Fulham (H) 13/8 Build-Up & Match Thread

[Trips]

I think last seasons start is exactly why they won't pull the trigger on Lage, even if we lose on Saturday and against Spurs. I reckon Shi has written he end of last seasons form off. And if we do start with 3 defeats this season, he'll think 'well we started last year like that and it ended fine'

 

[Johnny75]

I dunno, this is verging on the mythology of last season's first three games.

We played well for 25 minutes and in that period had one proper chance, off a set piece. We were shit either side of that.

Watching a different game to me.

Thought we played some good stuff. Just ran out of steam and a proper striker.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

We did play some good stuff from half time to when they scored.

Surely you don't think we played well first half?

 

[Johnny75]

Our play created chances. We really should've been a couple up in the first half.

Add to that SA's howler and as a team I thought we should win that game.

Bamford showed even an average striker makes a difference.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

It was 1-1 and they had a nailed on penalty that somehow wasn't given, even on VAR. Plenty of balls for them flashed across the box with no touch. We were dire in possession.

Granted, we had a chance right at the end of the first half but it was Donck and no-one ever expects him to score.

We did not play well in that first half.

 

[Deano]

First half was quite even, thought we created better chances though. We had the one where Hwang tried to recreate Gazza, the Dendoncker header and then his chance at the end of the half. Then for 25 mins of the 2nd they couldn't get the ball off us. Think we faded after that but think we all accept that he was done by lack of options from the bench after that point. On the balance of the game thought we deserved a point absolute minimum.

 

[Tony Towner]

There is an International Break after Man City. If we have 2 points or less from those 8 games I think he'd be gone. Can't see it happening before then. In those 8 games we'd have played 4 of the teams that will be in and around the bottom 6 this season, that would be an abysmal haul. Whether that's his management or shite recruitment he'd carry the can.

Loads of rumours Hwang is out, so Guedes replaces him and somehow the bench is even weaker than last week.

It's not a must win, it's the second game of the season. I think it's a mustn't lose though.

 

[PuntsWolf]

I dunno, this is verging on the mythology of last season's first three games.

We played well for 25 minutes and in that period had one proper chance, off a set piece. We were shit either side of that.

It certainly wasn’t great as we only scored one and conceded two shit goals.

But considering the team we had to put out, the fact Hwang was injured and couldn’t be replaced we did OK. We also were absolutely bossing the game at times until the last third where we had an injured player and no subs.

 

[YoungWolf]

I thought we were okay Saturday, even first half like Johnny said our play created some chances.

I can also see him being sacked if we don’t win any of our first 5/6 games though

 

[NicholasG1973]

P18 W3 D2 L13

You think he'd survive that?

I’m right with this.

If we lose the first four games, he’s gone.

And rightly so, I reckon…….it’s not just on those four games, either.

 

[Johnny75]

I’m right with this.

If we lose the first four games, he’s gone.

And rightly so, I reckon…….it’s not just on those four games, either.

You can't have been watching if you think this season is comparable with the last.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

It certainly wasn’t great as we only scored one and conceded two shit goals.

But considering the team we had to put out, the fact Hwang was injured and couldn’t be replaced we did OK. We also were absolutely bossing the game at times until the last third where we had an injured player and no subs.

As I said on Saturday, it wasn't on Lage. Massive mitigating factors.

That potential run though is unsustainable, surely. It's also a likely run if we lose on Saturday.

 

[Johnny75]

As I said on Saturday, it wasn't on Lage. Massive mitigating factors.

That potential run though is unsustainable, surely. It's also a likely run if we lose on Saturday.

If we were playing in the same style, players and formation I'd agree with you but none of those are true

 

[PuntsWolf]

As I said on Saturday, it wasn't on Lage. Massive mitigating factors.

That potential run though is unsustainable, surely. It's also a likely run if we lose on Saturday.

Yeah if we lose all 4 games then the next two become massive. But I don’t think we do anyway, will be two draws minimum.

The manner of defeat is more important than the result in the short term. We couldn’t say he’s shit and we’re in a false position as we’ve lucked our way through games but then not be allowed to say the opposite if we perform well but don’t pick up the results we deserve. This doesn’t really happen long term anyway. Good teams start winning and shit teams start losing.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

If we were playing in the same style, players and formation I'd agree with you but none of those are true

But how long would you give it, now you know what the fixture list is.

Because those first six games (Spurs aside) are where we have to get decent points, we aren't getting much from the next six.

Of course the answer is we should have sacked him in April as he's not very good but we are where we are.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Yeah if we lose all 4 games then the next two become massive. But I don’t think we do anyway, will be two draws minimum.

The manner of defeat is more important than the result in the short term. We couldn’t say he’s shit and we’re in a false position as we’ve lucked our way through games but then not be allowed to say the opposite if we perform well but don’t pick up the results we deserve. This doesn’t really happen long term anyway. Good teams start winning and shit teams start losing.

I'd say you could make a case for us deserving a draw on Saturday. I would not say we played well (I know his resources were extremely stretched which is not his fault). And that's against a team that I doubt anyone would say will finish above say, 14th, and they had injury issues of their own.

It's one of the very few games under Lage where on the negative side, we haven't got what we deserved, I'll accept that. There are quite a lot where we've got points we didn't merit, and a load more where we were awful and got nothing.

 

[Johnny75]

But how long would you give it, now you know what the fixture list is.

Because those first six games (Spurs aside) are where we have to get decent points, we aren't getting much from the next six.

Of course the answer is we should have sacked him in April as he's not very good but we are where we are.

I think TT is right. If we're not at a point a game by the international break he goes in the bin.

 

[Tony Towner]

Another thing that'll give him a relative level of time is the binning of Coady. Classic case of backing the manager over the player. Can't see them doing that and then sacking him 3/4 games later

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Another thing that'll give him a relative level of time is the binning of Coady. Classic case of backing the manager over the player. Can't see them doing that and then sacking him 3/4 games later

Everton did with Rafa/Digne

 

[Tony Towner]

Everton did with Rafa/Digne

Levels though