Back from the game/the PC - Fulham (H)

[sandman]

Jobi is always looking to take on the full back unlike the guy on the other side who has bags of pace but doesn't seem to want to use it. Vastly underrated to me.

[yappy]

I thought Cummings looked completely out of his depth today, and to be honest with most of the goals recently I've been thinking he could've done more. I'd definitely be inclined to give Gunter another go.

Tabb was good today, but we really need a midfielder who's happy to get the ball on the deck and look for a pass. There was a 15-20 minute period where we were in panic mode and giving away possession as soon as we got it. A player like Guthrie could've really helped alleviate the pressure by keeping the ball. It also makes it a bit easier for teams to defend against us as most teams just double up on our wingers as they know we won't offer much through the middle. Echoing what alot of people have already said, I'd have loved to see Sidwell in our midfield today.

If we sort out these two areas I think we'd be a lot more solid.

[windermere_royal]

just finished watching extended highlights on sky, how unlucky were we not to nick it in injury time? great strike for Fulham`s first goal, second goal bad marking from a corner, 3rd goal Sidwell and the Berbatov given far too much space , we really need Pearce back ASAP.

[chilipepper91]

So he made one simple pass in-field for Ledge to scream it in? Otherwise contributed very little. My posts on TTE have actually been quite complimentary of his contributions, and he does seem to pop up with passes for goals quite frequently, but today he didn't deliver.

I'd rather have a battling Championship central midfielder in central midfield, than a questionable Premier League winger in central midfield.

"He does seem to pop up with passes"

As well as the first assist, he also started the very last attack where we could have nicked it 4-3. Most of our attacks started on his side in the 1st half too. I genuinely am bemused by those on here that don't see what he contributes but I guess that's the joy of football....everyone has their own opinion.

Indeed. Watching the games live, he's one of the most frustrating players we have, but on paper he's one of the most productive. Guess that's why the fans generally get on his back but he continues to get on the team-sheet. And if he keeps contributing key moments despite the frustrating moments then no problems from me. But when HRK contributes an assist and a goal in 10 minutes? 2nd top scorer so far this season, on the bare stats shouldn't he be worth a start? Assists and goals tell one side of the story.

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

Just have to at anyone critising the McAnuff switch to CM with 20 mins to go. Where have you been the last 2 years?

There's a huge difference though in using your championship know how to revert to that position compared to the premiership.We clearly lost our way in midfield after Tabb went off when it was Kebe who should have been accomodated for Mcleary. Granted Brian didn't have the midfield options from the bench, but given Karacans injury, Guthries problems and a space used up by Gunnarson that is unlikely to be used, it serves to highlight our lack of depth in this area.

[Royal Ginger]

I was a lot happier with today. We were a real sustained threat for the biggest chunk of a game so far this season.

Kebe is a lazy bastard going forward, but I think he looked after Cummings well today. Tabb would be my man of the match today (which is not a phrase i ever thought i'd use). Admittedly i was sitting in the nose-bleads today, but from where i was sitting he was purposeful on the ball, got the tackles in and did his fair share of defending, for me, his coming off was when we really bent over and took it.

I'd like to see, Gunter, Pearce and Feds get a run at Arsenal.

[Ian Royal]

just home, feeling desperately sorry for the Pog, he seems like a fish out of water playing our direct system, the few times he got the ball to his feet he did well laying it off , and he had a hand in our first goal.
What has happened to the Jimmy Kebe of a few seasons back that used to skin his full back?..

He's now up against PL full backs, not Chump fullbacks.

[arthurfondrelli]

Not fussed with wolf song
Not fussed with wolf flag
Not a bad result
Not a bad performance
Beer
Good day out

[Ian Royal]

Love the criticism of McAnuff - Surefire way to spot someone who's utterly clueless about football. Last season's top assister. 5 assists from 8 league games this season. Apparently he's crap. He's about the only Reading player anyone sane would even consider for their fantasy team.

[Stuboo]

I was a lot happier with today. We were a real sustained threat for the biggest chunk of a game so far this season.

Kebe is a lazy bastard going forward, but I think he looked after Cummings well today. Tabb would be my man of the match today (which is not a phrase i ever thought i'd use). Admittedly i was sitting in the nose-bleads today, but from where i was sitting he was purposeful on the ball, got the tackles in and did his fair share of defending, for me, his coming off was when we really bent over and took it.

I'd like to see, Gunter, Pearce and Feds get a run at Arsenal.

Agree re Tabb. I thought he had a blinding game and was surprised to see him taken off.

[Handsome Man]

Good game

We were good value for the first-half lead, stopped playing for 30 minutes, then turned it on again at the end with some good team spirit.

Tabb played well. Two big strikers can work at home. MacAnuff is player of the season at the moment. Kebe isn't anywhere near fit, but put in a good shift.

Team spirit is good and we have a good manager. The best thing about today was watcing 20 mins of Norwich Villa - they are no better than us. We can definitely stay up without giving a job to Harry Redknapp so that he can spunk millions on mercenary players.

[winchester_royal]

First half decent but nothing special. Played to our strengths and just about matched an average Fulham side.

Second half we tired, particularly in midfield (Tabb was blowing out of his arse after 50 which is why he got taken off), and only really started to threaten again once we had fresh wingers on the pitch.

Was crying out for Hunt to be brought on for the ineffectual Roberts as soon as the second half started but as usual Brian was reactive rather than proactive in his substitutions.

Entertaining game, but let's be honest the only real quality on display came from Fulham.

Struggling to see where we go from here, if Guthrie really is about to be cut loose then there goes our only even slight resemblance of a plan B.

[Royal Ginger]

I thought Roberts' hold up play was good. He received the ball and controlled it well without knocking it 2 yards first, which is what made us look so awful last week. He didn't do anything spectacular, but he did the basics well.

[winchester_royal]

When it gets to a point where you think a striker's had a good game because he was able to control the ball properly a few times then you know you're in the shit.

[Royal Ginger]

Ha! fair point. I just don't think today was as gloomy as everyone is making out. If we play like that for the rest of the season, with a defensive tweak, we'll win games.

[winchester_royal]

Ha! fair point. I just don't think today was as gloomy as everyone is making out. If we play like that for the rest of the season, with a defensive tweak, we'll win games.

We'll win a few yes, but I don't think we'll win enough.

At the end of the day it's going to come down to whether we get the majority of breaks in the crucial matches or not. Last season we were lucky in that a lot of 50/50 matches went our way; hopefully the same will happen this season.

I'm not upset with how we played today. I thought we competed as well as our ability allows, and that for me is the problem. There's just a real lack of genuine quality in the squad and I think that's transmitting into a lack of excitement within the club and it's supporter base.

[leon]

When it gets to a point where you think a striker's had a good game because he was able to control the ball properly a few times then you know you're in the shit.

context. he held the ball up and won a free kick that we scored from. Also it was his first start, but you know he was great last season but now hes shit.

[winchester_royal]

When it gets to a point where you think a striker's had a good game because he was able to control the ball properly a few times then you know you're in the shit.

context. he held the ball up and won a free kick that we scored from. Also it was his first start, but you know he was great last season but now hes shit.

Yeah that's what I said

[royalsteve]

Crazy.

For an hour I thought we were good, held our own and looked fairly comfortable against a Fulham side that didn't do too much. However, the substitution of Ruiz turned the game on its head. They were completely in control and we looked scared in all honesty. The second was coming and sure enough it did. We didn't give up and pegged one back and our tails should have been up but instead we let them have another. Great last 5 minutes and could have won it at the end.

After 80 minutes would I have taken a point? Most definitely. But we can't afford to keep throwing games away, especially at home.

Is it just me or with pretty much every goal we've conceded recently can Cummings do better? He was the one closing down Ruiz for the 1st today (might be being a tad harsh, it was a great finish), lost Baird for the 2nd and got sucked to the ball and left Berbatov free for the third. Also thought he could have done better with Sterling's last week, Routledge's against Swansea and perhaps Ba's 1st at home to Newcastle (again top finish).

Also for anyone who thinks McDermott should go. Get real. All we need to do this season is finish 4th bottom. If we finish 4th bottom this season everyone would say he's a genius. At the moment we are 3rd bottom. So we are 1 place below where we want to be with 30 games of the season still to go. Lets put it into context, we're not aiming to finish 10th or anything, we're picking up points fairly consistently now. I know we haven't won yet but I truly believe we win one and we will certainly start picking up more. Now isn't the time to start getting on the teams back, now is the time to will them on and what a massive result 3 points at Loftus Road would be next week.

completely agree. 4th bottom will do me fine. we are starting to compete better but we need to close down a bit better and when we have the ball dont just give it away, even if we just pass it around for a few mins across the back. For all Fulhams nice passing game they werent going anywhere and didnt threaten alot in the 1st half.

at 3-2 down i was fearing the worst this season, but the way we ended gives me some hope. i just wonder where our 1st win will come. QPR would be nice.

[royalsteve]

I thought Cummings looked completely out of his depth today, and to be honest with most of the goals recently I've been thinking he could've done more. I'd definitely be inclined to give Gunter another go.

Tabb was good today, but we really need a midfielder who's happy to get the ball on the deck and look for a pass. There was a 15-20 minute period where we were in panic mode and giving away possession as soon as we got it. A player like Guthrie could've really helped alleviate the pressure by keeping the ball. It also makes it a bit easier for teams to defend against us as most teams just double up on our wingers as they know we won't offer much through the middle. Echoing what alot of people have already said, I'd have loved to see Sidwell in our midfield today.

If we sort out these two areas I think we'd be a lot more solid.

funny moment for me was in the 1st half when tabb headed the ball in the box. i mean it was on target but come on even a 5 year old could down a better header, lol