Match Thread Fulham v The Mighty Blades

[OrlandoexiledBlade]

if Fulham do go up, i would hope Tufty might try and snag one or 2 of their players who may not be in their main reckoning or out of contract. they seem to have some fine footballers all over the park

 

[loyalblade95]

Agreed 100%. I'm so glad that it's not just me thinking this!!. Some of the posts on here tonight and you'd be forgiven for thinking we're facing a relegation battle?. I'm quite positive despite the result tonight!!. UTB

same we've had a cracking return to the championship and we're not out of the race yet

 

[loyalblade95]

lets be reight if Fulham don't get promoted this season then it would be quite a shock

 

[8lade]

sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and say you were beaten by a better side

and the officials (fair play Fulham didn't need the help but they got it) I'm sure that lino said to the Fulham player taking the throw in, "I've got your back bro' "

 

[Bladesman]

and the officials (fair play Fulham didn't need the help but they got it) I'm sure that lino said to the Fulham player taking the throw in, "I've got your back bro' "

Some of the reffing tonight was questionable.

Fleck's yellow was certainly a yellow though.

 

[8lade]

Listening to Fulham fans with clackers singing "you're fucking shit...." is getting irritating.

Yeah the number of times I've said 'plastic wankers' I've used up 5 years worth.

 

[Davalon]

It's been a good season and if we were in this position after a more consistent season we'd all mostly be happy.

The drop since last year has just left a tinge of disappointment.

Hopefully those getting carried away earlier in the season can be a little more grounded now apart from the handful of propagandists.

Looking forward to next season I would like a more effective plan B against the better teams. Again tonight at 2 and 3 nil we were too happy to keep playing it square and back.

This season it's fair enough looking at the bigger picture but it's happened a few times now.

 

[Bladesman]

Yeah the number of times I've said 'plastic wankers' I've used up 5 years worth.

I could barely see any their fans in the ground. Snows gone and they are on a really good run of form yet only the dicks with the clappers could be bothered to show up tonight.

 

[8lade]

Fleck's yellow was certainly a yellow though.

The fact we can acknowledge that makes the others all the more questionable!

 

[ben1987]

I don't think we played that badly to be honest. They were just far better. We were chasing shadows at times because their passing and movement was so good.

It shows how much we do dilly dally with the ball and slow down our possession too much. Especially down the left. Time and time again Stevens looks to check back and hand the responsibility of playing the cross to fleck or JOC instead of whipping an early ball in. Take the pass early before the defence settles and the strikers are still on the move ffs.

Their system is a bit like ours but more direct with faster players and it's definitely something to work towards.

Can't remember the last player we had that you would describe as properly rapid? Like Sessegnon. Kabba before his first big injury? Baldock is quick but he's not leave half a team eating his dust on a counter attack quick like a couple of the Fulham and Wolves lads.

I'm not too disappointed. We were spoilt a bit with the results in the first half of the season and the performances and if back in August you would have offered me 4 points off the pigs, miles above them and play offs within touching distance I'd have snapped your hand off. I don't think we're quite good enough. Missing that 5/10% to kill teams off and turn draws and narrow defeats into wins and draws.

 

[derfblade.3]

Although Fulham were very good i thought we played "ok" but why do we not cross the ball into the box? Got frustrated later on with pissing around at 3-0 down and not putting the ball in. Overall though , well beaten.

 

[Blend-it-like-Harris]

Different class - they are better than anything in the bottom half of the Prem on that performance. God knows what they've been doing for half the season; they should be where Wolves are. That was a lesson in pass and move, and how to outnumber the oppostion all over the pitch - a masterclass. It would be nice now and again though for us to get the ball up into the box instead of trying to out-football them. That 3rd goal came after we'd pissed about with tippy-tappy when we could have moved it further up the pitch and looked to get on the 2nd ball. Every free kick we took was taken short - not sensible against this lot in that form.

 

[shrubbery]

Can't really complain about losing to a team with Premier League quality running right through it as Fulham do but I can complain about how we went about it. We helped them look like Man City with the amount of space that we afforded them. No pace anywhere on the pitch and a real reluctance to get forward in numbers. Combined with pedestrian defending (I have never seen a team given so much time and space in our box) and you have a real hammering.

Down to 8th now and looking well below the standards of Wolves, Cardiff, Fulham and Villa. Need to somehow sneak into 6th place and hope two of the above play each other in the playoffs and have a nightmare in the final against us. Can't see it tbh but then I thought we would finish mid table so overachieving in my book anyway.

 

[Marcus Tullius Cicero]

Great analysis, Wilder really needs to set up differently for the reasons you have said and to also make us less predictable, we don't have the players to play this way ALL the time, he really needs to have a think about how we're setting up against far superior teams in the division.

Seriously, Fulham look like a mid table Prem team who out shone our lower league battlers, program three quid Lets face it we need to pay some big athletic not get knocked off the ball midfielders with a great pass and some pacey forwards to get on to that pass who can whack one in the top corner or well score on the break program three quid lets face it we are lacking quality program three quid. If I am going into battle I want the best in my team ...program three quid...people who know where I am program three quid who can cover me..program three quid we keep tight under fire program three quid out numbered we turn and push back program three quid. Boys against men tonight, take it on the chin. Program three quid.........

 

[Paulus]

So Newcastle bet £100M on Gayle to score the goals to keep them up and let Mitrovic go on loan - strange decision. I’m assuming Fulham are paying him the 40grand a week Newcastle were. he might be a grade A wanker but he’s a class above.

 

[Marcus Tullius Cicero]

Last season we had loads of confidence but not now, no one wants the ball in case they mess up down to 9th.

We have done well with the team we have, I drive a BMW M3 and I am the dogs until some flash twerp comes up at the lights who can do 0 to 60 under 4 seconds. Hey there are loads of them and it costs me loads on rubber and brakes just trying to keep up, we need a small oil rich country to back United and buy me a Ferrari. Program three quid....

 

[Deadbat]

Some of the reffing tonight was questionable.

Fleck's yellow was certainly a yellow though.

The ref was not great but we fouled them all night when we could get close to them - only way we could stop them. Not sure Stroud had much choice but to keep penalising us. He is a crap ref mind.

 

[FinchleyBlade]

Wolves and Fulham are mid table premiership teams playing in the championship.

Sometimes you just have to admit that you've been outclassed by better players.

To finish in the top 10 with a team full of league one players will be a fantastic first season back for us.

 

[Mendi]

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

Great analysis, Wilder really needs to set up differently for the reasons you have said and to also make us less predictable, we don't have the players to play this way ALL the time, he really needs to have a think about how we're setting up against far superior teams in the division.

Agree entirely.

The idea that the only way to set up a team to win, or even draw a football match, is to play with three at the back and five in midfield is both naive and , quite frankly, ridiculous and I am very surprised at C W 's stubbornness in pursuing this philosophy whatever the circumstances.

Every good manager over the last 50 years or so has had alternative approaches to their preferred format based on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition, whether the match was home or away and a number of other factors but Chris, for whatever reason, seems to want to ignore this lesson from history and carry on with just the one approach, even though it has now been found wanting on a number of occasions.

The time has now surely come for him to explore other options, particularly in games such as the one tonight, which do not compromise the philosophy of playing ' on the front foot' but, at the same time make us less vulnerable at the back and more creative going forward.

 

[ucandomagic]

Agree entirely.

The idea that the only way to set up a team to win, or even draw a football match, is to play with three at the back and five in midfield is both naive and , quite frankly, ridiculous and I am very surprised at C W 's stubbornness in pursuing this philosophy whatever the circumstances.

Every good manager over the last 50 years or so has had alternative approaches to their preferred format based on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition, whether the match was home or away and a number of other factors but Chris, for whatever reason, seems to want to ignore this lesson from history and carry on with just the one approach, even though it has now been found wanting on a number of occasions.

The time has now surely come for him to explore other options, particularly in games such as the one tonight, which do not compromise the philosophy of playing ' on the front foot' but, at the same time make us less vulnerable at the back and more creative going forward.

Did you watch the second half? He took Bash off, went to a back 4 and brought Brooksy on. I would call that exploring another option, wouldn’t you?

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

Did you watch the second half? He took Bash off, went to a back 4 and brought Brooksy on. I would call that exploring another option, wouldn’t you?

Yes, a bit too late though and it still left us with a very poor formation against such opposition.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Another Stearman "old club" where we get tonked 3-0,its weird that init.

A defeat to a Prem bound club that has pace and quality all over the place,hope it gives Wilder food for thought in his next round of player recruitment.

We are'nt ready for the Prem just yet,so just hold heads high and be happy at a great first season back in La Liga.