Liverpool’s Biggest Threat Is Liverpool – Hendrick on Fulham Defeat | OneFootball

Liverpool Falter at Fulham: Raw Analysis from AnfieldIndex’s Post Match RAW

Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat at Craven Cottage left much to be dissected, and AnfieldIndex’s Post Match RAW podcast with Trev Downey and Dave Hendrick delivered an unflinching and insightful breakdown of what went wrong — from individual performances to Arne Slot’s tactical decisions.

Frustration Boils Over After Another Self-Inflicted Setback

“It’s not good enough on any level,” said Trev, summing up the overarching mood. “It’s the narrowest of defeats at the end, but you know, it goes right back to the manager not maybe having the best of days again.”

For Dave Hendrick, the frustration was crystal clear: “The biggest threat to Liverpool is always Liverpool. The only threat to Liverpool is Liverpool this season.” He criticised the team’s tendency to be the author of their own downfall, citing an xG of 0.79 for Fulham’s three goals and only four shots on target, “and they scored three of them.”

Tactical Missteps and Questionable Decisions

Both contributors highlighted several tactical issues. Hendrick wasn’t convinced by Slot’s approach, stating, “I thought Ara [Arne Slot] got a little bit too galaxy brain today.” He pointed to specific choices like playing Curtis Jones at right-back — “the Curtis at right back decision was the wrong one” — and removing Cody Gakpo rather than Diogo Jota, calling it “Galaxy brain nonsense.”

On the substitutions, Trev added: “We’ve about five forwards on the pitch,” while questioning what shape the team was even trying to play towards the end. Dave agreed, noting the impact of shifting Bradley into a back three: “Bradley’s in a back three… Gravenberch is playing as the left-sided centre-back in a three… Diaz disappears out of the game.”

Players Under Fire: Jota, Robertson, and Defensive Woes

Neither contributor held back on the players. Hendrick was scathing about several performances: “Dom was probably the worst of the rest,” he said of Szoboszlai. “Robbo and the two centre-backs… were aggressively bad.” Even Virgil van Dijk was not spared: “That kind of sums up Virgil’s afternoon… he’s throwing into the opposition half trying to help with the attack.”

Harvey Elliott’s late miss was also dissected, particularly given the hostility he faced from Fulham fans. “He got booed every time he touched the ball,” said Dave. “I think he wanted that top bin goal.”

Time to Reset, Refocus, and Regain Balance

As ever, Post Match RAW wasn’t just about criticism; it was also about solutions. Trev emphasised the opportunity in having one game a week: “It’s one game a week now for the next seven weeks… tiredness is no longer going to be an excuse.”

Hendrick highlighted the importance of returning players: “Alli coming back is going to be big. Bradley back is huge because just having a recognised right back who actually understands the position… should help Mo quite a bit.”

There was also a nod to the midfield imbalance: “We’re lacking someone who can just give us the focal point defensively… that lighthouse defensively and on the ball.”

Fulham’s Credit and a Stark Reality

Importantly, Dave gave credit to Fulham: “Fulham are a good team and they’re really well coached… Marco Silva has done the most underrated job in the league.” But he concluded with a stark message for Liverpool’s title aspirations: “To get what we want, we need seven out of seven now… well, sorry, we need six. Six would be enough.”

With the next three fixtures seen as “the easiest games we have left,” the Post Match RAW team know Liverpool cannot afford further stumbles. “It would be nice to wrap it up in April,” said Dave. “Just always nice to wrap the title up good and early and not have to stress.”

This was Post Match RAW at its finest: brutally honest, deeply analytical, and rooted in passion for Liverpool Football Club — a must-listen for any Red needing to process yet another self-inflicted blow in a season teetering between glory and regret.