BFTG - Fulham

[bobby1413]

I don't think it is all quite as bad as some are making out, at least not yet and it's still early to tell. Especially with some first teamers out and new people being signed.

After the red I could not believe what I was was witnessing. A fulham side hanging on for dear life - they needn't have bothered though as our players continually failed to make the most of it and score a farking goal. They had opportunity after opportunity and eventually did the business in 61 minutes.

I agree Fulham didn't look anything amazing - but tbf it is hard to judge based on that game considering their red card. However one thing they did do was dig in in the second half and just went for it, eventually scoring. They took advantage of our failures to absolutely kill the game off, something we should have done in the first half.

I am fed up as well with pass... pass... pass... forward... back a bit... ball goes out & repeat. I think our good finishing position last week may have a negative effect, e.g. "well it worked so keep up and we can finish 1st/2nd". I doubt that on the current showing.

Aston Villa tomorrow which I'm concerned about. Having lost 3-0 to Cardiff... and it being the Reading way - we'll probably roll over and let them beat us 3-0.

[Sanguine]

A lot of over-reaction here. Football fans are spoilt. If you can't see the difference between the football we played Saturday in a frustrating result against some of the dross served up under previous managers, then a bit of wider perspective required.

We played alright - this team now looks very, very comfortable on the ball. Compare it to the start of last season where we tried to play the same game and looked like we would lose the ball every 10 seconds. Our pressing was excellent, we harried Fulham every time they had the ball - Swift in particular, and his tackling was brilliant.

Yes we look short of options up front, but the game as a spectacle was ruined by the red card, and two thirds of the game was 'defence v attack'.

We'll play worse than this this season and win.

[Jim Royal]

Start of the season - always takes a few games to assimilate a playing rhythm. We'll know more 10 games in. Need to get that first win though.

[windermereROYAL]

A lot of over-reaction here. Football fans are spoilt. If you can't see the difference between the football we played Saturday in a frustrating result against some of the dross served up under previous managers, then a bit of wider perspective required.

We played alright - this team now looks very, very comfortable on the ball. Compare it to the start of last season where we tried to play the same game and looked like we would lose the ball every 10 seconds. Our pressing was excellent, we harried Fulham every time they had the ball - Swift in particular, and his tackling was brilliant.

Yes we look short of options up front, but the game as a spectacle was ruined by the red card, and two thirds of the game was 'defence v attack'.

We'll play worse than this this season and win.

How dare you come on here and make intelligent statements, away with you. most of the divs on here live in the dark days of Adkins and Clarke and are yearning to go back there again.

[BR2]

A lot of over-reaction here. Football fans are spoilt. If you can't see the difference between the football we played Saturday in a frustrating result against some of the dross served up under previous managers, then a bit of wider perspective required.

We played alright - this team now looks very, very comfortable on the ball. Compare it to the start of last season where we tried to play the same game and looked like we would lose the ball every 10 seconds. Our pressing was excellent, we harried Fulham every time they had the ball - Swift in particular, and his tackling was brilliant.

Yes we look short of options up front, but the game as a spectacle was ruined by the red card, and two thirds of the game was 'defence v attack'.

We'll play worse than this this season and win.

I like Swift but agree with other posters that he has been off his game for some time , towards the back end of last season and now this.
Unfortunately he was making tackles on Saturday because his first touch was off-if his touch had been better he wouldn't have needed to make those tackles.

The team looks comfortable on the ball generally in areas where they are not under pressure-unfortunately the same control is not apparent in and around the opposition box nor if sides press us hard at the back.

As an overall playing method the possession game is fine but we are just too slow both in thought and action..

[Hound]

Yes we look short of options up front, but the game as a spectacle was ruined by the red card, and two thirds of the game was 'defence v attack'.

we are short, simple as.

Again what people (not yourself) seem to be ignoring is that we are missing probably our 2 best forwards in Yann and McCleary, plus good experienced players in Beerens, Harriott and Jon Dadi

In addition, two of the forwards who did start (Mendes and Barrow) barely had a preseason.

Take 4/5 of the best forwards out of any team and they will probably not look super sharp up top.

[Sanguine]

Ftr I thought Barrow looks like an excellent buy. Very good with the ball at his feet and makes the right runs at the right time.

[bobby1413]

We played alright - this team now looks very, very comfortable on the ball

Forgot to say that in my post - 100% agreed.

I felt a lot more comfortable watching Mannone passing to the back 4 compared with last season with AAH and a more shakey looking team. I think we do look confident and we are looking far more in control as a team.

We all know the issues over goals and the killer instinct, but it's not looking too bad and it's early days.

[genome]

Yeah, football is weird. A few on here were panicking about Saturday, expecting a drubbing, and would've bitten your hand off for a point. Now they are complaining.

Obviously context is key, just a funny observation.

[Longhorn1970]

when pressed high up the pitch, we ain't got a clue what to do, there is no plan B, at least none we've witnessed. Possession counts for nothing unless there's an end product, and frankly I find it boring watching a team pass the ball backwards and sideways, and it won't put bums on seats ...

A lot of over-reaction here. Football fans are spoilt. If you can't see the difference between the football we played Saturday in a frustrating result against some of the dross served up under previous managers, then a bit of wider perspective required.

We played alright - this team now looks very, very comfortable on the ball. Compare it to the start of last season where we tried to play the same game and looked like we would lose the ball every 10 seconds. Our pressing was excellent, we harried Fulham every time they had the ball - Swift in particular, and his tackling was brilliant.

Yes we look short of options up front, but the game as a spectacle was ruined by the red card, and two thirds of the game was 'defence v attack'.

We'll play worse than this this season and win.

[Sanguine]

when pressed high up the pitch, we ain't got a clue what to do, there is no plan B, at least none we've witnessed. Possession counts for nothing unless there's an end product, and frankly I find it boring watching a team pass the ball backwards and sideways, and it won't put bums on seats ...

A lot of over-reaction here. Football fans are spoilt. If you can't see the difference between the football we played Saturday in a frustrating result against some of the dross served up under previous managers, then a bit of wider perspective required.

We played alright - this team now looks very, very comfortable on the ball. Compare it to the start of last season where we tried to play the same game and looked like we would lose the ball every 10 seconds. Our pressing was excellent, we harried Fulham every time they had the ball - Swift in particular, and his tackling was brilliant.

Yes we look short of options up front, but the game as a spectacle was ruined by the red card, and two thirds of the game was 'defence v attack'.

We'll play worse than this this season and win.

That's your view. Mine is that our execution around the box wasn't great yesterday, although as pointed out we are missing our two best attackers in GMac and Yann. We got a load of crosses in and got to the by-line a few times - we weren't totally insipid up front at all.

[Sanguine]

when pressed high up the pitch, we ain't got a clue what to do, there is no plan B, at least none we've witnessed. Possession counts for nothing unless there's an end product, and frankly I find it boring watching a team pass the ball backwards and sideways, and it won't put bums on seats ...

A lot of over-reaction here. Football fans are spoilt. If you can't see the difference between the football we played Saturday in a frustrating result against some of the dross served up under previous managers, then a bit of wider perspective required.

We played alright - this team now looks very, very comfortable on the ball. Compare it to the start of last season where we tried to play the same game and looked like we would lose the ball every 10 seconds. Our pressing was excellent, we harried Fulham every time they had the ball - Swift in particular, and his tackling was brilliant.

Yes we look short of options up front, but the game as a spectacle was ruined by the red card, and two thirds of the game was 'defence v attack'.

We'll play worse than this this season and win.

That's your view. Mine is that our execution around the box wasn't great yesterday, although as pointed out we are missing our two best attackers in GMac and Yann. We got a load of crosses in and got to the by-line a few times - we weren't totally insipid up front at all.

[Longhorn1970]

That's good that your enjoying it ..

when pressed high up the pitch, we ain't got a clue what to do, there is no plan B, at least none we've witnessed. Possession counts for nothing unless there's an end product, and frankly I find it boring watching a team pass the ball backwards and sideways, and it won't put bums on seats ...

A lot of over-reaction here. Football fans are spoilt. If you can't see the difference between the football we played Saturday in a frustrating result against some of the dross served up under previous managers, then a bit of wider perspective required.

We played alright - this team now looks very, very comfortable on the ball. Compare it to the start of last season where we tried to play the same game and looked like we would lose the ball every 10 seconds. Our pressing was excellent, we harried Fulham every time they had the ball - Swift in particular, and his tackling was brilliant.

Yes we look short of options up front, but the game as a spectacle was ruined by the red card, and two thirds of the game was 'defence v attack'.

We'll play worse than this this season and win.

That's your view. Mine is that our execution around the box wasn't great yesterday, although as pointed out we are missing our two best attackers in GMac and Yann. We got a load of crosses in and got to the by-line a few times - we weren't totally insipid up front at all.

[Mr Optimist]

Some quite sweet comments on the Fulham fans forum. One fan loved the Fulham fans wit and originality singing about seeing us cry on the tv (in the final, not the semi final), your grounds too big for you (if only we were like Fulham packing out their 30,000 stadium every week), and Huddersfield (yes, I agree they get my best wishes for this season too after the shared experience at Wembley with a great bunch of fans).

I remember the feeling of my first away game too, in amongst the older lads, having a few beers on the train there. Bless.

[CountryRoyal]

This is the most middle-class 'rivalry' that's ever existed.

[Sutekh]

This is the most middle-class 'rivalry' that's ever existed.

Did hear from them one reasonably original comment along the lines of "He went to Wembley, he missed a penalty, Jordan Obita."

[Hampshire Royal]

I don't get the idea that Fulham are a very good side.
In the first minute their bloke got sent off for grabbing Barrow's foot and they then spent the rest of the game trying to get one of ours sent off. I don't think there was a minute in the game where one of their players wasn't down on the ground claiming that he'd been fouled. They were in the ref's ear all game trying to get him to go along with their 'tactic'. Not only that, but they spent the whole game doing nasty, niggly little fouls.
It may well get them promoted this season (they did the same sort of stuff in the second leg of the PO semis), but if we got promoted using those tactics, I would be extremely disappointed

[muirinho]

I don't get the idea that Fulham are a very good side.
In the first minute their bloke got sent off for grabbing Barrow's foot and they then spent the rest of the game trying to get one of ours sent off. I don't think there was a minute in the game where one of their players wasn't down on the ground claiming that he'd been fouled. They were in the ref's ear all game trying to get him to go along with their 'tactic'. Not only that, but they spent the whole game doing nasty, niggly little fouls.
It may well get them promoted this season (they did the same sort of stuff in the second leg of the PO semis), but if we got promoted using those tactics, I would be extremely disappointed

And this was why, in my book, Ilori was substituted, as he was the most likely candidate. He seems to "tackle" by grappling, and the referee was blowing up for everything our guys did, no doubt to balance for the sending off.