HomeFeatured ArticlesLiverpool Vs Fulham Preview | Key Players Stats & Villa post mortem

Liverpool Vs Fulham Preview | Key Players Stats & Villa post mortem

It goes without saying that Luis Suarez is Liverpool’s biggest threat. This season he has shown that he has taken on the lessons of a very tough season last term. Even in his frustrating display against Villa, he showed touches of pure brilliance, laying off a ball to the right to continue the attack, wrong footing three Villa defenders in the process. That he terrifies defences is not up for debate. His finishing needs to improve. To get the most out of the effort he makes he must convert more. This has been debated ad infinitum but remains true. With 72 shots he leads the league in attempts to score. And yet he is over 20 shots behind Robin Van Persie and 30 shots behind Michu who have each scored 2 more goals than he has. He is the clear fulcrum of a developing Liverpool side.

If opposition managers are not going to use the ‘Negate Suarez, negate Liverpool’ tactic, the goal scoring load needs to be spread. Glen Johnson has shown some excellent attacking endeavour in recent games down the right and I would be pleased if Enqrique was back to allow Rodgers to adjust his formation to allow both forward thinking defenders to play, as Liverpool look a more potent force going forward with them both on the pitch.

Now we move to the much touted Raheem Sterling. With the maelstrom of paper talk flying round this past week it is good to go into this home fixture with that debate put to bed. For an 18 year old to have been so assured in possession and more importantly when under physical pressure, has been a revelation. For a player who seemed so slight playing in the youth ranks he has stepped up to the physical challenge of the premiere league admirably. What he has now to do is weigh in with the goals he provided in the junior ranks. The touch and awareness displayed to rattle the bar against Swansea has not been seen enough from the young Red. But the talent is there and hopefully the undoubted boost a lucrative new contract will bring will inspire a performance in front of the home fans.

I’ll add another cautious but optimistic note. Joe Cole has been the butt of much derision for his reported huge salary and his less than huge contribution on the pitch. But the finish he provided against West Ham shows that he still does have the eye for goal. If Rodgers has been working on his fitness I see him as an impact sub to perhaps provide that short sharp injection of class in the final third when the ball squirms free. How many chances have we seen go to Jonjo Shelvey this season where his technique and timing have let him down, that Cole would have buried?  Now Shelvey has managed to get himself into those positions which is the part of Cole’s game that needs working on but I still have a glimmer of hope that Cole is not quite the busted flush that some think .The jury remains out though.

So again in an ever more tight Premiere League where no one is pulling away with any drive from the chasing pack, we have a closely contested battle for points at Anfield. If Rodgers is going to come good on his stated aim for top 4 these are games that Liverpool must devour and put to bed in no uncertain terms. Suarez will be smarting from the recent loss. Enrique will hopefully feature after a frustrating absence. Lucas will be one game further on his on pitch recuperation. And an 18 year old winger will be thinking about a very good Christmas present he has just signed up for. It will be tight. And Liverpool with have lots of possession. But Hopefully Rodgers will be tempering his possession is everything mantra with some other stats. We had 61% possession in a game we were beaten 3-1. Goals are what counts. As a great Scot and adopted scouser once said:

[quote]First is first, second is nowhere.

Bill Shankly[/quote]

All of the stats from this article have been taken from the Opta Stats Centre at EPLIndex.comSubscribe Now (Includes author privileges!) Check out our new Top Stats feature on the Stats Centre which allows you to compare all players in the league & read about new additions to the stats centre.

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