Analysis: Flat Reds fail to entertain as Fulham fight for Arbeloa

[Getty Images] Against a Fulham side who had conceded seven goals in their first three league games, this should have been the ideal opportunity for Liverpool to build on their momentum and for Andoni Iraola to show this squad can cope with two games a week. Instead, the hosts looked like a different team from the one Anfield saw on Wednesday and were far too flat throughout. A return of six points from their first four games is hardly cause for concern, but Iraola will surely be disappointed they have already dropped four points at Anfield, with draws against Nottingham Forest and Fulham. Including last season, that is now four home Premier League draws in a row for them as they failed to score in a home league game for the first time since Leeds visited in January. For Fulham, this was a big step in the right direction after a poor start and proof, if needed, that the team are playing for their manager after they were booed off at home last week. Affengruber was superb on debut and so was the captain and his centre-half partner Calvin Bassey. Fulham also had more touches (24) in the opposition box than Liverpool (18). Arbeloa's side face the three promoted sides in October and there will be a better indication of his start to life in London by then. But here, on familiar territory for the Spaniard, there were plenty of positives. Had his side been more clinical, they could have snatched a notable success, but Arbeloa became the first ex-Liverpool Premier League player to pick up a point against his former side as a manager - following defeats for Paul Ince, Mauricio Pellegrino and Steven Gerrard.