FoF MOTM Fulham 1 v 0 Hull and post match thread

[Twig]

Hull manager: "It was men against boys. They ate us alive."
https://x.com/jackellyffc/status/2111493507294634040?s=20

Exactly. All the moaning about Garcia is misplaced. As a team we played very well today. Mobile and plenty of skill. Hull were made to look pathetic.

I'm curious, why do you say "all the moaning about Garcia is misplaced"? And btw it's criticism not moaning.

[Twig]

[quoteauthor=peachcobbler link=msg=1666969 date=1792256131]

"I am afraid that this game will paper over the cracks and prevent what needs to be done."

Great take from a global moderator on what I thought was suppose to be a fan forum site. Jfc

He's entitled to his opinion. Fans don't have to wear rose tinted specs.

For my point it was not about what he said, it was just straight in with it, it would be nice to spend a few hours with us all enjoying a win before the criticism comes.

Yeah timing here matters and it is part of what makes a take, a take. I have no problem with the opinion. But opening up the post match thread to a mod making a cynical remark after a majorily needed win is pretty meh.

[/quote]

Ok, the timing argument I can understand. Point taken.

[Chi_FFC]

Thought Cairney looked absolute class when he came on. Took control and purred his way through to the end.

I thought he looked great until the last minute or so when he took that needless shot instead of passing to Iwobi (I believe) who could have run it into the corner and run more time off the clock. Hell, if he does that Sess probably doesn't see red.

[Clint McBride]

Great to see TC back. Now bench Garcia and we will look like a football team.

Play Garcia for the next 6 Premier games. No one adapted to English football sitting on in the bench. He just needs to pop one in. He's quick and takes up good positions.

He needs to be used as a super sub and NOT a starter .... at least for the next  3/4 games, bring him on at 65 minutes and let him work

[Bal_13]

We beat the worst side we have played this season by a single deflected shot that a better keeper would have saved. Perhaps we will kick on from here but I tend to think it is papering over cracks as others have said.
And yes, I am well aware we created plenty of chances but if we have a forward line that can't convert then chances count for little.

But didn't we make Hull look average rather than they're inherently poor?

They've got results against established teams this year and we made them look amateur... I think that says something.

Not saying I'm suddenly an Arbeloa fan boy, but just as we criticised him thus far for his terrible in-game subs in past games, I do think it's fair to say he has a possession philosophy that does suit a lot of this squad's skillset. And he got it right today. You beat the opposition in front of you on the pitch.

The finishing is a separate issue but I still hold out hope that either Garcia will develop (he gets in enough good positions) or Muniz will step in and start converting chances.

[terryr]

Robinson was a liability. He has fantastic athletic ability and gets himself into some good position at times, but he gives away the ball far too much, poor passing and his defending can be very sloppy. For someone who bombs down on the wing(it's essentially his whole game), his poor crossing makes him fairly useless. He has become all huff and puff with no result. I'd much rather see sess in that position.

[v]

King man of the match and a livewire from the start to when he came off to well-deserved applause.

Good subs by AA today (Sess and TC for a great but spent King and Bobb)

Cries of 'Muniz, Muniz!' from the home fans at the end when  Palacios and not the Brazilian came on to replace Garcia.

Some say Garcia needs to score to let the floodgates open and tbf he gets through a lot of hard work, with and without the ball.

But a forward ought to be scoring that chance he had in the second half - it's a striker's bread and butter.

[Carborundum]

One moment a spicy ball is fizzing towards a marked Josh King, the next moment he's broken clear with it fully under control and looking up.  Neither I nor the defender marking him have much of a clue how he's done it.  Gets my vote.

That's the first home game where I haven't needed a nights sleep to make sense of what I've seen.  We absolutely and straightforwardly battered Hull and that's a welcome thing.  The gaffer hasn't lost the dressing room.

Affengruber can be remarkably quick for a man whose slow running style suggests a Shire horse attempting dressage.  McBurney thought he'd be the man to stand next to and got nothing of any significance.

[AshfordFFC]

I know Josh will get it however I went for Awobi, as personally, aside from the goal, that was one of his best performances.

Anyone from the 14 who appeared today could have got it.  OK Bernd could have took a deck chair and read DAS BILD for the match so is excluded and puts it down to 13.

Berge and Charles oozed class and everyone else was awesome at the same time.

However, aside from the finishing issue and we should have won by 4 or 5, my one disappointing take of of the the day was Antonee Robinson and his crossing.  Tony Gale summed it up at one point with the word ATROCIOUS and every time he was in a position to provide it was so poor I nearly thew my pint into the TV.  He has to work on that soon, especially with Ryan going to be missing for 3 games.

[Count Flapula]

Very dominant performance. For me, every single starter played well but MOM is one from Josh, Shea or Bassey. Wont argue either way with anyone

Josh is growing in stature by the game - one of the the very most naturally talented players I've ever seen in a Fulham shirt. So intelligent - not sure I've ever seen anyone with such a good first touch.

Shea also growing game by game. I honestly think that him and Berge are a solid CM pairing and Affengruber with Bassey will give us a good spine together with those two in front. We just need to start converting more.

As an aside, "Papering over the cracks" is an interesting take.

Were we not the better team vs Liverpool, Man U and Ipswich (until the changes in that game granted)?

I think that take does a disservice to our clear change in tactics since the frankly mental first 3 games. Arbeloa has at least shown a capacity to adapt and we look better for it - that willingness to adapt, our clear improvement (despite the Ipswich result) and strong spine in a good squad indicates things may not quite be as bad as that. 

One thing I will say though is his some of his subs remain baffling (TC aside - that was a pleasant surprise and he was immense when he came on). I know he's desperate for GG to come good (he played OK, full of effort but confidence maybe not highest) - but taking him off for Palacios instead of Muniz?! What does he think that does for Muniz's confidence, let alone the message it sends to him about how he rates him? Appreciate AA was probably a non-win away from a sacking and pressure can do strange things but emptying out team of strikers when we are totally dominant only sends a message of lack of confidence to the team in the pitch and invites them to drop back.

Pluses and minuses from AA but a great performance overall and this team is definitely better than the bottom 3 in this league.

[Kimbleman]

For me it's Berge. He was everywhere and they just couldn't get past him. Top performance from him today, definitely my MOM

[Ludlow Richard]

Has to be King, but it could have been just about anyone in a game we could and should have won 4-0.

A special mention for Cairney. He come on and just did what he does best. Simple passing with all the time in the world.

[sunburywhite]

I just love it that every commentator have nothing but good things to say for King

They all seem to love him and almost want to wrap him up in love

[SP]

Wonder if Palacios's wife posts on FoF?

[LC]

I've been a critic of AA and I remain one, but I'm very happy with the performance today. I still worry about our goal scoring ability, and Iwobi's goal was lucky to go in (deflection towards goal and keeper fumble). I don't think Garcia should start the next game, his first touch was terrible, and he should have scored at least the header, I could go on. I was surprised to see us finish the game without a recognised striker on the field which seemed a strange decision. If anything you want Muniz up top to hold up the player - nice to hear the fans shout Muniz's name towards the end of the game. Anyhow, a good performance and hopefully this game is the turning point. I want to see AA succeed, but I'm still very skeptical, but as always, I will support the club, team, and whoever is in charge.

Anyhow, King was the man of the match for me. He's going to be a great player.

[onecupsoon]

Palacios for Garcia, a 10 for a 10?

[JimmyConway]

Difficult mom this one? Back line solid. Thought forwards worked hard most of the game. Midfield might have been the key area and both King & Berge were possibly standouts. Think I am swaying towards Berge slightly best game I've seen him in a Fulham shirt.

[Brawn]

A lot of cracks papered over today. Still leaky defensively, especially since we haven't shaken off the habit of playing on the edge of our own box.

We missed three clear-cut chances, and the goal we did get was a shocking piece of defending and goalkeeping from Hull. That said, we played fantastically in the first half, but on 65 minutes or so we either ran out of steam or a decision was made to shut up shop. Either way, it never looked totally comfortable from then on.

All the starting XI played well - King and Bobb especially - except Robinson and Garcia. The subs were dismal, though, as it was obvious those two needed to go off, and Iwobi shortly afterwards, yet somehow we ended the game without a striker and down to 10 following Sessegnon's challenge. I didn't have a great position from where I was (it's Chris Kavanagh, what did we expect?) but Sky have said there's no quibbling about it to be had, so oh well.

[McBrideOfFrankenstein]

"I am afraid that this game will paper over the cracks and prevent what needs to be done."

Great take from a global moderator on what I thought was suppose to be a fan forum site. Jfc

What's with the bile? It's his opinion, let him say it then say yours. Pretty simple.

[Chi_FFC]

A lot of cracks papered over today. Still leaky defensively.

Huh???

We missed three clear-cut chances, and the goal we did get was a shocking piece of defending and goalkeeping from Hull. That said, we played fantastically in the first half, but on 65 minutes or so we either ran out of steam or a decision was made to shut up shop.

Huh?

Were you watching the same match as the rest of us?