Cairney's value to the team

Bobsffc · December 22, 2025, 11:51:52 PM

Anyone who doubts TC's continued value to the team needs to relook at that second half, and look at how we played before he came on and then compare it to after he came on.

copthornemike · December 22, 2025, 11:59:56 PM

Agree with the previous post. He brought back some control to the team and general game management. Also calmed a few heads at the right time.
Can he dominate an EPL game for 90+ minutes now? Definitely not, but he was the right man for the right time and well done to the manager for recognising it.
Loved the little interaction he had with the Hammy End after the game had finished.
He 'gets it.'

SerbianLad · December 23, 2025, 12:05:23 AM

Today was a perfect example of a game where TC can be useful. Tiredness kicked in in the second half and we started making mistake after mistake, which gave Forest confidence and suddenly we were barely able to string 3-4 passes together. TC came on and we were the better team for the next 10 or so minutes.

I'm shocked that so many people have completely written him off.

Whitesideup · December 23, 2025, 12:09:38 AM

Quote from: SerbianLad on December 23, 2025, 12:05:23 AMToday was a perfect example of a game where TC can be useful. Tiredness kicked in in the second half and we started making mistake after mistake, which gave Forest confidence and suddenly we were barely able to string 3-4 passes together. TC came on and we were the better team for the next 10 or so minutes.

I'm shocked that so many people have completely written him off.

Totally agree

Nick Bateman · December 23, 2025, 12:22:32 AM

If one had to guess Tom Cairney's age, he looks 25-27. His running regime is a pace he can easily last 90 minutes+ so there is no worries over fitness. His intelligent passing is the best in our squad, he merely needs more games. I saw Silva giving him a hug post-match, possibly apologetic to not giving him more game time.

RaySmith · December 23, 2025, 12:32:03 AM

Also thought he calmed things down and helped us regain control when they looked likely to score. His class was fully visible.

perry geyton · December 23, 2025, 12:36:33 AM

Came on, took total control of the game, stabilized us and got us the 3 points

When the final whistle blew Marco went straight up too him and wrapped his arms around him

Pure quality as always

Ive no doubt that he could do this for a couple more years

v · December 23, 2025, 01:38:23 AM

Quote from: SerbianLad on December 23, 2025, 12:05:23 AMToday was a perfect example of a game where TC can be useful. Tiredness kicked in in the second half and we started making mistake after mistake, which gave Forest confidence and suddenly we were barely able to string 3-4 passes together. TC came on and we were the better team for the next 10 or so minutes.

I'm shocked that so many people have completely written him off.

Exactly this.
In fact 5 minutes before he came on I turned to my mate in the HEnd and said 'TC needs to come on'. To be fair, my mate agreed.

Cairney gave us back the composure we were lacking. His range of passing and vision helped the team link up together again after 10 minutes where we could barely string two passes together and were in danger of letting Forest back into the match.

Fulham will have a headache this summer deciding what to do with TC. As seen tonight, he's still more than capable of putting in a telling cameo.

Woolly Mammoth · December 23, 2025, 02:07:20 AM

Absolutely, Tom C made a huge impact on the game straight away as soon as he entered the field of play.
Took control of the midfield his passing was accurate and he put his foot on the ball, but most of all he made himself available to the player on the ball to receive a pass.
Changed the dynamics and took the game back to Fulham.
The other bonus was that we also collected a clean sheet.

Jim© · December 23, 2025, 02:19:56 AM

My wife made a rare appearance and said that tc looked the best player on the pitch by a mile. Funny when you have two England Internationals playing against him and couldn't get a sniff.
That sub won us the game imo. Classy cairney.

iansthailand · December 23, 2025, 06:13:31 AM

Quote from: Jim© on December 23, 2025, 02:19:56 AMMy wife made a rare appearance and said that tc looked the best player on the pitch by a mile. Funny when you have two England Internationals playing against him and couldn't get a sniff.
That sub won us the game imo. Classy cairney.

Perhaps your wife should be on here not you Jim?

Colinwhite · December 23, 2025, 06:16:20 AM

his influence was huge

Twig · December 23, 2025, 07:42:22 AM

Have to admit that, whilst it was clear we needed changes, subbing Berge for TC hadn't occurred to me but it was a master stroke so full credit to Marco.

TC took back control of the midfield which we had lost. I'm pretty sure we would have conceded had he not come on. There wasn't much about the game that was easy on the eye but TC's contribution was an exception.

H4usuallysitting · December 23, 2025, 08:30:41 AM

Never doubted him...his brain works quicker than his feet...always making space to receive a pass... gives himself a yard of space then moves the ball

SimonDaviesEnjoyer · December 23, 2025, 08:32:54 AM

I pondered the sub when he came on, but he showed why Silva and him are in the dugout and I'm not!

Jim© · December 23, 2025, 09:44:01 AM

Quote from: iansthailand on December 23, 2025, 06:13:31 AM
Quote from: Jim© on December 23, 2025, 02:19:56 AMMy wife made a rare appearance and said that tc looked the best player on the pitch by a mile. Funny when you have two England Internationals playing against him and couldn't get a sniff.
That sub won us the game imo. Classy cairney.
Perhaps your wife should be on here not you Jim?

Ha, it's a fair point. Her other views were no one gets past Kenny and she thiught Kevin needs confidence! Clearly knows her stuff!

Drewry66 · December 23, 2025, 09:52:32 AM

Until he came on second half it looked inevitable they would score at some point as we had lost all control in the game and they had us completely penned in. The transformation with his introduction was crazy.

This is exactly why we kept him and why all the moaning about that from many was crazy. It has to be the right game but in certain situations he gives you the control that no one else can and that essentially wins you points as it did last night. Did the same against Brentford away end of last season. May only be in the odd game but more than possible that wins us an extra 5 or 6 points a season and that is worth the salary.

bog · December 23, 2025, 11:14:26 AM

I hold my hands up. Tom shut my big ugly mouth right up. He looked so elegant with his play. Well played Tom.

SerbianLad · December 23, 2025, 11:40:27 AM

Am I the only one who thought his effort was actually on target and saved by their keeper and that we should have got a corner there? To me it seemed like he saved that chance with his fingertips.

SimonDaviesEnjoyer · December 23, 2025, 11:55:50 AM

Quote from: SerbianLad on December 23, 2025, 11:40:27 AMAm I the only one who thought his effort was actually on target and saved by their keeper and that we should have got a corner there? To me it seemed like he saved that chance with his fingertips.

On the Sky replay he clearly tipped it, but I couldn't tell from the angle whether it was going in.

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Cairney's value to the team