Report by Steve Horton at Craven Cottage | |
Liverpool finally put their poor away form behind them to claim victory at Craven Cottage on Saturday. After a terrible first half we roared back to win and made history in the process, with two of Gerard Houllier's signings enjoying contrasting fortunes.
Despite his poor performance at Chelsea, Salif Diao was given another chance in central midfield as Rafael Benitez took into account the fact Xabi Alonso had played for Spain in midweek. It was a sensible move on paper, given the average quality of the opposition, but it backfired in spectacular fashion.
Diao's first mistake was when he clipped Steed Malbranque in a central position thirty yards from goal. Fortunately Mark Pembridge's free kick went a foot wide but Diao didn't make any amends for this, failing to dictate the play at all as any of our central midfielders would have been expected to do in this type of fixture.
His one attempt to drive us forward was when he thought Djibril Cisse was bionic and his long ball meant for him went straight through to Edwin Van Der Sar.
Some of the away fans, who were sat in a temporary stand behind the opposite goal to where all the game's action took place, were already beginning to get on Diao's back before a major error led to Fulham's opening goal after 25 minutes.
Thinking he was a Brazilian, Diao tried an outrageous backheel which Malbranque intercepted then put Brian McBride clear down the right. His cross into the six yard box was easily turned home by Luis Boa Morte.
We hardly looked like getting back into the game immediately, with Cisse being especially disappointing up front and coming in for quite a bit of abuse from some fans as well.
On occasions John Arne Riise was more of a centre forward than him and when Milan Baros went out wide and was looking for someone in the box to cross to, Cisse was nowhere to be seen. There is a long way still to go and I know Benitez is studying videos of all his goals in France to see how to get the best out of him, but at the moment its looking like £14million wasted.
Before we knew it we were 2-0 down after Diao and Dietmar Hamman got in each others way, Malbranque capitalised and sent a through ball to Boa Morte who drove past Chris Kirkland.
The prospect of humiliation, not just another away defeat, was the spur for an outpouring of dissent from large numbers of away fans. Alonso's name was loudly sung as he warmed up and every time Diao did come forward he was singled out for vitriol.
It was hard not to feel sorry for him. As the only one of the triumvirate of 2002 signings still playing for us he was always going to be in for a hard time but ultimately he is trying his best, which frankly I admit isn't good enough for us.
However he didn't deserve some of the stick he was getting. I am as baffled as the next man why Benitez feels he is good enough, but I can't turn against him. Hopefully though the boss will learn from his performance that he just doesn't have the strength in depth to rotate as he'd like, especially with Steven Gerrard injured.
It was only in the last five minutes of the first half that we showed any threat going forward. Fulham's goalmouth had been so devoid of action that two pigeons had roosted there for a while, but when they were forced to move Luis Garcia's free kick was wasted and it sailed straight to Van Der Sar instead of someone's head. We were then let down by the referee who blew for half time when we were preparing to take a corner.
The inevitable change happened at the restart when Alonso came on for Diao, while Cisse was pushed out to right wing as it was felt that Garcia would be more effective in the middle. We were immediately on the defensive however, with Josemi conceding a free kick for a tackle from behind on McBride for which he was yellow carded.
Djimi Traore rather needlessly headed this out for a corner and Jamie Carragher was forced to clear after Pembridge nodded a dangerous ball into the six yard box.
Then on 48 minutes Liverpool got the bit of luck that all teams get once in a while. Baros hit a wayward shot, which may actually have been an overhit pass to Garcia. It was no danger at all until it hit Zat Knight on the arm, bounced down then looped over Van Der Sar. It was a freak goal but as we always seem to concede them, it was about time something like that went our way.
This was just the pick up the Reds needed and we were in charge of the game from then on, with the travelling Reds raising their voices too. Alonso made a huge impact, directing play and drawing others into the game. Even Traore was on the offensive, making many forays down the left flank.
It was no surprise when we equalised on 61 minutes. It began when Cisse overhit a cross from the right, but Traore managed to keep it in and pass the ball back to Alonso. His curling cross into the box was met with a glancing header by Garcia but although Van Der Sar managed to save, Baros pounced to blast the ball into the net.
There was never any doubt from then on, even when Josemi was sent off for a second yellow card when he fouled Boa Morte. Fulham caved in, just as they had done against Arsenal when some luck went against them. The turnaround was complete on 79 minutes when Diao's compatriot Papa Diop checked Garcia about 25 yards out.
As if giving away the free kick wasn't enough, Diop then deflected Alonso's effort past a static Van Der Sar. However, had Diop not done this, I believe the ball would have gone into the other corner of the goal anyway.
The comeback complete it was party time in the away end although we had to endure a brief flurry from Fulham. Luckily it didn't go beyond a weak Malbranque effort and a ball into the box that Traore misjudged the height of, but Kirkland was quick to pounce before Diop did.
Deep into stoppage time Benitez made a timewasting substitution when he sent on Igor Biscan for Baros. Igor's brief was to tighten up the middle of the field, but it’s a sign of Benitez's style that there's never anything wrong with looking for more goals.
Consequently he charged forward into the centre forward position when Cisse dispossessed Knight and broke clear down the left. Igor took the ball from Cisse, then played an intelligent ball to Stephen Warnock who had ghosted into the box. The youngster unselfishly passed back to Igor who placed the ball past Van Der Sar from just outside the box.
It was the best sight of the day to see a player so derided for so long almost break into a smile, although getting pounced on by Traore soon stifled that. It showed just what he is capable of if allowed the freedom to play in the middle instead of as a makeshift defender. If Florent Sinama Pongolle moves on, we have nothing to fear!
Joking aside, he should certainly be used as a covering midfielder instead of Diao if Alonso or Hamman are rested.
The win was much needed after three defeats out of the opening four away games. Afterwards Benitez spoke of how difficult it is to break out of a losing mentality so hopefully, to quote a favourite phrase of Gerard Houllier, a corner has been turned.
In coming from two goals down to win, Benitez has achieved something that no Reds team has done since 1965. The teams of Paisley, Dalglish and Fagan were never bad enough to go two down but those of Evans and Houllier were too quick to throw in the towel when they did.
I am confident that this win, even if it was only against Fulham, will prove to be a defining moment in the 'Rafa-lution'.
Liverpool: Kirkland, Josemi, Carragher, Hyypia, Traore; Garcia, (Warnock), Hamman, Diao (Alonso), Riise; Cisse, Baros (Biscan):
Agree or disagree? Email me at steve@liverpoolway.co.uk
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