loss to Crystal Palace. Fulham move up to 8th on 48 points and they are still in the mix for European football and also they are very close now to their record points tally in the Premier League.
00:20:51
Speaker
Surely, surely we're going to see them break that this season which will fantastic accomplishment. And despite people saying that the season's over following the Crystal Palace game, despite those same people continuing to say the season's over after the Arsenal game, the season is most definitely not over, so you can put away the deck chair and the sunblock, at least for now.
00:21:09
Speaker
And results like the one on the weekend just goes to show you never write this Fulham team off. Just when you think they may be fading away, they're running out of steam. Things are starting to turn. They have a result like this and it shows on any given day they can be a match for some of the teams at the top end of the league. Arnaz Lott's going to win the Premier League in his first season in charge but he's not beating Fulham, has he? Two very testing games for his side and and Fulham are one of only three sides to take something away from Anfield and they the only side to beat Liverpool at home this season. and If you look at the sides in the top four, Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Chelsea.
00:21:44
Speaker
Done the double over Nottingham Forest. They've beaten Chelsea away from home. They've taken points off Arsenal at home and they've taken points off Liverpool home and away, which just further highlights the frustrations that maybe they aren't slightly higher up and they don't have more points at this stage because of the points dropped against those sides not doing as well. Sides in the bottom four, bottom five, where they haven't got the results.
00:22:06
Speaker
If there's one thing Fulham have lacked this season, it's predictability. But back to this game, Fulham were just ruthless. Some suspect defending from Liverpool at times and then just... a 14-minute blitz absolutely just killed off their rivals and it absolutely stunned them. would have stunned all Liverpool fans. They wouldn't have expected to see that.
00:22:23
Speaker
Maybe Fulham could have drawn confidence of seeing the way Liverpool have performed recently. And even in midweek, though, they did get the result against Everton. There were some vulnerabilities in the first half and on another day they could have gone in half-time behind against Everton.
00:22:36
Speaker
The first goal is often very important in football games, isn't it? the Although it wasn't on this particular occasion, which is, testament to Fulham and the character and attitude that they showed that they can go behind against a side like Liverpool and not let it affect them but just continuing from what I was trying to say there is maybe they would have take confidence from seeing the way Newcastle played against Liverpool and maybe the way that PSG played against Liverpool they're not quite firing on all cylinders right at this moment in time maybe there's one or two reasons for that Maybe there's complacency, but I don't want to focus so much on what Liverpool didn't do because I know the media, the inquest will be what Liverpool did wrong and the mistakes they made defensively rather than highlighting what Fulham did well. And I want to pay tribute to the Fulham team.
00:23:20
Speaker
because against liverpool you can't carry any passengers you can't have an off day you need to be close to perfection as marco silva put it in order to get a result and i feel like that was definitely the case here we saw multiple changes for various reasons i think everyone was ecstatic to see ryan sessignon in the starting line-up because He deserves his place in the team. It's not you want to see Ryan Sessing on in the team because he's a local boy. He's come through the ranks. He's back at Fulham. Oh, it's a feel-good story.
00:23:46
Speaker
Play Ryan Sessing on. He absolutely deserved his place in that starting XI given the cameo performances he's had when he's come off the bench. Given that one time he did start against Wolves, playing as left wing back, getting on the score sheet. Now, it was time for him to get in the team by right. And he took his opportunity. took the goal really well, didn't he?
00:24:02
Speaker
He finished it so clinically just to get to the ball in front of Van Dijk and show that sort of composure. So we're starting to see now that Ryan Sessignon version that we didn't see at Spurs at all. For whatever reason, maybe that's a combination of injuries. He didn't believe in himself. Maybe he wasn't played in his best position. But we're seeing him now operating on that right-hand side where we haven't seen much of him throughout this career. But the signs are good from what we've seen recently. and Hopefully now he can cement this place in the team and have an extended run for the first time this season.
00:24:31
Speaker
It's hard to single out individual players in such a good team performance. you know It's got to be a team performance when you get results against Liverpool. But Rodrigo Meniz, I mentioned it there when I was recapping the game, how he's just a nuisance. and I don't think any centre-arse would enjoy coming up against him. That piece of skill, that first touch to send Van Dijk to the shops.
00:24:50
Speaker
I mean, if that was someone playing for Real Madrid, if that was someone playing for another side in the top four, we wouldn't hear the end of that. Because it's Rodrigo Manu, because he plays for Fulham, that's forgotten about in a week's time, isn't it? But...
00:25:01
Speaker
Again, we talk about impact and he's making that. He doesn't want to be known as someone that's good at coming off the bench and and being that super sub. But this is the second time he's scored from the off. And if you listen to the podcast on a regular basis, i've I've always kind of said it about him. If he gets a chance in the team again, then it's up to him to grasp it and make that jersey his own again. And I feel like certainly on this basis, he's made that jersey his own again.
00:25:23
Speaker
And now he's leapfrogged Raul Jimenez in the pecking order. Fulham, they had to withstand some pressure in the second half. You expect that from a top-sider team at the top of the You're have to be backs against the walls and and to have to tough it out in the second half. And they managed to do that, didn't they? It was important for them just to keep things tight for the first 15-20 minutes of the second half. And they they did that. They were very solid in their organisation. find Calvin Bassey as well, absolutely immense. And I think he did benefit from not playing in midweek. and In a game that featured Virgil van Dijk, Calvin Bassey was the standout centre-half in the game. He was an absolute colossus, and Mo Salah and all the Liverpool attackers, they didn't get much change out of him all day.
00:25:58
Speaker
I think Mo Salah, I don't think he's registered a shot on target against Fulham this season, and then I think a large reason for that is because of Calvin Bassey and Anthony Robinson as well, who, by the way, just looks so much more comfortable playing in that left-back role as part of a four than he does playing in that back five.
00:26:14
Speaker
But just going back to Calvin Bassi, I think Marco Silva said that in an interview after the game that if he continues to show ah level of consistency, then he has what it takes to be one of the top defenders in the league.
00:26:25
Speaker
Because you look at him and you think he does have all the attributes, doesn't he? has the strength, he has agility, he has composure, he's able to drive forward at times of the ball, he uses the ball well, and without a doubt he's been Fulham's standout centre-half this season.
00:26:39
Speaker
made massive strides and long may that continue. Marco Silva, after the game, he said about preparations for this one, he said he knew it was going to be high energy, high tempo, but the first pressure was very good and that this team picked the right moments to press.
00:26:53
Speaker
It was important to keep the block compact to stop big spaces between the lines. And he also praised the commitment and attitude of his players from first minute to last. And that's what it requires against Liverpool. You need to work for each other.
00:27:06
Speaker
You need to dig in at times in order to get that result because you're never safe. You're 3-1 up with 20 minutes to go. can't all of a sudden switch off then because it just takes a split second. Liverpool scored a second with a bit of quality and then it's a long 20 minutes but credit to Fulham.
00:27:20
Speaker
They held that well and it's an important victory in their quest for Europe now, isn't it? As it stands right now in 8th position, I think they might be in the Europa Conference spot but that could be subject to change depending on how certain teams do in the FA Cup and obviously Europe as well.
00:27:35
Speaker
But they are in the mix and there's seven big games left to go in the season. There will be dropped points, there will be twists and turns. Fulham do play a lot of those teams in and around them. The likes of Chelsea, Bournemouth, Aston Villa play all of them in the coming weeks and they've got some very hard games, at least on paper anyway.
00:27:51
Speaker
um with the majority of those games being against sides in the top half but Fulham have shown this season against top half sides that they tend to do better than they do against those sides nearer the bottom end of the table and Bournemouth's the team up next not going to be an easy challenge despite their recent form how they seem to have lost a bit momentum towards the end of the season and still expecting a tough challenge there but at least you go into that game now with more confidence after the victory against Liverpool but it's just take it game by game at this stage it's that old cliche isn't it and then see where that takes you but wherever Fulham finish in the table this season I think it's been successful and I think just urge people to have that perspective at times which maybe after a defeat
00:28:28
Speaker
this instant disappointment and dissatisfaction at times, but in the bigger picture, Fulham have made strides this season from where they were last season, 13th finish last season, so you'd like to think Fulham will ah exceed that.
00:28:40
Speaker
How high up they can go, well, that remains to be seen, and that's the excitement, the fact that we have a month and a half left in the season, and Fulham are involved, so you can't ask for more than that, really, can you? so Great afternoon for Fulham. Enjoy it by all means. You've got to enjoy the victories against Liverpool against teams top league because they don't come around very often. So savour that.
00:28:57
Speaker
But before you know, attention will soon turn to the game against Bournemouth and Marco Silva's probably already planning that now, isn't he? That's just about it for today's podcast. Great weekend for Fulham. Great to look back on a win over Liverpool.
00:29:10
Speaker
Thank you once again for joining me and be sure to catch me next time on the Daily Fulham Podcast. Every club...
00:29:20
Speaker
The Global Sports Podcast Network. work