Disappointing but not a shock. Positives?

[Bassey the warrior]

First of all, it's a real shame we didn't win because in retrospect we would've gone up. But, I will bet that most players expected Cardiff to win and that they were therefore conserving energy.

We haven't been playing as well for the past few games but still picking up results, so maybe losing when we play poorly will knock the complacency out of the boys.
We need to man up and get back that winning and dominating mentality.

Against Reading last year we were tepid and toothless going forward, that can't happen this time, we have to score first.
We can do this!

[Fulham 442]

Well regardless of the Cardiff game our result was certainly a shock to me. We knew what we had to do today!

[FFCFOREVER]

I cannot believe Joka would allow players to conserve energy just because the players expected Cardiff to beat Reading.I sincerely hope that was not the case.We have to make a couple of changes just to freshen things up a bit.Maybe put Odoi at left back and bring Kalas back as Targett didnt look at the races today.Also maybe bring Ollie Norwood in for StefJo because he looks knackered and start Ayite instead of Piazon who has looked disappointing of late.COYW

[Lighthouse]

Not a shock but I believe the players tried but they simply all failed to find form and the heat caused the injury carrying players more problems. Targett throwing up on the pitch was a not a sign he was close to being fit. But the argument for resting or not resting players is over. Players were not conserving energy. This result has been coming for some time. Big thing now is how we approach the play offs. Do we re find our form or fail to turn up again? 

[FFCFOREVER]

Not a shock but I believe the players tried but they simply all failed to find form and the heat caused the injury carrying players more problems. Targett throwing up on the pitch was a not a sign he was close to being fit. But the argument for resting or not resting players is over. Players were not conserving energy. This result has been coming for some time. Big thing now is how we approach the play offs. Do we re find our form or fail to turn up again?

Spot on

[sunburywhite]

I am glad we have lost the tag of "unbeaten in 26"

[Artful Dodger]

Positives:
We're in the play offs which we would have taken at the back end of 2017;
The pressure of having a 23 game unbeaten run is finished - we can now concentrate on what matters with some pressure, but not quite in the same way;
We've won at Pride Park already this year.

Keep the faith - COYW!!  049:gif

[grandad]

I am not disappointed, sad,shocked, I am fuming. There is no excuse for our collective performance today. The players are supposed to be highly fit athletes asked to play once or sometimes twice a week. Some seem to spend too much time in tattoo parlours & doing designer shopping. Their training sessions only take up a few hours in the mornings. They must be bored to tears for the rest of the day I would at least make them watch videos of upcoming opponents in the afternoons.
Angry, I have not started yet.

[SuffolkWhite]

I felt we would be in the play offs at the beginning of the season and here we are!

I have to confess that the result today was not what I expected, but we rode our luck against Sunderland and have won ugly in a fair few games in the unbeaten run! So now it is the Play Off's and my concern now is where are the team at with confidence, stamina and heart?

It's the heart that I worry about the most right now.

But I will be there to watch us play Derby who really do deserve a beating from us!

COYW  049:gif

[filham]

I am glad we have lost the tag of "unbeaten in 26"

Just hope it not now replaced with three without a win quite soon.
Essential we bounce back with a performance on Friday.

[Woolly Mammoth]

I am glad we have lost the tag of "unbeaten in 26"

Just hope it not now replaced with three without a win quite soon.
Essential we bounce back with a performance on gecbirsec .

We have to bounce back and quickly, get back on the horse ASAP.
Make sure we get our noses in front at Derby ready for the home match, and win there as well.

[The Swan]

Grandad I agree with you. Good post.

[davew]

I am glad we have lost the tag of "unbeaten in 26"

Just hope it not now replaced with three without a win quite soon.
Essential we bounce back with a performance on gecbirsec .

We have to bounce back and quickly, get back on the horse ASAP.
Make sure we get our noses in front at Derby ready for the home match, and win there as well.

Like most horses they are thinking of pastures new which are not at the Cottage! I don't think we were unlucky not to get 2nd place but lucky we have ended up 3rd, so many games where we have got a result and played poorly and other results going in our favour. The next 2 games will show if our players really have the desire and ability to move us forward!

[RaySmith]

I'm absolutely certain that the players gave their all, but just weren't  at it on the day - pressure, fatigue, whatever - that's football for you, you  can't guarantee a result.

Birmingham knew how to play us, and we  weren't at our best. This result has been on the cards for a couple of games - Millwall, and Sunderland- but we rode our luck and  managed to come out on top, but here our often vulnerable defence conceded early, and we couldn't find a way back.

We just have to move forwards, and look to the play-offs.
We live to fight another day.

COYW!!!!

[Stoneleigh Loyalist]

Too many supporters were tied up with their blind faith that we would beat Birmingham than by studying the form guide.

Birmingham are not the bottom of the league team that they were two months ago. They have changed their manager and have actually won five of their last eleven games, a much better record than their previous stats.they are an improving team which would have continued to climb.

Although we did not play well we did not have a divine right to beat Birmingham and it did not help that we were below form. To what extent was that due to the way that they had planned and exploited our weaknesses.?

It is very easy to say that Fulham can pick themselves up and play better. That is very easy mid season, but not in a two match shoot out where pressure and nerves are bound to play their part.

We can only hope that Slav and the team will perform as they are capable of doing, with or without Targett.

[Woolly Mammoth]

I am glad we have lost the tag of "unbeaten in 26"

Just hope it not now replaced with three without a win quite soon.
Essential we bounce back with a performance on gecbirsec .

We have to bounce back and quickly, get back on the horse ASAP.
Make sure we get our noses in front at Derby ready for the home match, and win there as well.

Like most horses they are thinking of pastures new which are not at the Cottage! I don't think we were unlucky not to get 2nd place but lucky we have ended up 3rd, so many games where we have got a result and played poorly and other results going in our favour. The next 2 games will show if our players really have the desire and ability to move us forward!

If we fail poorly, Then some horses may need to be put out to graze, assuming they haven't already bolted before the Stable door was closed.
Because yesterday one or two or three or four etc etc looked as though they were either on their way to the knackers yard, or ready to jump the perimeter fence for pastures new. 
Because if they cannot stand the oressure then we are in big trouble in the play offs, as for others mentioning fatigue, that is a myth, when you are on the brink of glory, the adrenaline should carry them past the winning post, ask any marathon runner.

[EastEndWhite]

I am not disappointed, sad,shocked, I am fuming. There is no excuse for our collective performance today. The players are supposed to be highly fit athletes asked to play once or sometimes twice a week. Some seem to spend too much time in tattoo parlours & doing designer shopping. Their training sessions only take up a few hours in the mornings. They must be bored to tears for the rest of the day I would at least make them watch videos of upcoming opponents in the afternoons.
Angry, I have not started yet.

I am disappointed, nothing more.  I do not believe for one moment the players went out onto the pitch yesterday with anything less than the intention to do their best.  People were complaining in November that our season was over and that it was time for Slavisa to go.  Now that we are in the playoffs with a team capable of beating first Derby and then either Villa or Boro, some fans seem to be throwing in the towel again!   

1500.gif

[SG]

My old man used to say 'typical Fulham' whenever we blew this type of opportunity of which there were many during his time. Yet again 'typical Fulham' seems appropriate

[mccscratch]

It was indeed "Fulhamish" but I still believe. We are the best team left... prove it boys.