Friends of Fulham

Fulham put out a strong team for this one, albeit what most would say is their second team, and it showed as Fulham went ahead 2-0 by the 22nd minute.  Take nothing from Bristol City, who did create chances, but Fulham controlled the match from start to finish. 

So, who was your FoF MOTM and why?

TC didn't put a foot wrong all game, and gets my vote. Cuenca and Diop also had a good game, but Cuenca made some mistakes towards the end that kind of took him out of contention for me.

Clinical from Raul. Game was wrapped up so early, had hoped for a goal fest - but became a professional performance.

Raul MoM for me.

Job done but 2 up after 20 mins kind of killed interest as we declined to pulverise them.  No outstanding performances needed but credit to Diop, my MotM, pretty much faultless.  Commentator loved TC but a lowwer champ side which didn't challenge him much.

Diop..Professional performance.

Adama was shocking in this game - doesn't track back, doesn't help out King when King was out on the flanks battling two Bristol players. But other than that it was a routine game with some scares at the end. MOTM for me was Raul followed closly by ESR.

Quote from: demeant0r on August 27, 2025, 09:50:01 PMAdama was shocking in this game - doesn't track back, doesn't help out King when King was out on the flanks battling two Bristol players. But other than that it was a routine game with some scares at the end. MOTM for me was Raul followed closly by ESR.

Agree, Adama was really poor.

Two early goals and Fulham stopped playing .. I know the job was done.. but what a boring 2nd half... pass back.. pass back... pass back... give it a rest... someone show an ounce of creativity please...
Glad we won, but terrible 2nd half...
Sorry... ::angry::

A poor performance in my opinion. We relaxed far too much after going two soft goals up, maybe a sub-conscious feeling that the job was done, and we rarely threatened their goal again. Bristol City had the better of the game in the second half, and if they had been playing their first choice attackers, we could have been punished. Cuenca was my Man of the Match, he and Diop did their jobs pretty well.

Glad we are through, but it really was nothing to enthuse about.

Quote from: Fulham Tup North on August 27, 2025, 09:54:28 PMTwo early goals and Fulham stopped playing .. I know the job was done.. but what a boring 2nd half... pass back.. pass back... pass back... give it a rest... someone show an ounce of creativity please...
Glad we won, but terrible 2nd half...
Sorry... ::angry::

I think the message from Marco must've been to preserver energy for Chelsea

Quote from: Plodder on August 27, 2025, 09:55:56 PMA poor performance in my opinion. We relaxed far too much after going two soft goals up, maybe a sub-conscious feeling that the job was done, and we rarely threatened their goal again. Bristol City had the better of the game in the second half, and they had been playing their first choice attackers, we could have been punished. Cuenca was my Man of the Match, he and Diop did their jobs pretty well.

Glad we are through, but it really was nothing to enthuse about.

Yeah, think it was a case of taking the foot entirely off the gas after the second. Not unexpected with a weekend game coming up but not great entertainment.

A walk in the park against a decent championship side. What's there to be disappointed about?

Quote from: demeant0r on August 27, 2025, 09:57:31 PM

Quote from: Fulham Tup North on August 27, 2025, 09:54:28 PMTwo early goals and Fulham stopped playing .. I know the job was done.. but what a boring 2nd half... pass back.. pass back... pass back... give it a rest... someone show an ounce of creativity please...
Glad we won, but terrible 2nd half...
Sorry... ::angry::

I think the message from Marco must've been to preserver energy for Chelsea

Why... half of those out there won't be playing on Saturday??

Reed MotM for me

Very  professional display against a dangerous side. Done and dusted early and except for one or two small nervy moments did well. This is a good squad which needs strengthening in numbers but know what to do.

Brighton's second string didn't take their foot off the gas like we did.

Professional? Yes.
Entertaining? No.

Not sure there was any major stand out, though I would say ESR did well, as did TC. However, TC simply showed his level being Championship, he plays well when given the time a club like Bristol gave. ESR made some good passes and moves, link up etc. Raul scored a decent goal and good pressure on the defender for the own goal.

Adama was poor, really shoddy shooting, Lacomte was nervous, almost gave a goal away with dodgy passing. Reed was loose with passing and offered very little, he wont make a PL game this season. Castagne was way of the pace.

Quote from: Southcoastffc on August 27, 2025, 09:45:00 PMJob done but 2 up after 20 mins kind of killed interest as we declined to pulverise them.  No outstanding performances needed but credit to Diop, my MotM, pretty much faultless.  Commentator loved TC but a lowwer champ side which didn't challenge him much.

I think the fact he wasn't challenged much probably says his continued involvement is a good thing. He bossed things out there even if it was a "professional" second half.


Agree with other posters that other players didn't look so "unchallenged" - Adama being the main culprit.


I'd say it's clear from the subs who Marco wants fresh for Saturday.

Diop was in one of his "Abandon hope all ye who stand near me" moods.  Love it when he's like that.

Positives:
-We're through
-We've rested a lot of our players
-Minutes for the fringe players
-First win of the season
-Clean sheet
-Raul off the mark
-Diop and Cuenca looked really good, no worries about our cb rotation

Negatives:
-I really don't have any. We played a mixed team that wasn't used to playing together, it was never going to be an incredible performance.

Quote from: Southcoastffc on August 27, 2025, 09:45:00 PMJob done but 2 up after 20 mins kind of killed interest as we declined to pulverise them.  No outstanding performances needed but credit to Diop, my MotM, pretty much faultless.  Commentator loved TC but a lowwer champ side which didn't challenge him much.

Although Diop was good, it seemed to me that whenever he got the ball his first thought was to pass back or sideways, there didn't seem to be much forward thinking.

Quote from: Southcoastffc on August 27, 2025, 09:45:00 PMJob done but 2 up after 20 mins kind of killed interest as we declined to pulverise them.  No outstanding performances needed but credit to Diop, my MotM, pretty much faultless.  Commentator loved TC but a lowwer champ side which didn't challenge him much.

Although Diop was good, it seemed to me that whenever he got the ball his first thought was to pass back or sideways, there didn't seem to be much forward thinking.

Glad we won, but for entertainment value not worth the admission fee. No killer instinct which is a concern.
If they want to play like that with walking football and endless passing backwards and sideways for ever in their own half, then do it behind closed doors.
No man of the match for me, although Diop, Cairney, Jimenez and Reed had decent games

Diop really good I thought, a great prem level back up - I think he is good enough to be a starter for a Prem team and we have him as 2nd choice. Great depth

Also wanted to shoutout Reed who I thought was great - probably his best performance in 3 years for us. (Not his biggest fan)

Cairney was his usual composed self and had a great game too

Quote from: @jolslover on August 28, 2025, 11:29:13 AMDiop really good I thought, a great prem level back up - I think he is good enough to be a starter for a Prem team and we have him as 2nd choice. Great depth

Also wanted to shoutout Reed who I thought was great - probably his best performance in 3 years for us. (Not his biggest fan)

Cairney was his usual composed self and had a great game too

TC was composed, but he had time, at PL level he has not got that time and becomes exposed to losing the ball, similar with Reed, I dont expect either of them to feature much this season

Diop was my MotM - commanding performance, everything you want from your CB. Made the game look simple.
Quite a few EPL defences would be improved if their CBs performed similarly!
Quite a bit of criticism of Traore - yes wasteful, but our most effective forward and the one most prepared to take risks in attack. If you want a cautious, risk averse forward he is not the player for you. His cross for the first goal was class.
A win without injuries was the main priority- mission achieved.

I just watched the posted highlights of this game.  Someone in this thread or somewhere else really ragged on Traore.  After watching these highlights, I thought he looked pretty good.  I know, just 10 minutes of the game, but not all that bad.  Sure, he skied an attempt on goal, but so did others.  Anyway, just my two cents.....

Quote from: WindyCity on August 28, 2025, 04:28:46 PMI just watched the posted highlights of this game.  Someone in this thread or somewhere else really ragged on Traore.  After watching these highlights, I thought he looked pretty good.  I know, just 10 minutes of the game, but not all that bad.  Sure, he skied an attempt on goal, but so did others.  Anyway, just my two cents.....

The problems was during the second half defensively. A couple of times he was very casual and lost the ball or completely sliced a clearance.

I don't think any of them led to highlight moments so they wouldn't be included.

Quote from: Tabby on August 28, 2025, 05:48:41 PM

Quote from: WindyCity on August 28, 2025, 04:28:46 PMI just watched the posted highlights of this game.  Someone in this thread or somewhere else really ragged on Traore.  After watching these highlights, I thought he looked pretty good.  I know, just 10 minutes of the game, but not all that bad.  Sure, he skied an attempt on goal, but so did others.  Anyway, just my two cents.....

The problems was during the second half defensively.

It wasn't just the second half and I think it's a big reason we see less of him than some posters here would like. I'm reminded of something Marco said re Adama after one of his best games in a Fulham shirt last season (Forest at home). "He was much more involved in everything from the team, and this is the way I want to see Adama. He was balanced today and I don't remember one ball that he gave away." I think Marco's issue with Adama is that he gets that Adama (the one against Forest) FAR too infrequently.

TC had a brilliant game as a player and captain. Can only recall seeing one poor pass, but what impressed me most was the way he was directing play. Constantly talking and instructing team mates where to play the ball.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FfIZxLeX0AANdjm?format=jpg&name=small)
Tom Cairney is your FoF MOTM against Bristol City  ::wine::