[Archived] Rovers Vs Fulham

[BRFC1995]

really poor result, 1 win in 5 and just 5 goals, was'nt at all concerned about start to season beforehand but now with other results it looks poor.

[des]

We started with 3 up top and we've been using 2 since Emerton came on.

well it does not look like it, does not big sam know there is such a thing as midfield

[Amo]

Boos at the final whistle?

Poor result. Never built on our bright start, sat back and let Fulham back into the game. There's no cutting edge in the final third, which means once the hoof ball/percentage game doesn't come off, we're left without a clue. Not a great start, in all honesty.

Real Madrid? Get real, Sam.

[jim mk2]

No Dunn, no Olsson, no one to replace them, and .....

and no money. Nothing will change until the ownership issue is resolved.

[Bobby G]

Poor performance I thought. We looked tired. Fulham woke up from the 20th minute and really got into it and their start in the second half had goal written all over it.

Id say we are lucky to take 1 point off this game, which is disappointing as I believe that's two points dropped (another dropped set). Could have been worse though. The changes were positive and changing to 4-4-2 by Sam prevented us from being battered further by their midfield.

[BRFC1995]

gonna go and read an everton forum for a few minutes to cheer myself up a bit, 2 really important points dropped for us feels like a defeat at the minute.

[G Somerset Rover]

Poor performance I thought. We looked tired. Fulham woke up from the 20th minute and really got into it and their start in the second half had goal written all over it.

Id say we are lucky to take 1 point off this game, which is disappointing as I believe that's two points dropped (another dropped set). Could have been worse though. The changes were positive and changing to 4-4-2 by Sam prevented us from being battered further by their midfield.

Absolutely no excuses there though. How can we be tired when we have been playing once a week max?

[Gogger]

Well, not hard to see where this was heading. Early goal and trying to defend the lead the remaining 70 minutes. Fair play not to throw people forward, but for christ sake lets at least pressure them before they reach the goal line. 1 chanse one goal for Fulham. Oh joy.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Full time, Same old problem - goalscoring. We need to start figuring out how to score more from open play!

We desperately need to end this winless run.

Can't see that happening not with our ###### poor midfield.

Not surprised at the result really, Fulham aren't exactly the easiest side to face in the league (the talk of us winning 4-0 was laughable really) and Hughes always makes his sides hard to beat- evidence being that they are so far unbeaten this season.

[LeChuck]

A straight swap, in a game that the opponent is well on top of us in? Genius. I bet Jose, Rafa and Fabio are papping it.

We should be going for it by bringing an attacking player on surely? We're at home FFS!

This idea that 'more attacking players on the pitch = more chances to score' is just overly simplistic rubbish though.

Most teams play with two defensive midfielders now. There is no point having attacking players on the pitch if there is no-one to win the ball, otherwise you can't give it to the attacking players.

[Bobby G]

We looked leggy compared to them.

Also, I thought it was the wrong choice of weapon to hit them with long balls in the last 10 minutes, cause there were spaces to exploit.

It will be a long season, unless we get some funds in January, because I have a bad feeling this season the margins are very thin, and we may fall at the wrong end of them, as evident by 3 of our first 5 results.

[brian_gallagher85]

Poor result but I'd rather a point at home to Fulham, than losing at home to Newcastle. There's a lot of football to be played yet.

Same problem as against Aresnal for me, we just didn't show up in the second half. Also, why the hell is Grella starting (and wasting 70 minutes) ahead of Nzonzi this season?

[Dan]

"starting"?

Ok, starting to REALLY detest his fat smirking face. I wish he'd (Please don't use that word again) off to Madrid, Man Utd or Chelsea. Oh wait, no other team would have him, since no one likes his football 'style'.

We are in for a long hard season, I think last seasons position flattered us. We play by far the worse football in the league, we'll score goal from set plays, but in open play EVERY other team puts us to shame. I think we should remove the Football bit from our name.

"If God had meant football to be played in the air he would have put grass in the sky"

Brian Clough

[Rover Down Under]

Why were there 11 substitutions at half time? The second half team looked a pale imitation of the first, why did Niko, our most threatening player, go off? Not happy, we should not be drawing with Fulham at home, that is a definite 2 points dropped.

[Doaksie]

Absolutely no excuses there though. How can we be tired when we have been playing once a week max?

No idea, and don't call me max.

Disappointing result in the end, but much of what I have came to expect from a Big Sam performance really. Very small percentages between a marginal win/draw/defeat. Ah well, at least he'll be off to Madrid soon enough....

[G Somerset Rover]

Also, why the hell is Grella starting (and wasting 70 minutes) ahead of Nzonzi this season?

Good point. I don't know what N'Zonzi's done wrong to Sam in the close season especially given the praise Sam was heaping on him.

Roll on January.

[cn174]

Bloody crap!

[deryck guyler's spoon]

If Allardyce were chocolate he'd eat himself. This makes him a difficult man to like. Coupled with the, at times, truly awful negative "football" his teams play and he can easilly become unpopular.

However, I think it should be remembered that managing Rovers under the Walker Trust and keeping us in the top flight is something akin to platting fog. Whatever his faults Allardyce is an extremely effective manager and I reckon we have him to thank for us still being in The Premiership,

Be careful what you wish for.

[brian_gallagher85]

Why were there 11 substitutions at half time?

Exactly the same as the Arsenal game, it can't be all Sams fault though...surely?

We really need to start playing for even 50 minutes never mind 90

[Amo]

Good point. I don't know what N'Zonzi's done wrong to Sam in the close season especially given the praise Sam was heaping on him.

Jones & Grella ahead of our Player of the Year? Is there more to it than meets the eye?

[Bobby G]

Why do our full backs fall asleep sometimes after being dragged inwards out of position? Most of the season, our slowness to react has given the opposition winger time and space to hit a cross that hurts us?

[RoverRich]

Why were there 11 substitutions at half time? The second half team looked a pale imitation of the first, why did Niko, our most threatening player, go off? Not happy, we should not be drawing with Fulham at home, that is a definite 2 points dropped.

I thought exactly the same. For about the 3rd time this season we have come out after half time and been a different team. We are good in the 1st half then just invite the opposition on to us after that. I thought Duff and Salcido especially made our full backs look poor today because they were given so much room. It was a very frustrating performance and I agree we should not be drawing to Fulham at home.

Kalinic should not have been taken off, although Benjani did do quite well to be fair. Emerton seemed afraid to shout or even to cross, would always take 1 touch too many or turn back when in a good position. He is a frustrating player to watch. I would rather have seen Hoilett come on and take the game to Fulham instead.

In previous seasons I backed Grella as a decent player when he is fit but I was wrong. He has done absolutely nothing this season and Nzonzi HAS to start ahead of him in future.

[budha]

Why do our full backs fall asleep sometimes after being dragged inwards out of position? Most of the season, our slowness to react has given the opposition winger time and space to hit a cross that hurts us?

Because one isn't a full back and another is 72 years old.

[martmitch]

Fell short of ideas from what I saw,fulham had the better of the game without threatening apart from their one chance which they scored from, was hoping for 3 points here, looking like there will be no rollover teams so far this year

I have to ask also is nzonzi injured? Why on earth is grella starting ahead of him

[modes98]

Generally rubbisg but even more so in the second half. There was no desire to get after the man or the ball. 2 points lost. Has to be better against villa and blackpool.

How was el hadj diouf MOM?

Benjani actually looked pretty decent.