There's not much to say about our drubbing at the hands of a rampant Liverpool. We were outclassed. Still, if your keeper hands the opposition a three goal start...

Entertaining it certainly was. Seven goals down by the Thames, and some crackers among them, sadly for Fulham fans five of them came at the wrong end. Only two league goals conceded at the Cottage since Boxing Day - that margin exceeded after barely 15 minutes with our defence all at sea as the roof caved in.

Well done Kenny for transforming Liverpool's style of play from the turgid manner that made Woy such a hate figure during his short tenure. Suarez was sublime, Maxi magnificent, Liverpool not only turned on a masterclass, the margin of victory could well have been greater. Fulham were lucky not to concede a penalty against Hangeland, who endured a torrid night. Was he still feeling under the weather? While we blocked two certain goals on the line.

However, the analytical knife sadly has to expose a truly awful display from the veteran Schwarzer, and just after I'd praised his recent solidity in my pre-match build up. Does this give the manager food for thought long-term I wonder? Hughes has been showing a perverse streak with team selection all season and it was on display again for this match. Not starting with your England centre-forward immediately puts Fulham on the back foot. We were clearly a different force up front from the minute Bobby appeared, had our best spell of the game, and evidence of Bobby's hold up skills were there for all to see as he set up Dembele for a routine finish.

I'm at a loss to understand what Hughes is trying to prove with Gudjohnsen. It's just my personal opinion, but I'm not going to be ecstatic to see him given a contract for next season. He's lost the edge that once made him so dangerous, he plays too deep to be your spearhead in a 4-4-2 set-up, and - frankly, he doesn't now look to me like he has goals in his locker. So on that criteria, please tell me Mark what he's going to bring to the cause next year when he's 33?

On the subject of veterans nearing the end of their careers, the bell has been tolling for our skipper for a year now. Danny played with a scowl from the first minute when we conceded a dreadful goal and almost managed to talk himself into a red card by haranguing Mason after being whistled up for his first foul of the match.

Another long term stalwart, Hughes initially put us under pressure missing the first minute pass that put Suarez away down the left, he also found the pace of Liverpool's forwards a handful throughout. In fact, I have rarely seen our two centre-backs so comprehensively shredded. The records show that in three seasons Aaron and Brede's understanding and reading of the game has been one of tremendous value to the club. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt for now and remember this was a Liverpool side on fire.

I make no secret of the fact that from the moment I watched Stockdale last August with calm authority deal with everything United could throw at him, I have favoured his selection ahead of Schwarzer. So he had a couple of flaky performances in January and rumours circulated that he was maybe carrying a few extra pounds - but he's the long term future for Fulham as number one keeper in my eyes - and I know a lot of other fans around me yesterday at the ground agree. Which way does the gaffer play it for the last two matches? He'll put an arm around Mark, tell him everyone has an off day, to forget it, and stick him back in against Brum. Me? I'd reward a bad performance like that with a spell of bench-warming and repay David for his patience with a run out against City and Arsenal.

I know a football match doesn't work like this, but without the Reds being gift-wrapped a three goal start we might have ended up with the 2-2 draw I predicted. At the end of the day that would still have been a travesty. The defeat didn't leave me with the usual negative aftertaste that ruins my week. It was a privilege to admire the skills of Suarez in particular. The speed at which Liverpool moved the ball through us - our five bookings tells you all about how overrun we were - is I hope a salutary lesson that Sparky will turn to good advantage to move our own club forward next season.

I guess a comparison between our own ambitions and Liverpool's only underlines the obvious. Entering December both clubs were alongside each other at the wrong end of the table. In January Liverpool splash £50 million to land Suarez and Andy Carroll (boy was he not missed!) and Kenny now has them pushing hard for 4th place. While, with our wage structure as it is, Mark is looking to sell Fulham supporters on the idea that Eidur could maybe still do a job for us in the Premiership...and it helps that he'll probably come on a free. We are operating in a parallel universe. We're not unique, but that's how the Premiership plays out as a competition, and we just have to accept it.

Here's hoping we can bounce back at St. Andrews. Picking Zamora from the start please would be a good idea. And now he's remembered where the back of the net is, stick Dembele back in the 'sweatbox.' (See previous blog 'Practice makes Perfect.')

We Still Believe! Twitter@fulhamphil

Tweet

Follow ESPNsoccernet's Football Correspondents on Twitter