Fulham (A) | PL | Post Match Thread

[Platt Lane 59]

No its not. I don't see why Phil and Doku couldn't be occupying that space and at least put pressure on deep runners.

Completely agree.
Jezza is like shit off a shovel, so could then launch a dangerous counter-attack.
Phil, has great close control, so can retain the ball and shepherd it to safety...

 

[its grim up north]

.

You are correct.
We now have a big keeper who is happy to take responsibility on crosses and corners and punch the ball.
Unfortunately by virtue of the fact all our players defend corners so deep the ball ends up at an opponent’s feet with none of ours anywhere near him which means he has loads of time to line up his shot and hit it.
This could be solved by leave few of our more vertically challenged players on the edge of the box on corners somewhere in the vicinity of our opponents.
It’s not rocket science!

I'd go one further. I would leave one player, on the centre spot. How many defenders would not be able to go up for corners. I'm sure it must gave been done somewhere in the past but I can't remember

 

[M Gaudino]

sorry if its been discussed but why the hell did doku not get the goal. surely it was on target

 

[Inter Me Nan]

He's a class apart from some of the dross I've seen at Maine Road.

Some of the dross I saw at Maine Road are better than him too!

 

[Marvin.]

Good to see that BigSteve agrees with my thoughts on the importance of subbing off Nico G on the game.

I am not critical of Pep for doing this. He had to given that Rodri and Kova are injured and he is the only fit man in that role. But it does explain in part why we lost control of the game and conceded goals after he went off.

Some people are claiming that we have got fundamental defensive problems. I don't think so.

 

[Saddleworth2]

.

I'd go one further. I would leave one player, on the centre spot. How many defenders would not be able to go up for corners. I'm sure it must gave been done somewhere in the past but I can't remember

Erling should stand just inside the half. They would need to put at least two on him. Oh. Sorry, he is also our best defender at corners.

 

[Saddleworth2]

ome people are claiming that we have got fundamental defensive problems. I don't think so.

We have if our only DM is off the field mate. We nearly threw a 5-1 lead for gods sake.

 

[its grim up north]

Erling should stand just inside the half. They would need to put at least two on him. Oh. Sorry, he is also our best defender at corners.

He is, but it wouldn't necessarily have to be Erling anybody would tie up two defenders No manager would leave 1 on 1 on the halfway line,.

 

[kingn6]

But not the version of Andros Townsend who transformed into prime Zidane and scored an absolute thunderbastard for Palace at the Etihad.

Every fulham player felt like that outside the box 2nd half.

 

[Saddleworth2]

He is, but it wouldn't necessarily have to be Erling anybody would tie up two defenders No manager would leave 1 on 1 on the halfway line,.

Maybe Jeremy then. His pace would frighten the opposition

 

[tackeds]

It's bizarre because you surely don't become a premier league player and an England international without some self belief and mental toughness.

Footballers have always been slated and abused, in the stands, in the pub, by pundits. But social media means they’re bombarded all day every day as well as their families and friends. I think its ok people are slating Sav on here (to an extent although you do see some extreme comments about him and other players) but it’s unbelievable that people are directly messaging him and his family and abusing them. Same with Ederson. they can pay people to run their accounts for them but would be hard to be offline completely. Amorim has been in the news talking about it today but he’s a FOC like most of us and doesn’t live his life online like people do today.

So i think it’s fair to assume players have it harder from that respect these days and I imagine its what lies behind many promising players falls from grace if they’re the type to take criticism personally. I reckon it was at least partly to blame for Foden’s form last year after he was slated for the euros failure

 

[west didsblue]

sorry if its been discussed but why the hell did doku not get the goal. surely it was on target

It wasn’t. It would have gone wide without the deflection.

 

[WesthoughtonJohn]

sorry if its been discussed but why the hell did doku not get the goal. surely it was on target

Probably has been discussed, but the replay clearly shows that shot was nowhere near on target (sorry)

 

[its grim up north]

Maybe Jeremy then. His pace would frighten the opposition

Anyone, bar maybe a young Brazilian who might/should have gone to Spuds.

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

Good to see that BigSteve agrees with my thoughts on the importance of subbing off Nico G on the game.

I am not critical of Pep for doing this. He had to given that Rodri and Kova are injured and he is the only fit man in that role. But it does explain in part why we lost control of the game and conceded goals after he went off.

Some people are claiming that we have got fundamental defensive problems. I don't think so.

Interesting this about defensive problems. In fact we have conceded 16 goals in 14 PL matches and this seems hardly miserly, but on closer examination a quarter were conceded last night and another quarter against Leeds and Newcastle. So another way of looking at it is to say that in the first 11 games City only conceded 8. So what has changed the perspective are the games against Leeds and Fulham.

Against Leeds we saw a piece of very poor defensive football from Nunes and another from Gvardiol- two clangers in a matter of minutes but hardly serious structural weaknesses in defence. Last night was different because 2 of Fulham’s goals owed a lot to our failure to defend the 18 yard line. This was Nico’s responsibility, but he had
been subbed by then. No-one had been deputed to replace him. Something which must not happen again but Pep identified immediately after the game.

So another I’m reluctant to believe too readily in serious defensive issues.

 

[stonerblue]

But not the version of Andros Townsend who transformed into prime Zidane and scored an absolute thunderbastard for Palace at the Etihad.

That was a peach.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Good to see that BigSteve agrees with my thoughts on the importance of subbing off Nico G on the game.

I am not critical of Pep for doing this. He had to given that Rodri and Kova are injured and he is the only fit man in that role. But it does explain in part why we lost control of the game and conceded goals after he went off.

Some people are claiming that we have got fundamental defensive problems. I don't think so.

What we haven't got is a midfield capable of dealing with the physical element required to control and frustrate the opposition , once Nico has to be removed from the game.

I believe that the flakey defence is absolutely a consequence of our midfield weakness, and why a player like Anderson would be a good addition , however unlikely in the next transfer window.

Not having Rodri or even Kovacic available is hurting the team so much.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

What we haven't got is a midfield capable of dealing with the physical element required to control and frustrate the opposition , once Nico has to be removed from the game.

I believe that the flakey defence is absolutely a consequence of our midfield weakness, and why a player like Anderson would be a good addition , however unlikely in the next transfer window.

Not having Rodri or even Kovacic available is hurting the team so much.

Even Ederson who is also touted as a possible in the next window could be a massive difference ?

 

[stonerblue]

Good to see that BigSteve agrees with my thoughts on the importance of subbing off Nico G on the game.

I am not critical of Pep for doing this. He had to given that Rodri and Kova are injured and he is the only fit man in that role. But it does explain in part why we lost control of the game and conceded goals after he went off.

Some people are claiming that we have got fundamental defensive problems. I don't think so.

Oh come on Marv', if that substitution didn't worry anyone then they were probably typing furiously on the match thread.

 

[normskih]

*lol* Shhhhh, he and I might end up leaving together at this rate!!! (Not that I want to but hey ho age catches up with us all.)

Come on EB. Don’t call it a day just because getting closer to the day for a City player who you adore that their time maybe that they are to move on. Surely there has been other players who you’ve thought a lot of who have moved on. I know there’s been a fair few for me and some more than others. Age is just a number;)