“You Have No MAH-BLES”

I probably filled my quota of Major League references with the one about Jobu a few weeks ago. I apologize to international readers and those who aren’t connoisseurs of marvelously cheesy sports movies, but this is too apt. Plus, it’s Major League 2.

Just like weak-hitting, voodoo apostate Pedro Cerrano, right now, Liverpool has no marbles.





I wish there was video of the title quote, but this will have to do.

In the previous match review and comments, I fervently complained about Liverpool settling for crosses and long balls in the last 10 minutes after running at defenders to some success for the first 80. Johnson, Benayoun, and Ngog doing that led Liverpool’s best threats, and led to Ngog’s goal and the penalty. It didn’t help when Benayoun went off injured in the 78th, with Babel unable to fill the same role. Unsurprisingly, chances were harder and harder to come by as the game went on – in complete contrast to the multitude of late winners last season.

The more I think about it, the more I can’t escape the feeling that Liverpool players were simply afraid to give the ball away in the later stages. And fear rarely helps in football. It’s one thing to run at defenders at 0-0 or 1-0 in the first half. It’s another to do it in the dying breaths of the game, where a giveaway could lead to an opposition break when Liverpool’s thoroughly exposed.

So the team, already fragile from this dire, dire streak, settled for the easy way out. It’s easy to pump a cross or over-the-top ball into the box, and it’s less likely that the individual player will be picked out for a mistake or that the opposition could counter. So even though the team needed all three points, no one had the marbles to seek out the winner, in the manner that had led to Liverpool’s best play.

I don’t know whether it’s because of individual weaknesses or Benitez’s innate conservatism. And I probably don’t want to know. It just needs to be remedied. Players other than Gerrard and Torres need to take matters into their own hands. Players other than those two and Benayoun need to stand up and be counted when the game’s on the line. Everyone needs to play with a chip on their shoulder, as if their career depends on it, because Rafa’s stint as Liverpool manager and this club’s fortunes as a whole actually do depend on it.

It’s time to spit upon hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. This team’s capable of it; we’ve seen the opposition put to the sword before, whether it’s top-half Villa last season or last place Hull in this. Football isn’t the rock of Sisyphus; shit that rolls downhill can shift direction with one good game.

Liverpool needs to find its marbles. And fast.

Liverpool 2-2 Birmingham

Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Benayoun Kuyt Riera
Ngog

Goals:
Ngog 13’
Chucho 26’
Jerome 45+3’
Gerrard 71’ (pen)

The beach ball season rolls on. That’s seven league games without a win against Birmingham.

And both sides will feel cheated. With the amount of possession and chances, it’s two more points dropped by Liverpool. In front thanks to yet another set piece goal conceded by Liverpool and a wonderful second, Birmingham will rue Ngog’s dive for glory, which rescued said point.

After a quarter of the game, it looked to be just what was needed. Liverpool were ahead after patiently carving open Birmingham. Ngog scored a wonderful left-footed volley from Riera’s cross after Hart miraculously kept out two previous efforts. The home side were on top, especially down the right, as the beating Glen Johnson was giving Liam Ridgewell would see him jailed in 37 states. Didn’t last. Couldn’t last. Not this season.

It started when Liverpool conceded what was probably the dumbest equalizer of the season, which is saying something. Lucas gave up an insanely soft free kick, holding on a goal kick. McFadden lofted it into the box, and Birmingham won two headers (Roger Johnson at the back post over Glen and Ridgewell over Skrtel) before Chucho pounced from about a yard out. This is a short team, missing its most important defender, but come on.

Once again, Liverpool were knocked off-stride by conceding. But they still should have retaken the lead with a plethora of chances around the 32nd minute. First, Hart barely tipped over a Mascherano shot from distance on the break. When Birmingham were unable to fully clear the subsequent corner, they were under siege before an open Ngog miskicked and Lucas’s tame effort was cleared off the line by two players. Finally, Skrtel blasted a volley over from the top of the box, giving Birmingham a reprieve Liverpool would dearly regret.

After that, we were back to constant pressure, no end product, before Cameron Jerome notched the best goal he’ll ever score. And Birmingham had the best chance before that, on the break, only to see Reina thankfully come out to push Chucho too wide for a shot on target. Riera and Benayoun switched flanks to little effect, Birmingham blocked a smattering of half-chances, and then Riera pulled up injured, clutching the hamstring that previously kept him out. Surprisingly, Gerrard came on. Surely, Superman would change the game. Well, the game sure changed.

Less than two minutes later, Scott Dann headed out of defense just looking to clear his lines. Jerome collected, held off Mascherano, and unleashed a dipping shot from over 35 yards. Reina, marginally off his line (as he should be in that situation), had no chance. Sums up this season. Liverpool had 75% of the possession and Birmingham had two goals from three shots.

One up and unable to believe their luck, Birmingham were even happier to park the bus in the second half. Had luck been with Liverpool, Kuyt would have won a penalty in the 51st when Ridgewell clipped his ankle in the act of shooting. Of course, if luck had been with Liverpool at all this season, they wouldn’t have been in this situation.

Naturally, you’ll counter with “you make your own luck.” Which is exactly what Ngog did. More and more frustration led to sloppier and sloppier play until the 63rd, when Gerrard caromed a header off the post. From there, Liverpool found another gear and turned up the pressure before Ngog dove his way to an equalizer six minutes later.

Let’s get it out of the way now. We’re all against diving. Diving is bad for the sport. I’m sure more than a few British pundits will mention Ngog’s from France. At this point, I’d push my own mother down a flight of stairs for a Liverpool win, and she’s just recovering from a broken ankle. So I’m not going to complain if Ngog goes down when Carsley lunges in. Ngog and Carsley had some handbags – understandable on Carsley’s part – and both saw yellow before Gerrard sent Hart the wrong way.

That was the point where Liverpool would find the breakthrough. That was the point where Liverpool would turn the season around, get the winner, and go into the international break deeply relieved, only a point behind fourth. Ha. At least they didn’t concede. Again.

Liverpool found chances harder and harder to come by with 10, then 11 men packed in Birmingham’s box. The home side saw all of the ball, and Birmingham were all hands on deck, but the breakthrough wasn’t coming. Continuing the luck with injuries, Benayoun pulled up with a hamstring injury in the 78th (for those counting at home, that’s two attackers lost to hamstring injuries today), with Babel coming on, before Aquilani made his home debut for Lucas in the 83rd.

Unable to write the dream script, I thought Aquilani actually slowed down play too much. Before anyone gets carried away, I’m not blaming him for anything, and I’m thrilled to see him healthy. But with Benayoun and Lucas out, Liverpool resorted to crosses and hoofs from the middle, and Birmingham’s defenders had more than enough to keep that out, even with Liverpool throwing every man forward.

For the next two weeks, I’ll be reduced to repeating ‘at least it’s a point’ in an effort to keep sane, fully aware that Liverpool needed a dive to draw against the 15th placed side. That’s normally, and obviously, not good enough – even against a bogey team like Brum with injuries as they are. But this hasn’t been a “normal” season for some time now. The team’s holding on by their fingernails.

At least it’s a point. At least it's a point. Sigh.

Liverpool v Birmingham 11.09.09

3pm, live in the US on espn2

Sorry this is late, but I wanted to wait given the injuries and the game being on Monday. Posting on Friday morning like usual would have meant even more baseless speculation over who’s available.

Last 4 head-to-head:
2-2 (a) 04.26.08
0-0 (h) 09.22.07
1-0 Liverpool (a; League Cup) 11.08.06
7-0 Liverpool (a; FA Cup) 03.21.06

Last three matches:
Liverpool: 1-1 Lyon (a); 1-3 Fulham (a); 1-2 Arsenal (a)
Brum: 0-0 City (h); 2-1 Sunderland (h); 1-3 Arsenal (a)

Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Torres 10; Benayoun, Gerrard, Kuyt 3; Babel, Johnson, Ngog 2
Brum: Bowyer, McFadden 2; Larsson, O’Connor, Phillips, Ridgewell 1

Referee: Peter Walton

Guess at a squad:
Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Benayoun Aurelio
Babel

At least are looking a little brighter on the injury front, even if we’re still massively unsure whether Gerrard or Torres will need surgery thanks to contradictory reports. But Benitez was much more positive over Johnson, Aurelio, Skrtel, and Riera, which would be a huge boon.

At the same time, both Degen and Carragher are suspended. Degen’s out for three games for serious foul play, while Carragher will only miss this match for a professional foul. Given the injury troubles and recent form, it’s certainly not the best time to be missing two defenders, including the vice-captain.

At least it sounds like Skrtel, Agger, and Johnson should be available, as would Aurelio, but I think he’s more likely to feature in midfield. And to be honest, this is a “good” game for Liverpool’s defense. Chances are that Birmingham will try to frustrate Liverpool at Anfield. Although the team’s struggled for goals, and will find it difficult to break down a very resilient Birmingham side, it’s seemingly safer than teams going on the attack against a fragile Liverpool, which has happened more in 17 games this season than in years past. Obviously, Liverpool will have to be wary on the break, especially of Chucho.

And I can’t write a preview without mentioning Torres, especially since I’m guessing he’ll miss out. Benitez argues he’s been getting better, and wants to hold off on surgery. I’d argue that he should sit this one out and rest for a full two weeks with the international break coming up. The depth at striker means he’d have to be on the bench, just in case, but Liverpool should be able to survive without him. Although I just had a seriously bad flashback to 0-0 against Birmingham at Anfield two seasons ago, when Kuyt and Voronin started in place of Torres, which inspired this post.

And at the same time, I wouldn’t mind seeing Babel get a chance in Torres’ spot after Wednesday’s match. Ngog has been Torres’ primary backup, but given the boost to Babel’s confidence after Wednesday – and yes, the need to give him a few games in a row and see if the Dutchman can do a job – I’m curious.

However, I’d still rather Aurelio or even Riera on the left, as long as it doesn’t mean Voronin in the hole. If we’re talking about Babel in midfield, the post under this one still stands: I do think Babel’s better off the bench. Both Aurelio and Riera are more secure defensively, especially when the opposition counters. And even though I’ve questioned the threat Brum will provide, Liverpool will still need to be on their guard.

And I hate when Liverpool plays Birmingham, although at least Steve Bruce, who remains a bogeyman for Benitez, isn’t the manager anymore. Let’s just pretend it’s a cup game; the last time Liverpool beat Birmingham in the league was 2004, seven games ago. Garry O’Connor will miss out through injury, while captain Barry Ferguson is suspended.

Birmingham are tied with Hull for the fewest goals scored, but they’ve only let in 12, better than any other bottom-half side and four goals fewer than Liverpool. McLeish has the team very well-organized at the back, which frightens given Liverpool’s recent reliance on a half-fit Torres for goals.

The upcoming international break, more meaningless than usual as Kyrgiakos is the only player involved in the playoffs, finally arrives, and it’s at a surprisingly good time. Hopefully, the break will allow Liverpool to lessen the massive casualty list. But they need to go into the break with a good result, or it’ll be two more weeks of ‘what’s wrong with Liverpool?’ in the media.

Babel vs. Voronin

From the comments of the last post:

Anonymous said:

I disagree about Babel. I'd much rather see him starting for Voronin rather than coming off the bench. Then bring in Aqua at the 70 min mark. Voronin just looks a half step slow in everything he does. At least Babel has the potential for moments of brilliance along with the mistakes. Voronin just gives you average plus mistakes.

Don’t get me wrong; Voronin was no great shakes yesterday. He gave the ball away too often, under-hit Liverpool’s best chance, and did little attacking as a support striker. He is average plus mistakes. But Babel’s inconsistency squared.

Despite the Dutchman’s brilliant goal, I doubt he would have helped much from the start. The two opportunities after Babel’s strike do well to sum him up: the free kick blasted 12 yards in front of goal which went out for a throw on the far side, and the neat run into the box only to shoot six yards wide of the near post. One moment of brilliance, two moments of banging your head against the wall. That’s Ryan Babel, as harsh as that comes off.

Neither player is “good enough” to consistently win games for the team. Liverpool needs better first-team players to challenge for the title and Champions League. But as everyone acknowledges, last night was a very bad exception and Liverpool hasn’t been this stretched by injuries in years. Starting Voronin, where Liverpool could use his hold-up play and workrate, then bringing on the potentially game-changing Babel was the right move. As much as I wanted to see Aqua around the 70th as well, yesterday’s was an action-packed, crucial game still in the balance, which isn't the best time to give a player with 15 minutes under his belt a European debut.

Now, my main point. Babel as a sub. Let’s start with his goal return, which is 17 in 103 games so far.

46 starts with five goals, compared to 57 substitute appearances and 12 goals off the bench. For those keeping track at home, that’s an average of a goal every 9.2 games when starting and every 4.75 games when a sub. His scoring record is more than twice as good as a substitute.

And then there are the individual games. The games he scored when starting? 6-0 over Derby, 5-0 over Luton Town, 3-1 in a dead rubber over PSV, 3-1 over Bolton, and 5-1 over Newcastle. Every one was a rout.

The games he scored as a sub? Besiktas (x2), Newcastle, Bolton, Marseille, Arsenal (CL), Chelsea (CL), United, West Ham, Hull (x2), and Lyon. Again, most were routs; Babel only provided the winner in one of those matches – against United of all teams – unless we’re counting the penalty won in the CL against Arsenal. But it’s still a much better scoring record against better opposition.

Incidentally, the only match Liverpool lost when Babel scored was the Chelsea CL semi, where Liverpool lost 2-3 and Babel tallied a wicked long-range shot that Cech probably should’ve kept out in the 117th.

And when were the goals scored? Babel’s never scored between the 1-30th minutes, but scored 3 between 31-45, 2 between 46-60, 1 between 61-75, and 11 between 76-120 (the aforementioned Chelsea goal was the only extra-time strike). 12 of his 17 goals have come in the last third of the game! If that’s not a supersub, I don’t know what is.

Now, Voronin’s goal return doesn’t hold a candle to Babel’s, starting, off the bench, whatever. Six goals in 40 games, with all the goals coming in ’07-08. I don't have the assist numbers for any season but this one – Voronin has two assists to Babel's one – but I'd guess Voronin tallied slightly more per game in '07-08 as well. But yes, Voronin is a dissimilar and probably inferior player. The difference between an £11m player and a free transfer, I guess. But unlike Babel, we usually know what we’re getting: workrate, clever layoffs and flick-ons, and a couple of frustrating shots off target. Talents more suited to a starting second striker, especially in Benitez's system and when paired with Torres.

The key is that Voronin was brought in as a squad player, replacing Fowler, and probably would have been sold this summer were Benitez allowed to use the money on another striker. Babel was bought to be a game-changer, the third-highest transfer fee paid by Liverpool at the time. Three seasons into his Liverpool career, not enough games have been changed. Hopefully, yesterday marked a turning point.

Liverpool 1-1 Lyon

Reina
Carragher Kyrgiakos Agger Insua
Kuyt Lucas Mascherano Benayoun
Voronin
Torres

Goals:
Babel 83’
Lisandro 90’

This season in a nutshell, except it’s the first draw in 17 games. Ecstasy and optimism followed by a kick in the teeth. A brilliant Babel opener off the bench, but a sloppy Lopez equalizer in the 90th after Liverpool couldn’t completely clear late pressure, ending with a Bastos flick-on to Lisandro, who out-muscled Kyrgiakos to beat Reina. You can’t say it was Liverpool’s lone mistake – Lyon were almost through thanks to blunders in the 74th and 79th – but they’d looked to have dodged a bullet and resurrected the Champions League campaign. Now, not only does Liverpool have to beat Fiorentina (ideally by two or more goals) and Debrecen, an already-qualified Lyon needs to get a result in Florence.

And Ryan Babel should have been the hero after Liverpool were the better side on the whole. Other than spurning the three excellent chances presented in the first 45, you couldn’t help but be pleased with the half. A typical Liverpool performance in Europe, if you will, which is the highest compliment I can pay the team given the circumstances.

Good workrate and, more importantly, composure, led to Liverpool seeing the majority of possession, the better chances, and increasing strength as the game went on. The home side was limited to early shots from distance, while only Hugo Lloris’ keeping kept Lyon level. After his saves in the first match when Liverpool was a goal to the good, and his stops in this match, I’m never forgetting that name.

A clearly half-fit Torres had the first, in the 12th, when Insua’s deflected cross fell to him at the top of the box, only for the striker to shoot centrally, saved by Lloris’ shins. Kuyt had the second in the 17th, sliding in to collect a cross before fashioning a clever rising toe-poke, prompting Lloris’ best save. 11 minutes later, Voronin was through on the keeper after a long free kick, but saw his tame shot kick-saved away. Both Torres and Voronin’s efforts could have been better, but Lloris still had to keep out all three.

Lyon weren’t helped by injury problems comparable to Liverpool’s, as right-back Reviellere went off in the 18th followed by Pjanic in the 40th. But despite those impediments and Liverpool’s fortitude, Gomis looked capable of creating one needed moment, while Lopez was clearly out to test Carra down that flank.

Chances were fewer and farther between in the second half, as Lyon resorted to cagier tactics only needing a draw to qualify. Liverpool again should have taken the lead but for Lloris in the 69th, when the ball fell to Lucas open on the left in the box. It was a well-struck shot, but a better save, and Kuyt’s weakly bicycled rebound was easily cleared off the line.

Lyon nearly struck through the two aforementioned mistakes – Kyrgiakos let a long ball bounce before a soft back header put Lisandro through, but Reina saved with his face, then Kuyt picked the wrong pass in the final third, Lyon broke, and Lisandro danced into space only to curl an 18-yard shot around the far post.

Bringing on Babel for Voronin (the lone attacking change until Ngog replaced a spent Torres in the 86th) helped matters, and it was the oft-criticized sub who provided the moment of inspiration. Liverpool broke through Lucas to Benayoun, Babel received the ball in Lyon’s half, strode into the center, and unleashed an unstoppable blast from 25 yards out. It was probably the best goal he’s scored. And I hope it ends the debate as to whether he’s better off the bench.

It’s saddening that a draw’s only disappointing because of the Champions League implications. It’s certainly better than other recent results. And with the amount of players either missing or half-fit, taken out of context, it’s not a bad result. But there’s a context. With two games to play, Lyon’s on 10 points, Fiorentina’s on 9, and Liverpool has 4.

Liverpool deserved better for having the better chances, but couldn’t take them until the 83rd, and gave up an ignominious equalizer, which isn’t exactly a rare occurrence this season. It was especially cruel given that the makeshift backline had been excellent on the whole. I’ve few complaints with anyone’s performance, but at the same time, there were few standouts (Mascherano on the whole, Babel’s goal, Insua excellently rebounding from a poor performance in the previous meeting, Lucas' passing, Agger’s composure).

It’s a performance that can be built upon for Monday’s match against Birmingham. Hopefully, the five-day interlude will help the casualty list, especially with Torres (it was reassuring to see him last 86 minutes). But at the end of the day, qualification for the all-important, flash-the-cash knockout rounds is now out of Liverpool’s hands.

Liverpool at Lyon 11.04.09

2:45pm, live in the US on FSC

Last 3 matches:
Liverpool: 1-3 Fulham (a); 1-2 Arsenal (a); 2-0 United (h)
Lyon: 1-0 St Etienne (a); 1-4 Nice (a); 2-1 Liverpool (a)

Group Stage:
Liverpool: 1-2 Lyon (h); 0-2 Fiorentina (a); 1-0 Debrecen (h)
Lyon: 2-1 Liverpool (a); 4-0 Debrecen (a); 1-0 Fiorentina (h)

Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (BEL)

De Bleeckere was the man in the middle for wins over Inter and Real in the last two seasons. Let’s hope he continues to be a good luck charm.

Guess at a squad:
Reina
Darby Carragher Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Benayoun Babel
Torres

So, Gerrard, Johnson, Kelly, Riera, Skrtel, Aurelio, and El Zhar haven’t traveled. Neither has Degen, who’s not on the CL list. At best, Agger, Ngog, Aquilani, and Cavalieri are the only ones who'll be available tomorrow but weren’t on Saturday. This is the worst stretch of injuries I can remember at the club.

And, to make matters that much more interesting, it turns out Torres is worse than feared. The suggestions of a hernia operation have me scared shitless. I’ve had that operation, for an inguinal hernia, and while the quality of care he’ll get is miles better (I still hate the surgeon that messed my operation up), it’d put him out for at least six weeks. And, worst case, he’ll lose a ton of power from his shot for a few more weeks. Yikes. At least, from my experience, you can put off a hernia operation, and while it’s obviously affecting the player, it can’t get much worse. Either you need hernia surgery or you don’t.

With Johnson and Kelly out, it’ll be either Darby or Carragher at right back. I’d feel a lot better about Carra at RB if Skrtel were fit, but I don’t know about an Agger/Kyrgiakos partnership with Carra out wide. Starting a young player in a match of this importance always frightens, but Kelly didn’t let the team down in similar circumstances, and Darby deserves his shot. However, since Carra is suspended for the next few league matches, maybe he’ll play at RB as Liverpool doesn’t have to worry about his fitness.

The midfield’s in similar dire straits. At least Lucas and Mascherano are both fit, but as we’ve seen before, we’re not going to get much creativity from the two of them. With the squad stretched as thin as it is, I’ve seen suggestions that Aquilani will start, but that's hard to believe since he’s played a total of 15 minutes off the bench so far. Aqua will almost certainly see time as a sub though. Even though Liverpool was picked apart in the middle against Lyon with Aurelio playing, Fabio would be a huge help tomorrow. Sigh.

And then there’s the attack, which will continue to rely on a half-fit Torres. I doubt Voronin will get a second chance – I’d rather the inconsistent threat of Babel before the diligence of Voronin – but we need much, much more from both Benayoun and Kuyt. The two of them are key to linking play in the final third in Gerrard’s absence. When Liverpool’s succeeded without the captain, those two have played blinders (see: United). When they’re off, Liverpool struggles mightily (see: Fulham).

It’s not as if Lyon are in a happy place right now, but it’s Shangri-La compared to Liverpool. The French side are still missing the majority of their central defenders, and midfielder Toulalan will probably again start with Cris. Not that Liverpool was able to challenge the makeshift pairing much in the previous meeting. Govou’s also been stripped of the captaincy, and yet it was that player who prevented an on-field fight between Toulalan and manager Claude Puel on Saturday. Yet Lyon still have more than enough to punish a defense missing three right-backs, a centerback, and a left-back in Govou, Lopez, Pjanic, and Gomis.

I’m sick of the dire predictions and ultimatums. We all know where Liverpool currently stands, and where Liverpool will probably end up if they don’t take all three points (read: Europa League). It’s an absolute worst-case scenario with this many players missing. But we’ve seen Liverpool with backs firmly pressed against the wall before. Let’s hope a similar result’s won.

Liverpool 1-3 Fulham

Reina
Degen Carragher Kyrgiakos Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Voronin Benayoun
Torres

Goals:
Zamora 24’
Torres 42’
Nevland 72’
Dempsey 87’

Once again, you have to be kidding me. Another delicious mix of awful luck, costly mistakes, fluke goals, and questionable substitutions. Benitez is going to come under a ton of stick, and I have absolutely no defense for him. We’re in full-on damage control mode. Wednesday could literally destroy this club.

23 minutes of solid pressure, and Liverpool’s beaten with a smash-and-grab less than a minute after Benayoun smacked the crossbar. Thankfully, Torres provides a wonderful equalizer after Liverpool struggled to regain its bearings, and then Fulham goes back ahead after the striker’s questionably withdrawn in the 63rd. Nothing comes from Babel’s entrance, and Nevland notches from a fortunate break. Benayoun’s also withdrawn, and then Degen and Carra pick up straight red cards. It was only a matter of time before Fulham made it 3-1. The nine men that finished the match were Reina, Ayala, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Eccleston, Voronin, and Babel.

Either a bad virus is going around the club or Benitez put too much priority on Wednesday’s Champions League match in Lyon. In addition to Gerrard, Johnson, Aqua, Kelly, and Riera out, which we knew, Agger, Aurelio, Skrtel, Ngog, and Cavalieri didn’t make the squad. If you include El Zhar, Liverpool had a comparable XI missing. The bench was filled with youngsters such as Eccleston, Ayala, Spearing, Plessis, and Gulasci; Babel and Dossena were the only two who’ve started more than three league games.

But this can’t be blamed on injuries. On the whole, Liverpool were indefensible. Just like last season at Craven Cottage, Liverpool looked irrepressible early on, but couldn’t make it pay off. Other than the aforementioned Benayoun blast, the only remotely interesting threat was Voronin’s stumbling headed flick-cum-shot which eluded Torres in the 3rd minute.

Voronin and Benayoun dropped deeper to try and knit play, but Fulham stayed in front of them. All the possession, but no bite. Those two, along with Kuyt, have to take a lot of the blame for Liverpool’s indifference in attack. We know what we’re getting with Lucas and Mascherano, and they were solid in midfield, evidenced by the overwhelming possession. But Liverpool infrequently tested Schwartzer or teed up Torres. And then Fulham struck. Kyrgiakos looked to be the main villain, beaten on the initial header and when Zamora got between him and Insua, but it was basically Fulham's first chance.

Liverpool were completely undone by the opener. It took 15 minutes to reassert any sort of pressure, and Fulham were happy to have 10 men behind the ball daring Liverpool to break them down. Fernando Torres could. Voronin’s header looked to be going nowhere as Hughes stepped up to block, but the defender could only chest to Torres, with the striker brilliantly volleying the errant pass from the top of the box.

With Liverpool finally turning the tables, intermission probably came at an unfortunate time. The team never posed much of a threat in the second half, and Fulham had the best opportunity – Carragher narrowly avoiding a penalty when shielding Zamora – before the controversial turning point.

Rafael Benitez is often compared to a chess master. He’s definitely a hands-on, 'consider everything' tactician, who, if we’re being impudent, treats his players like chess pieces. That’s the only way to describe replacing Fernando Torres with Babel with thirty minutes to play.

I understand his reasons. Torres isn’t at full fitness, he was struggling for chances, and there’s a huge game on Wednesday where he’ll be needed thanks to the insanely depleted squad. But fans don’t care about that. Fans want Gerry Byrne playing with a broken collarbone in the FA Cup Final (look it up). Fans want Terry Butcher with blood streaming down his face. When Liverpool’s drawing a needed win and Fernando Torres's taken out with 30 minutes to go “to protect" him, fans are going to be furious when the team loses 3-1, and rightfully so.

It was either tragedy or comedy after that depending on your outlook. Liverpool created even less in the final third without Torres, and Fulham struck nine minutes after the substitution because Kuyt worked too hard. Too hard! The striker sprinted across the field to try and keep the ball in, laying it on a plate for Konchesky, who raced down the left. His deep cross found Gera, who headed it down for Nevland to redirect.

Embarassingly, Benayoun was soon withdrawn for Eccleston. Taking off the best source of goals is made worse by taking off the second-best source of goals after the team goes behind. Degen’s idiotically rash challenge a minute later deserved a red card for stupidity alone, while Carragher hauled down Zamora in similar circumstances to the Owen challenge three minutes later. A goal against a stretched nine men and Fulham fans chanting olé completed the humiliation, and You’ll Never Walk Alone hadn’t sounded so somber since halftime at Istanbul.

The win over United was a short reprieve, and we’re back on the brink. It’s harder to defend the team or manager than usual, and Benitez would probably be fired if Liverpool loses to Lyon if the owners could afford it. If that doesn’t sum up the severity of this situation, I don’t know what can.

Liverpool at Fulham 10.31.09

11am, live in the US on Setanta

Last 4 head-to-head:
1-0 Liverpool (a) 04.04.09
0-0 (h) 11.22.08
2-0 Liverpool (a) 04.19.08
2-0 Liverpool (h) 11.10.07

Last three matches:
Liverpool: 1-2 Arsenal (a); 2-0 United (h); 1-2 Lyon (h)
Fulham: 2-2 City (a); 1-1 Roma (h); 2-0 Hull (h)

Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Torres 9; Benayoun, Gerrard, Kuyt 3; Babel, Johnson, Ngog 2
Fulham: Duff, Murphy, Zamora 2; Dempsey, Gera, Kamara, Konchesky 1

Referee: Lee Mason

Guess at a squad:
Reina
Degen Carragher Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Benayoun Aurelio
Torres

Still can’t get around those injury concerns. Gerrard’s still out, Johnson’s evidently relapsed, Aquilani’s picked up a virus, and Kelly and Riera aren’t fit yet. Oh, and Torres is touch and go. At least it doesn’t appear that Lucas has swine flu, which was a nasty rumor floating around the forums yesterday, and Mascherano’s back from suspension.

So unless other concerns arise, or someone provides a late fitness boost, I can’t see many other options for the line-up. It’d be the team that faced United with Degen coming in for Johnson.

Insua and Aurelio formed a solid left flank against United. I don’t see any reason to alter that for Babel’s inclusion. Had the Dutchman taken his 80th minute opportunity against Arsenal, I might be singing a different tune, but once again, Babel disappointed. Benayoun’s would be the creative linchpin in the hole, with Kuyt again joining the attack from the right.

I’m nervous about Degen’s first Premier League start, and would rather Martin Kelly, but at least we’ve seen flashes in his few appearances this season. The attacking side’s been the better half of his game, and it’ll be the side more needed against Fulham, but we’ve seen some decent last-ditch defending. Still, adding Degen to a defense prone to lapses worries, but the defense’s been in much better form since Agger’s return.

After a slow start to the season, Fulham’s been fairly impressive of late, unbeaten since hosting Arsenal at the end of September. They should have notched a win over Roma, only to concede an injury-time equalizer when a man down, before coming back from two down at Manchester City. The team’s still struggling for goals though, with 10 scored through nine league matches, less than half of what Liverpool's accrued. Danny Murphy won’t start against his old club due to injury, while Simon Davies and Paul Konchesky are also probably out.

Five days ago, Anfield was in ecstasy as Liverpool apparently “saved the season.” Beating the Mancs is wonderful, and absolutely made my week, but it’ll mean next to nothing if Liverpool can’t find another three points. Fulham frequently gives Liverpool a game; last season's match at Anfield was one of those frustrating 0-0s, while it took a 92nd minute goal from Yossi Benayoun to beat them on their patch.

This won’t be easy, especially with the injuries. But win anyway. Just win.