Fulham Preview

[key76]

i think some people should realise that steven reid had been out of the game for about 14 months. he has had some excellent performances since returning and I'm sure we'll see some great performances next season. at the moment he is carrying the central midfield on his own. tugay was a non-entity during the first half and bentley drifts about so much when in the middle that whoever is left battles away on their own.

for gods sake people its not the end of the world. we have some great players who are allowed an off match or two once in a while!!!

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

McCarthy played well, he was working harder than he has all season and he did x3 one to ones with Roque before he had a shot which missed. I think he was unsuited to the game. Roque played decently and ran around with the ball a lot, but we didn't have the drive of Dunn to cut through the Fulham defence. Reid is looking more and more like Mokoena ever day, he just cannot pass the ball forwards for toffee.

Bentley cost us the game when he shot at a tight angle when he had to simply square it to Roberts at 1-0.

Warnock played well and never stopped running down the wing.

MGP had an average first half but a decent second half, linking up with Warnock, Benni and Roberts well. Celebration looked a bit stupid though.

The free kick was inevitable, I thought we might have made use of a man on the left hand post though, I'm sure that could have been headed away easily.

Bentley cost us today, he was too selfish.

[Scotty]

McCarthy - sell and sell quickly. Talk of a new contract for him on the basis of his efforts this season is ludicrous unless it's purely to realise a better asking price. Where was he meant to be playing today? Up front? In midfield? In the event he did neither one nor the other. Useless.

Tugay - It's getting faintly embarrassing now to see an all time Rovers legend who was once such a great player so far off the pace. He would probably benefit more from a season or two in somewhere like La Liga where the pace is slower to wind up his career. Unfortunately the pace of the Premiership seems to be well beyond him now.

Bentley - Scotty will probably be on my case but I thought this was yet another very disappointing performance from our star man in comparison to what we know he is capable of. I wonder if contract negotiations are taking their toll?

MGP - thought he fully deserved his MOM award - great goal - covered an astounding amount of ground, and made one unbelievable last ditch block after he was the only player with the legs to get back after an attack broke down, and he had been one of the furthest players forward.

Nope, no complaint from me. I thought Bentley was very poor today, although your use of the words "yet another" is just more blinkered bolux against a player who has been largely excellent this season.

Making Pedersen man of the match must be a joke. Fair enough, he was back to his form of last season i.e. doing nothing yet scoring (which is a lot better than his form for most of this season i.e. doing nothing full stop) but he has to do more than that surely? Warnock just shaded Ooijer as our best player I thought.

Today was the first time this season that I remember leaving Ewood genuinely angry. Fulham are a poor team, they were there for the taking, yet in the first half it seemed we just couldn't be bothered to compete and put in the necessary effort required to get a grip on the game. We stepped things up in the second half, more so when Roberts and Derbyshire came on, got the goal, and then sank back into the same lethargy that we'd displayed throughout the first half. We got what we deserved at the end thanks to a criminal lack of urgency and a truly shocking level of arrogance and complacency.

I agree with Rev that McCarthy and Tugay were awful. Although I notice he didn't mention Reid who was just as bad. Selling McCarthy though would be an over reaction, I think we'd struggle to get in someone better for the money we'd raise by selling him. Unfortunately it has looked like a season too far for Tugay this time and every game he plays just reinforces it. Unless he's given a coaching role then a new contract offer would seem pointless. As for Reid, I'm not sure what his strengths are. He's not a great passer, he doesn't score goals (apart from the odd, very odd, screamer), he's not that great defensively, and he lacks creativity. He's just got a good engine, but we need more than that. We missed Dunn today.

I think the amount of criticism the team takes on here after a bad result is usually ridiculous - a hysterical reaction by fans who are spoilt by the relative success the team is now enjoying. However, today the team (and management) deserve all the criticism in the world imo. Their collective attitude was awful. It was as if they just had to turn up to win. Another day like that this season and we can kiss European football goodbye - if we haven't already.

[LeChuck]

Any particular reason you decided to stop doing match reviews Scotty? I used to enjoy reading those.

[Scotty]

Any particular reason you decided to stop doing match reviews Scotty? I used to enjoy reading those.

That's nice of you. I guess a combination of laziness on my part and the fact that most people get to see the game these days - with the advent of streaming sites and Football First most fans get to see at least 55 minutes of every match. A while ago I used to think I was kind of providing a service for fans who couldn't get to the game, now I'd just be giving my opinion and I just can't be bothered doing that after most games these days. Maybe I'll start doing them again one day.

[Torgeir]

Bentley cost us the game when he shot at a tight angle when he had to simply square it to Roberts at 1-0.

He could've tried that but I think the goalkeeper was in-between him and Roberts, which would've made it a little more difficult than you say. No excuse for trying to finish himself though, the angle just wasn't there for that.

What puzzles me about the game was how many counter attacks we allowed Fulham to have after we were 1-0 up. There was no composure, no ability to control the game, and after they had equalised we were almost in panic mode. The defense allowed way too many runs in behind them throughout the game and if it hadn't been for injuries and constant changes to our back four we would surely have more points.

[RevidgeBlue]

As for Reid, I'm not sure what his strengths are. He's not a great passer, he doesn't score goals (apart from the odd, very odd, screamer), he's not that great defensively, and he lacks creativity. He's just got a good engine, but we need more than that.

Reid's outstanding asset imo when he was at the top of his form was his ability to eat ground up and make surging runs from midfield.

It seems to me that since his return he has either

a) Been told to sit back and "dovetail" with his partner - not get out of position and/or

B ) He doesn't have the physical capability to get forward to such devastating effect anymore.

If it's the former then we're just not making the best use of Reid at the moment, that said, Dunn is also at his best when he attempts to drive at opposition defences in similar fashion.

Probably highlighting once again the need for a top class defensive midfielder.

[Martyn]

Roberts was a real handful yet again. I think against West Ham we should start him in place of Rocky who looks in need of a rest.

Also, I think we need to be more careful who we play Zurab against. He's a decent defender but he's so short of pace its unreal. After making Martin Petrov look like Cristiano Ronaldo earlier in the season, today he managed to make this Johnson fella look like Thierry Henry. Ooijer should have come inside IMO, Khiz was in trouble all game long against Johnson.

[rovers1993]

i tell you why we drew this game... in 1 sentence.

WE DON'T HAVE THE DRIVE IN MIDFIELD! I.E Mr.DAVID DUNN!

if you take a look, every game dunny has been playing lately we've been dominating and creating goals, and playing at a high tempo.

we miss david dunn and it's time people start seeing that he is one of our most important players now days because he is nearly back to his old self.

[Pinch]

The straw that broke the camels back Im afraid.

??? You are a season's ticket holder? You are not renewing b/c of a crap draw with Fulham pushed you over the edge. I'm sorry,some of my comments have been negative in the past, but people on here about how this has been the worst year of football in recent memory? That is just not case is it? Not for me.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

??? You are a season's ticket holder? You are not renewing b/c of a crap draw with Fulham pushed you over the edge. I'm sorry,some of my comments have been negative in the past, but people on here about how this has been the worst year of football in recent memory? That is just not case is it? Not for me.

Cheap as Rovers season tickets are they simply have not been value for money this term. We have been served up with turgid, insipid football and for those of us who cant get to away games I'm affraid that has been our view of Rovers this season.

Unless the Walker trust stop betraying Jack Walker's legacy and back our excellent manager we will be in Fulham's position next season.

However, even though I fear I will spend two weeks looking forward to a game and then wanting to leave at half time, I will renew. It wiil be more out of habit than any other reason.

[Alan75]

??? You are a season's ticket holder? You are not renewing b/c of a crap draw with Fulham pushed you over the edge. I'm sorry,some of my comments have been negative in the past, but people on here about how this has been the worst year of football in recent memory? That is just not case is it? Not for me.

I dont need to justify my comment, however it's not just this result, it's the whole set up of the premiership. As much as Rovers market the game as being for the fans, they and the premiership need to stop burying their heads in the sand.

The game at premiership level is no longer a sport but an open purse to feed the greed of those that run the league, the agents and the players. How can clubs justify new contracts to players when they have under performed all season.

I am in a fortunate position that I could pay more for a season ticket, than that currently being charged by the Rovers, but I'm dam well sure that even at the reduced rate I want value for my hard earned cash. If it was something that I'd bought at a store I would have demanded my money back, due to poor workmanship.

Heck I could go on, but I 'll keep that for my final contribution to this board.

[thenodrog]

Any particular reason you decided to stop doing match reviews Scotty? I used to enjoy reading those.

Scotty's been elevated to occasional reporter in the Observer newspaper nowadays, the proper one too... not th' Accy version.

[herbergeehh]

What puzzles me about the game was how many counter attacks we allowed Fulham to have after we were 1-0 up. There was no composure, no ability to control the game, and after they had equalised we were almost in panic mode. The defense allowed way too many runs in behind them throughout the game and if it hadn't been for injuries and constant changes to our back four we would surely have more points.

Seconded.

As for Woy, he claimed they should've won, and "if you saw the foul on their goal we did, too!".

Actually, you got a point, not three. Part and parcel of the game etc..

[thenodrog]

Drat Drat and double drat! My thunder has been stolen. Because we see so few indirect free kicks awarded I had to root this from t'internet to check on this ruling cos it USED to require the ball rolling it's circumference.......

"The ball is in play when it has been kicked and it moves (even if it just a little bit). The exception to this is if the ball is being played from within the attacking team's penalty area, where the ball must wholly cross outside of the boundary line marking the penalty area.

Prior to the 1997 laws, the ball had to move its circumference (about 27" for a size 5 ball). Defenders (illegally) would start moving as soon as the ball was touched, giving the defense an advantage. Now teams can design plays, such as a player just stepping on the ball as he runs over it, to put the ball into play; this would allow the next player to kick the ball directly at goal, or even start dribbling the ball."

Even worse I've had to be corrected on the rules of football by a bloody septic 'soccer' site!

[thenodrog]

I dont need to justify my comment, however it's not just this result, it's the whole set up of the premiership. As much as Rovers market the game as being for the fans, they and the premiership need to stop burying their heads in the sand.

The game at premiership level is no longer a sport but an open purse to feed the greed of those that run the league, the agents and the players. How can clubs justify new contracts to players when they have under performed all season.

I am in a fortunate position that I could pay more for a season ticket, than that currently being charged by the Rovers, but I'm dam well sure that even at the reduced rate I want value for my hard earned cash. If it was something that I'd bought at a store I would have demanded my money back, due to poor workmanship.

Heck I could go on, but I 'll keep that for my final contribution to this board.

Lots of faults with the Premier League set up without doubt.

1. They have all but turned a good competetive league into a replica of the 2 club Scottish situation that we have ridiculed since the year dot. Without dodgy Russian rubles they would have mimicked it perfectly.

2. In August all but two clubs are in a relegation scrap in a desperate struggle to get to the 40 point asap.

3. The WHU scandal imo proves that money does rule unfortunately. And that the brown envelope culture may not just be confined to the players and their agents.

BUT

You really need to keep a sense of perspective Alan. I still enjoy us more than punching our weight and enjoying a completely unrealistic position in our national game.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Ooijer put in a decent shift and was my MoM. The central midfield pairing and McCarthy were largely to blame for a poor show. We didn't shift the ball around quickly enough and with a lack of pace and lack of anyone who can beat a player with a 'trick', we made it easy for Fulham.

End of the season me thinks.

I think Alan's view of the world is a common one, but the club is doing a great job in tough circumstances.

[Jan]

i tell you why we drew this game... in 1 sentence.

WE DON'T HAVE THE DRIVE IN MIDFIELD! I.E Mr.DAVID DUNN!

if you take a look, every game dunny has been playing lately we've been dominating and creating goals, and playing at a high tempo.

we miss david dunn and it's time people start seeing that he is one of our most important players now days because he is nearly back to his old self.

That was exactly what I was saying yesterday. Tugay (bless him) marking Jimmy Bullard? He was worse than useless. I see the logic of playing him at first (crap team, probably little clue as to marking) but when that didn't work I was screaming for Dunny to come on (if he's fit enough to be on the bench he's fit enough to play). At least he's aware of how to play in central midfield. Tugay has the brain, but the legs are gone. Bentley "drifts"- at one point he and MGP were doing the old "holding hands" thing on the left side while Reid was left to patrol all the rest of midfield.

We've looked much better with Dunny and Reidy than with any other combination. Either Hughes was daft putting Dunny on the bench, or he was daft not bringing him on. Either or. That was a game for winning by a country mile and we looked insipid.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

Ooijer put in a decent shift and was my MoM. The central midfield pairing and McCarthy were largely to blame for a poor show. We didn't shift the ball around quickly enough and with a lack of pace and lack of anyone who can beat a player with a 'trick', we made it easy for Fulham.

End of the season me thinks.

I think Alan's view of the world is a common one, but the club is doing a great job in tough circumstances.

I think those circumstances are going to get tougher and tougher given the current totally unrealistic parsimony of those that hold the pursestrings.

[thenodrog]

Ooijer put in a decent shift and was my MoM. The central midfield pairing and McCarthy were largely to blame for a poor show.

Cut em a bit of slack. Tugay was Tugay (2008 version) and Reid worked tirelessly BUT they were still outnumbered 2 v 3. Poor Reid was partnered with a 38 year old against 3 opponents!

The weak link yesterday by quite some distance was McCarthy. He simply did not pull his weight as link man at all.

[yellowsubmarine]

The weak link yesterday by quite some distance was McCarthy. He simply did not pull his weight as link man at all.

It wasn't a game for Benni. Wet and dirty and against relegation battlers.

[adopted scouser]

I don't get to Ewood that often, but sitting there yesterday I couldn't get over how quiet our fans are. The postage stamp of Fulham fans in the Darwen end made more racket.

[daveoftherovers]

Adopted, you should pick your games mate, I've never known us get up for Fulham, I hope they go down, they are the just a flat back 10 who's fans come in a taxi, I can't stick them at all.

As for the game, it was the most awful I've seen, wrong selection with a few not pulling their weight, agree about the points regarding Benni (Worse then useless) Dunny being on the bench (Why? Either way!) Reidy being overwhelmed.

Pedersen put in a good shift as did Ooijer.

Roberts should have started

Bentley should learn to cut it back to the 3 unmarked men in the 6 yard box instead of shoot into the side netting (That would have been game over)

We were nothing short of rubbish, what a missed opportunity!

Never mind, could be worse, could be a notlob or a skunk...

[deryck guyler's spoon]

Adopted, you should pick your games mate, I've never known us get up for Fulham, I hope they go down, they are the just a flat back 10 who's fans come in a taxi, I can't stick them at all.

As for the game, it was the most awful I've seen, wrong selection with a few not pulling their weight, agree about the points regarding Benni (Worse then useless) Dunny being on the bench (Why? Either way!) Reidy being overwhelmed.

Pedersen put in a good shift as did Ooijer.

Roberts should have started

Bentley should learn to cut it back to the 3 unmarked men in the 6 yard box instead of shoot into the side netting (That would have been game over)

We were nothing short of rubbish, what a missed opportunity!

Never mind, could be worse, could be a notlob or a skunk...

A skunk?

[adopted scouser]

A skunk?

Newcastle