Match build up thread - Fulham v LFC

[Liverpel]

Fulham's Barclays Premier League home clash with Liverpool will go ahead as planned on Wednesday night after unions suspended a strike on the London Underground.



Just minutes prior to the announcement by the RMT union that it was joining the TSSA in suspending a planned 48-hour strike, Cottagers boss Rene Meulensteen expressed his confidence that the game would go ahead regardless.

The Fulham boss said the potential tube cessation had not affected his side's preparation for their league showdown with Brendan Rodgers' Anfield outfit.

"As far as I am concerned the game will go ahead," said Meulensteen.

"It has not been too much of a concern to us, it's not something we could allow to affect us."

Fulham had planned to delay a decision on staging their Liverpool clash until later on Tuesday afternoon.

Members of the RMT and TSSA unions were due to walk out at 9pm on Tuesday night following a two-day stoppage last week which caused travel chaos in the capital.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said unions had received proposals that halted implementation of job cuts, so that discussions can be held "away from the pressure cooker".

The unions are campaigning against controversial plans to close all 260 Tube ticket offices with the loss of 950 jobs.

Liverpool owner John W Henry waded into the row over Fulham delaying their decision on whether to postpone the match due to transport concerns with a tweet on Tuesday morning.

Henry tweeted: "Arsenal, West Ham and Leyton Orient all ready for the strike but not Fulham?"

Fulham put their waiting game purely down to prudence to ascertain whether all support staff could travel to the match to ensure supporter safety.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/fulham-game-on-after-strike-suspended-29999451.html

[Yozza]

Fulham duo ruled out of Liverpool clash

Amorebieta and Mitroglou both sidelined for visit of rampant Reds

Fulham boss Rene Meulensteen has no fresh injury worries ahead of tomorrow night's game with Liverpool.

The Craven Cottage clash has been given the go ahead after unions called off planned strikes on the tube.

Defender Fernando Amorebieta, who missed Sunday's 2-2 draw at Manchester United, is still out but is due to resume training later this week.

And Fulham fans will have to wait to get a first glimpse of £11million striker Kostas Mitroglou as the Greek star is battling to regain fitness following a knee problem.

Boss Rene Meulensteen, who reckons Liverpool are dark horses for the title, said: "We are still working very hard to get him up to speed for the Premier League. It’s important we time that right for us and for him. He’s progressing every day.

"Fernando has had an injection that allows him to start training tomorrow and hopefully available for West Brom."

Darren Bent is expected to get a recall, with youngster Muamer Tankovic set to drop down to the bench.

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-duo-ruled-out-liverpool-6695768?

[Yozza]

Reds provide quintet injury update

Liverpool hope to be nearing a fully-fit squad of players to choose from by the end of February, according to head of performance, Glen Driscoll.

The Reds have had to make do without the likes of Daniel Agger, Lucas Leiva, Mamadou Sakho, Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique in recent weeks.

However, Agger and Johnson this week resumed training at Melwood - while Lucas, Sakho and Enrique are all making good progress in their rehabilitation programmes.

Driscoll told Liverpoolfc.com: "Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson came through training very well yesterday and today, which is good news.

"It's just a matter of monitoring their conditioning in terms of their availability for games, and it leaves us with just three injuries.

"Mamadou Sakho actually had a tear in his tendon and not the muscle of the hamstring as initially reported. For a whole host of reasons tendons take longer to heal, but he is working hard and progressing.

"Lucas Leiva was due to be in a brace for six weeks, according to specialists' opinion, but yesterday he was outside running just over three weeks in, which is fantastic and shows just how ahead of schedule he is.

"Jose Enrique also had a complex knee issue and following surgery is in the process of achieving his final strength gains before he can return to training."

Driscoll added: "Without providing specific dates I would hope that by the end of the month we should start to get the likes of Jose, Lucas and Sakho back.

"It's normal in a squad of 25 to carry three to four injuries at any one time. Obviously we would rather we always give the manager a full complement of players to choose from but unfortunately this season we have sustained some complex long-term injuries and that's when injuries can build up as the remaining squad members have to play more often.

"Overall, we haven't had more injuries than last season when we had the least in the Premier League, but it's just been unfortunate that a couple of them have been quite long term."

Liverpool's defensive ranks have been affected most by injury this season, though Driscoll doesn't believe there is a correlation between the position of the players and the problems sustained.

"Impact injuries can happen to any players," he said. "We have seen quite a lot of syndesmosis ankle injuries this season, they are almost exclusively a result of impact or tackles and have been spread evenly amongst the defenders, midfielders and forwards.

"Similarly, you can lose a player like Coutinho for two months due to a high-impact challenge and a shoulder injury, so I don't think position is that important."

[I, Ravel Morrison]

The same arse-tearing first eleven for me.

[cream]

Our bench should start look stronger again from tomorrow.

[Fosterbloke]

Our bench should start look stronger again from tomorrow.

Why, is Jan Molby coming back?

[BobTheCharmer]

the weather here in west london is bloody awful, wet as per usual and really windy. there won't be much pretty football played today. going to be a tough old grind I feel.

[I, Ravel Morrison]

Getting really pumped for the game. Can't believe I'm feeling this way about an away game at Craven Cottage in the middle of Feb!

[Fredo]

the weather here in west london is bloody awful, wet as per usual and really windy. there won't be much pretty football played today. going to be a tough old grind I feel.

The football will be ok, just makes the grass quicker to zip it around, unless Craven Cottage is a quagmire.

I'm more concerned for me as I'm going to the match.

[Alex]

Its the wind mate. You probably know yourself, but its blowing a gale at the moment, and Im only about 15 miles from The Cottage

[Fredo]

It was windy for the game against Arsenal and it didn't cause us problems.

[dom9]

It's looking likely that I am probably gonna completely miss this game.

[poorscousertommy]

Anyone else going the game? I'm sat in Spoons in Putney Bridge like a little sad case in my own at the minute!

[poorscousertommy]

The weather is shocking too. Hope it calms down for game

[danperkins]

Huge game this is. Never thought i would say that as it's vs Fulham but we have a point to prove. So many times we have got great results and then choked when we've had a chance to capitalise on our rivals or push on.

I hope we start with the same intensity and tempo as we did vs Everton & Arsenal and not like vs West Brom & Villa. If we do IMO we'll be way too much for Fulham.