Team for Fulham

[pondus]

From Skysports:

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has admitted Steven Gerrard is struggling to recover from his groin injury.

Gerrard has missed Liverpool's last two games with the problem initially picked up on international duty with England earlier this month.

The Reds skipper is likely to be again missing for Saturday's trip to Fulham amid fears he could need surgery to solve the problem.
Struggling

Better news on the injury front for Benitez is that Fernando Torres is likely to face Fulham despite struggling with a similar problem to Gerrard.

"Both have to keep going," said Benitez. "Gerrard is still working with the physio so we will see.

"Hopefully, Torres will be okay, but for Gerrard maybe it more difficult."


Surgery

[the rev leeroy brown]

reina

johnson
carra
agger
aurelio

lucas
masher

kyut
benni
babel

torres

[-V-]

Damn damn damn damn. It wouldn't be so bad if Riera was fit but he's out too. Babel cannot be relied upon im afraid so it will have to be Aurelio on left wing with Insua at LB

[Fubar]

why not....

.............................reina................ ...........
johnson.......carra............agger........aureli o
...........................mascher................ .........
..............................albert.............. ............
...kuyt........................................ben onion
.....................ngog......................... ..........
.............................torres............... ..........

[dww]

Fulham are hardly a lesser team though, they're the home side too.

I think on some level while giving all teams respect we have to look at anyone outside the big four as lesser. The only teams that can reasonably be put in another danger category are Spurs, Villa, Everton and Man City and I wouldn't include Everton if it weren't a derby.

[kris90210]

aquilani on the bench? hope he gets 20-30 mins

[Vermilion]

Gerrard maybe needing surgery ? Just what we bloody needed that is.

[SB]

Gerrard maybe needing surgery ? Just what we bloody needed that is.

We get one back and another one drops

[DannyMan2006]

Gerrard maybe needing surgery ? Just what we bloody needed that is.

Rafa doesn't mention surgery so I'm quite hopefull that will not be the case.

[pondus]

From the offal. **** me, will it never end..

Rafa Benitez will be without both Glen Johnson and Steven Gerrard for this weekend's trip to Fulham.
Gerrard has failed to recover from a groin injury sustained earlier this month on international duty, while Johnson suffered a small tear in his calf this week.

Meanwhile, Alberto Aquilani is also a doubt after picking up a virus following his debut against Arsenal in midweek.

Benitez told Liverpoolfc.tv: "Gerrard still has a problem with his groin so he won't be available this weekend.

"At this moment he's working with the physios. He has to keep working and we'll decide next week how he progresses.

"Johnson has a small tear in his calf, so we will lose him for maybe one week."

On Aquilani, Benitez added: "In terms of fitness he's doing well. His ankle is coming on well. The problem we have now is that he has a virus, so it will be difficult for him to be available.

"We will see this afternoon how he feels but he was a little bit sick yesterday.

"He wanted to play against Arsenal and was really pleased to go. He wants to go and play against Fulham but we'll have to decide how he feels."

Benitez will also have to do without both Martin Kelly (ankle) and Albert Riera (hamstring) for the journey south.

However, the boss is hoping Fernando Torres will be able to make an impact after he returned with a match-winning display against Manchester United.

Benitez said: "He is improving. He's been training and working with the physios. We will see if he is a little bit better this weekend. It's a difficult situation because if you play games, you often don't have too much time to get fit again."

[dww]

Degen to start then?

[Chris]

Dunno whether to laugh or cry, you think we're on the way back then just get crippled with more bad news. ****ing ridiculous.

[DannyMan2006]

Degen to start then?

Got to.

Let's see how he does at the back when defending. I'm sure he'll be a bit more on the back foot against Fulham. Seemed to hit it off with Kuyt so hopefully Dirk plays on the right against Fulham.

I do worry for Degen if Yossi starts on the right. He's a bit too forward thinking to play with a player like Yossi who continually cuts inside.

Who plays on the left for Fulham?

[BobTheCharmer]

Let me guess.... Kuyt?

No. Left Back. And just in general.

[DannyMan2006]

Dunno whether to laugh or cry, you think we're on the way back then just get crippled with more bad news. ****ing ridiculous.

It's just the same ones really. Gerrard still out and Johnson just came back from injury - may have aggravated something against the mancs. I doubt he would have played in normal circumstances but it was worth the risk.

Hopefully Glen will be okay for Lyon. Could have done with Stevie in France, but we'll be a lot better with Torres and after a win against Fulham, full of confidence.