Fulham Frustrate Liverpool as Iraola’s Reds Produce Flat Anfield Display

Fulham Frustrate Liverpool as Iraola’s Reds Produce Flat Anfield Display Liverpool 0–0 Fulham – Premier League Post-Match Report By Steven Smith After Liverpool’s return to Champions League action ended with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Atletico Madrid, Andoni Iraola’s side returned to Premier League action at Anfield looking to build on that result and continue the momentum of the new era. Instead, the Reds were held to a frustrating goalless draw by a Fulham side that arrived with three straight defeats behind them but left Merseyside with a valuable point. Liverpool had more possession, more shots and the better expected-goals figure, but the numbers do not disguise what an underwhelming performance was. There was simply not enough determination, urgency or attacking cohesion from the home side. The Starting Eleven Liverpool XI GK – Alisson Becker RB – Ronald Araújo CB – Jérémy Jacquet CB – Virgil van Dijk (c) LB – Kostas Tsimikas CM – Ryan Gravenberch CM – Dominik Szoboszlai RW – Víctor Muñoz AM – Florian Wirtz LW – Bradley Barcola CF – Alexander Isak Substitutes Used Milos Kerkez → Kostas Tsimikas (45’) Alexis Mac Allister → Ryan Gravenberch (60’) Cody Gakpo → Víctor Muñoz (60’) Jeremie Frimpong → Ronald Araújo (72’) Rio Ngumoha → Bradley Barcola (72’) Goals N/A Match Statistics Possession – Liverpool 56% | Fulham 44% xG – Liverpool 1.13 | Fulham 0.71 Total Shots – Liverpool 14 | Fulham 10 Shots on Target – Liverpool 3 | Fulham 4 Fouls – Liverpool 11 | Fulham 8 Corners – Liverpool 5 | Fulham 8 First Half The opening half was a frustrating watch for the home supporters, with Liverpool controlling possession without ever truly controlling the game. Fulham were compact, organised and prepared to frustrate, but Liverpool made their task considerably easier by failing to play with the speed and intensity that has been expected under Iraola. The biggest concern was the midfield. Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai are both talented attacking-minded footballers, but asking them to operate as a conventional double pivot exposed a fundamental weakness in the structure. Neither naturally provides the defensive authority, positional discipline or physical security required from that deeper pairing. It left Florian Wirtz having to drop deeper and work harder to get involved, while Alexander Isak was starved of meaningful service. Wirtz again ran his heart out, but much of that work was necessary because the midfield behind him simply could not provide the platform required. The German was frequently searching for the ball rather than receiving it in dangerous areas. At the other end, Jérémy Jacquet was outstanding. The young French defender produced an excellent early clearance off the line to deny Fulham and continued to demonstrate impressive positioning and composure throughout the half. While those ahead of him struggled to impose themselves, Jacquet looked increasingly comfortable at the heart of the Liverpool defence. Tsimikas struggled badly and was replaced at half-time by Milos Kerkez, with the Greek international unable to provide the required quality on the left. Liverpool went into the interval goalless, and there was a clear sense that something needed to change. Second Half The second half was better, but not enough. Kerkez brought more energy to the left side, while the introduction of Alexis Mac Allister gave Liverpool greater control in midfield. Cody Gakpo also added more invention, but the visitors remained difficult to break down. Liverpool continued to have possession without consistently turning it into clear-cut opportunities. The statistics tell the story. The Reds finished with 56 per cent possession and 14 attempts, but only three were on target. Fulham managed 10 shots themselves and actually registered one more effort on target. That simply is not enough at Anfield. Isak had precious little to work with. A decent left-footed effort early in the game and a glancing header late on effectively bookended a performance in which the Swedish striker was largely isolated. Barcola showed glimpses but was still clearly finding his feet alongside his new teammates, while Muñoz struggled at times to establish cohesion with those around him. The later introductions of Jeremie Frimpong and Rio Ngumoha provided additional pace and attacking power, but Liverpool could not find the breakthrough. Iraola was right to change things, but the substitutes were ultimately attempting to fix a structural problem rather than simply adding fresh legs. Final Thoughts This was not a disaster, but it was a warning. Liverpool lacked determination, intensity and ultimately the midfield platform required to turn territorial dominance into a victory. The double pivot of Gravenberch and Szoboszlai is the biggest concern. Both are attacking players, and neither looks suited to being part of a conventional two-man midfield tasked with providing defensive protection and controlling the space in front of the centre-backs. Iraola has been left short in this area of the squad, and that needs to be addressed. A specialist defensive midfielder is a must when the January window opens. The performance of Jacquet was another major positive, however. For the second consecutive match, the young defender has been Liverpool’s standout performer. His emergence is becoming one of the most encouraging developments of the opening weeks of this new era. There is still plenty of work to be done. Liverpool now have an EFL Cup meeting with Tottenham at Anfield on Tuesday, and that match should provide an opportunity for Trey Nyoni to start. More importantly, giving a specialist defensive midfield performance could be the chance for Nyoni to demonstrate that he can become an every-week fixture in Iraola’s plans. The new Liverpool manager is still building this team, and Saturday showed that the process is nowhere near complete. The intensity is coming. The defensive foundation may be coming. But Liverpool still need the right midfield structure to make everything else work. Steven Smith’s Pre-Match Prediction: Liverpool 3–1 Fulham Final Score: Liverpool 0–0 Fulham