[Archived] Fulham - Sunday 13Th September

[DE.]

Their second goal - hit's Steele square in the chest - would have bounced out miles from Dembele - but hits his trailing leg taking all the pace off it. IMO that is bad luck - especially for Steele

Over the 90 minutes we deserved at least a draw.

Sorry DMTP but you are looking at ridiculously small details to try and justify that. Moaning about bad luck is what losers do, and these teams inevitably get relegated because they have a woe is me mentality as opposed to working out what they did wrong and improving themselves for the future.

I hope the team and the manager do not seriously share your bad luck perspective, or we are in deep trouble.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

OK - to add to the debate - firstly I don't think we were as bad in the first half as many are making out - and should have taken at least one of our half chances to make it 2-1 at half time.

Personally don't blame Hanley and Duffy - think we need to look at the midfield for not tracking back - and Spurr especially on the first goal for not tracking back (he jogged back as McCormack ran into the area.

Positives - Marshall looked better than recent - Rhodes is off the mark - Evans and Guthrie looked ok (but as both guilty of not tracking back) - Steele had a good match and unlucky.

Negatives - we don't defend as a team - Spurr (I can't understand why GB persists with him when we have the player of the year on the bench).

Overall we played quite well - but playing as well as we did and not winning just increased the feeling that GB has to go.

[1arC]

Bet you didn't think that when he kept us up

Thats not an excuse as far as I'm concerned.

What we have played well in every game but been unlucky, isn't an excuse. What is it then? It can be called a statement I suppose, but, does anyone really believe we have played will in every game and not won any yet, is purely down to luck. So far as I am concerned that statement is an excuse for us being winless. Perhaps a statement suggesting we haven't been good enough and explain how he is going to correct it, may be appropriate, which would then NOT be an excuse.

[Baz]

Their second goal - hit's Steele square in the chest - would have bounced out miles from Dembele - but hits his trailing leg taking all the pace off it. IMO that is bad luck - especially for Steele

Over the 90 minutes we deserved at least a draw.

Either way we allowed them 3 uncontested shots on goal within 10 yards of goal, in the same attack.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Sorry DMTP but you are looking at ridiculously small details to try and justify that. Moaning about bad luck is what losers do, and these teams inevitably get relegated because they have a woe is me mentality as opposed to working out what they did wrong and improving themselves for the future.

I hope the team and the manager do not seriously share your bad luck perspective, or we are in deep trouble.

Alex Ferguson would often argue about bad luck and poor decisions from referees. Sometimes it helps to keep up squad morale while the manager attempts to address some of the issues that led to defeat.

Confidence plays a huge part in football - so using a hard luck story to keep up morale - personally I have no problem with as long as work on the training ground addresses the issues we saw.

[DE.]

Alex Ferguson would often argue about bad luck and poor decisions from referees. Sometimes it helps to keep up squad morale while the manager attempts to address some of the issues that led to defeat.

Confidence plays a huge part in football - so using a hard luck story to keep up morale - personally I have no problem with as long as work on the training ground addresses the issues we saw.

Yeah, but you get the feeling Bowyer is saying the same in private as he is in public. It's been 3 years now and we've got the same problems we've always had in defence. Even if Bowyer does know there's an issue, it's very clear he has no idea what the answer is.

[Gav]

What we have played well in every game but been unlucky, isn't an excuse. What is it then? It can be called a statement I suppose, but, does anyone really believe we have played will in every game and not won any yet, is purely down to luck. So far as I am concerned that statement is an excuse for us being winless. Perhaps a statement suggesting we haven't been good enough and explain how he is going to correct it, may be appropriate, which would then NOT be an excuse.

I just don't see that as an excuse, he thinks we've been playing well

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Either way we allowed them 3 uncontested shots on goal within 10 yards of goal, in the same attack.

Not arguing that - but by the same token Fonz running through on goal has a shot - hits keeper and bounces out to Fulham defender rather than on incoming Rhodes - it all small margins.

BTW - our defending (as a team) for both their goals was woefull.

[AllRoverAsia]

We were appalling in the first half. Half paced and bereft of any ideas.

Fulham missed a lot of goal scoring opportunities too but not as many clear cut as we did 2nd half.

Rhodes will not go another 90 mins any time soon with so many chances for so little return.

Thought Marshall and Conway tried hard and Evans improved 2nd half but he's always the sub fall guy.

Delfy should take up another sport.

Steele looked solid throughout.

[Ossydave]

Steele was superb tbf and didn't deserve to be on a losing team

Koita simply must start next game

Guthrie I though played ok spraying a few passes about and could be an asset this season given games.

Just so annoying how we need the opposition to score to spur us on.

In fairness GB seemingly gave a good half time team talk.

He'll get bollocked for his comments on the officials after but on this occasion he was right

[1arC]

Excuse: To seek to lessen the blame, attaching to (a fault or offence) try to justify. If he is trying to keep up the players morale and install confidence, then fine, but it is till an excuse, what the manger said today live on sky.

[A cup of beans]

He actually said our response to the first goal was terrific, to be precise.

Ridiculous comments.

Staggering. Couldn't bring myself to listen to him.

He's constantly condemning himself with his media comments.

[mustard]

Not arguing that - but by the same token Fonz running through on goal has a shot - hits keeper and bounces out to Fulham defender rather than on incoming Rhodes - it all small margins.

BTW - our defending (as a team) for both their goals was woefull.

By the same token, Dembele could have got more of a touch and put Fulham 3-0 up.

We left ourselves with too much to do, as per. Defensive organisation is poor, hence why we have trouble keeping a clean sheet.

You could put Mickey Mouse in charge of this squad and we'd still create chances. Players like Conway, Marshall and Rhodes are always going to fashion the opportunities to score. This is useless if you don't have it in the squad to keep it quiet at the other end.

Played 6, won 0, drawn 3, lost 3. Buck stops with Bowyer.

[grizfoot]

If only we could play like we did in the second half for entire games. That's by a distance the best we've played this season, if it wasn't for wasteful finishing we could have easily turned the game around and won. The worry is that maybe this papers over the cracks a little if we have got the players to be playing like that how come we are not doing it on a regular basis. Also you have got to take into account Fulham's team has a lot of new players and therefore maybe you could forgive their lack of defensive stability to some degree. Whereas we have had more or less the same group of players for over a year now and still look all over the place defensively. The Sky commentators point out that Bowyer and Rovers were "unlucky" in this game and it's hard to disagree with that but they've not seen the other games this season and it's always a worrying sign when you "play well" and do more than enough to win but still lose the game. That being said more performances like that last 45 minutes and we'll shoot up the league, but defend like we did in the first half and we'll stay where we are, simply as that really.

Bringing Steele back looks to be a wise choice (many would argue he should never have been dropped in the first place) I wonder if Bowyer will start playing our best left-back in Olsson anytime soon as well.

[1864roverite]

Yes you may be but it is back to Ewood and Roves v Charlton for you on Saturday.

Blackburn or Mauritius ? Blackburn wins hands down every time................NOT !

Well I have just come in and have seen the score.

Fortunately lobster and crab claws along with a nice bottle of New Zealand Neudorf Wineries Chardonnay won the day rather than watch this on telly.

I guess the upside from today, apart from a lovely meal, was that Rhodes scored.

I hope Hanley had another good game?

Sorry captain Mike will still be away still have another 10 days

[Mike Graham]

Sorry captain Mike will still be away still have another 10 days

Lucky bugger.....you will miss the Charlton game. I am 50:50 as to whether I can be bothered or not.

[Pedro]

A right good go might have to be shelved for a while. I reckon it'll be, "With the standards we've set ourselves in the second half at Fulham..." for some time now.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

By the same token, Dembele could have got more of a touch and put Fulham 3-0 up.

Is that the same chance that was actually (incorrectly) flagged as off-side ?

[AllRoverAsia]

A right good go might have to be shelved for a while. I reckon it'll be, "With the standards we've set ourselves in the second half at Fulham..." for some time now.

"So we asked them to have a good go and to leave nothing, give it everything you've got and you saw that.''

"We hit the bar, we hit the post, we had one cleared off the line, we've had one actually cross the line but the officials didn't do their job properly.

"We haven't lost the game though lack of effort or a lack of commitment, we just haven't been lucky enough in front of goal and with certain decisions."

Read more at http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/gary-bowyer-blackburn-rovers-fulham-2685868.aspx#KorOKODZ76WrcLSt.99

So our loss had nothing to do with rank bad defending, that's reassuring.

[mustard]

Is that the same chance that was actually (incorrectly) flagged as off-side ?

Apparently so. What I'm saying is, first half Fulham had plenty of chances to lead further. They dominated us more than the stats showed. Second half was the other way round, but even then they could have killed the game off with Dembele. Could have been a 6-6 game, but the end result is all that matters.

"So we asked them to have a good go and to leave nothing, give it everything you've got and you saw that.''

"We hit the bar, we hit the post, we had one cleared off the line, we've had one actually cross the line but the officials didn't do their job properly.

"We haven't lost the game though lack of effort or a lack of commitment, we just haven't been lucky enough in front of goal and with certain decisions."

Read more at http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/gary-bowyer-blackburn-rovers-fulham-2685868.aspx#KorOKODZ76WrcLSt.99

So our loss had nothing to do with rank bad defending, that's reassuring.

No mention of the shoddy defending for their goals, no mention of them peppering us first half, no mention of Dembele missing one second half.

It's like Bowyer doesn't realise that opposition goals count as well.

[SamTheShrew]

Their second goal - hit's Steele square in the chest - would have bounced out miles from Dembele - but hits his trailing leg taking all the pace off it. IMO that is bad luck - especially for Steele

Over the 90 minutes we deserved at least a draw.

Perhaps. but what about the chap (Guthrie?) who stood still watch Dembele the entire time this was taking place, despite only being a few yards away.

You make your own luck.

[sharpysharps]

fulham should've been out of sight after 30 minutes so it feels somewhat irrelevant talking about the missed chances of the 2nd half.

We made them look like automatic promotion contenders in those first 30 mins when in reality they are probably top 10 at the very best.

Yes it should have been 2-2 if goal line technology existed in the football league, so I can cut some slack with GB there, but once again he failed to set us up to start a game well. I'm bored of seeing it time and time again from this Rovers side. I'm sure the players the featured today are better than this, so it has to be the manager.

2nd half was much better but the damage was already done. Koita is an interesting one, I bet he'd score for fun in League One...which is where we'll be if we keep GB around.

We'll be in October without a win at this rate.

[broadsword]

Well, that was profoundly depressing. I didn't recognise the team on his second half showing, but we still somehow managed to lose.

If the QPR manager was watching, he should be feeling confident, that if they play a high line with pace in the first twenty minutes, they'll get their win. Like taking sweets off of a baby.

Tried hard, bad luck, hit the post, deserved more, playing well bleat bleat bleat. It's a results business. I wonder if Rhodes is feeling down because he doesn't seem his usual self at all. Without him putting in the net, where are the goals coming from? The defence is a shocking liability. Remember now, this is us playing after the international break that Bowyer was bleating that he needed, because they needed more time on the training pitch (well, what the hell is pre-season for, then?) The result? We play like rank amateurs.

I see he's bleatring again, this time about Fulham being an expensive side, neglecting to mention that we have an expensive squad as well. he's long on blather, short on results.

It's time to be concerned. When wil we get our first win?

[joey_big_nose]

Only caught the last ten mins, will watch the rest on replay.

Surely if we lose at QPR that's Bowyer gone? Can't see how he will stay.

In fact I'd say he needs a win.

[mustard]

Bowyer never seeks to set up a team to exploit the opposition. Fulham were clearly going to play a left-footed centre mid at right wing today. A player who regularly cuts inside and offers nothing defensively. Playing Olsson would have helped put Fulham on the back-foot from the off as their right back would have been dealing with an overlapping fullback and no support from his winger. Norwich did the same to us last season (with Martin Olsson) and if it wasn't for Baptiste having a stormer at RB, they'd have had a field day (still battered us, mind).