Fulham Preview

[Paul Mellelieu]

I fully understand these comments about football being expensive and fans demanding value for money.

The truth is though, that can't be guaranteed ever, by any club. It's a sport. Surely it's part of the real journey of a football fan? Not one club can promise entertaining, attacking football week in, week out. You endure the bad days and that makes the good days even better. Sometimes the bad days run into bad years, but hey, sometimes the good days can last a while too.

My experience of rovers fans, is that it doesn't take too many bad days for them to walk away. Shame, the club deserves better.

Wise words Den.

[Paul]

Paul,

How many premiership teams are playing good football?

Precisely!

It depends what you call good football. Top of the tree has to be United and Arsenal. It would be good to add Liverpool but they don't do that well in the PL. After that a lot of teams are playing effective football, get to 40 points and then see what happens. Obviously Rovers on their day. Villa give you a good game and I suppose one has to say City, Pompey and Everton but after that it's pretty grim stuff. I mean what is attractive about watching Derby, Wigan, Fulham, Bolton, Birmingham, Newcastle (bloody good laugh though!), Boro

[Paul]

I fully understand these comments about football being expensive and fans demanding value for money.

The truth is though, that can't be guaranteed ever, by any club. It's a sport. Surely it's part of the real journey of a football fan? Not one club can promise entertaining, attacking football week in, week out. You endure the bad days and that makes the good days even better. Sometimes the bad days run into bad years, but hey, sometimes the good days can last a while too.

My experience of rovers fans, is that it doesn't take too many bad days for them to walk away. Shame, the club deserves better.

Quite right den and as I said Rovers have arguably enjoyed their best period in the club's history over the last 20-25 years. I was trying to answer the point about expectations, not just expectation of Rovers but what one hopes to see from the other side as well. How many clubs really want to make a game of it these days? No one answers this point - the PL is trumpeted as the best in the world, do we really think we are seeing the best football these teams can produce?

I'm not moaning about this I'm commenting on what I see. The PL tell me this is the best football in the world. Saturday was far from it.

[RevidgeBlue]

Theno, read that second sentence again and then think about a Championship, a League Cup and countless European adventures in the last 15 years. And then say to yourself, "I've got it wrong, very wrong."

I managed to get RB and R6 in the same post, so adding yourself was a treat I couldn't ignore.

Noticed RB hasn't replied.

Yes I did, see my posts at 1600 and 1609.

[RevidgeBlue]

I'm not moaning about this I'm commenting on what I see. The PL tell me this is the best football in the world. Saturday was far from it.

Perhaps we have a rose tinted view of how good the quality of football on offer in other countries actually is Paul.

I freely admit I don't make a habit of watching foreign football which is why I was so gobsmacked at how poor the Real Madrid game was the other week when I saw it live.

I know everyone has off days but it was like watching a very poor Premiership game only minus any passion or commitment and with tackling practically non existent.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Yes I did, see my posts at 1600 and 1609.

Erm. That's a reply?

[RibbleValleyRover]

There has been a huge drop in our level of performances from the first month or so of the season, to where we are now. I can't attribute one sole cause for this, it’s probably down to a combination of injuries and suspensions.

It’s disappointing to see another season going down the toilet. I guess I was spoiled two seasons ago when we made sixth and my expectations have become too high. Though deep down I still think we have the players that are capable to play to that standard, or maybe I am being foolish…

[furryfootball]

Really disappointing result. . .

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

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.

I'm not certain whether to agree with you or not.

Against Bolton - Reid and Dunn combined to great effect at times - taking turns to drive forward from midfield. However, there was still a 20 minute spell in the second half where we totally lost midfield.

[KoNG]

Not a 'great' result on saturday.!

but i have to agree with what Den says (below)

i obviously cant get to games living here in Sydney, but i pay, $70Aus a month (for foxtel) - solely to have the pleasure of sitting up late/into the morning to watch a Rovers Match.

Against the Geordies it was 4am and the eyes were closing, but the late goal was amazing and i found it hard to get to sleep after that.

this week, well the total opposite, the late goal for Fulham was.. well.. miserable at that time of the morning...

but hey, as i said, i think Den is spot on...

Tis a Journey.

I fully understand these comments about football being expensive and fans demanding value for money.

The truth is though, that can't be guaranteed ever, by any club. It's a sport. Surely it's part of the real journey of a football fan? Not one club can promise entertaining, attacking football week in, week out. You endure the bad days and that makes the good days even better. Sometimes the bad days run into bad years, but hey, sometimes the good days can last a while too.

My experience of rovers fans, is that it doesn't take too many bad days for them to walk away. Shame, the club deserves better.

[Blueboy Downunder]

probably for me, one of thee most dissapointing performances of the season. i thought zurab was on another planet for 90 minutes. i have nothing but sympathy for samba, cause with the free kick, how else does he try and win a ball? plus he never made contact with the guys head.

[Hughesy]

Gutted after the weekend – a massive blow to our European chances, and to be honest it has killed our chance off really – the best we can hope for now is the Inter-toto, so that means finishing above Villa, City & Pompey.

Against Fulham we should have had it wrapped up long before the 90th minute, we missed a good few chances, especially when Bentley went for Gold instead of pulling the ball back to the number of players unmarked and before the free-kick was struck, you could see from the Blackburn end, exactly were it was going!

Wasn’t happy with the substitution of McCarthy on Saturday, at the time I said it was the wrong decision and I still believe it was. When 1-0 we needed someone to keep a hold of the ball, something Benni had done all the game – yet when we needed him he had been replaced!

Pathetic refereeing by Riley as usual – giving our players booking for less than Fulham challenges that got nothing! Never a free-kick and the referee’s need to stop targeting Samba just because he is a big lad, he got the ball fair and square.

[Flopsy]

well, i'm quite glad that we didnt lose, but hey, if you'ld have had to watch the Rugby or stay up and watch the cricket like I did, then you wouldnt be so upset about the Rovers performance which means we only got a draw. Small mercies and all.

We really need to buy Jimmy Bullard

[RoyRover]

I'm very disappointed with the result on Saturday. That was a game that we needed to win to keep challenging for Europe. Dropped points like these will cost us at the end of the season. As for the free kick at the end, his foot was high, because he is such a big guy, but it was still near the players head and if had been the other way around, we would have agreed with the decision. This was a bad weekend of results for me, Rovers drawing, Ireland losing and VCU losing in the last 4 seconds of the CAA Championship game against a team that they haven't lost to in years!

[CAPT KAYOS]

Perhaps we have a rose tinted view of how good the quality of football on offer in other countries actually is Paul.

I know everyone has off days but it was like watching a very poor Premiership game only minus any passion or commitment and with tackling practically non existent.

I for one don't give a damn what standard of football is on offer in other countries - to me its about this country and the whole aspect of the game.

The second point you make here Rev is spot on and is part and parcel of what is majorly wrong and what I keep referring back to.

(den @ Mar 9 2008, 20:27 )

The truth is though, that can't be guaranteed ever, by any club. It's a sport. Surely it's part of the real journey of a football fan?

Sport - its about competing and winning

Unfortunately Football is more about business nowadays - people can endure bad performances and off days etc -the problem is now especially in the P/L its a consistent week to week problem.

To highlight as such I refer back to the cup games at the weekend - Barnsley and Cardiff did not set their stall out with any worry or negative tactics etc and just played with determination and verve as much as they could to see where it got them. yes it is always the scenario that teams raise their game but look if that had been us playing in either game and I guarantee we would not have applied ourselves with the same sort of confidence even though we are a Premiership team.

[LDRover]

Poor game, poor result.

Also, for those saying it wasn't a free kick, it was. Samba's foot was head high and if he hadn't been wrong side of the attacker (as he was on many occasions) he wouldn't have had to make the challenge in the first place.

[thenodrog]

There has been a huge drop in our level of performances from the first month or so of the season, to where we are now. I can't attribute one sole cause for this, it’s probably down to a combination of injuries and suspensions.

It’s disappointing to see another season going down the toilet. I guess I was spoiled two seasons ago when we made sixth and my expectations have become too high. Though deep down I still think we have the players that are capable to play to that standard, or maybe I am being foolish…

Thats football and people should realise it is. Club's situations always ebb and flow throughout a season. Never mind the bottom 6...... just how would you survive at the moment if you were a Mag or WHU supporter? Supporters of all those clubs would view some of the comments on here with disbelief!

I'd wager that even the supporters of the big 3 are glum this morning! I suggest that if we managed to play at peak level every match then in actual fact that would become the standard and therefore we would never play well in the eyes of some supporters. People seem to expect comic book 'Roy of the Rovers' stuff every week with Roy rescuing a 'lost match' with two goals in the dying seconds once his studs had been tightened up or similar. imo the only happy fans at the moment will be supporters of Everton........... and they'll be chewing their nails no doubt!

Football simply does not work like most people would like and thats just the way it is ....thank goodness. If anyone cannot stand the heat in the kitchen they know what to do.

[thenodrog]

Poor game, poor result.

Also, for those saying it wasn't a free kick, it was. Samba's foot was head high and if he hadn't been wrong side of the attacker (as he was on many occasions) he wouldn't have had to make the challenge in the first place.

Good point but one thing that always mystefies me is how attempted overhead kicks from an attacking team in the box are never penalised!? It's the same with all that wrestling whilst defenders allow a through ball to run out of play over the goal line...... anywhere else on the pitch thats a foul.

[AggyBlue]

Good point but one thing that always mystefies me is how attempted overhead kicks from an attacking team in the box are never penalised!?

Even more so the goalkeepers that rush out to collect a 50/50 with leg outstretched, showing studs chest high.

[thenodrog]

Even more so the goalkeepers that rush out to collect a 50/50 with leg outstretched, showing studs chest high.

Yep .... that too.

[RibbleValleyRover]

People seem to expect comic book 'Roy of the Rovers' stuff every week with Roy rescuing a 'lost match' with two goals in the dying seconds once his studs had been tightened up or similar.

I certainly don't expect that, and I think most fans don't either. However it’s a perfectly legitimate point to ponder how we have gone from such a great start during the first few months of the season to where we are now. We looked a completely different team during the first few months of the league season and as a result people's expectations are bound to change.

Different fans will have different expectations and hopes from the team that they support. Those fans who may be unhappy with the team are no lesser of a fan than those who are happy with the current situation.

[den]

Different fans will have different expectations and hopes from the team that they support. Those fans who may be unhappy with the team are no lesser of a fan than those who are happy with the current situation.

There wont be many people happy with the situation, me, the manager and players [well most of 'em] included.

Like Theno and I have said though, footabll's unpredictable and no=one can guarantee attractive football. Also I guess, if we had been winning more home games, this debate about boring football wouldn't be so predominant.

The whole attraction of footy is it's unpredictability. The HOPE, sometimes forlorn, that the next match we're gonna play like Brazil [or Barnsley], - no matter what happened last time out.

[CAPT KAYOS]

The whole attraction of footy is it's unpredictability.

I think this is the point though Den - nowadays it is too predictable, especially Rovers rather than unpredictable.

People know they can't expect exceptional performances each week as certain elements in games dictate what happens - what they can expect though is a bit more positive attitude and desire/ fight rather than turgid and lethargic performances to try and win a game.

[AggyBlue]

People know they can't expect exceptional performances each week as certain elements in games dictate what happens - what they can expect though is a bit more positive attitude and desire/ fight rather than turgid and lethargic performances to try and win a game.

I expected more than a midfield player passing the ball back to Brad from the halfway line when there wasn't a Fulham player within five yards of him.

That one moment summed our performance up.

[waggy]

posting before reading any other posts.

well on saturday you would not know who was 2nd from bottom or 7th from top,thought we were woeful in attack till roberts and derbs came on.next home game i would drop santa cruz and play either macarthy/roberts with derbyshire douwn the middle.i thought macarthy was poor on sat but he did score a bundle last season as the main striker,derbyshire is by far the best finisher in the club and needs a run off games at centre forward not the right wing.santa cruz for all his skill has the finishing powers off ashley ward.

pedersens goal should have been disallowed,pulled the fulham defender over,which i happen to notice at the time!!!!!!!!!then again bullards free kick was indirect and the other guy stood on the ball,DOES THE BALL NOT HAVE TO MOVE