Fulham 2-0 verdict thread

[Trips]

Really poor performance. Coady was poor on both goals. Doc awful for their first. Both wingbacks poor defensively. Really missed Neves, Saiss & N'Diaye didn't work as a two. Bonatini very poor.

 

[Johnny75]

Can you tell me what to think about the prospect of our 12 point lead possibly being down to 6 points in the space of 7 days?

You do realise we will still have a lead don't you? We're still top, you do know that?

 

[Langers]

Aren't Brits supposed to be much too high class for fart jokes?

Hi Alan - I'd like to introduce you to TWF

TWF - this is Alan. I think he's new here.

 

[Wolfmania]

Awful game, awful result but take nothing away from Fulham who I hope will go up over numerous other front runners.

Ruddy - 5/10 - Not great, spilled an effort straight at him, punched a cross over his own goal and (purely a personal thought) I don't think he should be getting beaten at his near post for the second goal. Real question marks exist over his place in the team and in particular after the summer.

Bennett - 6/10 - Mixed, his poor clearance straight down the middle put us under pressure again and he was slow to react to the rebound. Not the worst on the pitch.
Coady - 5/10 - Poor game, didn't seem to have the radar he's shown himself to have, I don't hold the 2nd goal against him as we know he can't cope with strong targetmen (think Zohore, the QPR guy and now Mitrovic). Moved to CM and looked average minus the decent ball to Afobe for Jota's open goal miss.
Boly - 6/10 - Mixed also, passing was slightly off and I'm just not convinced he has a real understanding with Douglas. Not the worst on the pitch.

Doherty - 5/10 - Very limited performance minus one decent cross in first half I felt Cav should have been more alert to. Again, real questions over his post-summer future but our lack of options here could be dangerous.
Saiss - 4/10 - Poor, needed to step up following time out of the side with N'diaye and failed to do this. Lost the midfield battle and did not seem as capable as Neves with regard to responding to N'daiye's more expansive game. Last season and his games with N'daiye this season show that he needs a partner who sticks tightly with him in order to flourish.
N'Daiye - 6/10 - Worked hard, doesn't have the radar of Neves but still manfully tried. Saiss should have been off instead of him was my stance at the time and remains so post-match.
Douglas - 5/10 - Similar to Doherty, very limited going forward and below average in defence. Another who has questions post-summer, with Vinagre as an option for LWB however, I would have thought his poor games recently suggest he ought to be dropped.

Costa - 4/10 - Got into 2 good positions to shoot but could never quite pull the trigger. Had the close ball control but never seemed to have the pace (Not sure if it was just me but he looked like he couldn't motor to 100% sprint speed?).Rightly subbed and (probably) rightly dropped for the next game.
Bonatini - 3/10 - Anonymous. We know he isn't a proper forward and comes deep to link the play but with teams slightly wiser I feel it makes our job attacking with him on the pitch slightly more difficult as their defenders know they don't need to follow him and can hold their shape better.
Cav - 7/10 - Manful effort and had 2 shots which caused problems for the keeper. Tried hard but with the rest of the team misfiring it was never going to end well for him.

SUBS

MGW - 4/10 - This score is more of a reflection of the tactical change rather than a dig at him. Looked overwhelmed at CM and the injury to Saiss didn't help. For now, stick him in the front 3.
Jota - 3/10 - Again not a dig on him, but when youre anonymous and miss an open goal then you aren't getting a high score.
Afobe - 5/10 - Slightly more generous as he did well to set up Jota following a good block by the defender. Wasn't as anonymous or overwhelmed as the other two and I thought he looked a bit more direct in this which can only be a good thing.

For reading I personally would go

Norris
Bennett Boly Hause
Graham Ndaiye Coady Vinagre
Jota Afobe Cav​

GK - Ruddy has been very poor by his high standards and you have to hold him against those standards, Norris deserves a chance.
Def - More of a case of picking the best options of a bad bunch (Roderick/Batth poor and can't go on the left side)
Mid - Coady simply to plug the gap left by Neves for now because Saiss really does not deserve a chance again and he isn't very good when his partner roams like N'daiye does (not a dig at N'daiye, its just how he plays). Vinagre for Douglas (similar to GK change).
- Graham for Doherty, we've called him back as cover and I feel he deserves a chance. Always looks tricky out wide and has a good cross on him. He also mitigates the loss of Douglas as he is a good set piece taker too.
ST - Costa and bonatini poor so next best options, Jota and Afobe, come in to form the trident with Cav.

 

[Premier Quality]

I still think we’ll win the league, but nuno has a lot of work to do, as that wa s very poor.

Doherty’s lack of effort for the first goal was disgusting - level with Sessegnon when the shot went in, ten yards behind him when it was tapped in for the goal. I really hope nuno tore him a new one at half time because that was pathetic.

As for Leo bonantini - I can’t recall such a spineless nonentity of a performance. To amble round, achieving less than fuckall was completely unacceptable.

Fulham are a decent side and I felt we were ok until the goal. We need to beat reading now to ensure this stumble doesn’t become worse, which would lead to real pressure being put on us.

 

[Norman Deeley]

Doubt Nunowillmake that many changes, but that is a remarkably calm, well-reasoned summary

 

[Langers]

Yeah the first goal is a horror show all round. Bennett and Doherty in particular. Looks even worse from Doherty from the side angle.

Leo was way off the pace. Think I'd stick with Jota, Cav and Costa at the moment as Afobe doesn't fit in and Mir appears to be out of favour.

 

[big mean bunny]

Can we have a pant wetters thread please, and those of us with nervous dispositions can use that, a bit like screaming into a sound proof room.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

I just can't see Nuno making wholesale changes.

This kick up the are was needed. Time to get back on the pace.

 

[Norman Deeley]

Interesting point made on Twitter that Nuno's Porto team had a massive stutter on the run in which cost them the title - only won 3 from the last 9. Don't know if that is right or not?

 

[Langers]

Can we have a pant wetters thread please, and those of us with nervous dispositions can use that, a bit like screaming into a sound proof room.

Sure. It's called Mol Mix.

 

[Wolfmania]

It's more of a case of me making changes to the team and then (after taking into account what we lose, e.g. Douglas set piece ability) factoring in what I can do to mitigate this**

Although i agree, I suspect nuno will only change jota for bonatini

** and it's also my inherent bias as an ardent fan of Graham and a previous ardent fan of afobe who's been letting me down and I'm desperate for him to fix this

 

[SouthWestWolf]

Interesting point made on Twitter that Nuno's Porto team had a massive stutter on the run in which cost them the title - only won 3 from the last 9. Don't know if that is right or not?

You, over there, yes you, you’re not helping

 

[Jack Regan]

This was always going a tough match particularly with Neves missing, however some of the overreaction on here in pathetic. The game was evenly poised until the goal, but once Fulham went in front we were always going to be up against it. Admittedly the second half was very poor, but it's been blown somewhat out of proportion after the last minute equaliser by Norwich.

We do desperately need a good performance and result next weekend against Reading.

 

[Keef]

You, over there, yes you, you’re not helping

Disappointing, I thought you were going to go the
You there,fuck off over there,
When you get there,fuck off again,
Keep fucking off from wherever you get too,then when you get back here,fuck off again!
It's so childish but amuses me

 

[slink]

On the way back now and in short we were ok at best in the first half but awful in the second. I’ve been confident we would win the league from the moment we appointed Nuno but one thing that does have me a little worried is that he’s started to change things too much and do things we don’t need to do. Hopefully he, his staff and the players can get it back right for next week.

Thought we looked apprehensive and cautious if not nervous when under any pressure and Jokanovic out thought Nuno. Gap could be down to 3 when we next play and that really could put the pressure on. Someone needs to remind them that they are the best side in the division and they need to prove it over the last 12 games.

No “pant wetting” from me but we can’t blindly ignore today as if it never happened and that there aren’t things we need yo address right now. Should point out i thought Fulham were excellent and had a gameplan and stuck to it, best side we have played by far.

 

[malta mick]

not concerned that we lost, but the manner in which we lost. all 50-50 challenges, we seemed to pull out of for some reason. early season we were attacking teams with pace, but lately it seems once we reach the 18 yard line, we stop, allowing the defenders to regain position - and then try to walk it into the net. i don't recall a single effort tonight on target. time for Nuno to earn the big bucks !

 

[Deleted Cyber]

We have 6 of the bottom 7 still to play. Win those. Go up. Simples

 

[Tredman]

We have 6 of the bottom 7 still to play. Win those. Go up. Simples

[emoji106]

 

[playtheace]

not concerned that we lost, but the manner in which we lost. all 50-50 challenges, we seemed to pull out of for some reason. early season we were attacking teams with pace, but lately it seems once we reach the 18 yard line, we stop, allowing the defenders to regain position - and then try to walk it into the net. i don't recall a single effort tonight on target. time for Nuno to earn the big bucks !

we do we do...I sad this at the match today.
Stop at the box,think about shooting,don't and then pass it back.